“If weather permits, Inga Swensen will take it when she goes to school. Just leave the letter on the little table outside on the porch.”
“Who is Inga Swensen?”
“The oldest daughter of a lovely family up the mountain. The nearest neighbors. As poor as church mice. Subsistence living. Very proud, so to help them requires some scheming. When she and her sisters are able to get down the mountain to attend school, she brings back mail. All she knows about Torin is that he’s a shy hermit and to avoid him.”
“I can survive three weeks without you. But I do feel relieved that we’ll be able to write.”
“Three weeks if the baby comes on time. Longer if the birth is late,” Cora warned.
“I’ll pray for safe and early.”
“You and Uncle Andre. He wants me back in town as soon as possible so I can be present for Delia’s laying in. He’s more nervous than Reverend Joshua. Of course, Reverend Joshua has been through this with Micah’s birth.”
“Remember,” Ivy touched Cora’s arm, “Mr. Bellaire didn’t know Delia’s mother was pregnant. His daughter just emerged into his life as a fully formed adult.” She secretly thought thestory of how father and daughter discovered each other was as fascinating as any fairytale.
Cora chuckled. “So you’re saying Uncle Andre’s doing double duty with Delia’s baby.”
“Double generational duty,” Ivy corrected. She sniffed. “I smell roses.”
“Delia dried petals from the roses in Mr. Bellaire’s conservatory. Aunt Rose made them into sachets. I knew she’d want you to have some. One is under your pillow and one in each drawer.”
For the first time, Ivy felt qualms, well,new qualms, about the secretive life she’d be living. In their conversations last night, Cora’s frequent mentions of Aunt Rose and her new husband, Andre Bellaire, and all of his family members sounded wonderful. She knew Rose and had met Mr. Bellaire several times at Mr. Collier’s house before the man moved away from New York. With a stab of sadness, Ivy realized she wouldn’thave a chance to meet the rest of the family—to become friends.
Right now, Cora was too caught up with the giddiness of Ivy’s arrival. Perhaps, up until recently, the two of them in the same town didn’t seem real. But soon, her friend would be withholding the truth about Ivy’s presence from her family or, even worse, lying.
Ivyknewthat would not sit well with Cora.Or with me.
We certainly are in a pickle.
Cora glanced at her, and her brow wrinkled again. “What?”
“It’s going to be hard not to see your Aunt Rose. She was always so kind to me. And to meet your Uncle Andre again. Become introduced to dear Micah, Reverend Joshua, and Delia. Hold their baby when she’s born, if she’s a girl like you all believe. The elder Nortons…”
Consternation flitted across Cora’s expressive face. “I didn’t want to bring this up yet. But I have a plan.”
“Of course, you do,” Ivy said wryly. One thing she knew about Cora; shealwayshad plans upon plans.
Cora pretended not to hear her. “I don’t know if Torin realizes how much he’s changed in these past eight or nine months. After ten or so years of isolation, Elsie, Dr. Angus, and Constance barged into his life. Then I came along. Oh, and Brian brought Sassy home from the Harvest Festival. Can you believe in all their years of living here, none of the three men had a dog?”
Ivy rolled her eyes. “You and I never had dogs, either.”
“I think you’ll be the one to change Torin’s mindset,” Cora plunged on. “To help him open up to the idea of including other people. But first, he’ll need to trust you. Until he does, he won’t be able to move on to the next step.”
“Which is…?”
“I don’t know for sure. But I know thefinalstep is him bringing Jewel to town. Maybe you all will come to the Bellaire-Norton mansion for a visit.”
Ivy thought of the shadows in Torin’s eyes, how adamant he’d been about remaining a recluse, and let out a long breath. “That would bewonderful…andtake a miracle.”
Cora leaned over to hug Ivy. “And I’ll pray that God will help you bring about that very miracle.”
6
Ivy and Cora emerged from the bedroom just as the two men came down the hallway.
Her employer passed by first, lugging a large, rectangular basket.
Brian, still in his coat, hefted a trunk. “The other one’s by the door. I’ll get it in a minute.”
