Caroline couldn’t believe her ears. Her husband had just said that he was unable to sire children, and yet she was pregnant with his child. He said he saw a specialist, a doctor, who had told him that it was unlikely. If the man was here she would give him a good piece of her mind. Then she’d throw up on him! Because there was no other man in the world who could be the father of this child.

And her poor husband… The man had held her just moments ago, while she tossed up what felt like an entire pot of that horrid herbal concoction she’d been told to drink. While it might not have been quite the enormous quantity that it felt to her, her husband had been quite the soldier. He never cringed or ran from her while she was in distress. No. He rubbed her back and told her everything would be fine after she vomited on his favorite winter dressing gown.

Now, here he was handing her a letter he’d written to her, as he held hers to him.

She couldn’t believe the epistle he’d written her. She only gave him two sentences. Of course, she’d drawn hearts and flowers around the edges of the paper and made it look Valentine-appropriate. Being a man, Trey—hadn’t. But that had nothing to do with the content of his letter. Because he was a very romantic former cavalryman. She looked down at the letter in her lap and started reading.

My Darling Caroline,

I cannot begin to quantify the extent of my love for you. It has grown more with each day and I believe it will grow more with each day we are blessed to be together. I know how much you love children and I have wanted nothing more than to share the love we have with children of our own.

But it appears now that my ability to sire any children has been taken from me by the injury and subsequent fever I sustained in the war. There have been times this past week since learning of my changed condition, that I wished I’d died on that battlefield rather than have to tell you this sad news.

He wished he’d died! How could even think such a thing? They could always adopt children. And he wished he’d died! That was frightening to the extreme. Caroline would rather have a husband who had been maimed and alive, as opposed to dead. She continued reading. She wanted to finish the letter before she commented on what he’d written.

It has devastated me as much as I’m sure it will you, because I wanted nothing more than to be able to give you that house filled with children that you have always wanted.

While I was in Edinburgh, I met with a friend of mine who introduced me to his sister, who is the director of an orphanage run by the Presbyterians. I learned that there is a family of seven girls who are in desperate need of a mother and father. If this is a path you would consider, we could have that family, if you would be willing to adopt seven girls, all at once. The youngest is just turned two years, and the eldest is about to turn fourteen. Our decision needs to be made very soon, as they are about to be separated because the older girl must leave the orphanage for a work house now.

I have asked the director, Mrs. Donalson, to please wait for my reply before saying anything to the girls or separating them. I would not want them to suffer the pain of separation or to give them possibly false hope, until we came to a decision.

That’s the husband she loved! He would see a situation and know that they could be of service, but more than that… He was willing to accept and love children not theirs by blood. Her heart just swelled with pride for his loving nature. They were truly two halves of one being, and she loved him no matter what he’d kept secret from her.

I pray that you forgive me for not telling you the truth of why I had to go to Scotland in January. I pray that we can get over this disappointment of not having children of our own blood. But more than anything, I pray that you can accept the fact that I would love children not of my seed as much as if they were our natural children. Caroline, you are my heart, I would never want to go down this road called life with any other woman.

No matter your answer, you will forever have my love.

Always,

Trey

A single teardrop fell onto his signature, spreading the blue-black ink through the fibers of the high quality paper he’d used. She looked up at him and nodded her head when she looked at his questioning eyes. He leaned over the bed and kissed her cheek.

“Are you certain about… a babe?” His voice sounded odd,

“Without a doubt.” She gave him a confident grin. “I have all the symptoms. The midwife from Lincoln has been here, and she concurred. Do you know how hard it has been to keep this from my mother while you were gone? She wanted to call a physician because I’ve told her I’ve been plagued with a stomach upset. The past few days I’ve had to pretend to be contagious because she came here to see for herself. She has no idea.”

