Briony had a dream.

In it, she was sharing a holiday dinner with her mother.

Her mother smiled and praised her cooking.

Briony laughed, but tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Mom..."

Sprawled across the big bed, Briony's brow furrowed as her tears soaked the pillow beneath her.

She murmured restlessly, clutching the front of her nightshirt in pain, her suffering almost unbearable.

In her dream, her mother said she was tired, and from now on, Briony would have to walk her own path alone.

Briony begged her not to leave, but her mother only faded away into the mist that drifted across the river. No matter how desperately Briony called, she never appeared again.

"Mom!"

Briony jolted awake.

For a moment, as she stared up at the familiar ceiling, the world felt strange and distant.

"Mommy!"

At the foot of the bed, Irwin abandoned his toys and scrambled over to her side.

a bad dream,

mind

This was Southcreek Manor.

had she ended

pressed her hands against the mattress, pushing

to the river, maybe even

that

and touched her damp cheek. "You were crying in your sleep, too. You kept calling

Briony gazed at him.

in his young eyes

he frowned in worry, there was something in the set of his brows that reminded her of

a wave of rejection-almost revulsion-rose in Briony's

threw off the covers, and swung her legs out of

moment she stood, dizziness washed over her; her body felt

she couldn't stand to stay

the master bedroom

"Mommy!"

after her, grabbing her

him, pulling her hand free, her voice cold. "Irwin, don't

Irwin froze.

another glance and

as she reached the ground floor, she nearly collided with Stewart,

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