“Of course it will,” she said, although her voice lacked all conviction. “Why are you here?” She sat in a chair across from him with a table between them.
“We need to talk. You’ve been back a few days.” His gaze roved over her. “It doesn’t seem to be doing you much good.”
Zylphia curled into herself at his subtle criticism. Her raven black hair was tied in a braid down her back but was not nearly as shiny as it had been before she had been sent to the workhouse. She remained much thinner than before and had little appetite. An air of desolation clung to her that Teddy feared was impenetrable.
“Why don’t you tell me what you will do? I know you desired a divorce.” Zylphia maintained a lowered gaze. “Sophie told me.”
Teddy ran a hand through his hair and moved to sit in the chair rather than on its arm. “Did she also tell you that she argued against such a foolish idea?”
“Why would it be foolish? You’ve said yourself that you fear you’ll never trust me again.” She swiped at her eyes and then met his concerned gaze with one of anger and despair. “I’ve thought and thought of all the ways I could convince you to love me again. Of how I could earn your trust. And there aren’t any. I betrayed you, Teddy.”
He paled at her words. “What are you saying?”
She stilled at his confused question. “I have always been true to our wedding vows. I hate that my actions gave rise to such doubt. That my stupid flirting caused gossip.” She clenched and unclenched her hands together on her lap. “I acted in such a way as to cause the loss of our child.” She lowered her head and sobbed, wrapping her arms around herself.
“Did anyone physically harm you when you were in the workhouse?” When she remained silent, he pushed aside the table separating them and knelt at her feet. “Did a guard hit you in your stomach?”
“No. I was slapped a few times but nothing in my belly,” Zylphia whispered.
He pulled at her arms until she held them in front of her, and he grasped her hands, easing them open to stroke her palms. “I had visited a doctor friend of mine earlier that day when I wrote you that letter. He used to be interested in some of my experiments, and now I help him with his investments. He works at the Free Hospital for Women and is a specialist in pregnancies.” He swallowed and took a deep breath. “He says it is impossible to know what happened because each pregnancy is unique. However, the likelihood that your hunger strike led to the loss of our baby is small. You were healthy when you went in, and you were force-fed.”
Zylphia shook her head in confusion. “I don’t understand what you are saying, Teddy.”
“It means that, even without your stay in the workhouse, we probably would have lost the baby.” His voice broke on the word lost, and he blinked so as not to cry. He raised a hand to swipe away the tears that coursed down her cheeks.
“You can’t absolve me of this. You can’t,” Zylphia rasped. “I acted recklessly. With only the thought of hurting you and progressing the cause as my goals.” She bit back a sob. “I gave no thought to what I put in jeopardy.”
Teddy took a deep breath and exhaled it. “Zee, I can’t say that I’m not upset with how you acted. You made me a promise and broke it.” His gaze was unreadable. “It will take me time to rebuild my trust in you.” He played with her hands, as though needing that contact with her.
“However, I know it will take you time to trust me again too. I let you down, Zee.” At her instinctive denial, he let go of her hands and gripped her shoulders to prevent her from moving away. He stroked her cheek and allowed her to see the guilt and despair in his gaze. “You needed comfort, love and understanding from me, and I gave you none of it.”
“Oh, Teddy,” she cried as she slid from her chair and into his arms. She shook, crying as his arms pulled her tightly to him. “Hold me. I’ve missed you.”
He kissed her hair as he rocked her and whispered in her ear. “I love you, Zee. Forgive me for losing my faith in us. For not having the strength to face what happened and for throwing you from our house.”
She beat at him with her fists against his back. “I needed you! I needed you, and you abandoned me.”
He choked back a sob. “I know. I focused on my belief that you had failed me when I had failed you in equal measure.” He tugged her even closer, to the point she gasped for breath before he eased his hold on her. “I need you to forgive me. Please, Zee.”
