Colin had reluctantly left after dark, leaving Anna to wait for her parents' return home from dinner alone with a book. She pulled on her softest nightgown and robe and climbed into her bed with her favorite novel, Secrets of a Lady's Maid by G. Leroux. It featured the exploits of a Duchess through the eyes of her Irish maid, Bess. It had been madly popular over thirty years before, and even still sparked controversy amongst the readers.
Of course, Anna knew that "G. Leroux" was really Madame Destler, Julienne's own mother, so it was no surprise that her sister-in-law had also risen to similar infamy with her recent venture in Evanna's Secret, which was soon to be in print. Knowing her brother, Simon would be threatening his clients to buy copies or face his wrath.
Anna wasn't sure how much time had passed when she heard a knock at the front door. The house was dark and completely silent. Creeping from her bed, Anna slipped down the stairs and moved to answer the door. A well dressed gentleman stood before her in evening dress. His chocolate brown hair was neatly brushed and he had an amiable smile on his handsome face.
"Is Her Grace home?" He asked, stepping inside as she moved to let him in. She nodded, gesturing up the stairs.
"She's been expecting you, Sir." Anna heard herself reply, wondering why her voice sounded strange. He was possibly the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on and she could not resist tiptoeing back up the stairs to peer through the keyhole of the Duchess's chamber. The man was sitting on the bed, watching the Duchess disrobe slowly, his silvery eyes on her. Anna felt her face heat with both shame and curiosity. Though she knew it was a private moment, she could not tear her eyes away.
"Tired of your new wife so soon?" The Duchess asked her companion mockingly, brushing her gleaming dark hair behind her shoulders. It fell to her waist in cascading waves.
"You were right, my lady. Virgins are a bore." He smirked.
"I warned you, did I not?" She teased, leaning over him. Anna's heart began to thump wildly as his hands gripped the woman's waist.
"Well, seeing as you're already married, I had to make do with what I could." He reminded her. They kissed passionately, murmuring to each other. Anna felt sick to her stomach, a sense of vague recognition coming into her mind as she watched the lovers together. The Duchess laughed wickedly.
"Oh, Colin…what did you ever see in that pathetic little mouse?" The Duchess purred into her lover's ear. "She could never please you the way I could."
"She'll serve her purpose." Colin replied, reaching for the woman again. His eyes flickered wickedly over to the keyhole as if he knew he was being spied on. "Now Libby, no more talking about Anna. We have catching up to do."
Anna screamed.
She was sweating, sitting bolt upright in her bed with the lamp on her night table still on and her book open in her lap.
"Is Her Grace home?" Lord Dudley inquired, giving Bess a look of impatience. He still wore the evening finery that he'd had on for the ball earlier that evening. Bess nodded, curtseying slightly and allowing the Earl to enter the foyer.
"She's been expecting you." She answered dutifully, daring to look up into the man's handsome face and study his chiseled features. The jaw was squared and covered with the slight shadow of his evening beard. His dark hair was combed into romantic waves which contrasted perfectly with the alarming lightness of his eyes.
Bess watched him ascend the grand staircase with mounting curiosity before she discreetly followed and allowed herself to look through the keyhole to her lady's chamber.
The Duchess stood before Lord Dudley, slowly unclasping the fastenings of her dressing gown.
"Tired of your new wife so soon?" She taunted him, letting the gown fall to her feet.
"You were right, my lady." He answered with a grin. "Virgins are a bore…"
Anna tossed the book to the floor as if venom were dripping out of it and buried her face into her hands, trying to will her breathing back into a normal pace. Tears of both relief and fear stung the corners of her eyes, making her long for the warm comfort of Colin's arms once again. Rising from the bed onto trembling legs, Anna padded to the door to go down for a glass of water. She'd just set her foot out the door when she saw a light coming from the doorway to Rose's room. It was open.
Wondering if this was yet another nightmare, Anna dubiously approached the forbidden doorway to her late sister's bedroom and was sadly unsurprised to find her mother sitting on the edge of the bed, looking around the room. Feeling like an intruder, Anna began to back away, but the floorboard creaked beneath her and gave her away.
"Anna?" Her mother's voice came from within, making her cringe. She was caught.
"Just me, Mother." She responded weakly. "I was just getting a glass of water, but I'm on my way back to bed." Horrified, she began to retreat, but her mother called out to her again.
"Come sit with me." Meg implored her youngest, making Anna feel very odd. Swallowing, she inched toward the open door to Rose's bedroom and lingered in the doorway. Meg patted the bed beside her, but Anna shook her head.
"I can't." She told her mother, crossing her arms uncomfortably. Meg got up off of the bed and tenderly picked up a rag doll.
"It doesn't get any easier." She sighed, meeting Anna's eyes. "It's been twenty-four years and I still hurt as badly as I did the day she died." Anna stared at the floor.
