It was if Annie bade him turn his thoughts beyond her long forgotten cares to the no less pressing concerns of today. Dean's mind churned the details of the recent happenings, trying to make sense of Shipton's orchestrated plunge to the river, and the strange reactions of those still sleeping beneath Bird Song's roof, and elsewhere. His thoughts were a carousel that like repeating ponies progressed in circles no closer to conclusion than the start of the ride. No golden ring of an answer. The last time he glanced at the clock it was three-thirty and he'd still not closed his eyes. Nor had he made any sense of his deliberations but finally his mind quit the task and allowed his exhausted body to sink into a deep sleep. This time, it was Cynthia who visited him in his dreams.
A warm touch began to arouse Dean. It was only a slight brush, not enough to fully wake him from the depth of his stupor. He failed to register the familiar, yet not familiar glance of fingers on the bareness of his body. He must have reached an arm across the warmth next to him and her nearly soundless mewl began his slow but steady rise to the surface of consciousness. Like a sunken object freed from the ocean floor, Dean began to ascend to the surface of wakefulness. It was then he began the slow realization that it was not his beloved wife who spooned against his back in nakedness, sharing his bed!
He woke with a start, to find Edith Shipton, with only her long blonde hair covering the body that was snuggling against him! He tried to turn and raise himself to a sitting position while pushing her away, but she held back his arm in a strong grip and locked a crooked arm about his neck.
"Shhh," she hissed in his ear. "You'll wake the others." Her arm tightened about his neck as, vice-like, she pulled her body against him while swinging a bare leg over his. "Be quiet! No one knows I'm here."
"Edith! This isn't right! I don't...." He turned but she pressed her open mouth against his lips, muffling his words, fiercely kissing him.
He pulled back, having to exert considerable force against her surprising strength. "Edith, you have to leave! Please!" She continued to hold him about the neck until he slowly pried her arm away and pushed himself to a half-sitting position, her leg still tightly locked over him."
"Edith, look," he said, his voice containing a hint of the panic he felt. "I'm married. Happily. I've been married less than a year. I don't want this. Please go back upstairs!"