A/N: Recovery time for Elsie - slow and steady wins the race. (It's a turtle joke ... for Elsie ... never mind.) ;)
My thanks to brenna-louise for catching several foolish typos of mine, and for general encouragement.
This chapter and the next one (or two) will track Elsie's recovery. As mentioned before, my sole source for research purposes is my aunt, who really had such an accident and gave me the sordid details, everything from her "turtle shell" brace to PT and meds. Bless those of you who have asked after her - she is, indeed, quite well these days. xx
CSotA
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Elsie heard the rooster crow and opened her eyes slowly, unsure of whether or not she'd really been asleep at all. The entire weekend was a blur, a hazy existence from which only two things stood out clearly: her conversation with Daisy, and her awareness that she was now, unofficially, engaged to be married to Charles ... at some point as yet undetermined, to be sure, but engaged nonetheless. For the time being, it would be their little secret, one which she'd mull over and roll around her brain as the hours dragged on interminably over the next many days.
She trained her eyes on the ceiling, counting for the millionth time the dropped-tile squares that comprised it. Eleven by thirteen, one-hundred-forty-one in total. Two were stained from last year's ice dam and would need to be replaced; one that she'd already replaced didn't quite match the shade of white of the other one-hundred-forty squares. She rolled her head slightly to the side, her pillow's height not doing much to increase the range of vision that lying flat on the bed would have afforded, and she attempted to peer out the window. But she knew already that she'd see nothing, that the drawn curtain and pulled shade were blocking all but the smallest sliver of light from entering.
She heard the sound of an approaching car, and smiled.
Anna. And John, likely.
She sent up a prayer for Anna Smith. Goodness knows the young woman had been hurtled full-force into managing the animals and the farm itself, first by covering for Elsie's vacation to England and then, quite suddenly, because of the accident. Elsie had put in a sum total of three days' work in the middle of the two events, and thanked her stars that she'd at least gotten all of the billing and supply orders and upcoming appointments in shape for the month ahead. Beryl used to tease her for being so on top of things, but Elsie had always planned ahead.
Good thing, because you never know when you'll suffer a life-altering accident, do you?
Sure enough, the sound of two car doors being shut confirmed Elsie's suspicion that Anna was joined by John Bates for this morning's round of chores. It was Sunday, after all, and Elsie suspected Anna would want to be out twice as fast in order to make it to church. Elsie didn't even have to look outside to know how it would be playing out: John's limp would make the uneven boards in the barn difficult for him to navigate, particularly when carrying things, so Anna would undoubtedly task him with seeing to the chickens - collecting eggs, filling feed, checking water, and adjusting temperature in the coop. Anna, on the other hand, would take care of hay, horse feed, and a snack for each of the horses (knowing Anna, an apple and a peppermint each - she did spoil them), and she'd likely spend a few extra moments checking up on Scarlett as well.
About a half hour later, it was the faint sound of voices, followed by the two car doors shutting and the starting of an engine, that made Elsie reach for her phone. She'd left it by her hip for easy access, and it vibrated in her hand about thirty seconds after she picked it up.
I know you're up. Everyone's all set. Scarlett seems better, temp at 99 - perfect. Happy to see me, tail twitching. Changed blankets, will muck out this afternoon. xx A & J
Elsie moved her thumb over the screen to type a quick reply, managing very little but what she knew would be enough:
OK. TY both. Visit pls! Going crazy. xo E
She dropped the phone by her hip again and closed her eyes, drifting off into what she hoped would at least be another hour's worth of sleep before Charles and Daisy were up.
Contrary to what she'd expected, Elsie slept seven hours after Anna and John had left the farm that morning. She was finally woken by the sound of voices coming from the kitchen: One belonged to Charles, and it made her heart flutter to listen to his deep baritone, and the other was most definitely Beryl's.
" … she can start the first book when she's ready."
"Thank you. Alright, Beryl … Where am I supposed to put all of this, exactly?" Charles asked, sounding incredulous.
"Well, most of it should fit in the fridge, and she's got a deep freezer downstairs," came Beryl's soft answer. "And can't you whisper? That voice will wake the dead, let alone Elsie."
"How's this?" he replied, somewhat more quietly.
Sigh. "I suppose it'll have to do. Now, in those bags you've got all the staples: milk, juice, cereal, and the like. There's fruit and yogurt in case she wants a smoothie, too - good Greek yogurt, because she'll need protein."
"Got it." Something rustled … "What's this, then?"