"I'm sorry." She said miserably, unsure of what she should say.
"Simon told me about your fight." Meg said quietly, moving to stand beside Anna and lace their fingers gently together. "That you thought this is a…a tomb." Instant regret brought tears to Anna's eyes again. She began to rapidly apologize, begging her mother.
"Mother, I'm so sorry, I was just angry. I didn't mean to—"
"You're right, Anna." Meg sighed, wiping Anna's eyes. "It is a tomb…I've been living in denial for a long time about your sister's death. I'm not sure I'll ever heal."
"I understand." Anna said, sniffling. "I just wish that Grace and I were enough to make you happy."
"Oh, darling. You are." Meg nodded, taking her daughter's face into her hands and making her look down into her eyes. "When Grace was born, I was still so numb from the shock of losing Rosie. Caring for Grace and your brother kept me sane. Made me find the will to keep living. She was not a replacement for Rose…there was still a hole in my heart. Two and a half years later, you were born and your hair was red at birth." Meg smiled fondly, though still melancholy. "I had prayed it would stay that way, though I am glad it retained some of my mother's copper. It was after you were born that I realized that there would always be a hole in my life…no matter how many daughters I had, I would still be incomplete because my child was gone forever." Anna felt her heart begin to ache with a ferocity that she could barely stand. It was as if her suspicions were confirmed. "You'll understand someday. When you have a baby." Meg explained gently. "What I'm trying to tell you is that, even though Rose will always been missing from our lives, it doesn't mean that I am not truly grateful and ecstatic for every moment you have given me. If it hadn't been for you…especially you, Annie, I'd have never been able to go on. I could never ask you to be like Rose, because you are not Rose."
"And you thought keeping Rose's bedroom this way would keep you close to her." Anna guessed, swallowing the lump in her throat.
"Foolishly, I did." Meg winced, touching a ruffled bed curtain. "But when Simon told me about what you said, I realized something. I don't need a room full of her belongings, frozen in time, to be close to Rose. She's here." Meg put her hand to her heart and closed her eyes. "And it's time for me to let her go on. It's time for me to say goodbye."
"Nobody wants you to forget Rose, Mother." Anna pointed out, squeezing Meg's hand. Her mother managed a smile.
"And I never will." She assured Anna. "But I think we've been trapping her here with all of this. There's a presence in this room and I know you can feel it too." Anna could not deny that there was a different feeling in this room than the others. The air was thick, heavy with something she could not identify, and considerably cooler.
"I've always felt her here." Anna agreed, looking around. "But I never knew her in life."
"No." Meg conceded. "You didn't. But she would have loved you."
"I'm sure." Anna said, pulling her mother tightly against her and burying her face into her sweet smelling hair. "I love you, Mother."
"And I, you, my Annie." Meg kissed her cheek.
Colin pressed his head against the cool marble tile of the bathroom in his hotel suite while he let cool water shower over his feverish skin. This evening had proven quite eventful in more than one way. He'd nearly taken Anna's virginity in her childhood bed while her parents were out and he'd almost said three words he wasn't ready to say.
All in all, not one of his finest weeks. Seeing Libby the previous night had been a nightmare that he'd never wanted to experience again. The two of them had met five years prior at an event celebrating the opening of a new foundry that specialized in engine parts for locomotives and had since broadened their production to automobiles as well. Elizabeth Dawlish, as she'd been known then, was the daughter of one of the factory's biggest investors. Colin had fallen hard for her dark beauty and her seductive personality.
He'd called on her immediately, courting her with fervor. He had never been smitten before, and he'd doted on Libby, showering her with gifts. Though he had not noticed at the time, she had never seemed fully happy with what he gave her. Blinded by his adoration, Colin had proposed after a mere month of courting and Libby had accepted, making him happier than he'd ever been.
The problems had begun after two months of engagement. As the wedding had drawn closer, Libby had become short with Colin and irritable. Though he tried desperately to make her happy, the smallest of things could send her into a rage. She was spoiled by both her father and Colin, so Libby was quite used to getting her own way.
It had been a month before their wedding was to occur when Libby had stormed into Colin's home, a woman possessed. Concerned he had drawn her into his arms and tried to soothe her anger.
"Colin," She'd snapped. "We need to marry immediately. I cannot wait a month. I need to be your wife."
"Sweetheart…I'm as anxious as you are to be married." Colin had replied, kissing her temple. "But there's no need to elope—"
"Colin!" Libby raged, glaring at him. "We must!"
"Why?" He'd asked, watching her with careful eyes. She'd become unhinged. Something was wrong.
"I want to be married." She insisted, gripping his coat. Trying to calm her, he had rubbed her arms tenderly and tried to caress her cheek, but she had pulled away.