When her sobs quieted, she leaned against his chest, quivering from her emotional outburst. “We hurt each other, Teddy,” she whispered. “I forgive you, my love.” She stroked her hand over his cheek, surprised as her palm met the dampness on his cheek. “Don’t cry. I won’t make you sad again. I promise.”
He laughed and closed his eyes. “Yes, you will. Something will occur in the next fifty years, Zee, to bring strife into our lives. Most likely within the next few months.” He stroked a hand over her head, dislodging pins. “I will be saddened again, and I hope you will be there to provide succor, as you are now.”
His hold on her eased as she leaned against him, and he sighed with contentment. “Having you here again in my arms, Zee, is all I need,” he whispered into her ear.
Zylphia stood in their large living room, holding Teddy’s hand as their guests arrived. He raised their clasped hands and kissed hers before leaning down to whisper into her ear, “We are having friends and family visit us, Zee. There is no reason to be anxious.”
“I want everything to be perfect tonight.” She squeezed his hand. “I want the rumors about us put to rest.”
“There will always be rumors about us,” he teased as he brushed a finger over her cheek and smiled. “Nothing is ever perfect, Zee. When we find joy in the imperfections of life, we know we will be fine.” He waited until she smiled in agreement before greeting Aidan and Delia.
Just six days after Zee had reunited with Teddy, having moved back into their home, the large front room had been decorated with fresh pine boughs and holly, in celebration of Little Christmas. Red candles and evergreen-colored tablecloths enhanced the holiday feel of the adjoining dining room.
Delia kissed her daughter’s pale cheek, unable to hide her concern. “I worry that you are not regaining your strength as you should after your ordeal.”
“Now that I am home, I know I will fully improve.” Zylphia smiled, her gaze tracking her husband’s movements as he greeted Rowena and the Wheelers.
“It seems you and Teddy have made your peace,” Aidan murmured, kissing her forehead.
“We have, although it will take time to completely mend our wounds.” She smiled as Parthena and Rowena approached, hugging them and then moving to a corner of the room to gossip and chat. Her spirit lightened as Teddy watched them with a delighted glint to his eyes as though they were young women in a ballroom again.
Sophronia entered the parlor, her sharp gaze brightening when she saw the harmony in the room. Teddy welcomed her with a kiss to her cheek and whispered into her ear. She cackled at whatever he said and then took his proffered elbow. He led her to a comfortable chair, winking before he left to speak with Morgan and Aidan.
Soon Delia, Parthena, Rowena and Zylphia sat around Sophronia. “I hear you’re to leave us soon?” Sophronia asked with a raised eyebrow in Parthena’s direction.
“Yes. Morgan and I are to travel to Montana to be with my sister and her husband as they await the birth of their first child.” Parthena fidgeted at Sophronia’s incredulous stare. “I want my sister to have family around her at such a time.”
“I’m amazed your husband has the sense to know he’s won the battle,” Sophie murmured.
Parthena smiled and flushed. “I believe he hopes he has but doesn’t want me traveling alone.”
Sophie laughed and thunked her cane. “I’ll be quite interested to learn what is occurring there. I want to be informed if you hear any talk about a Mrs. Smythe.”
Delia stiffened and shook her head in consternation. “She wouldn’t dare try anything fur
ther.”
“I fear you have too much faith in the police or in her sense of decency. That woman will do whatever she can to cause havoc in her stepchildren’s lives, and I fear that little girl is far from safe from her.”
The younger women frowned in confusion.
“Mrs. Smythe attempted to kidnap Patrick Sullivan’s daughter in October. He’s Clarissa’s eldest brother. I imagine you were too busy with your concerns in Washington to stay abreast of the news in Montana.” She stared pointedly at Zylphia.
Zylphia flushed. “I fear I ignored letters as we planned our next moves.”
“It seems I’ll have more of an adventure than merely having my husband see Lucas again,” Parthena murmured.
