The Sentinels alphonsine

he spoke, appealing to her giving nature, and she sighed. a day, a mere day! she could give him that, and perhaps she even needed that for herself! for the death was fresh, and she hurt to not see him before her now, though she felt him worrying at her. alright, she relented, a day. a day along the coast, renoir, just you and i. she let him weep into her furs and felt the strength of his emotion, oppressive and demanding, and yet she understood it, spoke to it. she did love renoir, as she did any other, and would do this for him because he needed her. this way he would not leave, this way he would stay when the day was done. 'twas all so very innocent, his need for an escape--but she looked to him with young eyes, and old and weary though she felt she had much to learn.