Hello again! How have y'all been doing? I am doing great, still drowning, but doing pretty good otherwise. The semester is wrapping up slowly, essays, coffee, readings and exams are piling up - BUT I AM OKAY! I've been itching SO BADLY TO WRITE AGAIN AND DIVE BACK INTO THE WORLD OF CONNOR! But, I am gonna have to wait until exams are done before I can get back to this story.

Thank you all for your patience with my spotty updates and thank you all for the support XD I will keep telling you this, but it genuinely makes my day knowing that you enjoy the story (and I enjoy writing it too).

Take care, have a wonderful weekend and may the coffee and the brain be with you as you brave through the nasty waves of exams and the like. Remember there is an end in sight...Oh my... I think I see - YES! I see Chapter Twenty One waving at you and me at the horizon - it's, it's so beautiful! WE CAN DO THIS! ONWARD CHARGE!

CHAPTER TWENTY

~ Torn ~

Dinner with Alexander Leighton was very tense. Of course, Achilles sat with them and Connor was (of course) absent. They sat at a beautiful mahogany dining table that was big enough to welcome at least another ten people. Achilles sat at the head while Alexander sat on his left and Meryl to his right. Meryl thanked the Lord and everybody else for the seating, because she could not trust Alexander from keeping his hands off of her. Okay, maybe she was exaggerating, but that distance was better.

Of course, Alexander played his role as the charming and gallant gentleman at dinner with such proficiency that it made Meryl more guarded about his motives. The kiss was forgotten like the forgotten upstairs parlor. Meryl too did a good job concealing her nervousness in his countenance, but whenever that son of a bitch gave her a lingering gaze her heart almost imploded. His killer green eyes, almost an emerald shade, burned through her leaving her exposed. And whenever he did that she merely sharpened her eyes to a mildly annoyed expression or just returned a neutral stare.

"If you have something to say Mr. Leighton, now would be the time." she politely interjected from across the table, trapping him.

Alexander did not waver at all and pulled an amused smile at her, as he rested his chin over his folded hands, his gaze penetrating her.

"Master Davenport," he addressed Achilles with his full attention then looked at Meryl. "I am very intrigued by your mysterious guest."

"So am I for that matter." Achilles chuckled.

Meryl held back from scowling at Achilles and Alexander, so she forced a grin at them.

"Would you enlighten me about your mysterious guest?" Alexander inquired.

"How so, Master Leighton?"

"Miss Briar has been very aloof about herself."

That fucker!

Achilles' raised a quizzical eyebrow which probably was rehearsed since he knew why she couldn't be truthfully about herself. Whether he believed her or not will be determined with how he answers Alexander's question. Achilles released a breath after a sip of his imported Italian wine, his unreadable dark brown eyes surveying both Alexander and Meryl.

"Her father was a family friend of mine. He tragically passed a year ago due to a mishap at the docks in Elizabethtown in New Jersey." Achilles explained somberly with such immaculate recounting that it sounded so real even though he was blatantly lying. "Miss Briar has taken upon herself to help me rebuild my estate and property as thanks for supporting her family during these hard times."

He is a fucker too! Now she owes some allegiance to him!

Immediately Alexander displayed how affected he was by looking at Meryl with highest of compassion. It was very genuine from the way his emerald eyes had softened and how his dark auburn eyebrows were scrunched with concern. The sincerity he displayed began to gnaw at Meryl, there it was, guilt.

"Miss Briar, I am very sorry for your loss." He said with a very caring and serious tone. "I deeply apologize for my transgressions."

I wonder what transgressions he means!

"Please, don't apologize." Meryl kindly but appreciatively dismissed his apology. "It is…something I do not wish to discuss, hence my reservations on my background."

"I fully understand and respect your sentiments on this subject, Miss Briar. I sincerely apologize if I vexed you with my impertinence."

Meryl just smiled in his direction acknowledging and accepting his apology.

"Do you…have other family?" Alexander asked further.

Meryl shook her head, a sorrow surged from the depths from her heart as she remembered with painful detail her drug addict mom and absentee father.

"Her father was her last surviving relative in North America."

Jesus Christ! This was becoming all too tragic and it intensified Alexander's attention and concern for her. Fuck.

"Yep, so I am staying here for an indeterminate time until my service is not required anymore." Meryl supplied with a grin in Achilles direction at the emphasis of service, but then she offered Alexander a warm smile. "I am fully enjoying my stay at this wonderful place."

