Grasping the banister, I walked carefully down the stairs.
They were seated around the living room, no discernible tension remaining from the argument they"d ended only seconds ago. Marianne met me at the bottom of the stairs and drew me into an affectionate embrace. “We thought you were going to sleep all night through!” She kissed my cheek, her affection both genuine and touching. “Come into the kitchen, Rowena has prepared a meal for you.”
I followed her to the kitchen, the others drifting along behind us. Marianne ushered me to a chair and the rest of the group joined us around the table. This was unusual in itself, normally only Rowena, and occasionally Marianne, joined me in the kitchen. Tonight they all gathered, crammed around the small kitchen table with Gwynn and William sittin
