When news arrived of Armistance that had taken place in Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, at sea, and in the air between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices had been agreed with Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary. It took effect at 11 a.m. However, the battles all over continued until the last minutes, with casualties.

Jerry wiped his gunpowder blackened face, in disbelief as the huge ungodly uproar, the bloody union of horror that had been his reality for the past four years was suddenly silenced, as if cut with a knife. Everything felt unreal. Slowly, however, the news spread to the troops, and the guns were lowered to the ground, numbly.

A passing soldier, Private Merrywell inquired wearily, "Reverend, you will get married, eventually, when we get home. Your lovely nutbrown maiden, Nan will be happy."

Jerry nodded, and replied in a way with Blake's verse, from The Garden of Love.

Merrywell furrowed his brow, and said curtly, "Jerry, dear chap, try to be a little more cheerful if you can. None of us will die, at least here, not anymore I hope to God that it is true."

Smoke hung over the battlefield and the muffled moans of the wounded were the usual soundscape, as Jerry waved his hand placatingly as Merrywell remarked, "A few of us are gathering over there, join us if you like?"

Left alone, listening to the banter and curses of his comrades, Jerry sat in the trench, his back against the sand and clay wall he had secured with sandbags two days earlier, his muscles aching from the strain.

Jerry listened to the silence and tried to figure out his mood, but all was muddle. He couldn't really feel anything except a great bottomless void. Jerry routinely touched first his gun, without his hand shaking, then Nan's letter packet in his breast pocket, but even that gesture didn't bring the comfort it usually did.

The sky was gray and gloomy, it looked like it would rain soon.

Jerry witnessed how the bodies of the enemies lying on the ground were kicked into ditches, and the dead were buried, slowly. The church bells in the bellfty of a nearby village that was little more than few houses and joyful civilians, were riging Tipperary.

In the distance Jerry heard the teasing laughter of his fellow soldiers and could smell the scent of Belgian aromatic tobacco, along with a few comments clearly directed in his direction, " Reverend Meredith, is in communion with God, again. Well he is not the first to find his convictions or calling here mud and from the middle of the slaughter, aint it so!"

Resolutely, Jerry got up and walked a few meters to the other men. Private Quirke's tattoo needles were in use again. Quirke looked up from his work, which was a stylized cross, on a soldier's bicep as he asked good-naturedly, "Do you see anything you like?"

Jerry shook his head with a smile as he replied, "Not my thing, at all."

Merrywell exclaimed, "Not even your beloved Blake poetry quote or something in Latin, Jerry?"

Jerry shook his head more pointedly than before as he walked away, trying in vain to calm his mind. Jerry opened his other breast pocket, and took out Nan's photo, carefully he stroked Nan's features, and closed his eyes. Soon, maybe even before the new year, he could meet Nan anew, maybe peace would come to his heart, from the power of his beloved´s hazel gaze.

Churches all over the world, at that moment, even in the Glen, were ringing in honor of the Armistice, and the village was seized with a general, almost maniacal jubilation, which was universal everywhere.

The sandhill bonfire organized by the boys of the fishing village burned brilliantly in the dark evening, in Rainbow Valley, never before had Walter's bells rung so brightly as on that November day. And that Sunday, John Meredith preached a sermon that even years later was considered one of his best. Although joy and relief were uppermost in the minds of the villagers, old sorrowful memories of past for four years were not completely drowned in the raucous revelry that did not end right away.

Rilla, looking at the sunset-gilded nature, said in a low voice to Gertrude Olivier, "You were right, it will be strange not to be afraid of the arrival of the mail. For a few moments we can be frivolous, and madly glad, before we must sober up and begin to slowly build a new world in place of the ruins."

Gertrude glanced with a smile at the dark green velvet hat lying on the carpet, which was now completely shapeless, as Rilla had furiously kicked it around the room. And at that moment, Rilla had seemed like an innocent, boisterous girl, again.

