Crimson Peak [COMPLETE]

Epilogue

"Miss Cushing, he will see you now." The woman had a gentle smile and she held the large door open for Edith to make her way into the editor's office.

Mr. Waldren was a small man with a thin, black moustache set above thin lips. He had round glasses that made it look as though his eyes overtook the rest of his face. Edith grinned at the sight of him, imagining just what kind of character he might be. He grinned back at her and gestured for her to take a seat.

"Ah, Miss Cushing it's a pleasure to finally meet you. You've been spoken of very highly. Dr. McMichael said I'd be missing an opportunity if I didn't set up a meeting with you."

Edith grinned. "That's very kind of him." Alan had been recommending her work to every editor that passed through his door for an eye exam.

"Did you bring a copy of your latest novel, then?"

Edith nodded and pushed the stack of paper that she had carefully bound in leather, towards Mr. Waldren. He gladly accepted it and began flipping through the carefully written pages.

"What is the story line of this one?" he asked, almost absentmindedly.

"It is...well, it is about a woman who falls in love with a man only to be betrayed by him."

Mr. Waldren looked up at her with a raised eyebrow. "And does it have ghosts in it like the others?"

Edith smiled. "They are in it, just like some of my previous works. But they're more, helpful than anything else."

He closed the book and folded his hands on his desk. "I will give it a read and send you a letter when I've finished. I'm very excited to work with you Miss Cushing."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Waldren, for meeting with me. I look forward to working with you as well." She left his office with a smile plastered to her face, one that she couldn't have made disappear even if she'd wanted to.

She left the editor's building and headed down the streets of Buffalo, towards Alan's doctor's office. After the whole ordeal in England, she'd gone back home with Alan. He'd taken good care of her while she worked on getting over Thomas Sharpe. She still felt a pang in her chest when she thought of his smile or the way his eyes lit up when he talked to her. But she didn't dwell too much on what had happened almost two years ago.

She pushed open the doors of Alan's office and let herself inside. "Is Alan in with someone right now?" Edith asked his sister who was sitting in one of the few chairs.

His sister shook her head without looking up from her stitching.

Edith pushed the doors to Alan's office to find his sitting at his desk, doing some studying from a large book. He looked up when she walked in and offered her a large smile. "How was it with Andrew?"

Edith had forgotten Mr. Waldren had a first name that wasn't Mr. "It went well, thank you for the recommendation. He seemed very eager to read my book."

"I told him that it was wonderful and he'd be daft not to read it and give you a chance." He closed his book and got to his feet, moving to embrace Edith. Edith was pretty sure that he still had feelings for her but he knew that they weren't reciprocated.

"I didn't want to keep you from your work," Edith told him.

"Oh it's not a problem. I'm always glad to see you."

"What were you working on?" Edith asked, trying to read the title of the book upside down.

"Reading up on some new research for some eye treatment. Just some boring, doctor stuff."

"Well, I should get home," Edith said. "I've got some of my own work to do." They exchanged one last embrace and Edith left his office back to her house.

Buffalo, New York was still growing. Year by year more buildings were erected and more roads were paved. Most people started taking rides from buggies to get to and from places but Edith enjoyed the time she had walking across town. She was free to think about whatever she wanted to. And the fresh air always made her feel refreshed.

It wasn't a very long walk from Alan's office to her house, even if she walked slowly she would make it before supper time. She was making her way up the walk to her front door when her maid, Alice, walked out onto the porch, her eyes wide with worry.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am," Alice said. "I tried to tell him you weren't home and you would be busy all night but he insisted he would just wait for you."

Edith raised an eyebrow. "Alice, what in the world are you talking about? Who is here?"

"He said his name was Thomas and he insisted on seeing you today."

Edith's heart stopped and her stomach sank. Of course, there could be any number of Thomas's in the world, but not many that Edith knew and would want to talk to her. But Thomas...he was in England. The last she had seen of him, he was in Crimson Peak. She hadn't heard anything from him since then. Why now?

Alice led her inside to the parlor where their guest was waiting. He hadn't even turned around before Edith recognized him. Even after two years, she could recognize him just by the way he sat, the way he held himself. She stopped just inside the doorway and dismissed Alice with a wave of her hand.

When the doors closed, Thomas got to his feet and turned around to face Edith.

Edith couldn't say anything, the lump in her throat was far too large and her mouth felt as though it was full of cotton. Her eyes stung with tears but also because she couldn't bring herself to blink for fear Thomas would disappear.

"I know you don't want to see me," Thomas started, his eyes pleading, "and I don't want to upset you. I just had to see you and, if you wish me to leave, I will be gone and you won't ever hear from me again. Just say the word, I'll go."

Edith didn't know if she wanted him to leave or to stay but it didn't matter; she still couldn't speak. She felt the tears slipping down her cheeks but she still didn't speak.

Thomas's mouth turned up in a small smile. "I'm free. I finally escaped from hell and...once I did, I only wanted to see you." He took a cautious step forward. "I had some help from someone, a woman named Rose, and she told me I should come see you. Once the idea was in my head, I couldn't get it out." He shook his head. "I'm sorry for the intrusion. I should--"

Edith couldn't hold back any more. She ran forward and threw her arms around his neck, nestling her face into his hair. She swallowed and finally came up with something to say. "I've missed you."

Thomas hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around her as well. "I thought you would hate me."

Edith sniffed and shook her head, pulling back to grip his face in her hands. "I could never hate you. I was mad, yes, but I won't hate you."

And then they were kissing and neither one of them had been happier in their lives.