As Miss Ethel thought about the suggestion, Ella Grace said a silent prayer asking forgiveness for using Widow Wallace as the reason she didn’t want all the letters arriving at her house.
Miss Ethel slapped the table with her hand causing Ella Grace to jump and return her attention to her beloved guardian. “That’s it. The letters will go to the Inn, and no one will know. It isn’t unreasonable that Michael would receive letters from a newspaper.”
Ella Grace could only nod in agreement while reaching for another cookie. Miss Ethel was right about more than the mail. If she ate a cookie every time she felt some stress, she would never fit in her dresses, new or not.
Handing the letter to Ella Grace, Miss Ethel said, “You can take this to the Inn and add it to their mail. Widow Wallace will never know, and you can explain it all to Michael. I should run before Edie comes back home.”
“Wait, Miss Ethel, what do I do when the letters arrive?”
“Hmmm, read them of course and pick out the best ones. Then you can stop over and give them to me. I’ll answer them,” Miss Ethel suggested.
Not wanting to bear all that responsibility alone, Ella Grace said, “Since Katie is also looking for a husband, I’d like to ask her to read the letters, too. She will keep the secret.”
“Excellent idea. I know Katie will keep our secret. I have a better idea. You and Katie answer the letters and that way Edie will never suspect. All right. I’m off home before Edie returns although it might take her a bit longer. She did say she was going to give Michael a piece of her mind.”
Trying to speak but only being able to nod, Ella Grace stood there silently before an idea came to her. “If Miss Edie is going to have a husband, don’t you think she should begin to dress in more than the black you’re both wearing. I know it’s only been a little over six months, but she needs to have a brighter wardrobe, and you know she won’t unless you do.”
“Yes, I agree, and I think Edward would understand that we still mourn but can wear more than black. I will talk to her this evening. Have a good afternoon, dear.”
Ella Grace hugged her guardian wondering how she managed to get into the middle of this. At least she convinced Miss Ethel to stop wearing black. The younger girls felt sad after losing Mr. Edward but seeing Miss Ethel and Miss Edie in black every day added to their sadness.
She had to explain it all to Michael. Maybe he wouldn’t mind since she wasn’t running around town. She could keep this secret and stay at home the way he wants. She bid Miss Ethel goodbye and placed her favorite hat on her head before checking herself in the mirror. She needed to look her best when she tried to convince her husband to keep the secrets.
Ella Grace closed the door behind her and walked deliberately down the street slowly and carefully the way Michael suggested. He worried about her tripping and falling. He worried about everything. She wanted to run to Howard House and find Katie to share the secret, but first she had to go to the Inn and tell Michael what she was doing.
Chapter Three
Katie cleared away the dishes from the tea and pie and carefully folded the copy of the Grooms’ Gazette and slipped it into her pocket. Apprehensive about what replies, if any, she might receive, not to mention the friend of Michael’s arriving on Monday’s train, she did the best to push it all from her mind when she heard the twins cry.
As usual, Rosie and Ivy were the first to run to the new infants’ sides when they began to cry. They were enthralled by the tiny babies that looked as identical as they did. They helped Katie with diapers and never complained when they needed to take away a dirty diaper. They did their best to bottle feed their new sisters and sang softly to them when they cried.
Ivy, the quieter of the two, whispered to Rosie, “Ask her.”
“Ask me what?” Katie said.
Rosie usually the more talkative and inquisitive shuffled from one foot to another. “Ivy and me were talking.”
“Ivy and I,” Katie corrected.
“Umm, yeah, Ivy and I were talking about the babies. We were wonderin’ if their mama is in Heaven with our mama and if they know each other. You told us that our mama always watches over us. We thought if we prayed and asked God to let our mama tell Sophie and Josie’s mama that they will be happy here that she would be happy. We don’t know if she knows she can watch over them from Heaven, too.”
Katie fought back the tears listening to the small five-year-old child showing such great concern for her new sisters.
Katie squatted in front of the twins and hugged them tightly. “I’m sure Sophie and Josie’s mama knows she can watch over her girls just like your mama watches over you, but you can always ask God to watch over all of you. He loves each of you.”
Ivy nodded her head, and Rosie said, “I’m happy that the babies are here. If you have a mama that has to go to Heaven, this is the best place to be.”
That brought a new wave of tears to Katie’s eyes. She silently thanked God for bringing the twins to Howard House. If not for them, she would be on her way to Portland and a life away from these adorable children. That
