Madilyn came back from her walk through the garden when the butler told her she had received a calling card. Elizabeth and Victoria had invited her for tea.

She was not certain what she should do. She would really enjoy the company – for her husband had not been it – but she was too pregnant to be seen by people. But then she reminded herself she was a Brompton now. They did not mind about what people thought. She should not worry about being seen by people and hear their whispers. They already had enough to whisper about. What would her big belly matter?

So she told the butler to send a letter back, saying she agreed and that she will be there. And she looked forward to it.

She had been happy to see her sister two days ago. But it also brought back the reminder of how her life used to be – before she got married and before her sister got married. They were both so happy, and they had each other for support. But ever since Adelaide had to leave London, everything had changed.

Madilyn thought she would be able to live with it, that eventually their lives would be great. But now that she was married as well and they barely saw each other, all she could think of were the bad things and the lonely moments. She truly wanted her sister to be with her all the time.

Mentally shaking her head, she decided to pass the time by forgetting about the loss and the pain. She found her way to the music room, and for the first time in this house, she started playing the piano. She did not bother about the fact that Thomas heard it, mayhap even the closest neighbours. She was quite good at playing the instrument, so there was nothing to be ashamed of.

The song she played was happier than before. She believed it might help her if she played a happy song, for it might render her happy. Sad songs only reminded her of her own pain and sadness.

But if she was truly honest, there was something about being alone. Twas not all bad. She could retreat in her own mind while listening to her music. She could create her happy world inside her mind as long as there was no one around to burst the bubble. And it made her quite happy to be in her own world, to find her own happy place.

Twas a place no one could touch. She had all control over it. In that place, her sister was not married and she was not pregnant. They both lived happily together without their parents and Eleanor.

The song ended, and Madilyn kept her eyes shut and her hands over the keys. She tried to stay as long as possible in her happy world, keeping that happiness inside her. But at one point she knew she had to return to reality.

But returning to reality felt not like a heartbreak, for her happy place was not what she saw as the standard. That was a privilege. So returning to reality was just that – a return to reality. And if she thought of that – of reality – she realized that now might not be good, but once the baby was there, her life would have more colour again. Her look at the future was bright and she was hopeful – for what else did she have but hope?

She turned around and looked behind her at the door, but Thomas was not there. She was a little disappointed by that, for she had hoped he would come. Not because she longed for him, but because she wanted to know him better. She did not want to avoid him anymore or pretend she was not in the house. He was her husband and she was his wife. They should act like it.

But every relationship – no matter how unimportant – had to come from two sides. And if he did not try to get to know her, how would they ever become friends?

She had been hopeful after that one day in Lindenberg when he asked her about her ribbon and he told her about his work. They had never before shared so many words. She had hoped that they would have conversations like that again, short but meaningful.

But he had never come. She had expected him as she returned from her walk or when she was knitting in the sitting room. But every time the door opened, twas merely a servant telling her something.

So when they returned to London, she had taken the initiative. She had come to him for unimportant reasons, and had hoped that he would talk to her or ask her to stay.

But he never had. He merely nodded, gave a short answer and then asked her to leave. Sometimes he was quite mean, and she started to fear that although his family might be nice to her, Thomas was more like Adelaide's husband.

Certainly, he did not hurt her or do things to her she did not want, but mayhap he was only holding back because she was carrying his child. Would he become more violent once she had no meaning to him anymore?

She mentally shook her head. She did not know her husband well, but he did not seem like a mean guy. Yes, he was not kind either, but he was not the kind of man to become violent – she hoped.

She sighed. What was she to do now until she had to leave to meet Elizabeth and Victoria?

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Finally the time had come to go to her family-in-law. The three ladies were sitting in the parlour of Andrew and Victoria's London house, carrying the name "Jones House." Myth said that Mr. Jones used to live in the house, but died a mysterious death. His ghost still roamed the place, listening to conversations the new owners of the house were having with friends. At night, he would wander through London and whisper what he had heard in the ears of people, spilling all the secrets he knew.

Madilyn did not believe in ghosts. She believed in people who would spread the whispers themselves, disguising it as a ghost. But she also believe it was not Victoria nor Andrew telling the rumours. She assumed the story had been going on for longer, the previous owner being the gossipmongers.

But gossiping was not what they were doing now. They were asking genuine questions, wondering about each other's wellbeing and worries.

"What about you, Elizabeth?" Victoria asked. "No brother or sister for Francis yet?"

Elizabeth shrugged, but her face showed that she was bothered by the question. "We try," she admitted. "But so far I am not pregnant."

Madilyn felt quite guilty over that. Not that it was her fault Elizabeth did not have a second baby, but because she had been trying for three years. Madilyn made love once, and she was pregnant right away. Even Victoria had a worse pregnancy than hers, while these two ladies wanted to become healthily pregnant and Madilyn did not.

"How about we take a walk outside," Madilyn suggest, hoping it would make the mood lighter.

Elizabeth stood up and said: "that is a great idea."

"I would rather stay indoors," Victoria said quickly. "Or to the garden, as long as Andrew does not see."

"What changed your mind?" Elizabeth said jesting.

"My mother."

"Your mother?" Elizabeth looked at Madilyn, question in her eyes. Then she turned back to Victoria. "But your mother is dead."

The lady merely nodded, then said: "the doctor came."

Elizabeth suddenly sat back down and looked at her. "What did he say?"

Victoria remained quiet for a while, as if she was looking for the best words to say. That could only mean that the doctor had said something bad.

"He is not certain," she finally admitted, her eyes on her hands. "I might have blood poisoning, but I also may have a disease he called "toxaemia of pregnancy"."

"How bad is it, Victoria?" Elizabeth asked when her friend did not say anything more.

She ignored the question and said: "but my brother visited. He said tis no blood poisoning. My mother had the same – the pains, the headaches, the blurred vision, the nausea." She turned to Madilyn and looked her straight in the eye when she explained: "my mother died while giving birth to me – her second child."

Madilyn felt pain in her heart and a rush of panic going through her body. Victoria was pregnant from her second child now. If she truly had the same disease her mother had, she might die soon.

"No, Victoria," Elizabeth said severely. "You will not die, you are not your mother. You are much stronger."

"Am I?" she asked, close to crying. "In what way am I different then her? Am I not also a Blackburn child? Am I not also having the same things she had? Do I not face the same danger?"

Madilyn realized she really felt for Victoria. The fear she was going through, the pain she must feel while thinking of what might go wrong... Madilyn felt it too. And not for herself – she did not bother about that now. She felt that worry for Victoria, for her friend.

She was surprised by her own thought. Did she just call Victoria her friend? Could she truly have a friend?

She shook the thought away. That is not a worry for now. She must try and comfort Victoria – her friend. So she stood up and walked to her, only to sit down next to her. She wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Mayhap there are no good words to say, for you would not believe it. But I am certain that you are surrounded by people who would do anything for you." She watched a tear fall from the lady's eye, but ignored it. "Your husband will get you best doctor in all of England, Elizabeth – and I – will give you everything you need, and your family will give you all the support you can get."

Victoria's tears starting flowing as Madilyn spoke those words. She hugged her, and Elizabeth gave her a thankful smile.

Madilyn felt grateful for being able to hold a friend and comfort her. She must admit that she was a little relieved to know that she was not the one with the worst problems, but mostly she was happy she could help someone like she wanted to be helped. Mayhap life would turn around and do to her what she was doing to others. Mayhap one day, she could be happy like she was trying to make her friend happy.