The Thunderstormby Oksanatranslated by Olga |
3Meanwhile the Capwells were in mourning for Mason. What happened was too unexpected and cruel for anybody to believe. Still hoping for a miracle, CC joined the rescue rangers to go to the accident site, but when he saw the crater the explosion left and the shattered bits of metal he realized it was all over. When he came back home, to look at his petrified face was enough to understand everything. Eden, Kelly and Ted were shocked to learn of Mason and Victoria's death. Eden and Kelly burst into tears, while Ted restrained himself at first, but then he also rushed out. Sophia found him in the arbour, embraced him, and Ted buried him tear-stained face in her shoulder, "Momma! But why? What for??"Sophia found it hard to control herself as she was trying to console her son. Some soil was taken from the accident spot, and the funeral was organized in Santa Barbara right on the day when Mason came to his senses. Lionel would not let Julia go, and she swallowed her tears in silence, thinking that the baby she was bearing would never see his or her father. Mother Isabel came to the funeral. She took CC's hand and said in a quavering voice, "It is a tragedy, a real tragedy. But now he is reunited with Mary." CC sighed. If he could only believe it as she does! On coming home he spent hours in the study looking at Mason's pictures as a child, listening to the tape with Mason's last speech for the court. Sophia softly came up to him, hugged him. "It's all my fault," CC said in a muffled voice. Sophia shook her head, "It's no one's fault". "I knew Victoria brought misfortune, and I made him marry her. If not for me, there would have been no marriage, and he would have been home now, alive…" Tears were sparkling in CC's eyes. "Don't …" Sophia said. She could not control herself any longer, and she hid her face. |