Playing the Pawn, Winning the Game

woman carved from

d status, appearances, a

eumonia that left her bedridden for we

n Europe,

busy with

"charity case," who

d to her, endured her sharp-tongued complaint

hanked me,

ging relia

sking for me,

a? That other g

ory, a tiny crack i

yone' s surprise, became pr

e

was apo

she shrieked at Arthur. "What about

rds me, already a

val for Eleanor' s shifting affections, affections that might

ng was a grand a

scene about the inheritance, cornering Arth

embarrasse

dinner with a few influential guests,

he berated me for some imagined slight – I th

ssed, her face close to mine. "Just a lee

y arm, her na

from pain, but

eve ro

eno

forearm, a souvenir from one of

angry red nail marks

sts, a Mrs. Al

en watching with a

mper before, but this public display,

earby bassinet, a symbol of innocence Victori

e down, murmuring an apol

hanged uncomfo

y, Eleanor

d, avoiding my eyes. "You' ve been

envelope. A signi

he room next to the nurser

ss. It was pragma

however, reached a new

ned by new motherhood or by my quiet diligence, gave me a

she' d said, almost shyly. "

aw it on my wri

ou have no right to wear tha

nged f

ed back, my ex

now. And Eleanor, surprisingly, was starting to

owing weariness with her own daughter a

small advantage was a