You did not come that night to ask me why, not even to be angry with me.
[ Her words waterfall from her, as they do so often when she is upset. ]
It was so stupid, so foolish a hope, but I was waiting for you. I thought with every alcove I passed that night that you would reach from it to pull me in and demand to know why and I would weep and confess and you would hold me and somehow everything would be all right again but you did not. I thought with every step I took from the ballroom on that smug Baron's arm that on the next one I would see you round the corner but you did not, and then I ran out of steps to take and the only thing left in the world for me to do was laugh and smile and let him—
[ Her breath sobs. ]
Oh, Byerly, you looked at me sometimes like I held more wonder than the stars, touched me like I was something holy, and you left.
And I do not deserve my tears. I do not deserve to say any of this at all.
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[ Her words waterfall from her, as they do so often when she is upset. ]
It was so stupid, so foolish a hope, but I was waiting for you. I thought with every alcove I passed that night that you would reach from it to pull me in and demand to know why and I would weep and confess and you would hold me and somehow everything would be all right again but you did not. I thought with every step I took from the ballroom on that smug Baron's arm that on the next one I would see you round the corner but you did not, and then I ran out of steps to take and the only thing left in the world for me to do was laugh and smile and let him—
[ Her breath sobs. ]
Oh, Byerly, you looked at me sometimes like I held more wonder than the stars, touched me like I was something holy, and you left.
And I do not deserve my tears. I do not deserve to say any of this at all.