“Oh, but it is. Look, it has the same markings.” Phoebe continued her monologue and her inspection, and Natalie held her breath as she was unsure if she should reveal Jasper’s secret or not. Would he have wanted it? It would be best if he told her himself.
“Do you know anything of this, Natalie?”
“I…uh---”
“Oh, speak child, I am certainly not that naïve,” Phoebe said, placing the mask on the bed. “Staying late outside, returning with headaches, acting strange and aloof. All so unlike my Jasper. Tell me, is he truly the Rogue? My Jasper?”
Natalie's muscles stiffened, and she turned to stare at Phoebe’s pleading eyes, regretting it. The poor woman was worried sick and only needed an answer for her nephew’s odd behavior.
Natalie nodded silently.
“Oh, dear!” Phoebe’s hands traveled to her lips in surprise. “All this while, I never knew. I never connected the dots, how foolish of me.” She tapped the mask, then returned to Natalie once more. “What about the Comtesse? What do you know of her?”
Natalie held her breath, her cheeks—no, her whole body reddening and heating from embarrassment. Oh goodness, having to explain that she was, in fact, the Comtesse should not be as embarrassing as it felt. But she couldn’t help herself. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish struggling to breathe out of water and Phoebe’s eyes widened just then.
“Oh, my!” Phoebe exclaimed. “You, my dear, have a lot of explaining to do.” It was half a command, half teasing, as a smile played against her lips.
“And you, gentleman,” Phoebe turned to her nephew. “You best hurry and wake up, for you have a lot of answering to do.” Fresh tears welled in her eyes and Natalie held her hand in comfort.
The next day looked promising. Jasper's fever subsided, but he lay absolutely still with his face very pale. Natalie continued to tell him stories, not sure he could hear her.
Her cousins spent their days in the manor, and Natalie’s clothes had been brought over the day after Jasper’s accident. The entire town was aware of what had occurred, and Mary had visited twice.
Sometime in the early hours of the morning, Natalie's exhausted mind and body took the reins from her pain and forced her to sleep. It was a fitful slumber, one filled with longing for Jasper’s recovery. She awoke with a start when she felt a hand on hers.
She looked up, expecting to see Phoebe, but instead met Jasper’s blue gaze, and it was his hand touching hers.
"Jasper!" she cried, blinking. "Oh my God, you are awake!" Natalie was crying, and she did not bother to hide it.
Phoebe ran into the room right then, and when she made to throw herself at him, Natalie reminded her of his injuries. The physician was sent for immediately. Jasper did not speak, and it was evident that he was in pain. But he was awake! He was going to live!
"It is a miracle!" the physician declared after examining him. “The fevers were most concerning, but now that he is awake, I am certain that he will make a full recovery.”
Jasper fell asleep again after being given some medicine and soup, while Phoebe went down to receive a caller. Natalie was reading when she heard him move. “Jasper,” she whispered, touching his hand. Slowly, his eyes opened, and she was certain that he was looking at her. They had been blank and unfocused before.
"I…” His voice was hoarse and raspy.
“Do not speak until you are better.”
He shook his head very slightly and winced, likely from the pain the movement caused. “Natalie, my love," he whispered, and her eyes instantly filled with tears.
“Jasper, please,” she said in a low voice. “You mustn’t talk.” Oh, but she wished to hear his every word.
“I need…to tell you this,” he said. “I…I needed to find you. To apologize for…everything.”
She moved to sit beside him on the bed, stroking his stubbled jaw. He reached his arm up, cupping her cheek. “…I hurt you, years ago. And I…I had no idea. Christ, I did not know, my love.”
He coughed, and she instinctively reached closer to him. “I forgive you, but please don’t tire yourself. You need rest.”
Ignoring her, he continued. “I hurt you so bad, Natalie. I ruined you and I—Bloody hell, I love you. I love you so much Natalie, my heart feels like it will break.”
“I forgave you the day I fell in love with you.” When his eyebrows rose, she smiled. “Yes, Jasper. I love you too.”
He took her hand and raised it to his lips. He could not hold her, but Natalie knew how much he wished to. “I love you more than anything in this world.” His eyes misted. “I feared losing you more than I feared my death.”
She kissed his cheeks, then his lips. He continued after a slight but painful groan, “I did not know about Oliver, or what he did. But…But if I knew, I swear I would have protected you.” He coughed as he tried to raise himself, but Natalie held him down, making him stay reclined. “I would have killed him if that’s what it would take to keep you safe and happy. I was young and foolish, but that is not an excuse. I never intended to hurt you and I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my life—I’ll need to make it up to you for the rest of my life.”
“All I want is for you to recover. Whatever happened was not your fault and I’ve forgiven you a long time ago. Everything else will be taken care of.” She kissed him again, brushing the tears that rolled down his cheeks. All was well. He was alive, and he was hers. Her wish to be wanted and loved had come true. And so had her final item on the list.