It was true. She was enjoying it despite the secretive shit that was going on behind Connor and Achilles. Ingrid, Marie, Hanna and now Kazuma gave her a reason to stay and enjoy this life in the 18th century.

"Forgive me for bringing this to attention, what is the origin of Miss Briar's dialect, Master Davenport?" Alexander astutely questioned which did throw Meryl and Achilles off their feet, but Meryl quickly retaliated.

"What is wrong with my dialect, Mr. Leighton?" she said through clenched teeth.

"Nn-nothing! There is nothing wrong with your dialect, Miss Briar! It-it is in fact quite delightful!" Alexander clumsily stammered. "I am merely curious of its origin."

"Her family is of Scottish ancestry, but her upbringing with different languages and cultures such as the Dutch, Irish and English have probably influenced her dialect. It isn't an uncommon development, is it not, Master Leighton?"

"Certainly not, not an uncommon trait of the colonies."

Alexander's voice had a mild sourness and distance at the mention of "colonies". There we go again being all British and elitist. Meryl tried not to lash at him for having that elitist tone, but she told herself that it was his upbringing that taught him to speak like that.

Maybe a taste of some nice old America would change his mind.

As she thought of that Connor's face flashed in front of her eyes. Her air pipes constricted and she almost choked on the bread she had been chewing on.

"Miss Briar, are you all right?" Alexander almost jumped out of his seat with worry, but she waved her index finger at him to stop him from getting up from his seat.

She took a gulp from her wine and let it wash down. Then she smiled in both Achilles and Alexander's direction.

"I am fine." She reassured them, but felt a strong need to leave the dinner table to clear her head. "But I might have spilled my wine on my dress. May I be excused, just for a little?"

They both nodded, but she felt Alexander's eyes lingering on her, reading her or checking whether he had offended her again. Maybe he did. She did not pay attention to him or Achilles and left the room swiftly, taking the other way around to the kitchen. She entered the kitchen and found all the ladies sitting at the table sipping on some tea. Marie spotted her first, her round creamy brown eyes wide.

"Oh hun?" Marie noted with a mix of surprise and concern. "Are ya alright?"

"Yup." Meryl closed the door behind her and exhaled a deep breath.

"Is he treating you right, Schatz?" Ingrid asked.

Meryl waved at them frantically to shut the fuck up.

"He is in the other room you know!"

Meryl came over her palms resting on the table and seeing the grinning faces of Ingrid and Marie synching together. Marie placed her hand on Meryl's resting hand with an eager and pushy expression.

"So, did somethin' happen?"

"He kissed me." Meryl answered dead pan which earned her a loud round of gasps from the horrified Ingrid and Hanna and a muffled chuckle from Marie.

"Psh! I kissed him back too." Meryl hissed at them, warning them to keep their voices down.

Now all domestics had become speechless. They were shocked, surprised and perplexed by what happened.

"He took advantage of my unguarded state, so I took advantage of his."

Ingrid looked like she had seen the devil spawn right in front of her. She grasped her rosary until her knuckles turned white, mouthing silently some prayer to ward of some evil spirit or Satan or something like that. Hanna was shocked, but not as intense as Ingrid, but enough to make her question the morality of Meryl's decisions. However, Marie was like the Cheshire cat grinning from ear to ear, thoroughly relishing Meryl's brutal honesty and youthful impulsive nature.

"Ingrid, for Christ sake, stop looking at me like I summoned the devil."

Ingrid narrowed her eyes with a scowl.

"These actions are not becoming of a woman, Schatz."

"I know, Ingrid and I am sorry to disappoint you," Meryl told her directly with a grave expression, removing the humor in this situation as she lowered her voice. "He is very persistent which makes me a little suspicious of him. I don't trust him, I am testing him or challenging him. You might not agree with my methods, but this is the only way."

It would lead to dating, but even that made Meryl a little hesitant.

Even for her standard which were either non-existent or very low, he was moving a little too fast for an 18th century man. At least according to literature she read in the past or movies that she watched, this era usually had a lengthy courting, wooing period. But Alexander was different from what she expected. Was it normal?

"But my question here, is his behavior common or uncommon?" Meryl looked at Ingrid and Marie.

