Olivia leaned forward, her elbows on the table edge.“Who are your friends, Cat?”
“Well, my best friend is Sarah—”
“She’s the Irish one,” Jillian interrupted, sounding a tad smug.
Cat smiled.“That’s right.You listened.”
“I pay attention to everything.Go on.”
Rhys cleared his throat in warning.Jillian gave her head a toss.
Cat hid her smile.“I had friends at the university, and then over time some of Sarah’s friends became mine.”
“What about a boyfriend?”Olivia asked.“Do you have one?”
Cat shook her head regretfully.“I don’t.”
“Why not?”
“I was too busy studying.”Cat’s shoulders lifted and fell.“And I was happy with my circle of friends.We always had fun on weekends, so I was never lonely.”
Olivia frowned, her eyebrows tugging together.“But don’t you want to get married?”
Cat was suddenly very conscious that she had everyone’s attention and Rhys’s focus was just as intent as the girls.“Someday,” she flushed, unsettled and shy.“When it’s right.”
*
Rhys was goneagain early the next morning, but not before making a big pot of coffee and porridge, leaving syrup and raisins on the counter with a note,Don’t let them tell you they don’t eat this.They do.
Cat smiled and poured her coffee and soon the girls were awake, yawning and stretching, as well as shivering as they came into the kitchen to get warm by the stove.
The girls didn’t protest that breakfast was porridge, but Olivia did want sliced bananas on hers, and Jillian asked for a sprinkle of cinnamon.Cat had the oatmeal with them, and they discussed their plans for the day.
“I need those groceries,” she said.“I thought we could walk into Bakewell, do our shopping, maybe stop by the bakery, and then return home.It’s chilly and damp out, but fortunately not icy.I thought if we leave at nine, we could be back by ten thirty, so not gone too long, and it should also give you time to make your beds, brush your teeth and get your coats on.”
“Can we just watch another movie?”Olivia asked.
“Not first thing,” Cat answered.“I promised your dad that we would go out every day for some exercise.Walking into Bakewell would certainly count as exercise, and we could pick up a treat to bring home.”
Jillian groaned.“It’s too cold to go outside.It’s winter.”
“I know, but if we walk briskly, we’ll quickly warm up.”
“But then we have to help carry the groceries home, don’t we?”Jillian answered.
“I would like your help; it makes it easier for me, but if that sounds too strenuous, Jillian, you can carry the quality cocoa.Olivia, you carry the marshmallows.And I’ll do the rest.”
Jillian wrinkled her nose.“That doesn’t sound very fair.”
“No, but I don’t want you to think I’m treating you like servants, when I’m the only servant—”
“You’re not!”Olivia interrupted, shocked.“You’re not a servant.You’re my friend.And we will carry whatever we can.”She looked at her sister.“Right, Jilly?”
“What if we wait for Dad to come home?”Jillian asked after a moment.“Then he can drive us.”
“And what would we do for exercise then?”Cat asked.“I suppose we could do some calisthenics here.”
Olivia made a face.“What are calisthenics?”
