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[butcivilization]

In the end, Henri found the hermitage with no trouble. Though it looked small and overgrown from the outside, it was quite cozy inside, set up with some comfortable chairs, a table, and cheerful looking fireplace. With only a little effort he lit a fire, using the wood stacked beneath the mantle, and soon the little cottage was bright and warm

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[stirthingsapart]

Two or three hours later, and Thomasina had regained a good deal of her composure. She was home, a place in which she'd never spent a day of her life frightened, and she would not waste the time here worrying over things that had an astronomically small chance of actually happening. She had lay in her bed, in her room, devising a plan, and then she'd gotten up to dress; it was all so familiar, it was as though she'd left only a day ago.

The household was just beginning to stir by the time Thom left the house, which suited her perfectly. It was a short walk down the path to the hermitage - and oh, how she had missed this too! She didn't bother to knock, only pushed open the door and leaned in the doorway for a moment, observing Henri. "You're fretting, aren't you?" she asked, seeing the familiar furrow in his brow.

[butcivilization]

"Yes," Henri answered, not even bothering to deny it. But even as she spoke he relaxed, turning to greet her with a soft smile. Thom seemed to glow with contentment. She was usually ready with a warm smile - it was one of the things he loved about her - but here she looked comfortable and entirely at home. And wouldn't he had been the same if they had arrived in Paris in a more peaceful time, and they had seen his home without the fear of death looming over their heads?

He stood and went to her, and kissed her hair. "But now you are here and I promise not to fret any longer. It's quite the comfortable spot you have out here, you know. Not precisely the image 'hermitage' invokes." He grinned a little.

[stirthingsapart]

Thom grinned and went up on her toes to kiss him. Such an automatic response - she would have to be careful to restrain herself around her family. "It is nice, isn't it? I quite like it out here. Might consider becoming a hermit myself, if Mama would allow it." She paused and smiled again. "I like it even better with you in it

[butcivilization]

Henri chuckled quietly, absently cupping her cheek. "I think if we two were here together, neither of us would make very good hermits. We would spend little time contemplating God, or anything else of a spiritual nature, for that matter." He grinned.

Her plan had certain sense to it. It was logical, and believable, with no strange flourishes or twists that would make it difficult to remember. Knowing Thom, the story might not stay that way in the telling, but he would do his best to steer it in a reasonable direction. Surely they would be able to keep up such a pretense for the two or three necessary days. Henri nodded thoughtfully. "Very well, I think I can remember that." He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and let his hand fall with reluctance. "We shall have to keep our distance, won't we?"