"Usually men of higher standing are more restrained or more careful of their actions." Ingrid said in a numb voice, slowly recovering from the shock. "However, there are always exceptions."

Meryl looked at Marie and she just shrugged.

"Hun, you are looking at the wrong person."

Meryl and Marie shared a laugh. As the merry atmosphere returned, Meryl cleared her throat.

"I need to go to the outhouse. Can somebody take off this wooden contraption under my dress?"

Ingrid and Marie laughed and they got up. They hoisted the dress up and removed the wooden inverted umbrella thing from her waist.

"Didn't Connor say we should stay inside?" Hanna's voice suddenly spoke out and all women looked at her with confusion.

"What for, hun?"

Meryl groaned and smacked her palm against her forehead.

"The bear."

Ingrid and Marie's face hardened with graveness.

"Schatz you better use the chamber pot, we will-

-Hell no!" Meryl snarled with vehemence. "I am not going to take a piss or shit in that thing!"

Ingrid covered her mouth, glancing at the other door leading to the dining area and then she returned a scowl at Meryl.

"Do not speak in such a foul tongue, Miss Briar."

"Let me go and I won't talk like that." Meryl challenged her. "It is just a few feet away from the house and I can fight."

Ingrid looked at her sternly, not wanting to risk it. Then she saw Marie and Hanna taking her side which made Meryl groan with defeat.

"Fiiine then."

Meryl hoisted her dress and left the kitchen to go upstairs to do her business.

Meryl returned downstairs after having her wooden contraption fitted back under her dress. She stopped short before the doorway leading into the dining area. She leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath. It was like walking back into the lion's den. Meryl had to admit she was a little intimidated by the intense attention she was getting from Alexander, but on the other hand it was her fault. Her kiss probably had spurned him on and possibly given him some foolish hope. She sighed. At least from her experience 21st century men tended to be more wary of Meryl's kind. She really didn't want to go back inside just yet.

Then something caught her eye and she made a move to the main entrance.

She stepped out of the manor closing the door behind her. Meryl stood on the porch which was illuminated by flickering lamps above the door. Beyond the porch a dense darkness hung that even the occasional pockets of light pouring out from the windows could not illuminate. There was a stillness to the night which made Meryl very acute to her surroundings.

She had stepped out because she had seen a shadow through the window from Achilles study. Meryl moved to the right of the porch squinting her eyes to look at the snow covered ground. She grabbed her dress, lifting it high enough for it not to touch the snow covered ground. Luckily the ground had frozen over, making it just a "little easier" for her to walk on it. Even though the light was dim, she did see some tracks. As she treaded very carefully, her body and blood froze when she inspected the large fresh tracks.

Suddenly, she heard a snort and heavy crunching and cracking of iced snow.

Her body snapped up and she stopped breathing. A mix of grunting and snorting grew closer and louder until it stopped behind the corner of the manor. Meryl's breath came out in a shudder, the steam evaporating from her trembling lips. She had to move back to the porch and very slowly.

She took a step back and another, very gingerly, but a loud misstep followed by her hissing a curse prompted the large head of a brown bear to peek from beyond the corner. The beady dark eyes attached to the gigantic head stared through her, shattering her confidence and obliterating all her rationality. It wiggled its snout, snorting and grunting, the vapor escaping his moist nose. It began to move around the corner and stopped when he was a good 10 feet away from her. In the dimly lit surroundings this bear had maybe a dark pelt, tall ears, a short snout with a straight profile and no visible shoulder hump. It was 5 feet long and maybe 300 pounds heavy. Meryl released a shuddering breath of partial relief, when she analyzed what type of bear it was.

"A black bear, not a grizzly…Thank God." She mumbled to herself, now growing a glare towards the black bear.

She dropped her dress and raised her arms high above her head to make herself look big.

"Get a move on fatass!" she shouted and clapped her hands, smacked the wall and made obnoxious sounds.

The black bear's ears folded back, its body tense and eyes narrowing with defense or intent of attacking. Meryl continued with the sounds with the volume escalating louder and louder until she took a deep breath. Then as she grounded her body, her eyes dead set on the bear and fists clenched, she unleashed from the deepest and darkest part of herself the loudest soul-tearing scream. Her scream rung so loud and clear that it echoed through the Homestead and rattled through the Davenport manor. The bear backed with its ears folded back.

"Miss Briar!"

