Aleida covered her mouth and swayed.
“He remembers,” Hugh said. “He remembers.”
Nothing felt real. She’d surrendered. She’d made her decision and felt incredible peace about it. Now everything shifted inside her, furniture scraping the floor of her soul.
Mr. Randolph lifted his chin, and his mouth set. “Mrs. Randolph and I have decided to do what you did earlier—surrender a beloved boy. It is the only right and honorable course of action. And I beg your forgiveness. If I had believed you in January, if I’d at least given you a chance, you would have been reunited four months ago.”
“Oh, darling.” Hugh hugged her shoulder and kissed her temple.
Her dream, her obsession, her decision, her love, her hard-earned peace—all careened in her head, upending all she knew and wanted and hoped and feared.
A whistle pierced her ears. The teakettle.
Aleida dashed to the kitchen.
“Aleida,” Hugh said. “Allow me.”
She could barely see, but she pulled the kettle off the stove and poured boiling water into the teapot.
“Darling.” Hugh set his hand on her shoulder. “This is wonderful. Shouldn’t you—”
“I need to think.” She flipped up a hand to silence him. But how could she make sense of the cacophony of thoughts rioting in her mind?
She pulled a tray from the cupboard, three saucers, three cups.
“Your hands are shaking. Use the tea cart.” Hugh wheeled it over. “I’d carry the tray myself, but...” He raised his cast.
Her hands shook horribly. With Hugh’s help, she assembled the tea things on the cart and took it to the sitting room.
Since the tea needed to steep, Aleida and Hugh took their seats.
“This must come as a shock to you,” Mr. Randolph said with a compassionate frown. “With your permission, I’ll return tomorrow evening to make arrangements.”
Aleida closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Only one choice calmed the cacophony. “I thank you for your kind offer, but my decision stands.”
“Aleida!” Hugh said. “What do you—”
“But Mrs. Martens—”
“Don’t you see?” Hugh said. “You can have your son back.”
She wiggled a hand at him. “I will not uproot him again and cause more upheaval in his life.”
Mr. Randolph gave his head a firm shake. “Teddy asks why he has no mother, only an aunt and uncle—that’s what he calls us. He wants a mother. He wantshismother.”
Aleida scrunched her eyes shut. That couldn’t be. He couldn’t possibly...
“Look at me, darling.” Hugh gripped her forearm.
She dragged her gaze to his face, his gleaming, earnest face.
“You have so much to offer him,” Hugh said in a husky voice. “So much love to give him. Don’t deprive him of his mother’s love.”
Her heart and her face crumpled, and she leaned against Hugh’s side.
“May I make a suggestion?” Mr. Randolph said. “Come to our country home this weekend. We’ll see how Teddy responds.”
Aleida clamped her hand over her quivering mouth, and a sob bubbled up. “I could see him again. I could see him.”
