Fantasy Caught in the Waves (Closed)

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter offered Ella a sympathetic smile. This had to be hard for her. Peter knew Ella loved her family, so it couldn't be easy not knowing whether they would accept and forgive the choices they made together. Peter didn't expect much forgiveness towards himself, but he hoped Ella could make amends for her own sake. "I'm sure it will be fine," he said, trying to offer a little support.

He took her hand and was grateful when she settled for his arm instead. He could use her to lean on as much as she was using him. He was hopeful for Ella, but he expected the worst kind of reception for himself. He wasn't wholly prepared to face Mr. Sinclair or Josephine's wrath quite yet, but he'd walk right into a fire if Ella asked him to, so here he was.

It didn't take too long to reach the estate. He still felt as out of place here as he did when he first stepped foot here a little over a year ago. He wondered how Ella was feeling, her life being so different, but this being her childhood home all the same. He felt nervous, but at least when Rory opened the door, the first welcome was a warm one. He couldn't help but chuckle softly, and when Rory went to go retrieve what he assumed would be her father, Peter pulled Ella close and gave her a kiss on top of her head.

"You see? Maybe this really won't be so bad," he said into her ear, rubbing small circles into her back. Now they could only wait to see what the rest of them would bring.

----

Josephine had barely left the bedside at all when her father's health really took a turn for the worse, she was so afraid that if she turned her back for one second he would be gone. She wasn't ready for it, but when it did happen, she wanted to be there with him, so Alec definitely had his work cut out for him trying to get her to look out for herself. She was trying to do better, though, especially now that she expecting, so she turned to reluctantly accept Alec's offer under the stipulation that he alert her if something changed, when Rory knocked at the door.

She looked between Alec and Rory with a confused expression, then back down at her father. He couldn't be alone. "Will you watch him?" she asked of Rory, and when he nodded, she took Alec's extended hand so she could go see what all the commotion was about. Whatever it was, she wasn't exactly expecting to see Ella at the bottom of the stairs, so when she did, she froze.

It was a lot of emotion to process in a short amount of time, the first of which she had to overcome was the shock. After a year, Josie wasn't sure if and when she would expect to see Ella again. If her sister did come back, she sort of just assumed she might mention something in one of her letters, which she kept together in a box in her and Alec's bedroom. Every once in a while when she was feeling particularly lonely she would read a few of them, wonder about Ella's life, and what it might be like if she returned. There was a part of her that was angry for a while but it lessened over time as she just came to miss her sister more and more, and now seeing her at the bottom of the stairs, knowing everything else that was going on her life that Ella didn't even know about, all her emotion started to bubble to the surface.

Without even really thinking about it, Josie raced down the stairs and collided with her sister, wrapping her arms around her tight, tears starting to fall down her face, and when she was satisfied that her sister was really truly real and here, she pulled back. "Don't do that to me. Don't you ever leave me without saying goodbye again, okay? Never." And then she pulled her back into the hug, afraid if she let her go she might disappear again.

 

[AvianJen]

When Ella laid eyes on her sister, she didn't know what to do. She felt frozen, and taking a step forward was all she could manage. Ella braced herself, expected to be criticized or yelled at for her life choices that Josie surely perceived as being poor, but...she didn't. Instead, Ella was taken aback as her sister flew down the stairs and crushed her in a hug, tears streaming down her face. Overwhelmed and unbelievably grateful, Ella began to cry as well as she hugged Josephine back. "I'm sorry," she choked out. "I'm sorry, I was afraid you'd stop us." She knew that Josephine had probably figured that out but it was the only thing she could say. She hugged Josie again, squeezing her as tightly as she could before finally breaking away and drying her tears with the back of her hand.

"I've missed you," she said, her voice cracking. "I've missed you so much, we would have come sooner but I thought you'd be so angry and we..." she trailed off as she finally got a good look at Josephine. Her eyes were red and bloodshot, her hair was messy and she looked exhausted. Ella hadn't expected Josephine to be in any of her fine clothes considering she was likely married to Alec by now- actually, judging by the ring on her finger they were married- but she didn't look quite like herself.

