Storms and Everlasting Silence

A New Beginning Part Six

My Dearest Lilly,

If you are reading this, it means that I have gone from this world. I wanted to tell you, one last time. 

I love you.

I always have, ever since I met you at the ball, when Old Flip was in love with Ella. I remember thinking, "Wow, Ms. Linton is surely different from the rest of these ladies." I was enticed by your fire and passion. You aren't like other women, Lilly. I count myself lucky to be married to you, and to have spent most of my life with you by my side. I don't mind the fact that your heart does not belong to me fully, I have always known that it lives with Rikkard Ambrose, as his lives with you.

I cannot blame him, actually, for loving you. I'm sure our reasons are similar in their essence. But thank you, Lilly. Thank you for making these last few years the best of my life. You gave me a beautiful daughter, our sweet Alexandria. I cannot help but see you in her eyes all the same, and I love how you've brought her up to be such a bright girl. Of course, Rikkard too. Your son, not... You know. He looks so much like his father, but I don't begrudge him for that. He has your fire, your passion for life. I think of him as my own son, and would gladly give up my life for him, and everyone one of you.

Do you remember when I was shot through my shoulder? Of course you do, you nursed me for two whole months! I realized then how I would have died, if the bullet had been just 2 inches closer to my heart. I realized that you never would have known how much you truly meant to me, had I died. So I wrote this, for you.

Lilly, you're the strongest person I've ever known. You're fierce, and you don't let anything beat you down for long. I know you, and I know that you'll get up, dust yourself off, and keep on running. I know that you will continue to live your life as my widow, and not marry unless I tell you to. You may think yourself obligated not to marry after I die, in respect to me. But I think Mr. Ambrose has waited long enough, and so have you. Be happy, Lillian. Be with him.

Don't even argue, alright? Do this one last thing for me, Lilly. Take care of our children.

I love you.

Forever.

~James Carter

Lilly, the new widow, stared brokenly at the words scrawled across the yellowing page. James' last words. A tear joined the others on the paper. I love you. Forever. Be happy, be with him. Be happy, be with him.

Why? Why did he make it so hard to let go? Lillian glared at the gun and sabre of her dead husband, sitting on the table. Both were polished and shone scintillatingly in the light. General Carter had been killed with a gunshot wound to the head. He had not suffered.

"Ma'am? A Mr. Ambrose is here to see you." Nancy, her elderly housekeeper, poked her head inside. "Do you want to let him in? I told him you were in mourning but he threatened to kick the door down if I didn't open it."

"What? Oh yes, well, let him in. Where's Alex and Rik?"

"Rik went to work, Alex is in her room."

Lilly nodded and settled down on her sofa to wait for her guest. She had no idea why he'd come here, Rik had gone in, hadn't he?

Nancy admitted the tall, black clad figure.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Carter." His low voice alerted her to his presence. Seeing the James' letter, she snatched for it and stuffed it into a nearby drawer.

"Come, sit, Mr. Ambrose. What do I owe this unexpected and unwanted visit to?" His face twitched in amusement as he sat next to her.

"I've heard the news. I'm sorry, he was a good man." She glared at him, why was he being so nice?