*Jayne*
I expect the evening to be awkward, with the Princess prying and seeking to get to the truth behind my presence, but the she-wolf speaks of her travels, her sons, her grandchildren. It is the talk of her grandchildren that puts a pang in my heart. The Princess would have a grandchild she would never know, although I know she certainly could find a way to involve her in the child’s life. Oh, why have I started down this path? But even as I question it, the ache for a child blossoms into something almost unbearable. If I am fortunate to meet with success here, I will find a way to make everything right.
“You know,” the Princess begins, directing her attention to me, “I thought Barkley was tossing good money after bad when he set about putting this cottage to rights. It was fairly a
