(continued from ...Trust...
Lady Margaret Cavendish was sitting in the Sun Room, having her tea in the quiet solitude in the peaceful room. She gazed out of the long windows into the cold, late November skies. Not much sun today; in fact the clouds that hung low threatened snow. The trees had lost their brilliant autumn plumage. Outside, the world was preparing for its long winter nap. The scenery was somber, but that's not what had Peg in a melancholy mood.
Her joints ached, every last one of them. She expected them to, but hadn't expected the tremors and weakness that accompanied those aches. So easily she could take the remedy that would ease the pain, but had stopped drinking that the moment she hired Angel as her companion. She smiled, her face lighting up, at the thought of her companion. Angel had been the perfect choice, and Joshua's falling for her only proved that point.
Peg sipped at her tea, and when she placed the cup back into its saucer, the china clattered together. Her hands shook as she placed both of those items onto the small table. Raising her hands to the level of her eyes, she watched how they shook. Her knuckles were becoming large and it was difficult to straighten her fingers. She had dark liver spots on skin that was becoming thin and fragile; the sight nearly making her cry. Instead, she merely sighed and lowered her hands into her lap.
"What's the matter?" Joshua walked into the Sun Room, still clad in his thick, baby blue bathrobe. Tea with Peg had always been a casual affair and they'd spent many afternoons in their pajamas, watching the world turn from season to season in the Sun Room. He walked up, behind Peg, and placed his hands upon her shoulders. Giving a gentle squeeze, he bent at the waist and deposited a kiss atop of her head. He then moved around her, to sit in a chair across from her. Grabbing a scone, he began to spread strawberry jam on it. His intense, pale blue eyes never left Peg's face. "Talk to me, love."
Peg wasn't surprised in the least when Joshua made his presence known. She was more surprised that he was late for tea. But then, she really wasn't. He had spent the better part of the night before working off the frustrations that the lunch date with Angel had stirred. And when Joshua was in that sort of mood, he often wore himself out with hunting. Peg knew and understood this as nobody else could. She didn't reprimand him for it, how could she" It was his nature and it'd been far too long since her initial discovery for her to start judging him now for it. "Oh, the usual aches and pains that comes from being old." Peg offered him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Joshua's eyes widened and he looked at Peg with a more critical eye. Her hair was thinner. Her skin looked fragile, paper like. And while he knew that she looked to be in her 70's, it seemed that she looked older than that. A light of understanding dawned in his eyes and he put down the scone. "Why, Peg?"
Lady Margaret Cavendish was sitting in the Sun Room, having her tea in the quiet solitude in the peaceful room. She gazed out of the long windows into the cold, late November skies. Not much sun today; in fact the clouds that hung low threatened snow. The trees had lost their brilliant autumn plumage. Outside, the world was preparing for its long winter nap. The scenery was somber, but that's not what had Peg in a melancholy mood.
Her joints ached, every last one of them. She expected them to, but hadn't expected the tremors and weakness that accompanied those aches. So easily she could take the remedy that would ease the pain, but had stopped drinking that the moment she hired Angel as her companion. She smiled, her face lighting up, at the thought of her companion. Angel had been the perfect choice, and Joshua's falling for her only proved that point.
Peg sipped at her tea, and when she placed the cup back into its saucer, the china clattered together. Her hands shook as she placed both of those items onto the small table. Raising her hands to the level of her eyes, she watched how they shook. Her knuckles were becoming large and it was difficult to straighten her fingers. She had dark liver spots on skin that was becoming thin and fragile; the sight nearly making her cry. Instead, she merely sighed and lowered her hands into her lap.
"What's the matter?" Joshua walked into the Sun Room, still clad in his thick, baby blue bathrobe. Tea with Peg had always been a casual affair and they'd spent many afternoons in their pajamas, watching the world turn from season to season in the Sun Room. He walked up, behind Peg, and placed his hands upon her shoulders. Giving a gentle squeeze, he bent at the waist and deposited a kiss atop of her head. He then moved around her, to sit in a chair across from her. Grabbing a scone, he began to spread strawberry jam on it. His intense, pale blue eyes never left Peg's face. "Talk to me, love."
Peg wasn't surprised in the least when Joshua made his presence known. She was more surprised that he was late for tea. But then, she really wasn't. He had spent the better part of the night before working off the frustrations that the lunch date with Angel had stirred. And when Joshua was in that sort of mood, he often wore himself out with hunting. Peg knew and understood this as nobody else could. She didn't reprimand him for it, how could she" It was his nature and it'd been far too long since her initial discovery for her to start judging him now for it. "Oh, the usual aches and pains that comes from being old." Peg offered him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Joshua's eyes widened and he looked at Peg with a more critical eye. Her hair was thinner. Her skin looked fragile, paper like. And while he knew that she looked to be in her 70's, it seemed that she looked older than that. A light of understanding dawned in his eyes and he put down the scone. "Why, Peg?"