Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 121 - Chapitre 130

The baby was coming on a night when the wind was extremely loud. The windows of the house were shaking. Hannahs body was taken over by a feeling. For a while she was walking around the room. She had to lean on Stephen when the pain became really bad. This pain was different from what she had felt. It was a pain that was actually doing something to her body.Stephen was there for Hannah the time. He helped her by wiping the sweat from her face with towels. He let her squeeze his hands really hard when it hurt the most. He did not look at her like he felt sorry for her. Like he thought she was really strong and could handle it.Then after a lot of work the room was filled with a new noise. A loud cry that was like nothing else. The midwife gave the baby to Hannah. The baby was a boy. He was red and loud, with Stephens hair and a lot of energy. They named him Thomas. When Thomas started drinking milk from Hannah she felt like she was connected to the world in a way she never knew before.

Elena was born on a Sunday afternoon. The sun was. It was a really peaceful time. She came into the world quickly like she was excited to be here. When Elena arrived she looked like Hannah with big eyes that seemed to notice everything around her.Now that Hannah and Thomas had two kids the Vane family was totally different. The old Tower on the hill was not as important as it used to be. It was a place where the sheep could hang out in the shade. Hannah was standing by the window in the nursery holding Elena while Thomas pulled on her dress asking to go and play.Hannah looked out at the valley. Saw all the grapes growing and the smoke coming from the chimneys in the village. She used to have a responsibility but now she had a simple life. She knew she had made the choice. The Vane name would still be around. It would not be scary or powerful anymore. It would mean times, like the smell of rain on dry ground the sound of kids laughing in the hallway and the feeling of being, at peace

Life with a toddler and a baby was super hard. It needed a lot of planning like an operation.. It was also really sweet and made Stephens heart feel happy. He spent mornings in the vineyard with Thomas on his back. Thomas would point at the vines. Say "my vines".Hannah took care of the house. It was like a meeting place for women from the valley. They would trade wool for herbs from her garden.This was very different from her moms life. Her mom just sat in a chair and got reports from people she never met.Hannah sat on the kitchen floor. Her clothes were dirty from plums. She was helping Thomas learn to use a spoon. Her baby, Elena was happy on her rug.The rules here were different. Kindness was more important than being proper. Laughter was better than being quiet.One afternoon Hannah saw herself in a silver tray. Her hair was messy. Some strands were stuck to her forehead. She had flour on her cheek.She smiled. She had never looked less, like a lady but she felt like the bes

The rain started before dawn,Hannah Vane woke up to the sound of thunder. It sounded like drums. The windows shook softly as wind swept through the hills. Beside her Stephen was already awake. He was staring at the ceiling. The room flickered with lightning."It is going to be a storm " he said quietly.Hannah sat up slowly. She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. The smell of rain came through the cracks of the shutters. Downstairs she heard Julian crying softly in his sleep.Stephen got out of bed. He pulled on his boots. "The north vineyard floods after winter. I should check the drainage before the river rises.""I will come with you " Hannah said.He looked at her. "Hannah the ground will be dangerous."She smiled a little. "You forget I survived the Vane family. Mud does not scare me."Stephen laughed quietly. He shook his head.By the time they went outside the rain was falling hard. The valley looked different. The peaceful hills were dark and restless. Trees bent under t

The vineyards were golden in the fading sunlight. A cool wind blew through the hills carrying the smell of woodsmoke. Hannah stood in the orchard watching Thomas carefully prune one of the trees. He was almost a man now taller than she remembered him being a few months before. Hannah called out to him gently "You are holding the blade tightly." Thomas changed his grip away. Stephen laughed softly beside her "You sound like me." Hannah said, "That is unfortunate for him." Stephen grinned. Elena sat under a tree drawing the orchard in a notebook. Julian was running around chasing leaves that were falling from the trees. The years were going by now. Sometimes it scared Hannah how quickly childhood was disappearing. That evening after they ate supper Elena came to Hannah quietly. "Mama?" she said. "Yes?" Hannah replied. Elena hesitated, "Do you ever miss being important?" Hannah looked up from folding the laundry. "What makes you ask that?" she said. Elena said, "There a