People would ask for explanations, of course, of the most painfully self-evident things.

"But why write and tell Cousin Isobel?" Robert wondered out loud as his wife sat beside him, reading the telegram that Isobel had handed over to her, "I mean, I understand that they were colleagues, but he was working at our house before he left, why not tell-,"

"Robert," Cora cut him off with a warning tone, handing out the telegram for him to take, "Read it."

Isobel bowed her head, determined not to return the confused, pitying look that Cora gave her as Robert cast his eyes over the message.

"Fiancé?" Robert repeated, looking up at Isobel, astounded.

All eyes seemed to turn to her.

"Yes," she replied bluntly.

She raised her eye a fraction, and the first thing she caught sight of was Sybil's face under her nurse's cap, her lips parted in shock, a looked of absolute heartbreak in her young eyes. Isobel looked quickly away.

Cousin Violet cleared her throat.

"I think I would like an explanation," she announced.

"Mama, I don't think anything needs explaining," Cora hissed, but Isobel's head had snapped up already.

"I think the idea is quite simple to grasp," Isobel told her coldly, not angrily but completely coldly, "I loved a man. I wanted to marry him. I was as good as married to him already. And now he's gone. There's very little more to it than that."

There was a dull silence for long moments. No one knew what to say.

"I meant," Cousin Violet replied, a little reproachfully, after a long moment, "I don't understand why he was in the middle of the action. He was a medic! Why was he fighting?"

"I don't know," Isobel replied at last, not looking at anyone, "I wish I did know."

"Is there a chance that it might not be him?" Mary asked the room at large, "It's not as if the Army's never been known to make a mistake, is it?"

"I don't think we should be raising anyone's hopes on that score," Cousin Robert interceded quickly, "Especially not Cousin Isobel's."

Isobel ignored him.

"Yes, I have," she replied to Mary, "In fact I've considered very little else ever since. It's the reason I'm still here," she turned her head a little towards Cousin Robert, "Not make me doubt it. Not yet."

There was a deep silence.

"We understand how much this must have upset you-..." Cora began softly.

"No, you don't," Isobel cut her off, "Forgive me, but you don't. None of you can understand this."

"I hardly think that's fair," Robert replied, "Mama has buried a husband, and Mary lost her fiancé too, when she was very young."

"And I've done both," Isobel answered him, "None of you understand how you love the person who gives you a second chance. None of you know."

Another silence. Their faces had all softened, her words had taken their away from them.

Robert sighed at last.

"It's you who deserves explanations, not us," he told her, "Would you like me to see if I can find out something more?"

"Would you?" she asked him, "That would be very good of you."

"I'll do it now," he promised her, "If you would care to wait."

She nodded haltingly.

"Just stay here with Mama and Cora," he told her, "I will be back as soon as I know something."

…...

The wait seemed to last forever. They waited in silence, Isobel, Cora and Violet. The girls went back to whatever work they had left. By the look on Sybil's face, she could not bear to stay.

And then Robert returned. And drew Isobel out of the room into the empty hall.

"I'm terribly sorry, Isobel, I almost don't know how to tell you. I'm afraid Major Clarkson was shot for desertion."