“So do I. Ye would have liked them, and they would have doted on ye.”
Sarah asked, “Your cousin Alistair ... Is that the cousin you mentioned who will inherit Whinstone Hall one day ...?” She bit back the wordsbarring a son of your own.
“Aye.”
Sarah nodded, then let the subject drop.
After dinner, James and Emily retired, since James had to rise early to make the long drive to Killerton. The couple had decided to continue living at Sea View until after the New Year, despite Sarah’s protests that they need not delay on her account.
The others moved into the parlour. Georgiana and Effie sat at the table playing a game of draughts, while Mamma sat with a cup of tea and chatted with Mr. Henshall. After Sarah helped tidy up, she joined them.
Mamma said, “Sarah mentioned your sister-in-law lives with you, and serves as your housekeeper. Was she not sad to be left alone at Christmastime?”
“She’s not alone. Isla had been estranged from her father, which is why she came to live with us in the first place, but he recently extended an olive branch and invited her to come back. Apparently their rift is at an end.” With a glance at the girls enmeshed in their game and paying their conversation no heed, he added, “And despite her fondness for Effie, she was eager to return home.”
“Good for her, but not for you,” Mamma said. “I imagine you were sorry to see her go.”
With another glance at the girls, he lowered his voice. “Effie was sorry. I was ... less so.”
“Might I ask why?”
He shifted uneasily. “I don’t wish to speak ill of Effie’s aunt. She is well-intentioned and truly wanted to help. But she was neither organized nor good with the servants, sorry to say. Between us, her departure is something of a relief. Though we will of course visit her when we can.”
Sarah nodded her understanding but remained silent. She felt oddly relieved at the news but could not say why. Or at least she refused to admit the reason even to herself.
EIGHT
Christmas is a-coming, the goose is getting fat. Please put a penny in the old man’s hat;
If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will do, If you haven’t got a ha’penny then God bless you!
—Old English Christmas song
The following day, Viola, Claire, and Mira joined them at Sea View. They all gathered in the dining room to assemble their St. Thomas Day gifts for the poor-house residents: brown paper parcels of Sarah’s baked treats tied with ribbon and sprigs of holly. The knitted scarves, mittens, and stockings, and small pots of preserves. Emily also planned to buy imported sweet oranges to add to their offerings as soon as she finished an editing project for the local publisher.
They had decided to include simple cards, so artistic Claire had brought over her art supplies to help with the project. While Claire drew the outlines of holly, ivy, and candles ringed in evergreens, Georgie, Effie, and Mira happily colored them in and folded the cards.
They made extra to take to ailing Mrs. Limbrick. They added a few additional items, including a quantity of wheat, which was quite expensive, to this final basket that they would deliver to the woman that very day.
Mr. Henshall assisted them throughout, carrying trays of bakedgoods from the workroom belowstairs, sorting supplies, and tying parcels. Without fanfare, he contributed coins for the enterprise as well.
Sarah was impressed. “Very generous, thank you.”
He shrugged off her praise. “’Tis only a trifle.”
“Not to them, it won’t be. And not to me.”
He held her gaze. “Then I am glad to do it.”
She became aware of her sisters watching them with eager expressions and turned away to busy herself elsewhere.
While the others finished the preparations for the poor house, Georgiana and Mamma set out to visit Mrs. Limbrick. Georgiana carried the basket, and Chips trotted along at her side.
The woman lived in The Retreat, a lodging house on Church Street in a less affluent part of Sidmouth with no view of the sea.
Inside the house, the smells of damp and cabbage met them. They found the door markedDat the end of the passageway and knocked.
The door opened more quickly than Georgiana would have expected. A young girl stood there, looking up at them in surprise. A familiar girl.