"You look terrible," she observed. Her voice wasn't unkind, but it was concerned. Ella placed her hand on Josie's cheek, her eyebrows furrowing together. "Josie, what's wrong?" As she said it, her heart sunk to the floor. Why were Josie and Alec both here instead of at their house? Neither Ella nor Peter had expected to see them here at their father's estate, and there was only one thing that came to Ella's mind. "Josie..."

"It's your father," Alec said gently, stepping forward and putting his hands on Josephine's shoulders. His expression was grave. "He's not well, Ella. You're probably just in time. I'm so sorry." He made eye contact with Peter, sure that the other man had no idea what they were walking into. Alec has lost his parents when he was young and knew that Peter's story was the same in many ways, but they were going to have to be there for their wives in the next several days, weeks, however much longer it was. Alec wasn't prepared for it and he was sure Peter wasn't either, but at least the girls had each other now.

Ella began to cry for an entirely different reason now, her hand over her mouth as she shook her head in disbelief. "No. No, no, no." Tearfully, Ella pushed past Josephine and Alec and ran up the stairs, not even knocking before she burst into their father's bedroom. Rory was sitting near the bedside and he looked up when she entered, his expression not nearly as happy as it was when he opened the door.

"He's sleeping, Miss Ella," he told her as Ella collapsed on her knees, reaching for his hand and touching his forehead.

"Oh my god," Ella breathed. "He's burning up. How long has he been like this?" Just like Josephine, Ella felt flashbacks to the death of their mother. It had been so similar and the pain was unbearable. She couldn't do it again, not now. What if he never woke up, what if he never spoke to her again? What if he died thinking she'd never come back? It was too much and Ella felt herself began to panic. She gripped his hand tightly, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Daddy. Daddy can you hear me? It's Ella. It's Ella, I came home. Please don't leave us now." When Ella told Peter she wanted to come visit her family this wasn't what she had in mind, and it was all happening so fast. She turned around, looking for anyone who could answer. "How long does he have?" she asked desperately.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

It felt right to finally have Ella back in her arms. Josie had always understood the choices Ella made, even if she didn't agree with them, including Ella running off with Peter. That didn't mean it didn't hurt, though, and when Ella said she thought Josie would have tried to stop her, she shook her head. She was sad that Ella felt she couldn't trust her. Upset with herself that it had caused her sister to miss out some of Josie's most important moments, too. "I would have been there," she said, wiping some of her own tears away. "And I was angry, but mostly just worried."

Then Ella was staring at her, and Josephine fussed for a second, trying to fix at least some of her composure. She knew she looked a mess, not just from crying, but from all the sleepless nights and the stress their father was causing. She didn't really quite realize just how bad it was until Ella said something, though, and she found herself looking at Alec for help. How could she possibly break the bad news? Things were already emotional enough.

Thankfully, she didn't have to. Alec took on the difficult job, but Josie couldn't bring herself to watch Ella's face, so she stared down at her feet. Peter, who had been quietly observing this whole time to give the girls their much needed space, only spoke up when the news was broken. "Ella," he called after her gently, then hurried to follow her as she raced up the stairs. His own heart was sinking for her, and despite all the bad blood that had led up to their decision to run away to get married, Mr. Sinclair had done many good things for him, so he felt a little bit of his own grief at the news.

"Ella," he said again, catching up to her, then apologized to Rory for the intrusion. He knelt by his wife's side, hand on her shoulder as he took the scene in as well. It didn't look good. Mr. Sinclair lay still on the bed, breathing shallow, and sweat glistening on his skin, which had a sallow tone to it. He was thinner than the last time he could remember, too. It didn't even appear that he was aware of anything that was going on, silent while his daughter fretted over him. "Ella, I'm so sorry..." he said, because there really wasn't anything he could say to make this go away.

