He was stalling and the effects of it were weighing down the room heavier than it likely would have if he'd been honest all at once. His reluctance to share betrayed the significance of Maple whilst allowing Winnie to infer whatever random details she might have imagined. They never used to share details like this, it never used to matter. But everything had changed last year - or, fall of 1891 rather.

"She thought she was pregnant last summer," Dory confessed while Winnie's back was to him. "She wasn't, but for a few days I was caught up in the chaos of it all." He had to tell her he intended to marry Maple, had to betray the fact that would likely make her run.

He couldn't bring himself to say it. Not yet. "I didn't expect to see her again on Christmas, is all."

---