Thoughtfully, Rilla remarked, "Betty Meade said that Mary Vance had told her that Olive Kirke had looked unwell at church, so no wonder the Kirke-Howard wedding is being brought up very speedily, as it is December."

Gertrude, said with asperity, " Rilla, it is not proper to pass on gossip."

Rilla smiled brightly, and remarked, "I can hardly imagine Irene Howard living in the same household with a newborn."

Against her will, Gertrude broke into laughter as she remarked, "Children are the future, the golden kind, there is hope in them."

Rilla smiled gently as she remembered Jim's hilarity, and a sudden pang ripped through her heart.

Gertrude noticed Rilla's expression flickering and she remarked uncharacteristically gently, "You miss Jims, don't you?"

Rilla nodded briefly.

After a moment of silence she said, "I do, madly. Even though I know it was right for him to go with Jim Anderson and his new wife, it doesn't make me miss him any less."

"There are always visits" said Gertrude, knowing from Rilla's listless expression that it was a thin consolation, as for four years what Jims presence had meant in Ingelside was immeasurable.

Dreamily Nan looked out into the garden of Primrose Hollow and remarked to Sue and Dorian, as they were drinking tea, the malty smell of assam strong, without the milk, tea spoons clinking softly on the edges of bluish teacups, scent of plum custard that Di had made earlier was deliciously counterpoint to it. " I still can't believe the war is over. Jerry, Jerry is safe. My heart almost bursts with happiness. Our golden time here in this charming house will soon be at an end, I think, for when Christmas comes I shall at least return to Ingelside myself, for I was informed that the teacher I have replaced here will return to her job in January."

Sue, flicked her hazel braid, and said lightly, with a small side glance towards Dorian, "We've had such a good time here, haven't we. I share your sentiments in part, for it seems I don't even know what feelings I'm feeling now. Peace - that will take some getting used to. Can I get an invitation to your wedding, regardless of when it's held?"

Nan looked with a twinkle in her eyes, sympathetically at Sue, and at Dorian, who was completely absorbed in Ourania´s proofs, and of course had not noticed the slight vibration in Sue's voice. Warmly Nan exclaimed, "Of course you will, as you will be one of my bridesmaids."

Sue chuckled softly, and said with impulsive sincerity, "If you want I can sketch you some wedding dresses, unless you already have a design in mind?"

Dorian almost spilled his teacup when he realized he was in the middle of a wedding planning meeting. Slightly alarmed, but at the same time amused, he remarked, "Say Nan, if there's room at your wedding I'd love to come too, because I have to see Ingelside. It would be a great privilege to be there when you enter the holy harbor of matrimony by Jerry's side. Is Di again doing her usual shift at that café, as she is not here now?"

Nan, murmured, slightly abstracted tone of voice, "Yes, I think so. Alice is at her workplace too, in that oh so quant antiqueshop. Naturally it would be divine, if you could come to Ingelside then, Dorian."

Helene watched with some amusement as Diana Blythe brought the wrong order to the table for the fourth time in two hours. Finally, she remarked in her gentle pointed style, "It seems your thoughts are somewhere else entirely today."

Di looked up, and burst out to speak, "A couple of months ago I submitted a manuscript to my publisher, and I'm expecting comments any day, so that's why I'm a little haphazard today."

Winnie dashed into the cafeteria like a whirlwind and flung herself breathlessly, dark eyes sparkling, into the chair next to Di, declaring, "Di darling, you'll never guess what I just heard! If it's true, it's a golden opportunity indeed."

Helene glanced at Winnie and said in her typical style, which usually cuts through hysterics and over-enthusiasm in an instant, "Yes, we would like to know what it is about, if you quit your blubbering to tell us, that."

Winnie stretched, blissfully unaware that at least two customers had just dripped tea down their trousers, following her movements, as she smiled in an impish way, and said, "Well, if you insist Helene. I happened to hear that the impresario known for Pantages Theatres, Alexander Pantages will be visiting different theaters here, and I might have a window to perform to him."