The others shuffled into the room, and Josephine hung back to linger in the doorway. She wanted to give Ella a little bit of space, but she wasn't sure how to answer Ella's questions to any degree of satisfaction. "It started a couple of months ago," she said. "But it really took a turn about a week back. He's been bedridden ever since. The doctor thinks he may only have a couple days. A week, if we're lucky." Or unlucky, depending on how you looked at it. "He does have his moments of clarity," she said, knowing her sister was probably hoping to patch up the frayed ends of their relationship. "But he's been mostly like this for a little while. Should we... do you want some time alone with him?"

 

[AvianJen]

Ella's happy reunion with Josephine soon became second to the news that their father was sick. And apparently they were just in time. Ella ignored her husband as she dashed up the stairs and fell to her father's side, completely distraught at the sight. He looked terrible, and the young woman felt her heart being torn in two. Her father didn't make any visible response to her pleas and all she could do was fall into Peter's arms and sob, devastated at the turn of events. She didn't look up when Josephine answered her questions, not liking the answers to any of them. "A couple days," she repeated despondently. Ella came home to reunite with her family, to get them back- not to lose her father. Her chest began to ache the same way it did when her and Josephine's mother had died, and Ella didn't think she could handle it.

More than anything, she wanted to speak to him. She wanted him to know that she was there, that she hadn't abandoned their family. But now he might die thinking she didn't know or care, and the thought of that crushed her. She clung to Peter, shaking her head when Josie asked if she wanted to be alone. Anything she had to say she could say in front of these three people, but what was the point if he couldn't hear her? Ella didn't want to be alone.

Alec watched the scene unfold sadly, his arm hugged around Josephine's shoulders. He didn't have anything remotely comforting to say and there was nothing they could do. His heart broke for Ella and for Josephine, knowing that his wife would want to help. But they were powerless.

"We've been staying here, for the time being," he informed Ella and Peter. "Of course you're both welcome to stay in your room, Ella, for as long as you wish." It had occurred to him multiple times that possibly in a few short days, he would be in charge of the mansion. Obviously it wasn't at the forefront of his mind, but the thought of more responsibility terrified him. Mr. Sinclair had many associates who would want to know what was becoming of his business, he had many servants that the family had employed for years. And he had more money than Alec would know what to do with; he didn't want any of it. It wasn't something he wanted to have to deal with when he should be comforting his wife, but the coming weeks would be difficult for many reasons. It was probably a good thing that Josie hadn't told Alec about her pregnancy yet- the normally calm, level-headed man might have begun to panic. For now, he was glad that Ella and Peter were here. There was strength in numbers, and they would all need the friendship of one another to weather the storm about to blow through.

Ella nodded, finally lifting up her head when Alec said they could stay. She hadn't expected anything less from her family and wouldn't have respected anyone's wishes had they not been invited to stay, but it hadn't been the original plan to stay for long or to stay here. Now, everything had changed. "We'll stay. We'll stay?" The second time she looked up at her husband, knowing he wouldn't take issue with it. Ella dared again to look back at her father, reaching for his hand. He was so, so cold.

Then something happened that no one expected. "Ella."

The voice was so quiet, not even a whisper, but somehow Ella heard it through her sobs. She gasped and leaned in closer; his eyes were still closed, he wasn't moving, but he said it again. "Ella."

"Yes. Yes, it's Ella," she said, hovering over him. "I've missed you so much. I'm sorry we didn't come back sooner, we didn't know..." The old man's eyelids fluttered and he seemed to be trying to wake up. Finally, he did manage to open his eyes and wearily looked at Ella, painstakingly lifting his hand and resting it against her cheek. Ella reached up and supported his hand with both of hers, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Don't cry, sweetheart," came her father's quiet, weak voice.

"I know, I know I'm sorry," Ella choked out. "I just...I really love you." She needed to get it out now, in case it was the last time she could ever say so.

"I love you," he breathed in response. His eyes closed for a moment and Ella started to panic until he opened them again, just enough to look at Peter. Ella felt his hand move away from her cheek and extend towards him, but he was too weak to keep it lifted and ended up resting on top of the sheets. It didn't matter, his intention was clear. "My son," he whispered. Ella's eyes widened and she turned to look at Peter, not thinking it was possible for her to cry any more. She was wrong.

