บท 186: Dignity

"Miss Louisa, did you know too? Is that why you stayed with me and did not return?"

Louisa felt her heart sink to the floor. She hated feeling dragged into the middle of all this. It was already hard for her to face Adelaide after Rochester's revelation. It sucked so much that he had been the one to tell Adelaide her true identity.

Adding to that the fact that she had not told Adelaide about her mother's visit was sure to break Adelaide's spirit.

Louisa could see it in the way Adelaide's eyes had begun to fill as she anticipated her answers.

"I'm wrong, aren't I, Miss Louisa? You... you were only at my side all this time because you missed being with me, right?" Adelaide pressed, her lips quivering.

"Adelaide, I -" Louisa's eyes darted to the floor, then back up to the little girl's dejected face. She could not afford to lie to her. Again.

"Tell me you did not keep this secret from me as well," Adelaide said as a strand of tears rolled down her eyes.