"Aw, Daisy needed something sweet now, didn't she?" Beryl said lovingly. "It's only a small batch of my brownies, Charlie boy - relax, why don't you? And don't eat them all on her."
Charles sighed. "And there's bread in here, too?"
"Yes," Beryl said. "I just baked it this morning, and I ran it through the slicer at the restaurant. You should be all set for a few days there."
"You're a godsend, Beryl, you really are," Charles rumbled, and Elsie heard him place a kiss to Beryl's cheek.
"Nonsense," her friend replied softly. "Just making sure you don't need to leave our girl's side for anything."
"I wasn't planning to, you know."
"No, I didn't think you would. I'll be going, but will check in later. I'll see myself out, alright?"
"Take care. Send our love to the family."
"Will do."
The sound of footsteps approached and Elsie's door opened slowly, creaking at the halfway point as it had done for years.
"Charlie?" she whispered, her throat dry and scratchy.
"Good morning - or, rather, good afternoon," came his soft reply. His large form soon materialized next to the bed, and he reached over to brush her hair from her forehead before leaning down to place a kiss to her lips. "How do you feel?"
"Like hell," she replied. "But I finally got some sleep. I need to use the loo."
"I figured as much," he chuckled. "Alright, then, up you go."
Charles leaned down and reached his arms behind her back, keeping it as straight as possible as he shifted her toward the edge of the bed. From there he helped her scoot her legs over the side, and he supported her under her arms so she could stand up, wrapping his arms around her gently as she sort of fell forward onto him, chest to chest.
"I feel idiotic," she grumbled into his collarbone, and he chuckled softly.
"I know. But I'm glad I'm here," he said, and she smiled before lifting her head to look at him.
"Me too. And you smell amazing, did you know that?"
"I did not, but I thank you. Beryl just left; perhaps I should have asked her to do this before she headed out?"
Elsie shook her head. "No, I don't think so. You and I are going to have to negotiate this ultimate embarrassment at some point, as she and Isobel can't be here every time I have to use the bathroom. We might as well tackle it now."
"Alright, then, here we go." He managed to maneuver her into the bathroom and get her standing over by the toilet, but then his discomfort set in.
"I just need you to sort of … spot me, like a gymnast?" She blushed, and realized he was doing the same. But Isobel had brought over some sort of contraption that sat around the toilet, with handles that Elsie could grab to support her weight as she lowered herself onto the seat, and she wanted to attempt it herself.
"Do you need me to … well, pull down anything?" he asked, completely mortified. It was rather different from any other conversations they'd had in the past about her underclothing.
"I do not, as it so happens - it was Isobel's brilliant suggestion that I forego those. So I'm fine if you just help me to hike up the nightdress, then perhaps be ready to catch me if I can't manage to sit without help."
He did as she asked, and then turned around once her bottom hit the seat.
"I'll, um … here," he said, reaching around the corner and retrieving the bell, which he handed to Elsie. "I don't feel comfortable standing right outside the door while you do … whatever. Just ring when you've finished and I'll come help you up, alright?"
Elsie sighed with relief. "Yes, thank you." She rolled her eyes. "This is ridiculous, and I'm ever so sorry to burden you with it."
Charles turned in the doorway and looked back at her ... seated on the toilet, nightdress bunched up around her waist, hair a mess, and a bell with a snarky quote in her hand.
"You'll never be a burden to me, Elsie," he rumbled. "You must never think that. In sickness and in health, remember?" He smiled lovingly at her, a smile which she returned.
"Well, this is definitely the bottom of the barrel," she quipped.
"Would you do the same for me?"
"In a heartbeat," she whispered.
"Well, then … alright." He pointed at the bell. "Ring when you're ready."
She nodded. "Will do."
An hour later, thanks to Charles, Elsie was showered and dressed in a clean nightdress. He attempted to braid her hair but gave up after several laughable tries, and he ended up just blowing it dry before helping her back into bed.
Charles had made her some soup, which she was eating slowly, having drawn the line at him feeding it to her spoonful by spoonful. He'd propped her up with another couple of pillows, with the promise that she'd lie flat again once she was finished eating.
"Mary stopped by the beach house today. She's stopping by in a bit with more of Daisy's things," he said, glancing at his phone. "By two o'clock, she says."
"Fabulous," Elsie grumbled.
"Try to be nice," he chided.
"Oh, I will. But I highly doubt she has any desire to actually talk to me, not after that entire experience at Robert and Cora's. We've not spoken since then, not that we had any reason to. And yet she'll feel obligated to pop her head in when she's here, to wish me well. She does things properly, your goddaughter."
