Proserpina

Lucien? I asked myself.

Had he brought me roses? ???

Swallowing hard, I stood, inhaling the heady fragrance.

Where was he, the man I loved?

I dashed out of the room, clutching my bathrobe. There were more roses placed in baskets in the corridor, and I felt my heart swell. The lights coming from the kitchen made me race over. But the only people there were Beatrice who was cuddling Baby Claude. My youngest son was awake and blinking disarmingly at the world in general. Along with the old housekeeper were the two maids who took care of the twins. Ria and Piers sat at the small table, having...