"Just a few more days at most, m'lady," the doctor said, bowing his head. "I would encourage you to make the most of this time and give him your solace before he is gone." The doctor bowed one more time before he departed from the massive hall of Barmury Estate.
From behind the shadows, came a servant girl.
"Was that Doctor Watson who just left?" the girl asked.
"Gretchen, I know you heard the entire thing. Get to the point," I snapped.
"I know, I'm sorry. I couldn't help it," Gretchen mumbled, but quickly after I gave her a pointed glare, she stopped her rambling. "When are you telling the Marchioness?" Gretchen finally asked.
"After I meet him," I told Gretchen. Gretchen quickly nodded her head in respect and moved out of the way. With my childhood lessons in mind, I gracefully walked up the wooden stairs, and down the hall. I gently knocked on the rich oak door and waited for a response.
"Enter," croaked a weak voice from the other side.
"Grandfather," I acknowledged the old man who lay lifeless on the large bed. Looking at my beloved grandfather on death's bed, brought tears to my eyes, but I held them in, I had sworn never to cry again.
"Alice, is that you?" my grandfather asked, and I almost choked out a sob.
"No grandpa, it's me, Merle, Alice's daughter. Don't you remember me?"
"Alice has a daughter? When did this happen?" the old Marquis asked.
"Seventeen years ago, you were there, don't you remember?"
"Seventeen years? My Alice isn't that old. She's only five."
"Grandpa, she isn't five anymore, she's much older now," I told my grandfather. A confused expression passed over his face. "Who are you?" the old man asked. I sharply inhaled. This was pointless, even if I introduced myself again, grandfather was going to forget me. He had forgotten the name of his wife of almost fifty years. Grandfather remembered no one, except the one person whom he couldn't see, not yet at least.
I walked into the courtyard, the one place in the estate where I found true silence. There were soft footsteps behind me, and someone sat down on the other side of the bench.
"How do you get used to it?" I asked out of the blue.
"You don't. I still haven't," a female voice told me. I leaned back and placed my head on the lap of the old woman.
"Grandmere, why didn't you tell me it was this bad?" I asked my grandmother.
"You are still young, and have a great life in front of you, why spend your youth worrying about something you have no control over?"
"I can't help but worry. What going to happen to you once he dies?"
"When he dies, we will give him the funeral he deserves, and continue living our lives with his loving memories in our mind," grandmere told me.
"How are you to taking this so lightly?" I asked her, amazed at the strength she was showing.
"I've had three years to prepare myself for this. It's a miracle that he stayed with us this long." Three years ago, that's when I had left, coming back for only two short months.
"What am I going to do without him? I cannot become the Marchioness of Barmury yet. I still have loads to learn."
"Merle Victoria Alexandra Belmont, your name hold power, don't ever forget that."