"She does, but I have no doubt she'll be the epitome of kindness," he rumbled, missing Elsie's roll of the eyes.
"I'm sure."
He put on his reading glasses and turned back to his book, reading silently as she finished her lunch. When he heard the spoon clink in the empty bowl, he marked his page and set the book aside.
"All set, then?"
Elsie nodded. "Mm, thank you. You look rather dashing in those, by the way. I don't know if I've ever told you," she said, indicating the glasses.
"You're crazy, you know. I don't know if I've ever told you."
She shook her head. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked fondly.
"Nothing for about ten weeks, sadly," he quipped, and she reached out to swat him, missing by a wide swath as he backed up quickly.
"Ow," she said, the motion having made her body twinge in anger.
"On that note, it's medication time, I think," he said. "Here we are." He popped the top off of both bottles, but Elsie shook her head.
"Not the Vicodin, not yet," she insisted. "We've got Mary stopping by soon and I'm going to need to check in with Anna later this afternoon. I have to be conscious for both of those things."
"Elsie …" Charles warned, and she cut him off.
"No." Her eyes flashed, and he relented.
"Fine. But once Anna leaves, you will take something for the pain. By then you'll be sick to death of staring at the ceiling and will welcome the sleep."
She acquiesced. "Probably. Oh, did I hear Beryl say something about books?"
"Ah, yes, you did. She'll be sorry she missed out on chatting with you, but you were fast asleep. She snuck in and borrowed your phone when she first got here, uploaded a bunch of audio books to it. Something about some vampire series you'd mentioned never having read?"
"Sookie Stackhouse?" Elsie asked, her eyes lighting up as she smiled.
"Yes, I think that's the one," he agreed.
"Oh, bless her! There are tons of those, it'll take weeks to get through the whole series." She teared up, shaking her head slightly when Charles sent her a worried look.
"I'm fine," she mumbled wiping her eyes. "Just … it's the damn medication, you know. Emotions all over the place."
"I do … just checking, though," he said, handing her a Kleenex.
"Thanks."
She took the one pill he offered and swallowed it down with some water, then handed him the empty glass and asked for her earbuds. He got her all hooked up and helped her find the first book in the series on the list of titles.
"This sounds perfectly hideous," he said, reading the description.
"Vampires and love, Charlie - what's wrong with that?"
He rolled his eyes, making her laugh. "Opposites attract," he mumbled. "I'll just be over here, reading a quality book, thank you."
"You don't have to stay, you know," she said. "I'll be fine nearly flat on my back for the afternoon."
"Would you mind if I did, though?" he asked, and she smiled at him again.
"Of course not."
"Good." He got up and moved the chair up alongside the bed. He crossed one leg over the other and opened the book up on his knee, then held it with his left hand as he grasped Elsie's hand in his right. He lifted hers and placed a kiss to her fingers; she squeezed his hand in reply before bringing it back to her side.
Thus settled, each dove into their own books, awaiting Mary's inevitable arrival within the hour.
Ten minutes later, however, Elsie's phone rang.
"It's Edith," she said, surprised. She slid the phone icon over to answer; due to the earbuds, though, Charles managed to hear only Elsie's side of the conversation. He considered himself lucky - he loathed speakerphone.
"Edith! How are you feeling? … Good, good … Yeah, you know it! … Oh, goodness, I'd not even thought of that, I'm so sorry to leave you- … No, no, I know it's not my fault … Do you have someone in mind? … Oh, heavens, I'd forgotten he was trained as a medic. So he has the right credentials? … I see, yes, of course … Sounds good to me. You know I'll be available to answer any questions he has … Oh, of course he will ... No, I don't mind ... Yeah, it's not a creative one, I'm afraid … Joe 09 23 1961 … I know, but I'm rubbish at those ... I will … Alright, and do keep me posted … Love you, too. Make sure you're eating … Okay … I will … Bye."
She hung up the phone and pulled her earbuds out. "Edith says hi," she said softly, and Charles hummed, clearly lost in some thought or other.
"Charlie?"
"'Joe 09 23 1961?'"
Elsie flushed a deep red. "It's only my- Wait. How'd you memorize that?"
"Elsie."
She sighed. "It's my password to access my files at work. I … well, I never changed it. It was easy to remember, you know."
"He was older than I thought," Charles said, surprising her.
"Yes, well … we never discussed his age, I suppose. Does it matter?"
