“We were here,” announced Ivy, as happy as Ian could ever remember seeing her. “It’s been a great many years since Mama has allowed us to adorn her. Adornment was frowned upon at T.O.E. As was sitting in the grass.”
Timothea closed her eye, but she arced up her hand and found Ivy’s. Enlacing their fingers, she held her daughter’s hand.
“I’m glad you enjoyed Hampstead,” said Drew. “If you like, we can make a point to come every week.”
“What birds did you see?” challenged Imogene.
“We saw a Rhine-Nosed Parapet,” said Ian.
“A ring-necked parakeet,” Drew corrected.
“That’s what I said.”
Ivy giggled, but Imogene narrowed her eyes. “Your hair is askew,AuntMiss Trelayne.”
“You may simply refer to me as Drew, if you like, Imogene. And what of your hair, I wonder?”
“Let me guess,” recited Imogene, “proper ladies do not weave bits of the park into their hair. Proper ladies would never even remove their hats.”
“But whereareyour hats, do you know?” asked Drew, scanning the park with a hand over her eyes. “I should think a pleasant afternoon in the company of your mother, enjoying a favorite activity, takes precedence over what we may or may not do to our hair. Or our hats. Oh, I see them. And you’ve removed your shoes as well?”
Ian followed her gaze to a nearby bench, under which lay three pairs of shoes, a pile of stockings, and two hats.
“We wanted to feel the grass in our toes,” reported Ivy, sliding bare feet from beneath the hem of her dress.
“So you did,” said Drew. “Never let it be said that we did not commune with nature today.”
“Agreed,” said Ian, and she gave a tiny, barely perceptible start. She took a deep breath.
“If Lady Tribble is amenable,” Drew continued, “let us collect our things and return to Pollen Street before the evening chill sets in. We’ve missed afternoon lessons for today, but there is dinner to be eaten and books to be read around the fire. Oh, and tomorrow is an important day, isn’t it? Kew Palace? Properly meeting Princess Cynde and Prince Adolphus in their Throne Room. We’ll need to review what’s expected of an audience with a royal prince and princess.”
Ian frowned. He’d actually elected to forget this. Adolphus. Princess Cynde. Go again through the motions of the crowded antechamber and throne room. He sighed, dreading the overblown, extenuated ordeal of it all.
“Will you leave me?” asked Timothea, not opening hereyes. “I’m feeling the rotation of the earth. Right this very moment. It spins ever so slowly and I amabsorbingit.”
“No, Mama,” complained Ivy, looking worried, “we must return home together. Perhaps we’ve enjoyed enough rotation for one day?”
“Yes,” said Ian, stooping. “Home. With us. Up you go.” He snatched his sister’s hand from the grass and recovered the other from Ivy. With a gentle yank, he pulled his sister from the grass. She came up in a stiff line, like a trap door opening from the cellar.
“Oh, Mama,” sighed Ivy, “how magical you look.”
“Thank you, Vee.” She patted her hair and smoothed her skirt. “What a winning idea this was, Miss Trelayne—Hampstead. I endorse a weekly sojourn.”
“Likewise,” Ian said, and he winked at his wife.
“Girls,” said Drew, blushing and turning away, “let us collect your hats and shoes? Lady Tribble, do not trouble yourself. The girls will fetch them.”
“I prefer to feel my bare feet on nature’s carpet, Miss Trelayne,” informed Timothea, allowing Ian to lead her to the carriage.
“Will no one call her Drewsmina?” muttered Ian. “Or Drew as she’s suggested? We are married, for all that.”
“We are all deciding who she is within the family, Ian,” instructed Timothea. “Let her find her place for each of us, and we’ll find our place for her. Only then will we know how to call her.”
“Quite,” Ian said, and he glanced back at his wife. She was laughing as the twins zigzagged before her, arms filled with shoes and hats, stockings streaming behind them.
He glanced at his sister. Perhaps Timmie was correct. He didn’t know her place in the house or his place with her. She’d been a member of staff as late as last week. Was that the confusion?
“Timothea,” he asked. “Do you remember a time, any time at all, when Mother and Father seemed to share anything like... likelove?”