"Thank you," Ella sobbed, leaning forward and resting her forehead against her father's shoulder. "Thank you, thank you." Ella felt as if she might crumble so she steadied herself by leaning against Peter's body and reaching back, extending her hand towards Josephine and Alec. Alec took a step forward and knelt at Mr. Sinclair's bedside with everyone else, feeling himself start to tear up as well. "We're all together now," Ella sniffled, stroking her father's hair. "We're together again, all of us. Everything's going to be...everything's going to be fine."

But it wouldn't be, and they all knew it. Her entire body shaking, Ella collapsed against Josephine and hugged her tight. She couldn't let go.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine rocked on her feet, torn between wanting to give Ella her space and wanting to smother her with sisterly concern and love. She felt so helpless and hopeless, knowing there wasn't anything she could do to change this. Things like death, fate, and circumstance didn't sit well, especially with people like herself, who felt more comfortable with a sense of control. Unfortunately, she couldn't control her sister's leaving, as she couldn't control the timing of her coming back, nor the fate of their father.

"Of course we'll stay," Peter said. It hadn't even been a question Ella needed to ask. This was her family, and as much as Peter knew Ella needed her family's forgiveness and support right now, he had to wonder how much of Josie's response to seeing Ella again had to do with how much she needed Ella, too. Peter knew he would do what he could to be there for Ella in this moment, Alec would be there for Josie, but nobody could be there for the girls as much as they could be for each other for something like this. This was their father.

When the man spoke, Peter tensed, looking away awkwardly. He held Ella's free hand in his, and he squeezed it not just for her, but for his own comfort while he fought the nerves of not knowing what reaction he'd receive. He only dared to meet the man's eyes when he sensed movement in his general direction. Mr. Sinclair gestured towards him, and Peter braced himself for whatever harsh words the man would have to say to him. Instead, he was met with two words he never thought he would hear the man say, and now it was his turn to get teary eyed. Of all the men in his life since his real father died, he had chosen Tom to look up to as a father. He wished he'd been lucky enough to have somebody like Ella's father, instead. What a different life he could have led if he'd been given a good influence to follow. It meant the world to him that such a good man could look to him, after all they'd been through, and finally accept him. The guilt slid off his shoulders, and he gave a thankful nod and a smile as he started to drift again.

Josephine joined them on Ella's other side, leaning into her sister as much as Ella leaned into her, an emotional wreck once more with tears streaming down her face. This was not how she wanted her family to be reunited, but she was so thankful she didn't have to do this alone anymore. Well, she wasn't alone before, exactly, but she liked the extra support. She was exhausted... the worry, lack of sleep, and pregnancy hormones starting to take their toll. Before long, she wasn't just leaning on Ella for emotional support, she was fighting the urge to sleep.

Peter, having noticed this, leaned over to Alec. "I think your wife might need some rest," he said. "Ella and I can look after him for a while if you need a break."

 

[AvianJen]

Alec did take Josie to bed, leaving Ella and Peter to watch over their father. They were there most of the night and Ella dozed a bit, exhausted from the journey, but she was never asleep for more than twenty minutes and refused to go to bed and leave her father alone. She and Peter talked a little bit, but there wasn't much to say and come morning, Ella looked about as terrible as Josephine.

The following day passed by slowly as well. Ella hardly ate anything and Alec could see that they were both overwhelmed. He couldn't blame them and wished there was more he could do. Josephine seemed like she was coming down with something as well, even though he hadn't quite put all the pieces together yet. It could very well be a side effect of Ella's sudden, timely return, but the two sisters had been inseparable all day. Alec and Peter had been hovering over them, wanting to be available to help at a moment's notice, but as dusk fell and the girls refused dinner, he motioned to Peter.

"Come on," he said to Peter, nodding towards the door. He pressed a kiss to Josephine's head and stood. "Are you sure you wouldn't like anything?" he asked them.

"No," Ella said, glancing back towards the men with a small smile. She hadn't been able to eat more than a couple bites all day and didn't see that changing anytime soon. "But you two go rest, okay?"

