“That is preferable to climbing out the window,” Kendrick remarked before tossing back his drink.
As Roswell walked Kendrick to the door, he said, “Caleb and I will report back to you the moment we discover something.”
“Do not keep me waiting for too long,” Kendrick responded.
Roswell stopped in front of the main door and opened it. “Goodnight,” he said.
The spymaster murmured his goodbyes before he disappeared into the darkness of night.
Knowing he wasn’t going to get much work done tonight, Roswell headed up the stairs towards his bedchamber but stopped at his mother’s door. No doubt she was asleep, but he wanted to check in on her, just in case she needed something.
He slowly opened the door and stepped inside the room. The window was open and the curtains were lightly blowing in the wind.
He saw Octavia was sitting next to the bed as she watched their sleeping mother. Her eyes were sad and he wished there was a way he could make that go away.
“Octavia,” he said, keeping his voice low.
She let out a slight gasp as she turned her head towards him. “Roswell, I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I am quiet, like a ninja.”
She smiled at his remark. “What do you know of ninjas?” she asked, matching his tone.
“Nothing really, but I was hoping to make you smile,” he said. “I thought you were going to bed.”
“I was, but I decided to check in on Mother.” Turning her attention back towards the bed, Octavia said, “It is hard to watch her suffer like this, but I am certainly fortunate that she hasn’t forgotten me yet.”
Roswell walked across the room and placed a comforting hand on his sister’s shoulder. “It is difficult, but there are some moments of clarity that she does recognize me.”
“Her lady’s maid found her wandering the townhouse today,” Octavia revealed. “She was confused and didn’t know where she was.”
“Why wasn’t Father with her?”
“He had to go to the House of Lords for a vote but he only left her side for a short time.”
Roswell saw that his mother’s frame was growing far too thin for his liking. “I think it might be time to have servants tend to her day and night.”
“Nancy was sitting by her bed when I arrived and I felt like she could use a reprieve from her duties.”
“That was nice of you.”
Octavia sighed. “Not really. It was rather selfish of me,” she revealed. “I don’t like people to see me cry.”
“We share that trait in common.”
She cast him a disbelieving look. “You cry?” she asked. “I doubt that.”
“Crying doesn’t mean you are weak. It is just a moment that gives you the strength to endure what is coming next.”
“I just don’t imagine you crying often.”
Roswell removed his hand. “Just because you don’t see people’s struggles doesn’t mean they aren’t there.”
“I didn’t mean to imply such a thing.”
“I know,” Roswell said.
Octavia’s eyes filled with tears as she asked, “Do you think Mother will die soon?”