Helene smiled openly as she remarked, "Well, if you get it, anything can happen. After all, I've been saying for years that you're too good to stay here or in the regional theaters, you've got the looks and talent to match."

Winnie, with an uncertain look, glanced in Di's direction and said softly, "Well, there's no point in making such a big deal about it, yet as there's nothing certain yet."

Di, felt a sting in her heart when she heard the news, and she forced a smile on her lips as she said, in a deliberately light-hearted style, " Well, you'll charm anyone, as you can draw even blood from a stone. Do you want to practice now?"

The customers applauded enthusiastically, as Winnie and Di went on stage, after a short conversation, the sparkling, cracklingly intense music captivated the audience, as Winnie did her thing, with a couple of songs with fierce blend of underlying sadness and rage that was in this instance very palpable. The songs changed, and Winnie took a couple of steps back, she as ever winked at Di. Di felt strangely abandoned, even though Winnie was there, close by in the bright spotlight, smelling faintly of lilies.

Afterwards, sitting in a large green armchair in Winnie's attic apartment, watching how the worn lace curtains cast intricate shadows on the faded floral wallpaper, Di remarked, "You seemed hungry and flamboyant, and unutterably lovely, but then again I'm biased on that count."

Winnie sighed, and wrapped Di's strand of hair around her index finger as she pointedly pointed out, "And now you're trying your best not to be worried and scared. Dearest, I get it, but there is no need it's just one audition among many. Don't worry, I told you I'd make exceptions for you. "

Di rested her head on Winnie's shoulder, and said impulsively, "Do you want to spend Christmas at Ingelside?"

Winnie's surprised laugh echoed resonantly in the small apartment as she murmured, "Di, dearest, not that kind of exceptions."

Royal Gardiner and Christine Stuart Dawson were having early dinner at one of their regular spots. While cutting his fish Royal mused, "Christine, I went to my club yesterday and there was also talk of future peace terms, I think that even if the Armistice is signed, it will not be an easy thing to make this final peace, because there are so many tensions. There is a lot to win and lose. In a couple of days, map of Europe has taken a completely new shape and it continues to change as new borders are being drawn to new future. My contacts have informed me that the atmosphere is uneasy in many countries. Reconstruction will be large undertaking."

Christine sliced her potatoes as she answered patiently, "And immeasurable profits too, if one is clever."

Royal gave Christine a pointed look as he said, "Are you going back to Manitoba prairies? Or is someone still keeping you here, perhaps?"

Christine shrugged in her sleek way as she smiled a little and said emphatically, "Roy, do not angle so, it is most unbecoming. I will not give you Isabelle's contact information. Please stop pestering me about it."

Royal wiped his mustache carefully as he riposted, "Well worth trying, for one last time. I'm going to my club, where are you going from here?"

Christine smiled carelessly as she replied, "I have small errand to run."

Royal smiled as he said, "I hope it's something pleasant, at least?" Christine's eyes twinkled faintly, as she murmured with arch grace. "Oh it is."

Alice looked up from the dusty sheet music she was trying to put in some kind of order, as she heard Mahler say, in his usual bit sinister style, his sales pitch, which most of the time wasn't a sales pitch at all.

Behemoth's soft purr was clear and distinct, as the shadow moved and a familiar voice answered, "I'm looking for tie pins, and sheet music? Do you have anyone to help me choose perhaps?"

Mahler cleared his hoarse throat, and called softly, "Miláček you are needed. Give this lady everything she might want."

Alice nodded as Mahler slowly got up from his chair and said in passing, half whispering " Žena se zdá být docela sebevědomá a bohatá. Je tu možnost uzavírat slušné obchody. Zamkněte obchod, když odejdete, miláček."

Alice smiled her slowly brightening smile at Mahler, and Behemont circled the old man's ankles contentedly. The worn side door creaked as the owner disappeared into his apartment on the upper floor.

