Now, waking, he was stiff and disoriented. He yawned, stretched, and looked around, confused, then remembered Claire and rushed to the bed. But it was empty, the covers thrown back.
The door to the cottage was open. She was standing there in her nightdress, breathing deeply of the daybreak air. She was tall and slender, with coppery hair that fell in curls around her shoulders. Hearing him, she turned to Jonas and smiled.
He thought he heard her say, “I see the sun.”
Indeed, the sky was pink with dawn light. Then Jonas looked past Claire and saw Gabe approaching on the path.
THE END