Within a few seconds Alexander had appeared at the porch, his chest heaving with urgency, his eyes wide with concern then with shock. He leaped to Meryl's rescue with his flintlock pistol drawn. The other domestics had ran out onto the porch shrieking with terror. He yanked Meryl behind him as he stood there his pistol drawn and cocked. Without hesitation he pulled the trigger, the scrape of flint followed by an explosion of flash and smoke thundered from the muzzle.

The bear screeched and cried in pain. The bear made a drastic turn in the opposite direction, limping off into the darkness of the forest.

"Miss Briar!" Alexander ran to Meryl's side, his face sweaty and pale with concern as he pulled her up and laced his arm around her waist. "Are you injured?"

His eyes scanned her body and his hand tilted her face to both sides to check her for injuries.

Then from another direction a loud scrunching of footsteps sounded from beyond the low stone wall surrounding the Davenport manor. Alexander refilled his pistol quickly and cocked it, aiming at the nearing sound. However, as the sound grew closer and more distinct, Meryl gently lowered his pistol when Connor came running up, hopping effortlessly over the stone wall and running up the stairs to the porch. .

"What happened?" Connor demanded, but when he took note of Meryl's pallid expression and lethargic body his face tightened with concern. "Is she injured?"

Alexander shook his head, then alarmingly extended his arm in the direction of the fleeing bear.

"It went in that direction!" Barked Alexander, still high strung with adrenaline and worry for Meryl. "Make haste! Kill him before he injures someone else!"

Connor gave a firm nod, his eyes lingering briefly on Meryl's face then he hardened his face and pulled out his hatchet and sprinted in the direction. The icy surface of the snow cracked and groaned with every heavy stride he took as he bounded and jumped over obstacles effortlessly until he vanished into the darkness of the forest.

Meryl watched on, mesmerized by Connor's run. There was something so predatorial and inelegant about his gait yet when he dashed through the area he looked like a cheetah, building momentum to catch his prey. It made the hairs on her back stick up.

In her fazed state Meryl was ushered back into the manor and immediately changed into her casual dark neutral blue dress without that nonsensical wooden umbrella under her dress. Then she was brought to the kitchen where she was served some sweets, pastries and the like with some strong tea.

Now she was seated in the kitchen and it was possibly early morning. They were alone in the kitchen, she and Alexander. He had placed a shawl on her shoulder and was sitting at her side, on the same bench. Kazuma had found his resting place on her lap.

"You adopted a black wolf?" Alexander asked her calmly.

Meryl smiled at Kazuma and nodded. She felt a little self-conscious as Alexander was sitting a little too close to her. She could almost feel the heat from his thigh touching hers.

"I saved him from freezing to death. And who could resist that little ball of cuteness?" She said and cooed at the last bit as she rubbed his head with an eager hand.

Alexander petted the animal and he had acquired a smile when Kazuma yapped excitedly at the guest's attention towards him.

"Does it have a name?"

"It is a he and yes, his name is Kazuma."

"What a peculiar name…"

"It is, but it suits him." She said as she raised him to her eye level.

Kazuma gave Meryl's nose a lick and she giggled. She brought him closer and almost snuggled him to death. Kazuma gave a yap of protest and wiggled himself out of her grip. She placed him back on the ground and he trotted over to his food bowl and water.

"Will you stay here, for the night?" Meryl asked after a pause, her eyes focused on Kazuma's wagging tail.

"I have no choice, unless you wish me to become the bear's next meal."

Meryl for the first time looked at him with an unimpressed expression which he returned with an amused grin.

"Mr. Leighton don't flatter yourself, you have not reached that level of annoyance, yet."

"Are you sure? You certainly have given me that impression."

Meryl rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Look, if I really can't stand a person I will make it fucking obvious and I will go out of my way to avoid this person."

"Is that why you haven't responded to my letters?" he promptly stated with a fake hurt expression.

Meryl groaned.

"Are you really interested in my chicken scratch of a handwriting?"

"That is your only reason for not responding to me?" he said, slightly taken aback but also partially relieved and amused.

"I never received a letter from a man, okay? Especially not in such beautiful handwriting." She grumbled and crossed her arms.

"I am puzzled by your pessimistic view of gentlemen, Miss Briar."

"No shit."

Alexander cleared his throat.

"Allow me to be your first."

Meryl snapped her attention at him, as if she misheard him.

"What?"

