After her visitors left, Ellen returned to the upstairs bedroom.Charles had fallen into a deep sleep in which he hadn't awakened.Death eased some of the ravages of time along his face and body.It seemed appropriate that he remained dressed in his Georgian attire.Ellen would remember him like this, a proud and elegant man who abandoned his stately duties in order to give her abundant joy and love.She remembered the night of the autumn harvest ball at the Lambert estate.Charles had whisked her expertly around the dance floor with all eyes focused on the handsome couple.
Ah, memories.They remained her steadfast companions when her flesh and blood lovers left her.Ellen wanted to feel sorrow for her new loss, some grief, but that heady emotion refused to surface.She had accepted Charles' passing some time ago before he even began to deteriorate.