“My mother died when I three or so,” I said. “My father is dead too. My real one, that is. They’re all gone now.”
“We’re here though,” Addie said.
“We will be your family now,” Delphia said.
Theo appeared around the corner of the house and bounded up the stairs. He took his hat off when he saw the three of us sitting there. “Little ones, Mama’s looking for you. She says it’s your teatime.”
Delphia and Addie jumped up from the bench. Each, in turn, gave me a hug.
“Thanks for keeping me company,” I said.
“You’re welcome.” Delphia ran into the house.
Addie gave me a sweet smile before following her sister.
Theo sat beside me. “Do you need anything?”
“Just you,” I said.
He wrapped his arm around me. We sat together as the light dimmed into golden twilight. Time continued forth. Life went on for those left behind with work left to do. My mother and father had finished their work and were now with God and the angels. I would miss them for the rest of my days, of that I felt sure. They’d wanted me to have a satisfying, joyful life. I would, I thought. With Theo.
23
Theo
* * *
On a day in early August, Lizzie wiped beads of perspiration from her brow with a towel. She’d been describing the wedding cake she wanted to make for Louisa and me. White cake with raspberry jelly between the layers and then fully covered with a buttercream frosting.
We’d agreed to put the wedding on hold but now, weeks after we’d lost Mrs. Lind, we were in full wedding planning stages. Louisa and Mama had gone out to Annabelle’s dress shop for a final fitting, leaving me alone with Lizzie to wrap up final details for the reception. Mrs. Wu was taking a break because of the heat of the afternoon. Lizzie soldiered on despite the warmth of her kitchen. Lizzie and Jasper’s daughter Florence, who was the same age as Addie, was with both my smallest sisters eating a lunch of cheese and pieces of Lizzie’s sourdough bread. They had their noses in books. I’d promised to take them swimming after I was done with Lizzie.
“That sounds delicious,” I said to Lizzie. “It’s not too much work for you, is it?”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be a silly goose. This is what I do.”
Jasper appeared from the stairwell. He, too, appeared unruffled by the warmth of this summer day, despite his formal butler attire. “Lord Barnes will be ready for his tea thirty minutes late today,” Jasper said to his wife. “He went into his office in town. I assume Mrs. Barnes and Miss Louisa will need refreshment as well when they return.”
“I’m making cucumber sandwiches,” Lizzie said. “The gardener brought in a large number of them and fresh raspberries as well.” She pointed to a bowl brimming with the dark pink berries.
“May we have some?” Delphia asked, looking up from her book.
“At teatime,” Lizzie said. “Not a moment sooner.”
“Thanks, Lizzie.” Delphia patted her tummy before turning back to her book.
“We’re going to roast a pig,” Lizzie said, pulling me back to the menu plan.
“A whole pig?” I asked.
“My Theo doesn’t get married every day,” Lizzie said.
I lowered my voice so the children didn’t hear. The Barnes family were notorious for falling in love with our livestock. “Where will the pig come from?”
“We’ve ordered it from the Higgins brothers,” Lizzie said. “Clive’s going to help me bury it in the ground.”
“It’ll cook all night,” Jasper said.
I always thought the roasting of a pig rather barbaric, but who was I to question Lizzie? “I’ll look forward to the feast.”