The two women talked long after they’d eaten every morsel of food that had been on the tray, although Paulina mostly listened and offered comfort and encouragement. It was nearly lunchtime and Amala was actually beginning to feel hungry again when Paulina rang for Pearl and asked for lunch to be brought up and a hot bath prepared for Amala. Pearl seemed eager to do anything she could to help. The bath was prepared while Paulina and Amala ate lunch, then Amala was soon soaking in steaming water, clouded with the aromatic jasmine bath salts that Paulina had brought with her from her travels.

“After your bath,” Paulina instructed while she fluffed Amala’s pillows nearby and straightened the bed (she’d never been one to wait around for a maid to do what she could do herself), “get yourself into a clean nightie and back into bed. I advise more rest, for your heart and your mind to catch up to all that’s happened. I need to spend some time with the rest of the family this afternoon, but I’ll have tea sent up for you, and I’ll come check on you after I’ve had tea with my vanilla sweetie and my dear brother and sister. I can’t leave them wanting for my delightful company too terribly much.” She laughed softly in a way that exuded her confidence in knowing that her family did enjoy her company, but also exhibiting a gracious humility that was so naturally a part of her character.

“Thank you,” Amala said, “for everything. I’m so glad you came. I feel better already; truly I do. With you here, I think I can get through this.”

Paulina kissed the top of Amala’s head. “I love you, my chocolate sweetie.”

“I love you too, Auntie,” Amala said.

Paulina left the room and Amala closed her eyes, breathing in the jasmine steam of her bath and mentally reviewing the simple but wise advice and reassurance her aunt had given her. Perhaps there was light on the other side of this darkness, after all.

* * * *

Amala took Paulina’s advice and went back to bed after her bath, but unlike most of the time she’d spent there the last few days, she actually slept. She woke up just a little before Pearl brought a tray of tea and biscuits for her. She enjoyed them very much and went back to bed, uttering a silent prayer for Henry that he would be comforted and strengthened—and that she would be as well.

Paulina came back as promised, and they talked mostly of her travels, which helped Amala feel distracted from her own problems. She suspected that Paulina knew Amala needed a distraction now that she’d been able to share her burdens and not feel alone in them.

The following morning, Paulina was there again to share breakfast with Amala, but as they were finishing up she declared, “Apparently the famous Mr. Beckenridge is coming to spend the day.”