She wiped her faced with a napkin from the table beside and brough warm tea for her. 'Are you missing mom?' she asked. Rosalie nodded and then Nora held her by the arm and requested Richard to drop them home. They were last of the guests and Eliot looked for Johnathan and found him. He felt emotional after talking to Johnathan who made him believe that it was because her sister-like cousin's marriage that made him feel like that. Both of them took care of everything till, the objects were packed and returned to their respective services responsibly. Eliot accompanied Johnathan as he knew that he was leaving the next day.
Back home Catherine's mother was quite downcast because both of her children were leaving the house one after another. She cried her heart out and Johnathan returned home quite early and joined her in time. She advised him to be gentle to his father, no matter how cruel or insensitive he was to him. He affirmed that he will certainly follow, but will he? Catherine was now in her dream home in the Lake District with her groom. Nora and Richard were with Rosalie in the Scarlet Garden. Angie helped Nora put Rosalie to bed and accompanied Richard downstairs. She arranged a bed for Richard in the guest room. George went straight to his home that night as he thought it would not be apt for him to stay there. Nora slept in Rosalie's bed and Angie went to her room. Angie and George had a great time at the wedding too. George was looking forward to talk to her soon again. The flame of love entered many hearts that night for the first time, for others it reignited and for some the flame just was consuming their existence. Johnathan and Rosalie were the victims being consumed with by this cruel and unforgiving sentiment.
Rosalie didn't feel well the next morning. She led Angie to the bakery and told her that she will join her later in the noon. She was not alone at home as Nora and Richard were in the foyer sitting near the fire conversing about all they could. She could hear their blurred voices that she in her state could not make sense of. She reminisced the moment from last night, 'I am leaving for Italy, tomorrow!'. Her head was heavy with drowsiness from the hard work they put in Catherine's wedding and that was not the sole reason of her condition. She thought it was a dream or some illusion she developed on her own. She didn't join Angie in the Bakery. She rested that day in the house. She also requested Nora who went to her room with food out of concern, not to disturb her and give the keys to Aunt Angie as they both leave. She was not that straight to Nora in years. Nora never experienced a manner as such she displayed towards her. She sensed the bitterness and realized that she needed time alone. She did but more than that she need time with someone close.
Richard dropped her off to the bakery where she talked about Rosalie to Angie. At dusk, Angie's work at the bakery was finished and she barred and locked the shutter of the bakery and requested George to drop her at home. He came to pick her up from the bakery in the evening and then asked her about Rosalie, 'She didn't come to work today?'. 'Certainly, she was quite tired after the excellent self-service she provided there without any credit!' replied Angie. George uttered after a pause, 'And what about you? You are not tired?'. 'I am used to this sort of work and this one was out of joy and happiness! It would never exhaust me!' she answered. George glanced at her with meaningful conclusion, and she said, 'You want to say that something is the matter with her because they were all happy about it! And yes, how could it get them exhausted! Nora also came in today and told me Rosalie was not herself and behaved cold and bitter towards her almost like a stranger!'. 'Alright, then let's find out what the matter is?' remarked George.
Angie was now deeply concerned as had a hint about her adoration towards Johnathan but she herself was not aware of how intense it was. Rosalie felt weak in her knees as she will fall but she tried to keep herself steady. She felt better with the sleep that she had but she wanted to make sure she was not making the situation up. So, she went downstairs and cooked a good soup for herself and sat alone in the dining room to enjoy that. She felt sorry about how she behaves to Nora, she has every right to enjoy her life. Angie unlocked the door and entered the house with George. She went to the dinning as she realized someone was sitting there. Rosalie was, and she asked, 'How are you feeling, dear? Are you alright?'. She touched her head and felt her temperature. She told Rosalie, 'Your temperature is quite normal by now, but you still needed a good-night sleep to recover well! Alright, am I clear?'. Rosalie smiled tenderly and gestured in affirmation. She collected her bowl from the table and prepared tea which they had in the lounge with George. While they had tea Rosalie sat in the foyer with tea and a book which she couldn't quite focus on. She sipped the tea as she mourned not stopping him. She wept really desperately meanwhile Angie and George were occupied with Richard who joined after visiting Nora's home.
He was not just interested in her, but he was quite impressed by Nora. Rosalie could hear them, and she couldn't contain herself and wiped her tears and joined them. She asked him, 'The way you are admiring her makes me believe that there would be wedding bells again real soon!' Angie and George agreed on that. Richard was a bit teased as he felt that she overheard their conversation. He remarked, 'Yeah, if you will continue on eavesdropping and jumping to conclusions like this you will hear those bells and nothing of serious sort!'. 'Then my dear, know that she is my best friend, and I will make sure that she never marries you, once you make it certain that you are actually flirting with her!' He was quite threatened by the way Rosalie was quite open about what she could actually do. Angie said, 'Let's not turn it into a combat here! If he likes her and even decides to marry her, the final decision to accept or to reject will be Nora's!' Rosalie grinned vindictively her to tease Richard and added, 'That is where my single persuasion can lead to a conclusion!'. 'We must not influence that and let her decide what she desires and what not!' remarked George. 'I am not in any manner afraid of rejection, but the thing is Rosalie do not think of trying that!' Richard told her. 'No, way! Do you think I would do, that to my friend if she really likes you! Come on I am not that wicked!' she said. He was quite relieved to hear that and smiled delicately in gratitude.
Rosalie went to her bed and asked herself, 'Why I couldn't tell him to stay?'. She then changed her side while soaking her pillow wet in tears. 'How could I just ask him to stop! I was a cow. . .. coward!' she whispered while sobbing. Every night from that month to the next was heavy on her and she felt like dying. She continued her work in her bakery and the cakes were ever tastier than they could be. The Scarlet café gained a good name in the nearby towns and attracted visitors. Their town also became a nation-wide tourist attraction by then as new shops opened for hiking and boating gear for the visitors. Rosalie saw the town bloom into an attraction but to her each day was heavy. The shop that Johnathan gifted her forced her to come visit it and remember the good times she had with him. It was the only year that they ever get to realize that what they felt was intense and it grew stronger. Even then their lips remained sealed, and the cruel tide of time took him away from her.
Angie also began to feel the passion of George's love for her, but she was too shy to admit to her shared feelings, but she told him anyways without fear. It was when George visited her in his off time in the bakery. Rosalie pushed her to confess as now Angie was aware of what happened to Rosalie. She didn't desire the same for her, so she sat with George and told him 'That I had something very important to tell you!' And George was not aware of what she was about to say but the way she looked at him said everything.