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Mother
“We were so relieved to hear that you weren’t harmed, particularly when we learned of the disaster at sea. Such a tragedy. Thank God you were all safe.”
Meg cleared her throat. “Would it be possible for Bertram to join us? I want to say what I have come to tell you only once.”
“Well, as I said, he’s resting….”
“Wake him,” Charlie said, and his tone was enough to make Mildred recoil slightly, something Meg didn’t think she’d ever seen before.
“Very well,” Mildred said. “Just a moment.”
Charlie stood as her mother rose from her chair to go find her uncle, and Meg felt ill. He reclaimed his seat as soon as it was polite to do so and rested his hand on her arm. “It will be all right, darling. You’ve nothing to be afraid of.”
“I don’t want to see him. I don’t want to smell him. I don’t want to hear the s
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