"He is freezing," she whispered, "He must be. I am sat here in the comfort of my bed, and not once have I stopped to consider what he must be experiencing at this time."
Daphne nodded.
"He must be." She hesitated, then went on, "I know you wish to be strong. And you have every right to your anger. But if you wish to see him…no one here will stop you."
For a moment, the rain was the only sound between them. Then Alethea drew in a breath, her decision falling into place as though it had been waiting all along.
"I can't leave him out there," she whispered. "Whatever else is between us, I cannot do that."
"Then let me come with you," Daphne gave a quiet sigh that might have been relief.
"No. I appreciate the offer, but I believe that might just complicate things more," Alethea shook her head. "I think I must do this alone."
Daphne hesitated but then nodded. "Very well."
With trembling hands, Alethea swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. She did not bother with her robe. She only pushed her feet into her slippers and wrapped her arms around herself.
"I will be here when you come back," Daphne opened the door.
Alethea managed a small nod and slipped out into the corridor. Her heart pounded as she descended the stairs. At the landing, she paused to steady herself.
She could see the front door, slightly ajar, as though Daphne or someone else had left it open in the vain hope that Oliver might come in of his own accord. When she pushed the door fully open, the cold gust hit her like a shock.
Oliver was there.
He looked up as she appeared, and for a moment neither of them spoke. Rain streamed from his shoulders, and his hair clung to the side of his face.
"Alethea."
"You are soaked," She pressed a hand to the doorframe, her fingers numb.
"I know."
"You can't stay out here," she tried her hardest to keep her voice from breaking.
"I told them I wouldn't leave until you came," he parroted back to her as though it was no small thing.
"This is madness," her voice began to rise steadily. "You see that, surely? Don't you? The girls must be worried where you are, and you can catch an illness standing there. Did it not occur to you that it is bad for you---"
"Careful," he cut her off, a smile forming on his face. "If you continue with your little rant, I might just get the inkling that you do care for me still. Which you have been trying your hardest to conceal."
Alethea was taken aback. She could not understand how even in a moment like this, he was choosing to tease her. She felt all her resentment melting away, and in that moment, all she wished to do was embrace him.
It took her all the restraint that she possessed to not jump into his arms in that moment,
"You should not have done this," she said instead.
"Perhaps," he allowed, "But I could not go home without seeing you. I thought I made that perfectly clear."
She closed her eyes. For a moment she thought she might weep. But instead she swallowed the ache and stepped back.
"Come inside."
He hesitated, as though he did not trust that she meant it. But then he crossed the threshold, rain water dripping behind him as he walked.
It pulled at her heart strings to see him like this. Truly, he looked wrecked. She turned and called up the stairs.
"Felicity? Joyce?"
