The next day, when Albert opened his eyes again, darkness still lay before him. He shifted slightly and looked at Isobel, who was still sleeping soundly beside him, unable to stop himself from recalling the blazing passion of the previous night.
Albert knew perfectly well what worried Isobel. He found it both amusing and exasperating, heartbreaking and helpless. Reaching out, he brushed aside her tangled hair and gently kissed her forehead.
"Do I really seem that unreliable?"
No one answered in the darkness.
"You really don't need to worry about anything."
He had never denied that he liked beautiful women, and he had once entertained some unrealistic fantasies. But having lived two lives, he knew very clearly what he wanted. Otherwise, he would have accumulated a whole string of lovers long ago.
Albert lifted the thin blanket from his body and quietly climbed out of bed. He pulled aside a corner of the curtains and raised a hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sunlight streaming in.
Outside, daylight had fully broken, and the sun hung high in the sky.
Sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, leaving a harsh streak of light across the carpet in the pitch-black room. As the curtains fell back into place, that streak vanished.
"Good morning."
A drowsy voice sounded behind him.
Though Albert had tried to move quietly, the sound of him getting up had still woken Isobel from her deep sleep.
Isobel sat up in bed, letting the thin blanket slide from her body and expose most of her to the air. She rubbed her eyes, then covered a yawn. She still looked rather exhausted.
"Not going back to sleep for a while?" Albert asked softly.
"No, it's already late."
Isobel pushed aside the thin blanket, got out of bed