Once she was done, she came to sit near the fire. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“I’m going to go change as well. You go ahead and try to get warmed up.”
Veronica tried to keep her eyes on the fire and ignore the movement behind her. She focused on the warmth in front of her. Veronica hadn’t realized just how cold she had been until some heat started to work its way back into her body.
After that started, it felt almost impossible to pay much attention to anything else.
A few moments later, Christopher came to sit beside her. “How are you feeling now?”
“Cold,” was all she could say in response.
“I can imagine. I know I am still rather chilled myself.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For jumping in to save me. I never should have run away like that. I didn't mean to put you at risk like that.”
“I wasn’t just going to let you drown, but why did you do it?”
“I - I thought it would be better for both of us. I’m sorry.”
“Veronica,” he sighed. “If you wanted to leave, I wouldn’t have stopped you. I can have someone take you back to London tomorrow if that’s what you want, but these woods are dangerous. You should be out here.”
“I’m sorry,” tears welled in her eyes. “I know. I never should have run away. I’m sorry.”
“Why did you do it?”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to keep hurting you.”
Christopher frowned. “I don’t understand. What do you mean? What have you ever done?”
The whole reason you got hurt in the fire was because of me. I took everything from you, your hands, your health, the life you were trying to build for yourself. You must hate me.”
“I don’t hate you. I don’t think I could ever hate you, and you didn’t take anything from me. The fire did, and,” he paused for a moment, taking a shaky breath. “And my health is hardly the thing I was most upset about losing.”
“But then, what was?”
He looked at her, a tight expression on his face. “My dearest friend. I wasn’t able to get to him in time, and he- he didn’t make it out.”
“That was why you ran back inside.”
“Yes, it was, for all the good it did, but I was too late. He was already gone.”
“Oh, Christopher,” she hesitantly reached out for him, pressing a hand to his arm. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m the one who should be sorry. I don’t deserve to be happy, not after I let him die.”
For a moment, Veronica just sat there as realization slowly dawned on her. “That’s why you’ve been so distant all those years.”
He looked away. “I thought you deserved to be happy, deserved someone better. I never had any intention of seeing you again after that night.”
“Then why come to the church that day?”
He looked away. “Because I’m selfish. I didn’t want anyone else to have you.”
She studied him for a moment before she spoke. “Have I ever told you about my sister?”