Alexander chuckled.

"Allow me to prove to you how unworthy they were to have you."

Meryl chortled.

"Now that is a very tall order." She sipped from her tea.

For some stupid reason her mind dwelled on sex, probably because she was sex deprived or something. She was piqued by the direction of the conversation, so she decided to play along.

"Does that apply to all departments?" she said, eyeing him as she placed her tea back on the saucer.

Alexander of course caught along with the purpose and tone of the conversation. Jesus, they were too like-minded.

"Yes, in all of them." He responded straightforwardly, resting his forearms on the table and lowering his head to her level so that his eyes pierced hers.

Meryl folded her arms over the table.

"I am a woman that is very difficult to please." She stated blatantly, keeping eye contact with him and emphasizing the last word in a suggestive tone.

His face lowered and stopped just a few inches in front of her face. His green eyes searing through hers with an irresistible cocky gaze.

"I am very difficult to please as well, Miss Briar."

Her heart jumped to her throat and her face turned hot, she felt the blush rising in her cheeks and she briskly turned away.

"Son of bitch." She barked to herself and blushed even more when she heard him chuckle in his suave like manner.

"I can apply the same methods of seduction, Miss Briar."

Meryl snapped her head in his direction, forgetting why she had turned away from him in the first place.

"Methods of seduction? PAH!" she scoffed and when she met his growing grin as he had seen the result of his strategy on her face, she barked at him. "Will you stop looking and doing that!"

Meryl gesticulated at his face which he responded with a chuckle.

"You are such a delightful tease."

Meryl growled.

"F-fuck you!"

"As long as you are part of the process, I would not mind."

It was Meryl's turn to be stunned. She gaped at him with her eyes wide. Her body remembered to breath and she snorted. She scooted further down the bench, showing some discomfort while annoyance for her chickening out now.

"Okay, wow, this was unexpected."

"It is not, Miss Briar."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?" she snarled.

"Fucking is a natural, integral part of a relationship, is it not?"

"It is." She said through clenched teeth.

"Hence there is nothing wrong with admitting to the need to quench one's thirst."

"Unless that it the sole aspect you seek in a relationship." Meryl responded now with a sober and grave tone, turning her eyes away from him.

"No!" he exclaimed impulsively and grabbed her hand, holding it tightly.

Her eyes fell on his hand, then wandered to his face etched with a sincerity that Meryl hadn't encountered in such a long time. His green eyes were stark with a mix of torment, desperation and commitment.

"No." he resumed with an earnest tone. "I want – I desire your mind, your soul and your body – all of you."

Meryl was so taken aback by his words that she remained speechless.

This was a lie.

Nobody has ever said this to her.

Nobody has shown her this degree of care for her.

She gasped when she felt his finger underneath her chin. He raised her chin so that their eyes met. Her lower body squirmed at the sight of his glimmering green eyes which had become heavier the longer they looked at each other.

"Alex…" she breathed, his lips hovering in front of hers.

"Oh I adore how you say my name…" he breathed, his eyes lingering on her lips.

He gently rubbed his thumb over her lower lip, feeling her shuddering breath against it. He placed his lips against hers, moving against them slowly and gingerly. Meryl's heart expanded and the tingling in the pit of her stomach grew. He moved closer and wrapped his hand behind her neck to bring her closer. The tingling intensified when he deepened the kiss. Meryl felt powerless.

She never, ever lost control.

She always, ALWAYS was in control, but now, he was.

But fuck he was a good kisser!

Meryl threw her arms around him, bringing him even closer which gave her tongue access to the depth of his mouth which he eagerly responded to.

"This doesn't mean anything." She broke away, to look at him with annoyance, but he yanked her back in the kiss.

He chuckled in the kiss and pulled back.

"You are relishing this…as much as I do, Miss Briar." He panted, displaying a cocky smile.

"This does not mean we are in a relationship, Alexander." She told him, sobering up to her words.

Alexander shrugged off her words, still holding onto her.

"Yet we find ourselves kissing and touching each other like lovers."

After a pause where he stared through her eyes, his eyes grew grave, the passion simmering in his green fiery eyes.

"Come with me to my chamber."

Meryl's jaw grew slack.

"What?!"

He held her by the shoulders, his fiery green eyes pleading her.

"Come with me." He urged her.

"Dear God Alex. Are you- are you serious?!" she exclaimed in a whisper, fearing that the others would hear them.

