Chapter twenty-seven: Mutual Heartache


Fifteen minutes later,


The cab came to a stop outside of a simple, brick boarding house. Sarjant got out and opened the door for the nanny before hurrying around to get the door for her. She reached for him and he lifted her up into his arms. He addressed the driver. "I'll be back as soon as I have her inside."

The guy nodded. "No problem buddy."

Sarjant rolled his eyes as he hurried up the stairs. "The English and their bizarre nicknames." He muttered before turning to her. "Open the door." She nods and pushes the door open. "Mrs. Worth!" He called as he stepped inside the house.

"Sarjant Allard? Is that you?" A silver haired lady bustled around the corner, spectacles atop her head and feather duster in hand. She let out a gasp and dropped the duster. "What happened?"

"It's alright," he said. "it's an odd story. I know, you don't permit guests of the opposite sex, but might I prevail upon you to allow us to use the parlor for a few hours?"

"Oh, yes! Yes, please do!" She hurried into the parlor and picked a blanket off the settee. "Set her down here. Is she injured? Shall I call a doctor?"

"She's just had a shock. I believe your raspberry tea would do wonders for her nerves."

"I'll make you one too." She shook her head. "You really need to take some time off! You work too hard."

"I can rest when I'm dead." He muttered quietly, but she still heard his words. As he tucked the blanket around her legs, that's when she saw he was just as broken as she was. He, however being a man, just hid his emotions far better. He stood. "I'll be back, let me pay the driver."

"Of course." She turned towards Mrs. Worth. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience-

"No, no, no." she assured her. "It's alright my dear. Now, I shall make you a cup of tea? I daresay I have something for the little one."

"You're very kind."

The nanny cleared her throat. "I shall give her hand, shall I?"

"Please do, since we are imposing on her."

"And bring that delightful baby." Mrs. Worth said with a smile. "It's been too long since I've had any children around here!"

She shook her head and smiled as they left. She exhaled and leaned forward, resting her head on her hands. God, she was sick of this constant state of drama that seemed to follow her and her family. What she wouldn't give for a day of silence and peace!

The front door opened and shut and she looked to see Sarjant entering the room, tugging off his coat and loosening his tie. He exhaled and moved to sit down in a large armchair next to her. He leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment. He looked as tired and exhausted as she felt.

"I'm sorry." He turns his head towards her. "I didn't mean to drag you into this mess, especially since you've been so kind."

"Don't blame yourself." He said. "Your friend, should have let you go. Who was that by the way?"

"He used to be a childhood friend." She chuckles faintly at the face he makes. "Then when I had Angier…he decided that he wanted me."

"But you don't want him?" she nods and he shrugs. "That's the way love goes. As Oscar Wilde said, hearts were made to be broken." His voice fades slightly and he glances at her. "However, if you loved my cousin as deeply as you appear to, it is a bit soon for any man to be pressing you for such feelings. A glance at your apparel makes it obvious that you're still in mourning and not ready for such things."

She nods faintly, he could see that her heart wasn't ready. The guilt she had been feeling to her behavior towards Eitan seemed to lessen in that moment. If a complete stranger could see that she wasn't ready, Eitan should have been able to know and accept it. "Angier, he made me so happy. And then when I lost him….it was as if I've forgotten how to breathe." She inhaled as she confessed, tears running down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, it just miss him."

"And you should." Sarjant said. "He was going to be your husband. You're here raising his daughter and he should be here with the two of you. You should be devastated!"

She studied him before asking. "If you don't mind my asking, what experience made you so knowing of my grief and loss?" He looks away. "I don't mean to pry but, you are so respectful and understanding that I can't help but wonder how you know when everyone else around me seems to expect me to be out of mourning by now."

He exhaled silently before reaching into his pocket. He opened his wallet and handed her a photograph. He hesitated a moment before handing it to her. She looked at the photograph of a smiling young woman. She was a delicate featured woman, very beautiful. She glanced at Sarjant, waiting for him to speak, which he did eventually.

"Her name was Sylvia Bisset." He was silent for a long moment before stating. "We were to be married when I returned from the war." He leaned forward and fixed his gaze on a picture on the wall opposite the settee. "Sylvia was the most beautiful woman. The only woman I've ever loved and the only woman I've been with. She was kind, sweet, gentle, soft-spoken, intelligent and a sense of humor. She had beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes that…seemed as if they could pierce your soul with a glance."

