Page 84 of The Fighter who Needed Me
Persepephone
Northumberland, England April 1813
The girls spent their morning together and Rhia told them how hard she had worked for the past few months.
She wanted to get back to where she had been before falling down the embankment and the long walk.
Lydia had told her that she had done more damage to her leg than they had even realized and now it was healing the way it should.
She had shown them how even with her large stomach that she could go up and down the stairs now and that she had gone months without falling.
Her leg wasn’t as weak as before and every day Aidan and Lydia helped her stretch it.
Aidan would take her on walks around the grounds and she had fallen in love with them.
Persephone felt the same. She loved how beautiful and peaceful they seemed to be. She could feel herself healing from the past trauma she had experienced and though she too was not the strongest at walking, Lydia told her that she would help.
Anneliese had jumped in, “I will help as well. I always wished we could get her to walk and I even saw her do it a few times without her knowing that I knew her secret.”
Persephone blushed and Anneliese had laughed, “I was so proud of you. That you had learned to walk despite your parents and their refusal to let you learn to do anything.”
“Thank you, Anneliese. But it was really Eden and Lily who helped me learn. On the ship we did not have much else to do, so they taught me what they could. It was hard, as I did not really have the strength in my legs at first. But we pushed through and now I can walk more. I still tire easily, and have to go slower than most, but I can walk and that is what matters.”
Eden spoke up, “You never complained when we helped you learn to walk. Even though we knew you were in pain. That your legs had hardly any function in them. It was quite the struggle to get them to bend and work at first. And I knew you were in pain. Lily and I could see it in your face, but you never told us to stop. Just pushed on and worked harder than anyone had if they were in your position.”
Persephone put her head down, “I truly wanted that freedom. I did not care that it hurt. And that my legs had barely even bent at that point. I did not have much opportunity to learn and no one would help me try. So, thank you for helping me. For teaching me how.”
Eden reached over and squeezed her hand, “Of course. Lily and I knew how you longed for freedom. To be the normal woman that you wished to be. On that ship we did not have much choice but to get to know the desires of our hearts and yours were two things. One, to learn to walk so you could live a normal life like you have always wanted to, and two, that one day you hoped to find a man to love you. Sickness and all.”
She blushed again, and then grinned, “I did both didn’t I?”
The girls laughed and Persephone loved being part of them. Of having women like them on her side and to have love and companionship for the first time in her lonely life.
When the men got back from riding, Brooks scooped her up from her chair and she laughed as he swung her around.
He brought her to their room, “Are you ready to go to the cottage today? We can come back every day to see everyone, but I want to be alone with you. To start our lives together.”
She smiled up at him, and nodded, “I want all of that.”
He grinned and kissed her, and together they packed their belongings and a footman carried their trunk from the house and to the cottage.
Rhia was grinning, “You will come see me often, won’t you?”
Persephone nodded, “I wish to see you every day. Anneliese and Lydia wish to help me get stronger. As does my husband.”
Rhia nodded, “Be safe over there. We are all here for you.”
Persephone hugged Rhia and Brooks took her hand and rode to the small cottage together.
* * *
When they got to the small cottage, Brooks had swung her into his arms, and she laughed as he did so.
“What are you doing?” She had asked and he grinned down at her, “Carrying my wife over the threshold.”
She melted into his arms and he kissed her as he opened the door and brought her inside.
They noticed that it had been freshly cleaned and that the small kitchen was fully stocked.