“I can send a letter to Mrs. Donalson. She will understand the change of heart because of your—”

“No!” She pushed away from his arms so she could see his face. “You haven’t given me a chance to tell you. I want to give the girls a home. They need us, and we shall adopt them. We can leave for Scotland in a few weeks, when the weather warms a bit and the roads aren’t so bad. Meanwhile—”

“Caroline, Mrs. Donalson can bring the girls to us. All I have to do is send her a letter. But… Are you certain? I mean, you’ve been sick.”

“I’m not sick, Trey. I’m just pregnant.” She couldn’t believe the man. He would label her an invalid just because she carried his child. Admittedly, when she was in the midst of throwing up last night’s dinner before this morning’s breakfast, she felt rather like an invalid, but once it was done, she felt fine. “And I can manage children. All they really want is reassurance that you really care about them, and you’ll be there for them. Give them guidance and set boundaries, educate them, and you’ll see—they grow up wonderfully.”

“Are you sure you’re feeling up to it?”

“I am actually getting better, thanks to that herbal concoction that I drink every morning.” She gave him a sheepish look. “It doesn’t always stay down. But the midwife, Mrs. Metcalfe, said that as time passes, keeping that disgusting tea mixture down would get easier. And it has.”

Her stomach roiled again just thinking of the horrible taste. “Just not this morning.” She scooted to the edge of the bed, and put her feet over. “Mrs. Metcalfe said the morning sickness usually goes away after the third month.”

“And when is that?” Her husband handed her the bed jacket she kept at the foot of the bed.

“A few weeks, maybe a month.” She was mentally making a list of the things she needed to do, the letters she needed to write now that she’d finally told her husband, even if it was a day early.

“That far… Caroline! This is wonderful news!” He kissed her on the cheek, and she grinned.

“I know! It’s exciting, isn’t it?” She searched the floor on his side of the bed, found her slippers, and put them on her feet. “Can you call for Nelly, please? I need to get dressed for the day. Oh, my… I have letters to write.”

“Take it slow and easy, please, sweetheart. You’re carrying our child.” Her husband started to laugh, much like she’d been laughing earlier, except his was more nervous laughter. “You are carrying our child! Caroline! A baby! I had all but given up hope.”

After her mother told her of her difficulties conceiving, she thought she also might have an issue getting with child. But she didn’t need to worry about it now, she was going to have a babe and seven daughters!

“So much for your specialist, hmm?”

She pulled the bell her husband had forgotten she’d asked him to do. “I have work to do. What are the girls’ names? And my parents— Mother— I have to send for her. They will be so happy. And surprised.”

“Caroline, slow down. Do not over-exert yourself.”

“Men!” Caroline rolled her eyes at him. He must think she was an invalid. If it weren’t for the morning sickness, and the occasional evening nausea, she felt fine. She entered her dressing room and the smell of Trey’s reeking dressing gown overwhelmed her in the warm room. She clapped her hand over her nose and mouth and cried, “Get that out of here, please.”

An hour later found her in her morning room, at her desk, composing the first of the many letters she wanted to write this day. The first was to her parents, to tell them that her husband had arrived safely, how much she loved them, and to tell them that she was going to make them grandparents later in the summer. She asked her mother’s forgiveness for not telling her first, because she wanted her husband to be the first to know about his child’s imminent arrival.

Trey had said he would take care of writing to the sister of his friend, the director of the orphanage, telling her of their decision. Meanwhile, Caroline wrote her next letter, the first one to the eldest of the girls, Rose.

She thought how she would address the letter, and decided to lead with her heart.

Dearest Rose,

My name is Caroline Wilson. I would like you to consider coming to live with my husband and me in Lincolnshire as our daughter. My husband and I would like to adopt you and all your sisters, and give you the opportunity to grow up together in a loving and caring household which I know we can provide for you.

We have no children as of yet, though I am expecting a babe in August. I feel you should know this, as I do not wish to enter into a relationship with you hiding anything. I believe I could be a good mother to you and your sisters, if you would give me a chance.

