January 3rd, 1890 — Rigel Hall, Cumbria
There wasn't long left now. The transformation of the people around her in the last few days was possibly more alarming to her than anything else. The healer's face had been full of confidence at first but now they looked pasty and stressed, their voice had been reduced to a low, quiet murmur when not addressing her and she assumed that was supposed to keep her from hearing the extent of her bleak prognosis so of course it had the opposite effect entirely. Not that she had the energy to externalize her fear anymore.
In the last few hours she had been working up the energy to have an important and probably her last proper conversation with her husband. Finally, the time seemed right so she asked for him. It was probably the first time she'd ever successfully summoned him to her, it was a shame it was only because she was dying.
"Phineas." She made a weak attempt to sit up in bed but gave up as soon as she felt her body railing against her. She extended a cold, clammy hand towards him hoping for a comforting gesture of some sort. He had one more healthy son, would he finally be pleased with her? That son had come at a high cost, although the full extent of which she was currently not fully aware, not that it would matter if she was dead. "What are they saying? How long...?" Her voice cracked and she let the second half of her sentence die in her throat. He'd surely catch her meaning anyway.
In the last few hours she had been working up the energy to have an important and probably her last proper conversation with her husband. Finally, the time seemed right so she asked for him. It was probably the first time she'd ever successfully summoned him to her, it was a shame it was only because she was dying.
"Phineas." She made a weak attempt to sit up in bed but gave up as soon as she felt her body railing against her. She extended a cold, clammy hand towards him hoping for a comforting gesture of some sort. He had one more healthy son, would he finally be pleased with her? That son had come at a high cost, although the full extent of which she was currently not fully aware, not that it would matter if she was dead. "What are they saying? How long...?" Her voice cracked and she let the second half of her sentence die in her throat. He'd surely catch her meaning anyway.
