"Yes." confirmed Brook. "The flavour of this celebration had become very bitter!"
How true, thought Lloyd as he looked at Halls in the distance, knowing from experience that the cause of this night's misfortune, originated there.
"I'm sorry for tonight, my love!" said Brook.
Dearborne's moistt eyes calmed his heaving spirit. She did not blame him for this evening's tragedy and she knew that his apology was really intended as pity for the loss of such a precious and innocent soul as Mercedes was.
With this, Brook turned and went out of the room.
Lloyd's heart ached with the burden of his witness. He saw Mercedes, inside his mind, thrusting the dagger into her heart, over and over again, and the visions of this mingled with his memory of witnessing his own betrothed Charnan, at her death. This evening devastated him. Mercedes reminded him so much of his beloved Charnan. She had the same golden hair and smooth, fair skin. Her beauty was only surpassed by her innocense.
Lloyd's mind travelled while comparing the two women and his two most painful experiences.
Through a small tare in the curtain, Lloyd saw Dearborne lift her head from a prayer that she had made for the body and spirit of the departed Mercedes.
She was starting to turn and leave when she sat heavily into a chair by the bed and started to cry.
Lloyd was ready to reveal himself to her, to talk and console her, but he couldn't show to her his own weakness. He cried, too.