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Elizabeth thought for a moment. “Sorrow, I suppose, over something lost. Something you should have done, but didn't. Or something you shouldn't have done, but did.”
Dee nodded. “It's all of those things, but it's also realizing you've made the wrong decision when it's too late to go back and change it.”
Elizabeth sniffled and pulled at her tissue. “Will regrets what he did…and you don't want me to regret the decision I make.”
“Exactly. I think he regrets his actions deeply. Heknowshe was wrong, and he's hoping it isn't too late for you to forgive him. Now it's time for you to make some decisions and hope that you won’t regret them years from now, when you look back on this time. Can you forgive him? Is he worth it? Or will you move forward without him?”
* * *
Talkingto her aunt and telling her all that had transpired had only convinced Elizabeth of one thing: she needed time. Time to process everything, to think about what she truly wanted, and to address how she really felt about Will’s actions. She was still angry, that much was evident, and she knew herself well enough to know that she wouldn’t be able to think clearly until that anger abated, at least a little.
They decided to walk to the inn, as the roads were littered with tree limbs and debris. Island residents were lucky the storm had curved eastward, out to the Atlantic; a direct hit would have resulted in far worse damage. Crews from the utility company were out in force, attempting to reconnect downed power lines and restore electricity.
When they finally arrived at the inn, they found Ed outside making a pile of branches.
“How does everything look?” Dee asked.
He pointed to the roof’s peak, and then to a branch that dangled precariously from a tree. “We lost some shingles there, and that limb is going to be trouble if it lets go. I’ll have to get up there to try and cut it down.”
“You’ll do no such thing. We’ll get someone over here to take care of it. It doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Yes, dear,” he responded, giving his wife a squeeze around the shoulders and a kiss on the head.
Elizabeth smiled at her aunt and uncle and then thought back to what her aunt had said about their marriage. In her eyes, they’d always had something close to a perfect union, but then, she only saw it from the outside. Her parents’ marriage, on the other hand, was one she would never wish to emulate. She supposed they loved each other in their own way, but had grown apart. There was no partnership, no togetherness, except by force of habit, and both were too settled in their ways to contemplate a change.
After helping with cleanup, Elizabeth offered to walk into town to look for coffee, figuring one of the shops or restaurants would be hooked up to a generator. She decided to call Jane as she walked, to check in and let her know everything was okay.
“Hi, Lizzy, how are you? How are things there?”
“We’re all okay. I'm working my way into town, hoping one of the coffee shops has a generator, and I have to touch base with the police in Falmouth to ask about flooding. I hope my house is still standing.”
“I'm sure it's fine. Um, I’m glad you called, I need to talk to you.” She paused. “It’s about Bill Collins.”
“What about him?”
“According to Charles, Will pulled out the pictures of Georgiana yesterday... You know, from January. He knew one of the men was Wickham, so he focused more on theotherman. I guess the blackout didn't work so well in one of the pictures, he could see a little of his face, and his hair... and he remembered something you said, about—”
“Bill is George’s cousin.” Everything Jane was about to say clicked into place. “Oh my God, please don't say what I think you're going to say.”
“I’m sorry, Lizzy. Bill is the other man who assaulted Georgiana.”
Nausea crawled around in Elizabeth’s stomach, and when her surroundings tilted, she leaned against a storefront and took a deep breath through her nose.
“Lizzy? Are you okay?”
“Yes. I’m just–I'm stunned. I can't believe it.”
“A couple of detectives are going to talk to Georgiana today. Charles said she’s decided to go after them, if she can. They’re hoping Collins will cooperate.”
“I should call her. She must be a wreck.” Elizabeth wanted to ask about Will and how he was dealing with everything but didn’t dare. “It all makes sense now.”
“What does?”
“All those times Bill asked me about George and how he behaved at my house… He knew what George was capable of. And all this time, he was capable of the same thing.”
“Thank God nothing happened to you. Have you talked to Lydia?”
“No. I’m hoping to catch up with her tomorrow before I head back to South Carolina.”