"We'll be back soon," Alec promised. With that, he led Peter from Mr. Sinclair's bedside and downstairs to where Rory had prepared dinner. Awkwardly, Alec sat across from the other man and picked at the table, suddenly understanding why both Josephine and Ella didn't want to eat.

"What made you come back?" he asked Peter finally, wanting to make conversation and also just feeling curious about it. "After so long? Were you...were you planning on staying all along?" He didn't know if this was meant to be a visit before they continued on their adventures or if Ella and Peter had finally decided to settle down.

Upstairs, Ella was quiet for several long minutes. She hadn't been her usual, talkative self and although she had so much she wanted to tell Josie, it never seemed like the right moment. Instead, with their husbands gone she leaned against her sister and held her hand tightly.

"So do you...like being married?" she asked quietly, trying to think of something to talk about other than their father's impending death.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josie shook her head at Alec's question of food. "I'll get something later," she said, and Peter made a mental note to ask Rory for a bowl of strawberries for the girls to share later. He had seen how Josie worried over things, but he hadn't quite seen Ella in a state like this before. He was concerned she wasn't eating enough or getting proper rest.

At the table, he picked at his own food. Peter was not much of a conversationalist as it was, but he was especially awkward around Alec and Josephine. He couldn't recall if he'd had any actual, normal conversation with the man, so he was surprised when he spoke up. With a strange moment of clarity, he realized the man sitting across from him was now his brother-in-law. Odd.

"Uh, well... that was mostly Ella," he explained. As much as coming back had terrified Ella, it practically paralyzed Peter. This was her family and they would love her no matter what, but after everything Peter had done, he hadn't expected forgiveness. The way their father had seemingly accepted him after all this time was still a surprise to him. It hardly felt real. "It was time, I think, and I told her I'd always bring her back. When she was ready. I don't know how long we'll stay." Staying anywhere too long seemed to make Ella stir-crazy, and Peter had to admit he never felt more at home than when he was traveling. Ella was home. Not one specific place.

In the room upstairs, Josie was content with quiet. There was a lot she wanted to discuss with Ella too, but she couldn't find the appropriate time or the head space. She didn't want father to worry about them either. Even though he mostly drifted in out of consciousness all day, she never knew when he'd wake up, and she didn't want to leave the room in case something happened. All the same, she smiled a little when Ella asked about her marriage. They hadn't really acknowledged that elephant in the room yet.

"Yeah," she said, glancing at the modest ring on her finger. "I do." Life was very different than it used to be, but she was happy. Alec was good to her and they loved each other. It was hard to imagine being with anybody else. Even if she had been able to keep the same lifestyle she'd grown up with, she would have been miserable with anyone else.

She hesitated before returning the question. "Do you?"

 

[AvianJen]

Alec finally convinced himself to start eating with the logic that someone needed to take care of themselves if they were going to make it through this terrible week. He listened to Peter too, figuring it made sense. He wouldn't have thought there was any reason why Peter would want to come back to the estate, but Ella couldn't stay away forever. For Josephine's sake though, he was glad that Ella had decided to come back and he was glad that Peter was supportive of her decision. He nodded thoughtfully, thinking it was likely they would at least stay until Mr. Sinclair passed, but he didn't want to think about that right now.

"We looked for you," he said, recalling the night they'd found the notes in Ella's room. "We looked through several towns, asked around...but I knew you'd have taken a boat." He offered a small smile. "Josephine was pretty upset at first. Angry. But I think now she's just happy Ella's home." He shrugged and looked around the grand dining room, which felt rather empty with only two people sitting there.

"He left me the house," Alec continued, moving his gaze away from Peter and focusing on his plate. Alec's intention wasn't to make Peter jealous, but he was sure the other man would understand- there was no practicality in leaving your estate to someone who might never even come back to take care of it. And since they hadn't known, Alec and Josephine had all of it. There would be the matter of his will after he passed and Alec was sure he'd left provisions for his younger daughter, possibly for her husband depending on when he'd last edited it, but no one knew. "I don't know how I'm going to take care of it," Alec added, looking around the elaborate room. "I'm like you, I'm a simple man. I don't know how to run an estate, but I suppose I'll have to learn. And you- I mean, you and Ella are always welcome to stay. I think Josephine would like having her sister close."

