The Happy Marriage of Rosannah Winthrop (Completed)

Ch 22 - A Short Interlude

He snorted in a very ungentlemanlike manner. "I do not believe that, Rosie..."

"No, indeed I have," she interrupted. "I tried to keep something from you, so that you would do things my way instead of yours..." more sobs stopped her from speaking, but his comfort did not cease at her confession.

"Rosie, do not fret so. I am sure you have done nothing so terrible as to warrant this fractiousness." He kissed the top of her head repeatedly as he spoke.

She accepted the comfort of his arms until she calmed herself enough to speak. Once she was down to a few sniffles she tried again. "Henry, I ... I ..."

He crooked his finger under her chin and tilted her tearstained face to his, then cupped her head in his hands and wiped her remaining tears with his thumbs. "There is nothing you can say that will disappoint me Rosie. You behaved remarkably well and I am proud of you. For your strength, kindness, and even forgiveness. Be at ease, my love, tell me what you sought to keep from me and why."

She took a wobbly breath as she looked to his nose, unable to meet his eyes. "My mother wore the hatpin..."

Henry swore viciously. Loudly. Then wrapped her in his arms and pulled her against him. She was shocked for 'tho she was sure she had heard a few imprecations muttered under his breath, he had never been so forthright. She flicked her gaze to meet his but saw his eyes were closed as his jaw worked back and forth, biting back the many more words she knew he wished to say.

She waited, stroking his chest and resting her cheek against it, betwixt her hands.

"Forgive me, dear wife," he spoke through clenched teeth. "'Tis not you that causes my anger and I should not have spoken in such a manner before you. I just cannot fathom the wickedness of that woman, her reprehensible actions astound me."

Rosannah buried herself further against his chest as he continued to rant, ironically becoming more content now that she had spoken the truth, despite her husband's ire. She allowed his very presence to calm her of the unpleasant feelings that had risen when faced with her parents. The bubbly fire that had been travelling through her body, was being doused by his propinquity, even by his anger.

She sighed happily and pressed in further still. Suddenly he chuckled. "You are more comfortable now? Even though I am raging?"

She looked up, biting her lip, but fortunately he looked bemused at the idea. "Sorry Henry, I had been so... so..." she hummed, unsure how to say it without inciting further fury but decided that honesty was all she could do. "Their visit discomfited me," she murmured. "As I sat here before you arrived, I could not stop shaking..."

"Oh Rosie." He squished her tighter.

"But then, I began to think of my actions in hiding this truth from you and it was worse. I felt like twenty heavy stones were crushing my heart. Now I have revealed the truth, and now that you are here and I am in your arms, they have been removed. And the shaking, the dreadful feelings I had from seeing them again, disappeared. Because I am in your arms, everything is right once more."

"Even while I am brimming with anger and loudly putting forth my vexations?" he mused.

She nodded earnestly. "In truth your temper aided me. The way you defend me, stand for me, feel for me; it all reminded me of my place, my new happiness in life that is because of you. I never will understand how I got to be so fortunate as to catch your eye, but I am thankful every day that I did. Though, I am sorry to have caused it."

"You did not cause it. I am not angry that you did not tell me, though you have yet to explain your reasoning. I am angry that she was so cruel. I am angry that I was unable to give her a piece of the anger I am holding inside me. I am angry that..."