I have absolutely nothing to say in this author's note. Nope. As ever, I do not own "Crimson Peak" and no copyright infringement is intended.
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As the sun came more and more into their lives, Thomas Sharpe seemed increasingly ready to interact with the world again. Tinkering with different projects while Edith wrote, and more than capable to be charming in company, where he and Edith were finally found again. He still spent much time just sitting, staring at something unseen by others, but it was no longer obvious to find him that way.
Edith, though delighted, seemed strangely unsurprised by this development, Mr Cushing noted for himself, as if she'd known all along that it'd happen eventually. Maybe, her father conceeded, she had.
On the first day of spring, Mrs McMichael held another ball, once again asking Thomas to demonstrate european dancing, but mostly leaving him in peace now that he wasn't an eligible bachelor any longer. She was just a bit touchy about the whole thing still, to the great amusement of both Mr Cushing and her son, standing together just like last year as the floor filled with dancers.
Edith, who found she greatly enjoyed dancing when she had Thomas to do it with, was on the floor with her husband a large portion of the evening, but she also danced several dances with both her father and with Alan, while Thomas dutifully explained more european dance differences, clearly proving himself still capable of charming just about anyone.
There had been a fair amount of speculation, not to say outright rumours, concerning the happiness (or more often lack of happiness) of the marriage between the charming baronet and the rich young woman, and many eyes were watching the pair as they moved across the dance floor that night.
By the end of the evening, however, next to no one believed a word of the rumours. Mr Cushing's young daughter was clearly head over heels in love with her charming, handsome husband (she wasn't alone in that, either) and contrary to what some had thought, the more benevolent gossips watching him decided that perhaps he was just as enamoured, too, while the less generous ones simply held their tongues.
This stopped no one from still being intrigued to see the couple together at the dinner her father held a few weeks later, of course, and the few lucky invited were intrigued to see how she held his constant attention, and how the pair were close to one another every chance they got.
It was towards the end of the evening, that Edith's father saw his son-in-law standing alone, looking out of a window. He wondered if the younger man had lost his concentration again, though he knew better now than simply tapping the man on his shoulder, like he had once tried. The harsh, sudden movement had made the baronet start and had made the older man decide to leave getting his attention to his daughter, who always managed to do so effortlessly.
This time, however, Thomas Sharpe turned towards his father-in-law on his own accord, nodding with a pleasant smile, confiding in a low voice. "For a while there I thought I'd never be able to be out socially again without great effort, but it seems to have passed. Even Edith seems to enjoy herself tonight".
Looking over to where she was, speaking to Alan, Mr Cushing smiled, nodding in agreement with the nobleman he was coming to see more and more as an ally, the more he understood that the younger man really did love his daughter, and wanted to make her happy as much as he himself did. "Yes, and she looks beautiful tonight, don't you think?". The baronet made a softly amused sound, and nodded, his voice low and emotional, just like the older man's were. "She's always beautiful".