James turned to the other two.
“Go on,” he said. “Keep going straight.”
Thomas and Anne nodded, both of them looking at Charles, who continued to stare after Eleanor as though he had all the time in the world to do so. Thomas gave his arm a quick squeeze before he and Anne set off ahead of them.
James turned to Charles. He wasn’t practiced at choosing comforting words for anyone other than Thomas but he felt he needed to say something to the other captain. He needed Charles focused on the task ahead of them.
“She still loves you, you know,” he said.
The back of Charles’s long, matted brown hair blew softly in the breeze. He didn’t turn around.
“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “I crossed a line when I killed her father. She’ll never forgive that. I wouldn’t forgive that.”
“You think she turned because of it?” James asked. “For revenge?”
Charles shrugged. “Maybe. You know how vengeful she can be.”
He turned at last and James thought he looked lost.
“Truth is we both know this is what she’s always wanted. I tried to convince myself otherwise, but in her heart she’s always wanted reconciliation. Same as you did.”
James felt something in chest harden.
“Not anymore,” he said quietly.
“No,” agreed Charles. “Not anymore.”
Published
Meg's Mumbles 