"No, of course not." He fiddled with the corner of the page he was reading, a sure sign of his discomfort.
She looked at him nervously. "I can change it," she whispered. "As soon as I get back, I can- "
But he just shook his head, his brow furrowed. "No, don't bother."
"Charlie?" she asked again. "I'm sorry if it upset you, I … I just forgot about it, I enter it without even thinking."
"I know."
Elsie bit her lip, unsure of what had just happened but feeling like it may have been significant. "I'm sorry."
He rose from the chair and set down his book. "Don't be," he told her.
Charles made his way to the other side of the bed and climbed in slowly, cognizant of not wanting to move her body. He lay down on his side, his head resting on his hand, his elbow making a soft dent in the mattress. He reached out and cupped her cheek, then leaned down and kissed her rather passionately - possessively, Elsie thought, and it sparked something deep within her.
"I'm sorry," she said again when they broke apart.
"I know, and there's no need. It just took me by surprise is all."
"I could tell. I hope that kiss is a sign that I'm forgiven?" she added breathlessly.
"Els, there's nothing to forgive. Just me being foolish. You know, sometimes I forget we were ever even with other people. It sounds ridiculous, but sometimes I feel as though I've had you in my life forever."
She gave him a tired smile. "Kiss me again, like that, please? Just, you know … to be sure that I'm forgiven."
"My pleasure," he said, leaning in.
Elsie closed her eyes as she felt his lips descend upon hers once more, and all thoughts of passwords and accidents and medication and being immobile disappeared from her mind, replaced by the vibration of his lips as he moaned into her mouth, the feel of his tongue as it swept over the top of her own, and the sensation of the muscles in his arm, how they tightened when she wrapped her fingers around his bicep, realizing for the first time that he was now holding his body over hers instead of simply lying beside her.
The sound of Max's bark snapped them back to reality.
"Aunt Mary!" Daisy's voice sounded from the hallway. "Come in - Papa's in Elsie's bedroom."
Elsie and Charles dissolved into fits of laughter as they realized simultaneously how that sounded.
"She's early. I'd best go out and see her," he whispered to Elsie, placing one last kiss to the tip of her nose as he rose from the bed. "And you're a bit flushed, just so you know."
"Ha! Yes, I'm sure. Charlie?" she called as he was headed out the door.
He turned. "Yes?"
She smiled at him softly. "I love you."
"Mm. Good thing … I love you, too, you see."
"Yes, I gathered," she replied, winking at him. "Now go, and visit with your niece."
Charles headed out to see Mary with an enormous grin on his face, one which she spied immediately and which caused her to smirk.
"Uncle Charlie," she greeted him warmly, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "My, don't you look happy," she added in a whisper.
"I am extraordinarily happy, and I thank you for noticing," he said, helping her out of her coat and hanging it by the door. "Tea?"
"Mm, that would be wonderful. I've brought some more of Daisy's things," Mary replied, pointing to the bag and basket on the floor. "They're all clean, just need to be put away."
"Thanks for that."
"Papa," Daisy said, coming into the kitchen. "Max wants to go for a walk - may I bring him?"
"Of course, petal," Charles said. "Not too far, though."
"No, just to the end of the drive, and then we can play fetch in the yard."
"Perfect. Bundle up!"
She rolled her eyes, earning her a stern look from both Charles and Mary.
"Sorry," she grumbled. "I will - scarf, mittens, boots, coat, hat."
"Good girl," Charles praised her, kissing the top of her head. "Off you go!"
Charles poured the tea and he and Mary chatted for a bit, but he could tell she seemed restless.
"Mary? What is it? You seem like you're off with the fairies."
She sighed. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful, or that I don't wish to sit and visit with you, but I was hoping to speak with Elsie while I was here. Do you mind?"
"Of course not!" he exclaimed, eyebrows raised. "She's awake, listening to some vampire something or other that Beryl got for her. Just knock, she'll hear you. Mind you, she's not got a lot of energy, and is in need of some pain medication which she refuses to take until Anna shows up in … " He glanced at his watch. "... another hour."
"Oh, I won't need that long, and I certainly don't want to tire her out."
"You won't."
"Very good," she replied, standing. She brought her teacup to the sink and deposited it in the basin. "I'll be out in a bit," she added, communicating the fact that she'd prefer to speak with Elsie alone.
"Of course."
Mary made her way down the hall, glancing as she did so at the items hanging on the wall. Elsie's house felt homey in a way that the Grantham estate and the Carlisles' house never did: pictures of family on the walls, papers held on the refrigerator with magnets, an Ansel Adams calendar hanging over the dog's dish. It made her smile, though with amusement or fondness she couldn't say.
