“It doesn’t matter. They’re so close to each other, they never had room for their little sister.” She gave her head a shake. “But I had Gerrit and Cilla, and we had such fun. As I said, I was always happy here.”
Tante Margriet’s eyes twinkled above the rim of her teacup. “Have you forgotten your first summer here without your parents?”
“I remember it well.” At eight, she’d finally joined the cousins for a month at Bentley Hall. “It was the most delightful adventure.”
“Ah, you have forgotten. Your first week, at least.”
Aleida frowned. “I was so excited to come. I felt grown up.”
“Until bedtime. Then you cried for your mother. I couldn’t console you. After a few days, I wanted to take you home, but James believed you’d adjust. In a week or so, you did. When the time came to leave, you cried once again. You wanted to stay here forever, you said.”
Aleida did remember the sadness, repeated at the end of each summer. But her initial homesickness had faded from memory, faded in the brightness of her aunt and uncle’s love, the adventures with her cousins, and the beautiful countryside.
Tante Margriet smiled, and the skin around her eyes folded in amused lines. “How quickly children adapt.”
Like a slug to her chest.
Theo.
Had he adapted? The Randolphs cared for him well, the Warwicks had insisted. Mr. Randolph said that Theo’s nightmares had passed, that he was learning English, learning to laugh again.
Theo was happy.
If Aleida found him, would he miss the Randolphs andcry for them? Would he want to return to them? Would he be happy going away with a mother who had faded from his memory?
“Lunch is served.” Mrs. Swinton peeked out the side door.
“Thank you.” Tante Margriet patted Aleida’s arm. “Come eat, Schatje. You look like you need a solid meal.”
This time Aleida couldn’t find a smile, but she followed her aunt into the sitting room. In the corner, the wireless played.
“The German plane is coming on another run.” Hugh’s voice spoke on the wireless, bright as ever, and strident. “But our merchant vessel is no sitting duck. Hear our guns? Oh! That was closer than I like. Those Nazi bombs missed though, thanks to our boys and their antiaircraft guns. All that German steel lost at sea, where it can never—”
“Oh dear.” Tante Margriet marched to the wireless set. “Your Uncle James forgot to turn it off again. He’s very concerned about the German invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia.”
“No!” The volume of Aleida’s voice surprised her. “Don’t turn it off. I—I’ll catch up with you.”
“All right.” Tante Margriet frowned but left Aleida alone.
Alone with Hugh’s voice. Hugh at sea somewhere, under attack.
Aleida pressed her hand to her chest and drew near to the wireless set.
“A thin gray plume twists away from one of the bomber’s four engines. Excellent shooting, chaps.” Elated masculine laughter rang out in the background. “Yes, even if they didn’t shoot down that Fw 200, they sent it home. That bomber won’t harass any more British ships today.”
Aleida rubbed the polished wood of the cabinet, savoring Hugh’s voice.
How she missed him.
Over the past six weeks, her anger had waned. Hugh hadn’t ordered her to abandon her son. He hadn’t stripped Theo fromher arms. He’d merely suggested she consider giving up the search.
For that, she’d thrust him out of her life. She’d lost a good man.
“On this Easter weekend,” Hugh said, his voice low and serious, “as we commemorate the selfless sacrifice of our Savior, take a moment to remember the selflessness and sacrifice of the courageous men of our merchant navy.”
Aleida’s legs almost gave way, and she planted both hands on the cabinet for support.
The Father had sacrificed his beloved Son. The Son had laid down his life for the world he loved.