Silence filled the dim space. The greenish lamps glowed on the walls, as Christine looked at Alice for a long time and said with an amused smile, "So here you are, quite a dusty job. Did you just happen to get some special instructions for me. What language was that? It sounded tirelessly bohemian."

Alice looked steadily in Christine's direction as she said in a serious voice, "The owner only asked me to lock up the shop when you're satisfied with your purchases here, that's all. So you want tie pins, and sheet music, if I understood correctly? They're over here, on the right, follow me."

Christine looked critically at the selection, which rested on dark green velvet, and as the moments dragged on, she finally chose an extremely beautiful and vivid-looking rose-tie pin with small pearls embedded in silver.

Alice noticed Christine let out a small sigh of satisfaction when she saw the music shelf.

Curiously, Alice inquired, "I'm glad you shop here, this evening, but somehow I never would have imagined you'd come to an antique store located on the edge of Kingsport, far from your usual places."

A slightly irritated look rose into Christine's eyes as her browsing of the notes was interrupted, as she remarked in a soft voice that made Alice's knees go weak, as the scent of rose water was strong, momentarily, " This place has an excellent reputation, among those who want both quality and discovery, and the fact that you are here is only an advantage, to me."

Alice counted the cash register, aware of the amount of money Christine had just donated with her check to Mahler's store. A little nervously, Alice turned off the lights, and emptied the Behemont's water cup before she locked the door shut behind her. The whole time she had worked Christine had followed her movements with a carefully nonchalant smile, as if weighing.

The cool November wind blew through the streets and the musty scent of old leaves was strong. Joyful kingsportians walked down the street laughing and singing, "When the Boys Come Home." Christine said in a slightly shaky voice, "Will you come, to have cocoa?"

Christine's suite was the same as before, at least at first glance, but when Alice sat down on the soft divan she noticed a slight mess. There were crumpled sheets of paper on the floor, and on the back of the divan was a midnight blue silk dressing gown, carelessly tossed.

The creamy smell of cocoa was extremely familiar and relaxing. There were bottles of kirschwasser and ginger beer on a small table. Intrigued, Alice glanced around and remarked, "Have you perhaps celebrated peace here?" Christine shook her head in silence, as she lowered her purchases next to the bottles.

"Are those gifts, for someone?" Alice inquired.

With a calm gesture, Chrstine took the silver hairbrush in her hand and started combing her hair as she murmured," Indeed, they are."

There was a pervasive scent of rose water everywhere.

Slowly, Christine looked up towards Alice as she remarked in an off-hand tone, " Very tempting."

Alice carefully placed her small cup of cocoa on the table with shaking hands.

The gramophone played Saint-Saëns - Mon Coeur s'ouvre à ta voix, as Christine hummed it, sensually slow and low.

Slight sighs were stifled in Alice´s throat as in a controlled, restrained way Christine murmured, "I've been thinking about this for a long time, I've finally come to a decision. No hard handling this time. I'm going to give you what you want, once and for all, dearest."

Those soft kisses tasted like kirchwasser, and slowly, almost imperceptibly, Alice drowned in them.

Afterwards, Christine said lightly, nonchalantly, "I'm travelling back to Manitoba soon. There's nothing left for me in Kingsport, as I have finally concluded all my affairs. Do you want to come with me, because I think you'd enjoy yourself there, for a time. Please do think it." Alice was drowsily startled, as casual kittenish request of those words of Christine´s were reveled to her, as the shuddering echoes of that pleasure that Christine had drawn out of her reverberated in her flesh still.

A/N: Translation of Czech idioms and sentences used in this chapter. Miláček – darling, or sweetheart. Žena se zdá být docela sebevědomá a bohatá. Je tu možnost uzavírat slušné obchody. Zamkněte obchod, když odejdete, miláček - The woman seems quite confident and wealthy. There is an opportunity to make decent deals. Lock the shop when you leave sweetheart.