Knock, knock. "Elsie?" she called out softly.
Elsie pulled the earbuds from her ear, the audio book having been on softly as Elsie had expected Mary to pop in.
"Come in," she called, and Mary entered, closing the door firmly behind her.
"Please, sit," Elsie said, indicating the chair Charles had occupied with a flick of her hand. "I'm sorry I can't sit up myself," she added.
"Oh, don't be silly," Mary said, brushing off Elsie's comment as she sat. "How do you feel? How do you really feel, not that nonsense you're likely giving Daisy, and maybe even Uncle Charlie?"
Elsie looked over to Mary's ice-blue eyes and chuckled. "Like shit," she said simply, "and, at times, like I'm losing my damn mind lying in this bed."
Mary nodded. "I suspected as much. What an awful thing … I'm so sorry for what you're going through," she replied.
Elsie was startled to see the kindness behind the woman's remark. "Indeed," she managed. "I thank you for taking such good care of Daisy - and Charles, I'm sure - when I was in hospital."
"You don't need to thank me, Elsie. They're my family," Mary said simply.
"Mine, too," Elsie replied, the softness somewhat gone from her voice. Mary looked up, and met Elsie's firm gaze. She tilted her head in the older woman's direction, a silent acknowledgement of the truth in Elsie's comment.
"I wanted - needed - to apologize. For what happened at my parents' home, for the … situation … in which you found me," Mary said meekly. She looked down and clasped her hands together in her lap and continued, her voice softened by something that Elsie was fairly certain was shame. "It was not something that should have happened there, and Richard realizes that now."
"It was not something that should ever have happened anywhere," Elsie said vehemently.
Mary's head shot back up. "You'll excuse me, I'm sure, if I come across as rude when I'm here in your home, but it's really none of your business. I only wanted to apologize for your ending up in an uncomfortable situation."
"It was not an uncomfortable situation, Mary, it was an impossible one. Now, I'm not going to lie here and pretend I didn't hear what I heard. That man is holding something over you. I don't need to know what it is, but you need to realize that it's wrong of him to do that! And he clearly feels he can take liberties with your safety …"
"Enough," Mary whispered harshly. "You don't know anything about it, so please, just drop it."
"I'd be happy to. Your uncle, on the other hand, isn't quite so keen." Elsie tilted her head slightly on her pillow, affording her a better look at Mary. "He was absolutely furious, Mary. I've never seen him in such a state and doubt I shall again. Not anytime soon, at least."
"That was because Richard threatened you," Mary said softly.
"Partly, but also because he could have harmed you. Don't play this game with me, Mary - we're both too smart for it and you know it. Charlie worships the ground you walk on."
She paused, wondering if she dared to continue, and then forged ahead.
"Why?" Elsie asked softly.
"Why would he threaten you?" Mary asked.
"No. Why did you marry him?"
Mary's quick intake of breath was the only sign that Elsie had shocked her; had it not been so quiet in the house with Daisy and Max outside, Elsie was certain she'd have missed it.
"That's a rather forward question, Elsie, given that we barely know one another."
"I'm a rather forward person, Mary. And as it appears we shall be running into one another more frequently, and as you are important to Charles, I would hope we could become more civil toward one another as time goes on. I understand you, Mary; in many ways, we're very alike, you and I. Intelligent, determined, making a life in a place that's far from our original home. Fiercely loyal to family - overprotective, even. But I don't understand why you ever married a man like Richard Carlisle."
Mary took a deep breath, then shook her head slightly. "And you probably never will," she murmured.
"Whatever he is holding over you, Mary, it's not worth more than your happiness. Or your sanity."
"Well, you couldn't possibly be in a position to make that call, could you?"
"It's not worth your life. I think we're all in a position to make that call."
Mary stood up and reached up to readjust her scarf, looking down at it as she spoke. "My life is not in danger, Elsie. Don't be ridiculous."
"I don't think I am," Elsie insisted.
Mary moved toward the door, then turned. "Well, we'll have to respectfully disagree, then. I do hope you feel better soon, Elsie, truly. But please don't worry about me, or my husband, or my marriage. Everything is just as it should be." And, with that, she turned again and left Elsie's room.
Charles managed to catch the last few words Mary said, as she'd been standing in the doorway when she uttered them. "Mary?"
