âYou have. How is the poor girl?â
âLost her tongue,â Jonas said sadly. âAnd she wants to see her sister.â
âOf course,â Flora nodded. âNell is missing Emmie too. The sooner their futures are settled, the better.â
They turned towards the cemetery gates. Jonas scratched his beard.
âWhat will become of Nell?â he asked.
Flora turned to him in surprise. âSheâll continue to live with me, of course. Sheâs been doing so since Christmas, thank God, or she might not be alive today. Nellâs a bright girl, if a bit wilful, but she gets along well enough with my housekeeper, Mrs Raine. As my ward, she will leam book-keeping and clerking, so one day she can support herself.â
âNot ganinâ on the stage then?â Rab said wryly.
Flora snorted. âIâll make sure she keeps her feet on the ground.â
At the gates, she turned to shake their hands. âYouâre good people. Thank you for what youâve done for Emmie. Once she comes to live with me and Nell, Iâll see she gets the best schooling and plenty of exercise. Perhaps we can come and visit from time to time?â
Jonas and Rab gawped at her. âLive with you?â Jonas queried. âIs that what Mary wanted?â
Flora nodded. âIn a way. She wanted her daughters to stay together - thatâs what she wanted above everything. And Nell wants her sister back too.â
Jonas said gruffly, âItâs just weâve grown very fond of the wee lass.â
âI know,â Flora sympathised. âBut no one expected you to take her on for ever. Youâve your own family to think about. I have no family - thereâs room for the two girls at my house and I can provide for them.â
She looked at the two men, surprised at their looks of dismay. âYou did say Emmie wanted to be with Nell again, didnât you?â
âAye,â Jonas conceded.
âWeâll come and fetch her next Saturday. Itâll be easier once Emmie and Nell see each other again,â Flora encouraged.
The men trudged home, subdued.
âWhat gives the doctor the right to decide Emmieâs future?â Rab was indignant. âBoasting about her housekeeper and a bigger wage.â
âSheâs right,â Jonas answered sadly. âThe lassies should stay together.â
âEmmie should have a say in where she lives,â Rab protested. âSheâs not a possession to pass around.â
âWe knew she wouldnât be with us for ever,â Jonas warned. âDonât you go stirring things up and making it harder for her to leave.â
The MacRaes did not tell Emmie that night that she would be leaving Crawdene for good. Somehow they could not bring themselves to say it. She brightened at the news that Dr Jameson and Nell would be visiting the following Saturday. On Monday, she went back to school, her large sad eyes like deep pools in her pale face.
At tea time she seemed brighter, chattering to Helen as she helped set the table.
âMiss Downs says I can join in the races at Whit, now Iâve got me strength back. Will you come and watch, Auntie Helen?â
Helen turned from the stove with a heavy heart.
âSit down a minute, pet,â she said quietly. Only Peter was in the house. She knew it had been left up to her to break the news. She pulled Emmie on to the horsehair sofa, explaining how the doctor and Nell wished for her to go and live with them.
âYouâll live in a grand house again - just like your mam and dad did when you were little. Itâs what your mam wouldâve wanted. And youâll be with Nell - and the kind doctor. Sheâll make sure you gan to a good school and learn your lessons.â
Emmieâs eyes welled with tears.
âBut I like it here. Auntie Helen,â she said in bewilderment. âWhy canât Nell come and live here with us?â
Helen sighed.
S.C. Rosemary, S.N. Hawke