Ella smiled and looked at Josephine's ring, realizing she hadn't even seen it. She reached for her sister's hand and admired the diamond; it wasn't big, but it was rather pretty all the same. "Is that mother's wedding band?" she asked, looking at the other ring she wore next to it. Ella felt a slight pang of jealousy, but even if she hadn't eloped and lost her chance the older sister would have probably gotten it anyways. "It suits you," she complimented. The beautiful ring looked much better on Josephine's hand than it would on Ella's.

She nodded in response to her sister's question, looking at her own ring. "Yeah," she said. "I mean, it almost doesn't feel any different. I always thought that getting married would turn me into a boring grown-up, but...if that's how it works, it hasn't happened yet." Another small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "I'm just so happy he.." she nodded towards their father. "I didn't think I'd ever get that."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter wasn't surprised they came looking for them, he only wondered how long it took for anybody to realize they'd gone. He felt a pang a guilt that the had caused anybody in the family to feel hurt, some sympathy for the poor man who thought he was going to marry Ella. She was a difficult thing to lose, which was exactly why they had gone through with it in the first place.

"We didn't mean to cause anyone any trouble," he explained, knowing that it didn't matter, but he wanted somebody to hear it out. "I tried to convince myself that leaving on my own would be better for Ella, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't bear the thought of her being with another man and she... " He shook his head, knowing the decision had been selfish, but he couldn't exactly regret it. "I knew everyone would be angry, but I think I also knew deep down how much they love her. I know first hand how impossible it is to stay angry with Ella." He gave Alec a slight grin as he added, "I fully expect Josephine will want my head on a spike for the rest of her life, but I think I can live with that if she's able to forgive her sister."

He had to say, though, none of this was as expected. He was glad the sisters were reconciling, but it was a pity that things were looking bleak with her father. He hadn't really given much thought to how it would effect them after he died, at least, not financially, or what it might mean for the estate and everything he would leave behind. He raised an eyebrow as Alec admitted the girl's father had discussed some of these plans with him, and that he had planned on giving the estate to him after he passed. Peter wasn't jealous, for he didn't want it. He had gotten all he could hope for, which was Mr. Sinclair's acceptance into the family, but he listened with curiosity because as Alec said, they were alike in that they were both simple men.

"That's quite the responsibility," he said. He could tell Alec was stressed about what it would mean for them. It would be nice if the estate could stay in the family, but there was the issue of taking care of it. It was far too large for two people, especially on Alec's modest income, and though Peter could see that Alec was probably hinting on having some extra help, Peter knew that staying here was not an option for Ella or him either. "I don't think this town is really what Ella and I had in mind for our future," he admitted reluctantly, but after a moment an idea occurred to him. "Although, I was considering starting my own business. Ella and I... we get by. But it's hard work and I don't want to leave her wanting. That, and I also sort of miss having something to feel proud of. I would need a permanent place to conduct business from on occasion. Maybe we could strike a bargain that way."

Josephine pulled her hand away shyly. If Ella was jealous she was hiding it well, but Josie still worried that it might have that effect on her. "Yes," she admitted, absentmindedly twisting it around with her finger with her thumb. "Father, he... he gave it to me when we announced our engagement." She looked to Ella, feeling a bit of that sadness creep in again, thinking about how upset she'd been to discover Ella gone the night Alec proposed. Could she tell her that story? Or would it just make everything worse? She looked to him lying on the bed, tried to think of something else instead. "You know, I think he mentioned something about still having mum's engagement ring. Maybe he can tell us when he wakes up, or... maybe we'll find it when..." She frowned, not wanting to think about the inevitable.

She had to laugh at Ella's confession of what she pictured married life to be like before she'd actually gotten married. "He loves you. He just wants you to be happy and taken care of." She was glad that both of them had gotten that. It wasn't what father had in mind, probably, but at least he no longer had to worry about them in his final days. "I don't think any of us thought married life would be what it is. Remember when I was a girl and I thought I was going to marry the prince? And then I got older and it was more like I thought I'd marry a wealthy businessman or a banker. I was perfectly happy with that until I met Alec, and then all of a sudden all those boys I had a crush on when we were children were repugnant."

