*Summer*

Having not slept the night before and enduring all the emotional upheaval of the morning, I retire exhausted to my bedchamber after we return to the club. With Meg’s assistance, I remove my clothes, climb into bed, and rest my head on the pillow. Within a few minutes, the rain pattering on the panes lull me into sleep.

When I awake, the room is cast in shadows, night has fallen, and my heart is not as heavy as it might have been. It helps immensely to know my child is well cared for. Hearing the mewling, I get out of bed and lift the kitten from its box.

“I...