Chapter 23
Rowan had not experienced it before herself, but she knew that it wasn't unusual to think you had seen at a distance someone you thought lost from your life, only to find as the figure came closer that it was someone who bore only a very passing resemblance to the person you were missing. That the man entering the farmyard from the other side with a milk can in his hand looked like Roger was no surprise. Before the man lifted his head from fastening the gate, Rowan would not have been surprised to discover that this was "John that married Nancy Blackett" and was already changing her course across the yard to avoid arriving at the backdoor at the same time as him.
Then he turned away from the gate and lifted his head. It was Roger. Of course no-one else in the entire world could be mistaken for Roger, nor could he be mistaken for anyone else. Roger dropped the can and held out his arms in clear invitation. One response was so right, and all the others so wrong, that there was no decision to be made.
It was a full minute, perhaps two, before anything at all was said.
"I thought I might have lost you forever." It was only a whisper, and she felt his jaw muscles move against her cheek and thought that he might be biting his lip as he held her a little more tightly.
"I'm sorry." Rowan realised how crashingly and stupid and utterly unfair she had been. "I just didn't know how to explain…"
"You don't have to. Not now. Not ever if you really don't want too."