She let out a sigh, letting her chin rest on the mattress. "We're lucky, though, you know. As much trouble as all of this was, we married for love. Not a lot of women get to do that. I'm glad you're happy." For a moment, she let her eyes close, just feeling content to feel okay for once. She missed this. Having her sister. Letters weren't enough, especially when all you could do was read them and not write back.

A sudden unpleasant feeling came over her. Her skin paled and her hands became clammy. She felt her stomach drop, and she didn't even have time to get up or find the nearest container that would hold everything before the little contents of her stomach hit the floor between them. She avoided looking at Ella as she started apologizing profusely, scrambling for something to clean the mess up. Her face was beat red with embarrassment and she prayed silently that her father wouldn't wake and see this.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec listened to Peter's explanation, his way of justifying what had happened. The truth was, it didn't matter. Alec knew why Peter and Ella had made the choices they had and he had never truly faulted them for it; the only thing that could have perhaps been handled better was how Ella relayed the information to her sister. He smirked at Peter's last comment, though, finding it amusing despite the morbid imagery.

"She doesn't want your head on a spike," he chuckled, leaning back. "And I don't truly believe she hates you. Especially now; look what a good job you've done taking care of Ella. She's happy, she's not starving...and Josephine never wanted to see her sister forced into a marriage with a man she didn't love. Even if she doesn't like you, I think she's accepted you." She didn't have much of a choice at this point and Alec knew that Josie might never tell him to his face, but she knew that Peter wasn't a bad man deep down. Ella loved him and he was good to her- those were the most important things.

It felt somewhat inappropriate to be talking of the estate when Mr. Sinclair was still alive, but it wasn't something he could discuss with Josephine right now and it was weighing heavily on his mind. More responsibility. It was one thing to be the man of a small household with a business he ran from his backyard that provided for his family, but an estate this size required a staff for upkeep. That meant he'd have to pay them, and that was never something he'd factored into his budget. And the truth was that Alec had never felt fully comfortable here, in this house. It wasn't, and never would be home for him. He knew that was a sentiment that Peter would understand, though, and he wasn't surprised to hear him say that staying here wasn't what he had imagined for their future. "Well, it will be open," he assured Peter nevertheless. Somehow, some way, Alec was going to have to figure this out. It was likely Josephine would have some ideas for what she wanted to do with her childhood home.

At the mention of his wish to start his own business, however, Alec raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Yes, of course," he agreed without hesitation, a slight smile coming across his face. "Mr. Sinclair conducted business from this house for years; I think he'd find it fitting for you to do the same."

Ella was a little jealous about the ring, but she knew she had no right to be. Even if she hadn't run away with a man her father hadn't approved of, Josephine was the oldest. She'd gotten more of their mother's things when she passed, she'd gotten her ring and even without being told, Ella knew she would also get the estate. It was just the way things were, and while it made her somewhat sad, it was far from the worst thing happening right now. She shoved the emotions away, only shrugging when Josephine mentioned her engagement ring. So she'd noticed she didn't have one; there was never really a period of time when Ella and Peter had been engaged. "...No," she said quietly, shaking her head. She might change her mind, but in this moment it didn't seem like the right thing. "I shouldn't have an engagement ring. Peter didn't propose, we just...got married." Even though she was happy with her choices, Ella felt somehow disqualified from her inheritance.

Ella smiled and leaned her head against the bed, listening to Josephine reminisce. "And I said I'd never get married as long as I lived," she remembered with a giggle. She'd maintained that mindset until she'd realized she had no choice, and then she'd decided she didn't care who she married because it would be miserable no matter what. "I never really wanted to," she admitted. "Then I met Peter, and I realized that my life didn't have to be like everyone else's if my husband wasn't like everyone else's. And now I'm...free." Both girls were silent for a few moments as they thought about it. Josie was right, they were lucky. They'd faced multiple hardships in their lives, but they came out stronger for it. "I'm glad you're happy, too," she murmured, closing her eyes.

