Gazing out the window of her room, Natalie heard the Grandfather clock in the foyer distantly chime the quarter hour past 3 AM. She had stayed up late, consulting her tarot cards on the matter - dilemma - Andre had discussed with her in the gazebo, but she found no help. The cards were silent and Natalie knew this was a decision she had to make completely on her own.

Closing her eyes, Natalie summoned an image of Joshua Collins to her mind.

The one that came was her memory of Joshua as he stood beside his young

daughter's coffin, his face expressionless, but his eyes so full of sorrow and grief that one could only wish to help him in some way. The memory changed slightly, to her memory of Joshua as he stood beside his wife's coffin. His eyes were empty this time, reflecting a shock and disbelief he was not capable of understanding or explaining.

Sighing, Natalie opened her eyes and turned from the window, moving across the room to the fireplace. She watched the dancing flames for a moment, then sank into the nearby chair. She could not deny Joshua Collins was a different man than the one she had met on her arrival; the man who had been scandalized and outraged by her continued use of the title 'Countess'. No man could endure what he had and not be changed. His entire family - his wife and both children, his brother and his sister - had been taken from him due to the deceit and treachery - the jealousy - of one woman, a woman whom she herself had brought into his house. Even his distant family was lost to him. Millicent, a cousin, was hopelessly insane. His only future and hope lay with his young cousin, Daniel, a child he had adopted in order to control the lad's money and ensure his own line.

Natalie shook her head. That was quite unfair to Joshua. She knew he had adopted Daniel out of genuine concern for the boy's safety and future. Daniel's parents were dead, his guardian - Millicent - incapable of caring for him. Daniel was all the family Joshua had left, and Joshua all the family remaining to Daniel. Natalie knew it was Naomi who had suggested to Joshua that they adopt Daniel. Perhaps it had been some attempt on her part to lessen her grief over the deaths of her children by helping a boy who was too young to be faced with the realities of life, but who had an uncanny adult attitude toward all that had befallen himself and his sister. It was a credit to Joshua that, even after Naomi's death, he still adopted Daniel.

Turning her thoughts to her brother, Natalie smiled affectionately. As brothers went, he was remarkable. After the deaths of their parents, Andre had become her guardian, yet he had indulged her eccentricities and respected her desire to be the director of her own fate, her own life. He had never pressured her to marry, had only mildly disapproved of her lifestyle, and never questioned her decisions concerning the monies, lands, and holdings she inherited from their mother. Andre had, in every way, allowed her to live her own life, recognizing her bohemian attitude within the confines of their social class. Andre had never asked her to ever sacrifice anything for him or their family. When his Marie died, it was Natalie who offered to rear Josette, to teach her all a lady should know.

Now, for the first time in their adult lives, Andre was asking something of her. Natalie had no desire to see Andre lose the business he had worked so hard to establish, maintain and expand. Were he asking anything else, she knew her hesitancy would be brief, but marriage... and to Joshua Collins at that... Natalie took a deep breath and drew her dressing gown more tightly around herself. She could decide nothing this night. There were too many things she needed to consider, too many questions to which she wanted answers. And, disturbing as it was, Natalie knew she and Joshua Collins would have to discuss this openly and frankly. If need be, she would also have words with his lawyers and find out what kind of idiotic and narrow minded laws or regulations they seemed to think would prevent the re-negotiation of the contract.

Sighing, Natalie rose from the chair and went to her bed. She was tired, but knew sleep would not come easily.

(next chapter)