In The Marble Room

He kissed the crown of her head and she leaned back, coming to kiss him softly on the cheek. Because her tears stained his cheek, she wiped it, as well as hers. He smiled. "I can never begin to tell how much I have missed you. Gwen has been harder to handle without your help."

Beth burst into a hearty laughter. "I am certain she has."

Her father waved the others forward. Then, he invited. "Come, we should eat. Your mother had guinea hen with apricot stuffing made, and Grace has been fussing even if she would never tell."

"God forbid we think her too soft." Beth teased, clinging onto her father's arm.

The women at the bottom of the stairs climbed up to join them and they entered the house. Gwen and Lucy held onto their mother on each side.

Beth smiled feeling warm and tired but happy. Nothing had changed, she was still the daughter of Radclyffe and Victoria Fitzgerald and would remain so come what may.

She had regained her family's love.