Just when she might have drifted off, she opened her eyes to the sound of Josephine vomiting on the floor. Ella's eyes widened and her heart dropped; was Josephine getting sick too? "Josie, it's okay, it's okay," she said quickly, gathering her sister and helping her to her feet. "I'll call someone." She led her to the bathroom and helped her settle down on the tiled floor, pulling her hair back in case it happened again. When Josephine was in a better position, Ella stood up and reached for one of the bells that connected to the servants' quarters, alerting them to send someone up. That done, she returned to Josephine's side.

"Are you okay?" she said softly, stroking her hair. "Please tell me you haven't caught what Father has." Ella tried to keep her tone light, but she was very serious and suddenly, very afraid.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter really hoped what Alec was saying was true. He was still in shock at her father's acceptance that having them both accept him into the family was difficult for him to believe. He trusted Alec's perspective, though, and he was glad he was here to talk to. Smiling, he nodded. "If you say so. You know, I guess we're sort of brothers now. Weird, isn't it?"

It felt good to know that although home was more or less wherever Ella was, or the small boat they traveled on, he still had a place to come back to. This place wasn't meant to be his, nor did he belong in it, but there was something comforting about knowing there were people who would welcome he and Ella warmly whenever they wanted to visit. "Of course. I know Ella will want to visit her sister every once in a while. I'm sure we'll come around for holidays or birthdays and other special occasions. Maybe you and Josephine can even travel with us sometime. See a bit of the outside world."

Peter wasn't sure what sort of response Alec would have to his suggestion, but he was pleasantly surprised to hear him receive it well. He grinned and ran a hand through his hair, feeling some sort of relief at this being a true possibility. It would make his life easier knowing he wouldn't have to scope for a place, and he knew some people in town that might be on board if he started something up - assuming they didn't care about what he'd been accused of. "Wow. Okay. Great! I mean, talk to Josephine about it, of course, and I'll check with Ella, too, but... assuming everyone is on board I can start laying out a plan."

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Josephine wasn't sure she agreed with that sentiment. The only thing that made an engagement ring stand apart from any other piece of jewelry was the meaning people assigned to them. "Why does it have be an engagement ring? Why not just a celebration ring? Or a ring you wear because you think it's pretty?" she asked. "It doesn't have to mean anything. It's mothers and she would have wanted you to have it." Josephine was grateful for the things that had been passed down to her, but she didn't want it all. Ella was as much a Sinclair girl as she was and deserved her share.

"Yes, I do have to say, I never really did understand you," Josie teased. "And I probably never will. But I do know for sure that I love you." There were many things she wanted to say still, but she felt herself feeling tired, and before long they were resting lightly, until it happened, and then she felt like she might cry. She was embarrassed, and stressed, and she knew exactly what this was because it had already happened a couple of times before. She'd been able to hide it those few times though, lucky that Alec had already been sleeping or was tending to her father while she rested in her own room. It was only a matter of time before somebody witnessed it, and she guessed now was that time. It wasn't like she wanted to keep this secret - she was happy about it, and excited, and maybe a little scared, but the timing was all wrong. She didn't want Alec or her sister worrying about her when her father was laying on his deathbed.

She let Ella lead her away though, and she sat on the floor, leaning against the wall and closing her eyes as the nausea subsided. She tried to protest while Ella pulled the bell to alert the servants, but it was too late. Fast, almost too fast, one of the maids poked her head through the door. "Miss?" she asked, taking in the sight before her. "Should I alert Mr. Mason?"

"No!" Josephine said quickly. She wasn't ready for Alec to know yet, and she especially didn't want him to find out like this. "No, I will be fine. I'm afraid I've made a bit of a mess in father's room, though."

Although confused, the maid gave a nod. "I'll clean it right up then." And then she was gone, leaving the girls alone and Josephine with the hard task of admitting the secret she'd been trying to keep.

"I'm not sick," she said quietly. "Just... pregnant." She let the words settle between them, anxious yet relieved that she wasn't alone with the knowledge anymore.