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Elinor's concern for her brother became an obsession. She had begun to call daily -- sometimes he answered, most times he did not. His daughter, Beth, didn't seem to be having any better luck.

"I'm pregnant again, Aunt Elinor. This time I'm high risk. I can't take the time to go even if it was in our budget. I don't know what to do."

"Don't worry, Bethie. I'll tie up some loose ends and see what I can do. I'm just as worried as you are. Now go rest and take care of yourself. I'll call you at the end of the week."

Replacing the phone in the cradle, Elinor buried her face in her hands. Loose ends. If it wasn't so damned pathetic she'd laugh.

Things weren't exactly going well on her own homefront. Jake had been unusually distant since she came home from Joyce's funeral. The auditors had arrived and did their thing in record time -- no problems and her shop was showing a profit. Not a big one, but a profit nonetheless, enough to hire a second employee.

Elinor thought it would give them a chance to spend more time together at last. James' loss had brought some hard realities home to her and she had sworn to make the most of the time she and Jake had. After all, you never knew what was around the corner.

So there she sat with more free time on her hands than she'd had in years and Jake who seemed to have less than ever. He was going in early, coming home late. It took a while but finally the alarms began to sound and she had confronted him just after Thanksgiving.

She should have seen it coming -- even blamed herself for a minute or two. Jake had met someone. Said it was not her fault -- that it was nobody's fault. Things just "happened". It wasn't that he didn't love her anymore. He did... but. Elinor laughed bitterly. Right... There was always a but.

Jake had knelt before her as she sat stiffly in the chair listening. "I'm so sorry, El. So, so sorry." He didn't try to hide the tears that flowed down his cheeks. Cheeks she had caressed and kissed more times than she could count over the years. She pulled her hand back when it automatically went to ruffle through his hair, to soothe his sadness. He moved out the following day.

Elinor didn't cry at all. She was confused and hurt. But most of all she was angry. Mad not sad. It had become her watchword over the last little while. They were due to finish up the agreement for division of property this week. The store was hers alone. The house -- well, he agreed to let her have that, too -- Mr. Magnanimous, Himself. Their joint stocks and investments would be split. Severed. In two neat little pieces. Just like her heart.

She took a deep breath and picked up the phone again, dialing the number she knew almost as well as her own name. Ringing... "Answer. Please answer. Please" Elinor's heart caught in her throat when she heard his voice.

"Hello?"

"James. It's Rigby. I need to come home."