The Silence

Jean made some toast for Mattie, who wanted to get to the shops early that day, and went up to get dressed, telling Lucien to wait for her to make his breakfast afterwards. She was more than a little upset at him for that poisoned cake business. Obviously she understood his scientific method, and it did make sense, but the nerve of him!

Once her hair was pinned back and her clothes in proper order, Jean felt more like herself. She returned downstairs, calm and ready to start the day.

"Jean, I do need to test your blood. Mattie let me do hers before she left."

She sighed, "Yes, I know." She sat down at the table and held out her finger for him to prick.

"I am sorry I didn't tell you, but I assumed you wouldn't eat it if you knew."

"I might have done. You should know better than to make assumptions, Lucien," she chided.

He regarded her with slight amusement. "Would you really?"

Jean shrugged. "Perhaps. I do have a soft spot for chocolate cake."

"Childhood favorite of yours?" he asked, carefully pricking her finger. Jean had been pricked by a sewing needle enough times to not be bothered, and she didn't even wince.

She chewed on her words before deciding to answer him truthfully. "It was Christopher's favorite. I made a chocolate cake once a week for him when we were married. I don't make it anymore."

"Oh I am sorry."

"Don't be. It is nice to be reminded sometimes. Of some things. The memories don't hurt as much as they used to," she told him.

Lucien was still holding her hand to test the coagulation of her blood and comfortingly stroked her palm with his thumb. "I know the feeling."

Jean nodded. "I imagine you do."

Realizing the quiet intimacy of the moment, Lucien took his hand away. "I've always preferred Lamingtons, myself," he said breezily. "Which was convenient, as I'm rather certain now that mine from last night was poisoned."

For the grace of God, Jean resisted rolling her eyes at him. Instead, she laughed a little and said, "I used to crave Lamingtons when I was pregnant. I must have baked one every other day. That's how I figured out I was expecting Jack, actually. I had an overwhelming urge to bake a Lamington."

"I assume you're not pregnant at the moment, but if you're ever in the mood to bake one in the near future, I'd love to try your recipe, Jean."

A wry smile crossed her face. "You'd best be careful with that request, now that you know that you can never be sure what's in a Lamington."

With that, Jean stood and got started on their breakfast, leaving Lucien to chuckle merrily at her teasing.