Torin sank into the sofa, still holding the felt letterJin one hand and Ivy’s photograph in the other. “Logically, I know you’re right. Jewel needs more than I can give her. But my heart...” Old pain seized him, and he looked into Cora’s gray eyes. “I’m afraid, Cora. Jewel’s so vulnerable. What if people are cruel? What if they hurt her?”
She sat on the sofa a respectable ten inches away and gently placed a hand on his arm. “You’ve done such a wonderful job protecting Jewel. No one could love her more. But Jewel’sgrowing up. She needs to experience more of the world—in a safe, controlled way.”
“With your friend as her guide?”
“Ivy would be perfect. She’s gentle but not weak, educated but not condescending. And—” Cora smiled “—she desperately needs a fresh start somewhere far from New York.”
People usually need fresh starts from bad endings.“What happened to her?” he asked, surprised to feel concern for a stranger.
“Nothing dramatic.” Cora shrugged. “Just a father who treats his daughters like unpaid servants and refuses to let them have lives of their own. She’s withering there, Torin. Here, she could bloom. And she could help Jewel blossom, too.”
He was quiet for a long moment, absently rubbing his thumb over the soft felt, somewhat tempted, but still sure that their seclusion was more important.
From down the hall came the sound of Jewel stirring from her nap, humming tunelessly.
“I just want to protect her.”
“So does every loving father of daughters. She glanced at the clock. “But the truth is…life is full of tribulations and sorrow. Every girl, every woman, has to learn to cope with suffering. That must be part of Jewel’s journey, too.”
He shook his head. “Children who are Mongoloid die young.”
“I know.”
He rubbed his forehead. “Jewel’s already lived years beyond what’s expected. She probably won’t mature to the age of a normal woman. During the course of her short life, I can keep Jewel from ever being hurt by others.”
Tilting her head, she squeezed his arm. “But is that truly living?”
My daughter has a good life, he wanted to protest.She’s surrounded by love, even if that love only comes from a fewpeople. But he didn’t say anything, knowing he’d recently added Cora to the small circle of people who loved Jewel, and she’d probably point that out.
Silence lingered.
He studied Ivy’s photograph. Hard to tell from a formal pose without color, but she did appear pretty and kind.But so had Mary Beth.“I need to think about it,” he said, suddenly weary of the silent battle he’d fought in the twelve years since Jewel’s birth. He met Cora’s gaze. “It’s not just my life that would change.”
“I’ve known Ivy since we were younger than Jewel. I promise with my whole heart that she’s a kind woman. She’ll fall in love with Jewel, just like we all have.” She brought her hands together in a pleading gesture. “Please, Torin, promise you’ll really consider having her teach Jewel.”
“I will.” He stood as his daughter’s humming grew louder. “She’s awake. Would you like to give her theJ,yourself?”
“I would love to.”
Jewel emerged from her room, sleepy-eyed, her mink-brown hair adorably mussed, a worn rag doll tucked under her arm. When she saw Cora, her face lit up, and she walked over to them. “Cor-a! See Sas-ee now?”
Despite his mood, he smiled at his child, knowing that one of Sassy’s littermates was destined to become Jewel’s beloved puppy.She’ll have a dog. She won’t need a governess.
“Soon, sweetheart. But first, I have something special for you.” Cora knelt and held out the puffy cloth letter.
Jewel set her doll on the sofa and reached for the letter with both hands, her eyes wide with wonder.
“J,” Cora pronounced clearly. “A pinkJfor Jewel.”
“Jay,” Jewel repeated, hugging the letter to her chest. “Jewel’s Jay!”
“That’s right. Your very own letter.”
Jewel clumsily danced in a circle, clutching her treasure. Then she stopped and looked at her father with sudden worry pinching her forehead. “Pa-pa have let-ter?”
“P for Papa,” Torin said, his voice thickening at his daughter’s solicitude. “Maybe Miss Cora’s friend, Miss Ivy, can make me one, too.”
“If you decide you’d like that,” Cora said carefully, standing.
