Chapter 11

On the morning of the twenty first day after her punishment had started, Caroline woke to find Grace lying on top her and smiling happily at her. She bent down and kissed Caroline, hungrily and passionately. Caroline responded, delighted that the terrible estrangement was over at last. She had grown completely used to the harsh physical conditions and the growing cold at night, but not to Grace’s awful remoteness. It was a long time before either was in a position to say anything.

“Still finding it too cold at nights, my angel?”

Caroline laughed, so happy to be addressed once more with endearments.

“No, Grace. I can face anything now, after these last few weeks!”

“Good, Caroline. That was the idea. Oh! How I’ve hated it! Every day I have had to force myself to be harsh and stern, when every second of these last week’s I’ve wanted to hold you and love you! Am I forgiven, my darling and uniquely precious Caroline? I only did it to help you.”

Caroline could not hold back her tears and soon both girls were sobbing, whether out of joy for their renewed love or regret at three lost weeks, neither could quite tell.

When they were more or less recovered, Grace announced that today was to be a holiday, just as soon as the milking had been done. After Caroline’s (and Grace’s) first satisfying meal for weeks, the couple went up to the room Caroline had slept in on her first night and they spent much of the day in bed together, talking and loving and, to Caroline’s relief after her non-stop work of the past few weeks, sleeping.

Engelbart came up and joined them. Truth to tell, he spent most nights here and only his deep affection for the two girls persuaded him to spend any time whatsoever sleeping out in that cold wood, of which they seemed so inordinately and unaccountably fond. He never would entirely get to understand humans and their odd ways, try as he might!