"I can tell." She said softly. "You can see the beautify and kindness inside her."

He nods before saying lowly. "This is one of the worst wars we've ever faced. Not just because of the lives lost, but the atrocities that many people endured. So many wrongs committed that will never be put to right. Evil was allowed to triumph over good and we will never forget about it." He inhales raggedly and she can see the tears building in his eyes. "When the Germans occupied France, I tried in vain to get permission to go back to France and find her, but I couldn't abandon my men. I was able to get a message through to the resistance and I was informed that she'd been kidnapped by a German commander." He inhaled raggedly as the words bubbled tightly out of him. "The commander raped and tortured her so brutally that she took her own life. Even," he rubbed his mouth tightly as if fighting down bile. "though she was dead, the commander used her as if she were still alive."

Unable to resist the impulse, Violet reached over and gripped his hand to lend him support. He inhaled and gripped her hand tightly. Violet knew he'd experienced hell and torment, but this was beyond anything that she expected anyone to endure.

"She was avenged by the resistance but I should have been there for her." She knew that tone of regret and anger all too well. "She had no one. No family aside from me and I wasn't there to protect her."

She was silent a moment before stating. "I was there, for the loss of my love and there was still nothing I could do."

"She must blame me for abandoning her."

"Mine must surely blame me for incompetence. People tell me it wasn't my fault and while that may be true, I cannot help but blame myself just a little bit. "

"In time, we will forgive ourselves, but today is not that day." He looks towards her. "And, that is why I could not stand by and watch your friend treat you like that. Whether he meant to or not, I promised my Sylvia, that I would never walk by a woman who needed my help."

"She'd be proud of you." She said gently.

"And your Angier would be proud of you."

"I believe," they both turned to see Mrs. Worth staring there with the tea set. "that they're both looking down and smiling. They're probably happy that the two of your are being a comfort to each other." Sarjant stood to help Mrs. Worth with the tea tray. "Now, I lost my Edgar, God bless his soul, in the first air raid. We were married for fifty-five years and I miss him still." She smiled sadly. "This pain you two feel, it will not go away, it will become a part of you. But I promise you, it will lessen lightly and in time, you will find a sort of peace without them. And one can find a sort of contentment. However, I'm old and you two are young. Your healing will come in time and hopefully the two of you find love again with someone. I've had my day and I hope the two of you have yours again."

She sighs. "So everyone keeps saying."

"And they're right dearie. It just takes times, give yourself some time to rest."

"Well, as long as it's not that guy in the pub." She laughs lightly as Sarjant hands her the cup of tea. "If I remember didn't Mr. Williams buy you a house?"

She nods. "Yes, a cottage in Yorkshire."

"Have you ever been there?" He inquired.

"No. I haven't. Why?"

"Because if Mr. Solomon's son has been repeatedly forcing his attentions on you, you should leave London. Mr. Williams has already provided that location for you. If you don't even know it's location, then he won't know."

She bites her lip and nods. "You know, that is a very good idea. London is more than four hours away, while Birmingham is only two. But how will you and I communicate? Four hours is a long train trip. "

"I'll find somewhere to rent for the weekends. I'll work in London during the week."

She nods. "Sounds like a plan. "

"When would you like to leave?"

She didn't even hesitate before stating. "Today."

Sarjant wasn't even surprised. He nodded. "Then I suggest we depart after lunching with Mrs. Worst."

And it was a lovely lunch. Mrs. Worst was a sweet lady who insisted on going to help her pack afterwards. Sarjant called her father and informed him that Violet was leaving London and that there would be movers there. Her father was still in a bad mood and Sarjant hung up on him andarranged for a large crew to descend. He alerted her assistant who immediately went to help gather her items together to accompany them. Five hours later, Violet found herself on a train with the nanny, her assistant, Sarjant and Angie. Ready to start a new chapter in her life.


Lil'Sparrow7: Sarjant is a funny one.

Idcam: Violet and Cafa really didn't give anyone much of a choice since they both went behind their parents to form the relationship. Cafa has a bit more guts than Eitan, but he's of the younger generation, not as respectful Eitan which made a difference. Eitan is unfortunately less patient with Violet, which keeps hurting him in the long run.