Sophronia harrumphed before cackling out a laugh. “You’ve always been intrepid in getting out of scrapes. I have no fear you’ll do quite well while you are out there.” She pierced Parthena with a fierce frown. “You must promise you will return to Boston. No more of this romantic twaddle about Montana. I will not have more of you abandoning me for that horrid place.”
Zylphia laughed. “It’s really rather beautiful, in an unkempt, wild way.” She winked at Sophie. “Besides, you could vote there.”
Sophronia fought a smile and failed, yet her eyes gleamed with pleasure at Zylphia’s teasing. “As for you,” Sophie nodded at Rowena, “I need you to write a conclusive article about the merits of universal suffrage that shatters any arguments the antis can throw at us.”
Rowena laughed as she shook her head. “Good to know your expectations are as realistic as ever.” She sighed as she met Sophronia’s gaze. “I’ll write an article, but it’s impossible to defuse all their arguments. They’ll have a meeting and come up with another preposterous reason why women shouldn’t vote.”
As Morgan settled near Parthena, and Aidan pulled over another chair to sit near Delia, Teddy joined their conversation. “I heard the president is to address congress in a few days. Perhaps he’ll surprise you and say he’s in favor of suffrage.”
Zylphia snorted and shook her head. “You’re delusional.” She relaxed as he stroked a hand over her shoulder, leaning into his touch.
Morgan sighed, his hands crossed over his lap. “Well, something needs to change as he can’t risk more women going to jail and having hunger strikes. It seems the picketing has ended for now, but I wonder how long the truce will last if the president fails to act.”
Sophronia smiled as she looked at her close friends she considered family. “We will succeed. Defeat is not an option when so many are dedicated to this cause.” She raised her full glass of champagne in a toast. “May we always know the joys of friendship, the love of family and the thrill of a cause to champion.”
After a resounding clink of their glasses and a call of “Amen” from all, the room quieted, each person seemingly in deep reflection.
Parthena leaned into Morgan’s side and added, “To home and hearth.”
Zee nodded, grabbing Teddy’s hand, murmuring, “To safe harbors.”
Rowena smiled as she watched her two best friends, content and at peace with their husbands at last. “And to the mighty pen. May it end wars, both big and small.”
Afterword
Thank you for reading Resilient Love! I am hard at work on Book 8 in the series, and I can’t wait to share it with you.
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If you enjoy my novels, please consider leaving a review at the retailer you purchased my book from. Reviews help authors sell books, and they help other readers discover new authors.
Author’s Notes
As with all historical books, a multitude of research is required to insure historical accuracy and find interesting story lines.
The dilemma facing Teddy and Zylphia regarding her citizenship was faced by thousands of women in the United States from 1907 to 1923. Even when the law changed, allowing women to keep their citizenship, the women who had been affected during that 16 year period did not have their citizenship reinstated.
The hearing that Zylphia attended after her time in jail did occur. The quotes by the representatives are actual quotes that they said to women during the hearing.
The Granite Mountain/ Speculator Mine disaster occurred in Butte on June 8, 1917. It remains the deadliest, underground, hard rock mining disaster in U.S history.
Acknowledgments
No novel is written in a bubble. Thank you to everyone who consistently supports me so that I can continue to write.
Thank you to my family, who is accustomed to me disappearing for hours on end as I seek to reach my word counts. Thank you for always listening as I become excited about obscure research that I have discovered that I know is probably not that interesting!
Thank you to my friends, who are wonderful cheerleaders and always boost my spirits.
Thank you, DB, for your wonderful editing and insight into the novels.
Thank you, Jenny Q for the beautiful cover.
About the Author
Ramona Flightner is the author of the Banished Saga novels. Resilient Love is her seventh novel. She lives in Montana. When she isn’t writing or conducting research, you can find her fly-fishing, hiking, or spending time with family and friends.
Follow or contact me at:
@ramonaflightner
authorramonaflightner
www.ramonaflightner.com
[email protected]
Resilient Love: Banished Saga, Book 7 Page 32
