Page 13 of Dark Angel

His body stiffens when Lewis speaks again. “Matthew,” Lewis whispers with a sluggish tone, “I think I will be sick.”

*?*?*

Josephine sits in the armchair beside the fire. She has her needle stitch resting in her lap as she sips on her steaming cup of black tea. It’s late evening, and she’s still waiting for Tobias to finish up his work for the night.

Sighing, she finishes the rest of her drink, the warm tart liquid heating her insides when the door to their library opens. It’s only a small library. Nothing like the one set up in the London Ascendancy. They have one of the four walls displaying their collection. A hearth opposite with dancing flames and three armchairs circling the centre where a rug sits underneath to keep the chill off their toes.

Looking up, Tobias strolls in, closing the door behind him. Their children are already upstairs sleeping or reading. They wouldn’t want to disturb them by being loud.

Josephine is dressed in her silky pink dressing gown tied loosely around her nightdress. Greyish-blue eyes stormy in the dim firelight.

Tobias approaches her seat, standing with his back to the fire, warming himself up.

“It was lovely seeing Robert, and it’ll be delightful to see Lucy again tomorrow night after all these years.” Her light voice filling the peaceful room. “I have missed our friends.”

Tobias looks at her sitting beside him. He’s just as handsome as the day she first saw him at the ball. More lines contour his face, and a few silver strands decorate his hair, but she still thinks him to be as beautiful and loving as he was when he was eighteen.

“It was.” He admits to her without breaking eye contact. “I just hope Jordan and Valarie fit in here.”

“Why wouldn’t they?” Josephine questions, placing her cup on the table next to her chair. “They already have friends here. I’m surethey will make plenty more. And you adored Daisy, Lewis and the Blackwell children when they came to Oxford.”

“You’re right,” Tobias agrees, fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves, rolling them up to expose his forearms. “I have a meeting with Robert in the morning.”

Josephine’s grin is as comforting as always as she chimes, “Wonderful. I’m sure he’s glad you came back to work for him.”

Tobias’ gaze is affixed on hers as he mutters, “Will is going to be there as well.”

His wife’s mouth opens as she stands from the chair. Her needle point falling to the floor, forgotten about entirely. A look of shock etched into her lovely face. “Will Hamilton?”

“Do you know another Will, Jose?” Tobias grumbles, rubbing his face.

She tilts her head at him, her hand reaching out to entwine with his. “It’s been years since we saw him last. Perhaps he’s changed now. Matured into his role as Uncle.”

“I know you miss them, Jose. Everyone does. But we offered to take those children in and raise them, and he selfishly refused. He’s been off gallivanting around for Robert ever since, leaving their children at home, alone, for weeks on end. He wouldn’t even allow them to come visit Oxford when we invited them.”

Her fingers squeeze against his in the way he adores. “He refused, but he also has the final say in the matter. He’s their uncle. Their blood. We can’t change what happened now, Tobi. It’s been fourteen years. I wish we could have taken them in, but it was Will’s decision to make. I just hope he’s raised them as well as we could’ve-like a family.”

“If it is the same Will we knew back then,” Tobias begins, “then those children would have grown up alone and afraid. He was never around when anyone needed him, and I doubt he was around for them as well.”

She wraps her arms around him. Tobias’ arms encircling her shoulders, his chin resting on her soft hair. She’s always found his embrace the warmest and most soothing.

“I just hope they are all right.” He adds on after a moment of silence between the two of them.

“I am sure they are.” Her voice is low and gentle. “Stefan and Tessa would have known you offered. And I know you still blame yourself for their deaths, but that wasn’t your fault, Tobi. None of this is your fault.”

“If only I’d gone with them, Jose. Then I could have helped them. Saved them-”

“Or you would also be dead right now, and I’d have had to raise our children alone.” Josephine painfully interrupts his thought.

“I’ve always felt like I let them down. I still can’t believe they’re gone. Nobody could save them. Their children left essentially orphaned. Their closest friends fleeing the city to escape the sadness and emptiness surrounding them.” Tobias recalls the feeling.

“You never let them down,” she reminds him. “They told you to stay with me. If you’d listened to them, then you wouldn’t be here with me right now.” The thought bringing tears to her eyes.

He draws her tighter against his familiar body. “I had to stay with you. You were still recovering after birthing Valarie. I was only worried about you and our children at that moment.”

Josephine lifts her head to look at her husband. Standing up onto the balls of her feet, she kisses him gently on the lips. It’s enough to remind him of how she’s eternally grateful for him.

His fingers tighten in her hair as their kiss deepens. Josephine’s eyes close as she leans into his body more, enjoying their kiss as she always does. The taste of tea and biscuits on her lips. She still finds his kisses just as enticing and surprising after all these years of being together.

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