She looked up swiftly. "Uncle Charlie. Well, you must be quite the nursemaid," Mary said, a slightly-forced smile upon her pale face. "Elsie looks as comfortable as she could be, given the circumstances, and seems well taken care of."
Charles clasped his hands behind his back as he walked her to the door. "I'm trying," he said, "but I'm definitely learning as I go. It's much different, caring for an adult. Nothing like when Daisy was ill and I had to care for her. Of course, the lack of mobility is a challenge of a completely different kind."
"I'm sure. Daisy mentioned something about a brace?"
"Mm, we go in tomorrow for her to get that. Has to be fitted a bit, but she'll come home with it immediately. I gather it's an immobilizer of some sort, but wearing it will enable her to be a bit more confident moving about. I think she'll be in it six weeks, they said. And it should help with the pain in her leg, too, as it'll keep everything steady."
"My goodness," Mary whispered. "She truly is lucky."
They reached the doorway and Charles helped Mary with her coat. "That she is," he said, his voice thick with emotion. It gave Mary pause, and she turned to look him in the eyes.
"Uncle Charlie? Are you alright?"
"I am," he said, smiling as he nodded. "I just … I'm not sure what I'd have done if it had been worse, you know?"
"Well, you've gone through that before, I suppose."
"Yes … and no. It was different with your Aunt Alice, and I know you understand that." He looked at her pointedly, and she deflected her gaze so that she was staring out the windowpane of the front door.
"Perhaps," she whispered. "But I am glad you and Daisy have found happiness with Elsie, I really am. You deserve it."
"So do you," he replied. "Mary, may I ask you something?"
"Certainly," she answered, turning to face him again.
"Elsie has a sister, a woman named Becky."
"Yes, Daisy mentioned something about that to me, actually. Said she lives not far from here."
"Exactly. But, when we were at your parents' house, that night in the gallery, Richard mentioned something about her."
"About Elsie's sister?" Mary asked, her furrowed brow making her squint slightly.
"Yes, I was … puzzled, I suppose, but Elsie was well and truly shocked. Do you have any idea how he might know her?"
Mary just shook her head, a blank look on her face. "None whatsoever. Becky - Hughes, I presume?"
"Mm-hm."
"I have no idea. Did he … What did he say?" she asked, the slight change in her wording not unnoticed by her uncle.
"He told her to say hello to Becky, from him," Charles said, remembering back to that strange, frightening night.
"How odd." She cocked her head for a moment, then made a split-second decision. "I'll see what I can find out, though," she added. "Under the radar, as it were."
"Now, Mary, I was only asking. I don't mean to get you involved in anything against your husband," he said, chastising himself mentally for lying; in truth, he wished she'd go completely against her husband, but had no desire to say so at the moment. He had a nagging suspicion that Elsie had already given it to her in spades.
But Mary's attention was focused out the window once again. Charles sensed she was searching for something, some bit of information she had filed away in her mind.
"He's got private files," she said softly. "He doesn't allow me access to them, but I know where there's a key."
"Mary …" he warned, waving his hand in front of himself, a nervous gesture he'd had for as long as he could remember.
"No, it's alright," she said. "I'll only have a peek, and only when he's next out of town - which is Tuesday or Wednesday, I think, when he's got that journalism convention in New York. If he knows her from something … clandestine, he'll have kept proof of it."
"Like .. blackmail? Surely not."
She moved closer and kissed him on the cheek as she squeezed his hand. "I'll let you know what I find, if anything at all."
"I'm not even sure I should thank you," he said, still a bit nervous about what she was saying - and what she was not saying, as well.
"Don't. Not yet. I'll be in touch."
And, with that, she left.
Charles saw Anna's car pulling up the driveway as Mary's pulled out. He waved, and Anna waved back, and he waited for her to come up the walkway so that he could hold the door open for her.
"Was that Mary?" Anna asked, her breath making a cloud of steam in the cold, outdoor air.
"It was. She brought some of Daisy's things by," he said. "Elsie's in her room - head on down, and I'll bring you both some tea and something to eat. Did you happen to see Daisy and Max out there?"
"I did - they're in the barn, and Daisy said they'd be in shortly." She pointed down the hall. "You're sure she's awake?"
"Oh, yes," he chuckled. "Refused to self-medicate until she settled business with you. But she'll need something in her stomach, so be sure she eats at least a bit, alright?"
Anna nodded. "You got it. I may look small and meek," she quipped, "but I can be mighty when needed."
Charles laughed loudly at that. "Oh, I have no doubt!"
tbc ... A little review, if you please, would be just lovely. x