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"A fewback around to face hiave a wobbly smile as she settled into the chair next to his bed "I’m exhausted"

"I am sorry," he said instantly He felt like he should rise Give her his hand

Be a gentleman

"I did not think," he said

"You have not had much opportunity to do so," she said in a dry voice

His lips parted with surprise, and then he thought--there was the Cecilia Harcourt he kneell Or thought he kneell Truth be told, he could not recall ever having seen her face But she sounded just like her letters, and he had held her words close to his heart during the worst of the war

Soe that he had looked forward to her letters to Tho to hiive me," she said "I have a most inappropriate sense of humor"

"I like it," he said

She looked over at hirateful in her eyes

Such an interesting color, they were A seafoareen so pale she would surely have been called fey in another era Which see; she was as down-to-earth and reliable as any person he’d ever ht he’d met

She touched her cheek self-consciously "Have I so at you," he said

"There is not ree"

She flushed, and he realized he was flirting with his wife Strange

And yet possibly the least strange thing of the day

"I wish I rean

She looked at hi her for the first ti

He wished he re her

"Edward?" she said softly

"Everything," he said, the word coe than he’d intended "I wish I rehtly, but there was so about it It didn’t reach her eyes, and then he realized that she hadn’thim Had someone told her more about his condition than she had shared with him? He didn’t knohen they could have done so; she had not left his side since he’d awakened

"You look like Thoave him a puzzled look "No one else seems to Well, except for the hair" She touched it then, probably without even realizing she’d done so It had been pulled back into an inexpertly pinned bun, and the bits that had fallen out hung li it was, how it ainst her back

"I favor our mother," she said "Or so I’ve been told I never knew her Thomas is more like our father"

Edward shook his head "It’s not in the features It is your expressions"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Yes, right there!" He grinned, feeling a bit more alive than he had just a moment earlier "Youyour pardon,’ you tilted your head exactly the sa your pardon so very often?"

"Not nearly asat that "Oh, thank you," she said, wiping her eyes "I haven’t laughed since" She shook her head "I can’t remember when"

He reached out and took her hand "You haven’t had h about," he said quietly

Her throat worked as she nodded, and for one awful ht cry But still, he knew he could not remain silent "What happened to Thomas?" he asked

She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled "I received word that he had been injured and was recuperating in New York Town I was concerned--well, you can see for yourself," she said, waving a hand toward the rest of the rooh people to nurse the wounded soldiers I did not want my brother to be alone"