Lucien paused outside Jean's door, mustering the courage to knock. The choice was taken from him when the door suddenly opened before him.
"What are you doing?" she whispered, looking either way down the hallway.
"How did you know I was here?"
Jean pointed the glass in her bedroom door, rolling her eyes, "You're not exactly inconspicuous."
He nodded, smiling nervously. "Can I come in?"
Jean raised an eyebrow, "You really think that's wise? After all that's happened tonight?"
He gave her a forlorn look and she relented, deciding it was better for him to be inside with the door closed, than for his wife to stumble past in search of the bathroom only to find him outside his housekeeper's bedroom door.
"Sit." Jean motioned to the bed, and Lucien paced a little before finally settling on the end of her single bed.
She took in his drawn appearance. If anything, he looked as though he felt worse about this scenario than she did.
It had been three hours since their conversation in the kitchen. Three hours since he's promised to 'fix this'. At almost four in the morning, neither of them had had any sleep.
"It's not her fault," Jean stated, breaking the silence.
"I know."
"It's not your fault, either."
He had no answer for that, instead sinking down with his face in his hands, shaking his head. Jean heard his breath hitch as she reached out, as she had in the kitchen, rubbing her hand on his back.
"I don't deserve you," was his muffled response.
"You're probably right."
He laughed that, lifting his head from his hands and turning to face her as she sat beside him. "I wish I hadn't answered the door."
She signed, "That would have just delayed the inevitable. You know she knows... or at least she suspects. She asked me what my relationship was with 'her husband'".
He nodded. "Apparently we're pretty transparent."
Lucien reached out to take her hand, and she let him, his firm grip calming her.
"What was your answer going to be?" he asked, tentatively.
Jean moved to wrap both hands around his. "Do you really need to ask?"
"No. No, I suppose I don't."
She sighed, and against her better judgement moved to rest her head on his shoulder,
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for all of this," he told her.
"I know," she replied, startling him as she stood suddenly, tugging on their still-joined hands. "You need to sleep. You have an early start."
"I don't think sleep will come easily," he confessed, standing and moving to the door.
She cursed herself for her behaviour as she reached up to kiss his cheek, "Go. Sleep. I'll see you in the morning. Breakfast is only three hours away."
As Lucien left her room, she reached for the ring box she'd hidden under her pillow before opening the door to find him standing there. With shaky hands, she opened the box, slipping Lucien's mother's ring onto her finger.
She savoured the feeling for a few moments before returning the ring to the box, placing it onto her dressing table and settling face down on the bed as she felt the emotion of the night finally hit her.
In just a few hours, she would have to face Lucien and his long-lost wife at the breakfast table.