"We're going to be married in a month, darling." He assured her. "We do not need to push it forward."
"Colin, I'm pregnant." Libby said acidly, glaring at him with impatience. Colin's mouth fell open while he stared at her trying to comprehend.
"How?" He'd asked naïvely. "We haven't been…" His voice had trailed off as he realized what she had implied. Libby had been unfaithful to him and was trying to legitimize her child. A wave of nausea had consumed Colin and he'd reeled away from Libby as she'd tried to reach for him. "How could you?" He'd whispered, blinking against the onslaught of tears.
"Oh, Colin…really." Libby had rolled her eyes, sighing. "You're making a scene. It's just sex."
"Not to me, it's not." He shot back, aching.
"It is your duty to protect my honor and yours." Libby's eyes blazed with fury. "It will only make you look like a fool."
"I am a fool!" Colin cried. "I thought you loved me."
"I do!" Libby made to come toward him, but he held his hand up to stop her.
"Don't come near me. Do not touch me…" Colin growled. "Get out of my house…out of my life…marry the man who fathered your blow-by, for it won't be me!"
"He's married." Libby said, looking desperate and slightly frightened as Colin's anger escalated.
"Then find someone else to pawn it off on. I never want to see you again." Colin spat, urging her toward the door. "You'd better hope I never see you again. You'll regret it, I promise." Wide eyed, Libby had turned and stormed from the house. A week following that day, Colin had learned that Libby had eloped with a man from France. Alain Dashiell was the son of another industrial mogul.
Devastated, Colin had retreated from society for a few months and taken a vacation to Greece with an old school friend of his. Following that, he'd gone on a spree of skirt chasing and drinking which he'd quickly tired of.
He'd never thought he would find love again, but it had found him in the form of Flash.
Anna.
She was an angel…and he'd realized since meeting her that love was supposed to be good and easy. His relationship with Anna was everything that his failed engagement to Libby had not been. Simple, sweet…lovely. He'd been so close to getting everything he'd wanted and had frozen upon seeing Libby again.
Not that he wanted her back. God, no. Seeing Elizabeth Dashiell again brought back the fear of being hurt. He'd given his heart completely and without conditions only to have it thrown back in his face. He could not be so cavalier about it this time. Even though Colin was sure that he loved Anna, he wanted the timing to be right so that she was ready too. The last thing he wanted to do would be to frighten her.
Claire, Vicomtesse de Chagny cringed as the thunder continued to roll on into the evening. The boys were both in bed, thankfully, but the baby seemed to be unwilling to cooperate in light of the current weather conditions. Claire tried to rock the baby to soothe her, but she was not having it. Evangeline fussed angrily while Claire unsuccessfully tried to feed her. Smoothing the thick black hair of the little girl, Claire kissed her cheek and sighed.
"She can tell you're frightened." Claire's husband said from the doorway, leaning casually there and looking as handsome as he had when she'd fallen in love with him when they were children. Gustave came forward and carefully took the baby from his wife, holding the infant in the crook of one arm. He wrapped the other arm around Claire's slightly trembling body. "Seven years of marriage and you're still afraid…" Claire felt his lips press against the top of her head and wrapped her arms tightly around his middle.
"Only when you aren't home." She said, sighing into the warmth of his chest. "What took you so long?"
"I'm sorry, love." He sighed. "On the way home from my parents', I ran into Roger and James. Apparently today, Mercer Arnott quit his job with his law firm and donated a large amount of money to the local orphanage. His father is absolutely livid."
"Why?" Claire asked, frowning. "Why would he quit his job?"
"That's just it…there's absolutely no rhyme or reason to it." Gustave told her. Claire looked down at their sleeping daughter and motioned for Gustave to put her in the cradle near their bed.
"He must be looking for praise…or sympathy." Claire muttered, sitting on the side of the bed with her dark hair hanging down over her shoulders.
"Roger said that Algernon Arnott has been trying to negotiate Mercer a position at his firm. Of course, Roger said that will never happen." Gustave went on, putting an arm around Claire's shoulders.
"Forget about Mercer Arnott." Claire said, pushing Gustave to lie down. "Guess what today is."
"What?" Gustave asked, brushing his light hair out of his eyes and grinning as he watched Claire climb over him. His hand smoothed over her back, sending a shiver down her spine.
"It's been three weeks since Vangie was born, which means…" She smirked down at her husband, trailing her finger across the front of his waistcoat. Gustave tried to rise up on his elbows, but Claire held him down.
"Don't tease, Claire." He pleaded, cupping her cheek lovingly.
"I'm not. The doctor gave his approval this morning." She grinned, letting him flip her underneath him.
"I've missed you." He told her, burying his face in her neck. Claire arched in happiness.
"Then show me how much." She challenged, drawing him down to her. Gustave did not need to be told twice.