Before Eddie opened the door to Nucky Thompson's office, he stopped Cecilia in her tracks.
"I just want to say, I am very sorry to see you go. I will miss our duets and our conversations. It has been a pleasure working with you, Cecilia."
What a dear, dear man. She extended her hand, which Eddie took and robustly kissed. But seeing that she was no longer employed by Mr. Thompson, she eschewed formality and reached to embrace him. "The pleasure was all mine. I hope we'll stay in touch."
Eddie returned her embrace, then abruptly pulled away, nodded, and stepped into Nucky's office announce her. Cecilia followed. The room smelled strongly of whiskey and tobacco.
"Hello, Cecilia. Please, sit down. Can I get you anything?"
"No, sir, thank you."
"I received your resignation. I understand you've been offered another position."
"Yes. I'll be caring for children. Teaching them music."
Nucky took a drag of his cigarette. "I've been told you have a suitor as well?" She said nothing, just gazed at some cigarette ashes embedded in the rug. Nucky could tell by her face that something was amiss. "Mr. Harrow. A fine man. A hero."
"He is, sir."
Nucky opened the drawer of his desk and took out an envelope. "Your salary. And reference letter for your new employer. Plus a little something extra, which I'm assuming you'll need for the upcoming nuptials."
Cecilia almost choked on her words. But as she did not want to insult him, she near-whispered, "You are too kind."
He reached across the desk, placed the envelope in her hand, and lay his other hand over hers. She studied his stigmata-like scar for a moment. "I'm sorry to see you go, Cecilia. It really has been wonderful."
"Thank you, Mr. Thompson."
He nodded, but there was concern on his face. "What's troubling you?"
"Sir," she began, her voice trembling. "may I speak freely?"
"Of course."
"Regarding my brothers."
"Yes. A tragedy. But as they say, live by the sword -"
"I agree. But there's something I need to know." She summoned whatever strength she had. "Was James Darmody involved in their execution?"
Nucky folded his arms. "I really can't say-"
Cecilia cut him off. "If there's something you know, sir, it would mean a great deal to me."
He sighed deeply. "You asked to speak plainly, and I believe what you're really asking is whether Mr. Harrow was involved."
"I am."
Nucky stepped around the desk and stood close to her. "That is something you'll have to ask Mr. Darmody."
"And I plan to do so."
"You have a heart of pure gold, my dear, and a voice to match. I hope Mr. Harrow realizes what a lucky man he is. I wish you well."
Lucky, indeed. To be incidentally courting the sister of the men he fucking executed. All she managed was a quiet "thank you" before she left.
Angela was glad to see Cecilia in better spirits, and she was pleased that Louise and Cecilia were getting along famously. There'd been no mention of Richard. Tonight, her friend was giddy with wine, song, and good company. Angela left the porch of the bungalow, joining the other two women as they sat by the bonfire, laughing uproariously at something. Louise smiled as her lover approached.
"Hey. Cecilia and I were just talking about the last time we were here."
Angela smiled, "Oh, no. That was embarrassing."
Cecilia leaned it and touched Angela's shoulder. "We've all had our moments, believe me."
"But it was a grand time anyway." Angela took Louise's hand, and Louise wrapped her arm around Angela. They kissed, and Cecilia looked out towards the water, remembering the last time she'd sat on the sand, and how she'd fallen asleep next to Richard. She chased the lump in her throat with a long slug of her homemade wine, then reached for the jug beside her.
"Would you care for some more, ladies?"
Both nodded emphatically, and Cecilia poured. She heard the strains of a piano.
"Oh, my. They're playing George Gershwin. I adore this song."
"Sing it," urged Angela.
"Yes, please do!" echoed Louise.
Cecilia smiled shyly.
"...I know I could always be good
To one who'll watch over me
Although he may not be the man some girls think of as handsome
To my heart, he carries the key..."
Cecilia's eyes were closed as she sang, so she didn't notice the way Angela marveled not only at the passion in her voice, but the entranced faces of crowd that was growing around them. But as Angela scanned the crowd, she was jolted when she saw a familiar - and wholly unexpected - face. Her eyes widened, he lips parted, but just before she could speak his name, he motioned for her to be quiet.
"Won't you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh how I need,
Someone to watch over me..."
The small crowd applauded, and unaware of their presence, Cecilia seemed startled. But she gathered her senses as best she could, and stood up and curtsied. They could not have known this was not one of those songs that delivered her from the shadows. It had, in fact, cast shadows anew on her aching heart.
And then, she saw the man scurrying away from her little audience. The broad shoulders, the tall, slender build, the soldier's gait. Maybe it was the wine, or the tears clouding her eyes.
She quickly turned toward Angela, just in time to see her break from Louise's embrace to follow the man, and she knew.
"Damn. They're probably going to her place. We need to get there first."
Louise shrugged and helped herself to the near-empty jug, finished the remainder of the wine, and watched a distraught Cecilia stumble through the sand.
At the Darmody's table, as Angela and Louise looked on, all that could be heard was the clock, the ocean, and occasionally Richard's labored swallowing.
Their fucking sister.
Cecilia broke the silence. "That was my family."
She held Richard's gaze intently, her face oddly unmoving, as though she herself wore a mask. "That is, sadly, the price of the life they chose. Well, all except for Pius. I practically raised that boy myself. But they were his idols, and he was none the wiser."
Richard felt sick to his stomach. Before he met Richard's bullet, the boy had fumbled with his handgun, wept in fright, his hands shielding his face, and Richard was unmoved. His words to Eli Thompson that day at the Commodore's echoed back at him: You would kill your own brother. It was unthinkable to him at the time.
I could go there. Kill the mother. The sisters. The dentist. That would make them. Stick their heads up. It was, in retrospect, Jimmy who had spared Cecilia's by not giving Richard the order.
Cecilia slid a chair close to him and sighed deeply. "When they found out I married Daniel, they wanted nothing to do with me. Not even when I got word that Daniel had died...I tried to contact them, but they never responded. By then it hurt too much to both mourn Daniel and hold onto whatever love I had left for my brothers. I had to let it go."
"Why. Do you keep it."
"The photograph? Because the boys in the picture were my brothers. Those men who were killed were strangers to me." Cecilia bit her lip, growing increasingly anxious. "I'm not going to say they deserved it. But you did what you had to do. I don't blame you. I don't hold it against you."
She stood up and stepped toward Richard, who resembled a cornered dog. As gently as she could, she touched his arm. "And I think you need to forgive yourself."
"I can't." For almost killing you too, with hardly a second thought or an ounce or remorse. "I should leave."
Angela started after him. "You don't have to."
But he'd already darted from the room. Cecilia ran as fast as she could and jumped in front of the door, blocking it. Richard stopped in his tracks. "Please."
Cecilia folded her arms and leaned her full weight against the door. With her stubborn, childike stance, she reminded Richard very much of Emma in that moment. Except that there was something about Cecilia that was much more formidable, almost intimidating. He wasn't too worried, because nine brothers or not, he'd still spent months on the battlefield and could easily outmaneuver her. But her posture, and the determination on her face, told him it would not be an easy battle.
"To hell with them, and to hell with the past. So help me, Mr. Harrow, I'd rather you gun me down too than leave me again."
Louise laughed aloud, but Angela shushed her. Richard turned and glared at her.
"Listen, maybe it's not my place," Louise blurted, "but unless you're some kind of damn fool, you should marry her before she pins you to the floor."
Richard sighed. "Angela."
Angela rose from her seat.
"Tell Jimmy. Hmm. I'm through."
Cecilia's smile exploded across her face as Richard embraced her. They left together.