“Where’s Grandmama?” Alfie asked, sidling up to his cousin Kate.
“Napping.” Kate looked just like her father—dark hair and a serious profile. But when she smiled, she seemed more impish than that man ever could. Then she resembled no one more than her mother. “Henry’s been able to keep quiet. She’s no idea you all are arriving today.”
Clara found Atlas’s side and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Happy to be home?”
He sighed. “Quite.” He raised her hand, kissed the knuckles. “Quite. Let’s not leave again for a long, long time.”
“Did you get what you need?” she asked, a quiet question as she turned her face into her husband’s warmth and strength.
“I didn’t need it anymore.” He kissed the top of her head. “The day I met you, I began to be better. But I’m glad we went. If only for Alfie’s sake. How we’re going to keep him from returning to those damn mountains, I’ll never know.”
She laughed. “I don’t think we can prevent it if it’s what he wants.”
“Dangerous,” Atlas muttered.
It was, but?—
A wail ripped through the air. But not the sad kind. Through the years, Clara had tried to find another word to describe that particular tone of Franny’s.Wailseemed too sad a thing for it. But it was not a holler, nor could it be called a shout or a cry. It wavered through the air too long for that. Perhaps it could be defined as a squeal, but it never squeaked high enough for that.So even though it lacked the mournful quality of a true wail, Clara could think of it as nothing else. Franny simply wailed when she was happy, loud and long, and everyone assembled on the drive in the spring sun cupped hands over their ears.
Franny dove through the crowd, parting it with ease, and flung herself at Atlas. “You’ve come home! I knew you would. I had a dream last night. And the night before.” She pushed out of her son’s arms and hugged Clara then she looked around the crowd. “Where is my boy? Ah!” She darted toward Alfie, hugged him tight. He hugged her back, but not for long. Mary and Grace threw themselves at their grandmother’s legs, almost toppling her.
Atlas pulled Mary back by the ribbon tied round her waist. “Careful, love.”
“No need for caution,” Franny scoffed. She clapped her hands. “What a beautiful birthday present. Which one of you planned this?”
“You weren’t supposed to find out.” Kate huffed. “Not till later. There’s to be a dinner tonight.”
“Then I shall pretend I know nothing. But you cannot keep secrets from a woman like me. My mind grows keener with age.”
“I had a dream last night, Grandmama.” Mary tugged her grandmother’s skirts.
“And what was it about?”
“A house. The dower house.”
Franny’s mouth parted slightly, and she shared a glance with Raph. He scowled, but Franny grinned. “I knew you had the sight. Merry does, too, of course, and Henry and the twins.” Drew’s identical twin daughters shared a look, shrugged. “But you’ll listen to it, won’t you?”
Mary nodded then furrowed her brow. “If it’s thesight, how can Ihearit?”
Franny laughed. “I suppose there’s no keeping my secret anymore.”
“Would someone tell me what you’re talking about?” Atlas demanded.
“I was going to tell you tomorrow,” Raph said, “but I don’t see why we can’t tell you now. Would you like to, Mother?”
She shook her head, looked on with shining eyes.
Raph sighed. “The dower house is yours.”
“What?” Clara supplied the word of incredulity because Atlas seemed unable to.
“If you want it. The previous tenant left while you were away, and we all agreed—we don’t need the money anymore. And you’ve put so much of yourself into the place… it’s yours. You’ve put so much of yourself into us, all of us, you deserve it.”
When Atlas opened his mouth, Clara feared he’d refuse the gift, but he shaped those kissable lips into a grin, and said, “I’ll take it.”
Franny tugged him down to her height and kissed his cheek. “What a sensible son I have. Now!” She raised to her full height. “Everyone inside! I’d like to start celebrating my life now, if you please.”
The children laughed and tumbled inside beside their parents, but when Clara moved to join them, Atlas held her back.