She untangled herself from his hands and stood up from the bench, taking a few steps back to give space.

"This is going way too fast for my liking, Alexander." Her guard was up which was strange since she didn't care for one night stands or a quickie, but this…this was something different.

"You still question the sincerity of my words and of my emotions?" he questioned her with incredulity, his voice and facial expression affected and hurt by the suspicion and distrust she displayed.

"I warned you, Alex. I told you over and over that I would be difficult to deal with… I come with a lot of emotional baggage." She whispered, also affected by his reaction and her own words. "And… I barely know you and I can't drop my guard down and allow this intimacy to take place when I am not ready for it."

Alexander's body was rigid. He looked at her with wide eyes, mouth slightly parted and some color had left his face.

"I thought a man of your upbringing would, you know, be different."

Alexander abruptly got up, rattling the table and the tea cups on the table when he got up from the bench.

"I am no different from any passionate man!" he protested with reproach. "Decorum and titles are for appearance, nothing more! They do not matter!"

He was wrong. Appearance and reputation mattered so much, especially in this world. As far as she could tell, the 18th century was a class society still and each class kept to themselves. Meryl did not give a shit about all this, yet for some reason she found herself concerned about this. Maybe the thought of their relationship drawing too much attention to her was the reason. For now, she sure as hell was not going to sleep with him.

"Your advances have been very ungentlemanly. I am not a common whore that you can sleep around with whenever you please, Mr. Leighton." She interjected curtly. "While I am flattered by your interest in me and yes I know we did kiss – a level of trust has to be established. The fact that all of this is coming across as rushed and pushy makes me very suspicious of your motives. I may have slept with men after just one night, but their intentions were clear, but yours…I am not sure."

Alexander looked like he was punched in the gut, but his face remained solemn and his lips were tightly shut almost turning white with tension.

"Miss Briar… you are not without blame." He countered in a quiet and steady voice, "You are more elusive than I. You resist my advances bitterly then you welcome them and then you resist them again. I am utterly baffled by your intentions."

"Live in my shoes and you would understand!" She snapped at him then grabbed Kazuma into her arms and walked towards the door. "Good night, Mr. Leighton."

She left the kitchen with a slam of the door.

"Son of a bitch." She grumbled to herself.

She felt her eyes moisten from the turbulence of emotions she felt towards herself and Alexander. Did she even like him? She enjoyed being kissed by him, but the idea of him sleeping with her was…too much for her. All this was going too fast right now. Normally she wouldn't give two shits about this and just impulsively go with it, but now something was holding her back. Something inside her anchored her to the ground, was it reason? Was it a conscience? What the fuck was it?

And why was she feeling this way?

She woke up from her personal torment when she saw the entrance door handle move. The door creaked open and Connor's towering frame entered the manor. He appeared surprised to meet her right at the bottom of the stairs. Meryl looked down on his clothes, seeing the blood spatter on his abdomen and on the cuffs of his sleeves. Her heart squeezed.

"Are you injured?" she asked him immediately.

He tightened his jaw, averted his gaze for a moment and cleared his throat.

"I am fine. The bear is dead."

"Good." Meryl responded with a sigh of relief. "Thank God it was a black bear and not a Grizzly, I mean brown bear."

"Yes…"

There was a weird and tense pause between them. She had her attention divided between the wiggling Kazuma and the peeling tapestry in the corner of the wall. She felt his gaze one her.

"Are you all right?" Connor inquired in earnest as he studied her face carefully and zeroed on her eyes. "You seem still affected…"

Meryl blinked at few times, struck by how observant and straight forward he was. The bear thing was forgotten but if he could spot her looking like shit that meant she had become too readable and that Alexander had the ability to do that to her. The feelings that Alexander had provoked within her rose again with a ferocity like a tidal wave. She felt her eyes prickling with tears that she had a hard time suppressing. She averted her gaze quickly, taking a deep breath. It made her happy that he asked about her well-being. She chewed on her lips that had been kissed.

"I am fine, thank you." She replied calmly, although her voice grew to a whisper which she quickly cleared. "The most important part is that you are alive and uninjured. Anyway, I will head upstairs to bed now. I wish you a good night."

With her eyes lowered she turned away from him and ascended the stairs, the warm tears flowing down her cold cheeks like melted water carving its way through a glacier.