I grew up as an only child and always wanted siblings. As that never happened, I knew that one day I wanted many children. When my husband returned from Edinburgh last night he told me about the seven of you. He was in Mrs. Donalson’s office the day you all entered, upset over the possibility of being separated. I cannot blame you for being worried. The mere thought of having my family separated from me would make me beyond angry.

If you accept our offer, you will have two grandmothers and one grandfather, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins on my husband’s side of the family. We have a large home, with extensive grounds for you all to play.

I only ask one thing of you. Give us a chance to be a family. I have heard about your situation and for that I am very sorry. But know that if your father ever returned, we would expect Mrs. Donalson to tell him where you are. That is a promise I will make to you and all your sisters.

Please speak with your sisters. Read them this letter, and if you all agree, Mrs. Donalson will bring you all to us as soon as is possible for her. I hope you will write me and let me know your collective decision.

I await your reply,

Lady Caroline Randolph Wilson

Caroline handed Trey her letter to read as soon as she sanded the ink. He’d been sitting in a chair in her morning room while she wrote her notes. She thought he was hovering since he learned of her changed state, but she didn’t want to take that up with him just yet. Right now she almost enjoyed his attention, though she could see where that would quickly get tiresome.

“You write to her as though you’re writing to a friend, or another adult,” her husband said. “She’s a child. She doesn’t need to know you’re expecting a child.”

“I disagree. She knows what a pregnant woman goes through. Remember, she’s seen her own mother deliver most of her siblings.” Caroline folded the letter when Trey handed it back to her. “I want her to know that I will not differentiate between her and any natural born children we have. I do not think it fair to her to hide from her my condition.”

Trey handed her his letter to Mrs. Donalson, and Caroline read it. “This is very good.” Her husband had assured the woman of their joint enthusiasm at adopting the girls, and Caroline was again reminded of why she loved this man so much.

“I am sending her a draft of a hundred pounds to get the children each a few new clothes, shoes, and perhaps ribbons for their hair. It will also pay for their travel expenses as they come to us.”

“You think of everything. I knew there was a reason I married you,” she teased.

Mansell knocked on the door of her morning room, and before Caroline could call out for him to enter, the door burst open and her mother swept in and hugged her as she sat at her desk. Oh dear, she thought, here it came—all the petting, coddling and… interfering.

“I knew it! I knew it, I did! Why you didn’t tell me, I’ll never understand.”

“Because I thought it important to inform the father of my child that he would, in fact, become…” Her mother’s crushing embrace was suffocating her. Caroline extricated herself and finished. “That he would become a father.”

Her mother went to Trey and gave him hug, still talking at Caroline. “And that maid of yours lied to me when I asked her very pointedly, ‘Is my daughter carrying a child?’ and she just plain denied it.”

“Please, Mama, I asked her and Mrs. Greaves to keep it a secret so Trey could learn first.” One day soon, she was going to have sit down with her mother and discuss her lack of respect for boundaries. Caroline had been a married woman for almost two years now. She understood her mother’s concern while she was sick, especially after learning what she had that day back in January when she’d learned why she had no siblings. But she was not sick, and her mother needed to respect the relationship Caroline had with Trey. Her mother often treated them both as her children, and she wanted to resolve this before her babe was born. “I have even more wonderful news, mama.”

“Whatever could be more wonderful than becoming a grandmother, I’ll never know.” Caroline hoped her mother could manage with what she was about to learn. She was not just getting one grandchild, but eight!

“Trey and I will likely be adopting a family of girls who have been orphaned. They are in need of parents and—” She looked at her husband, and returned his smile. Caroline feared the news might was too much for her mother as her smile began to fade. “Trey and I think we will be the perfect parents for them.”

Her mother’s previous excitement was now gone. “Caroline, are you certain you can handle this? I mean, you will have a newborn soon, and—”

“—And that is why we want to bring them here and have them comfortably situated before the babe is born.” Her mother would always worry for Caroline first. She was her only child, Caroline understood this, her mother just needed to realize that she and Trey were capable of making decisions. Or, perhaps it was just Caroline she doubted was capable of being an adult.

“How many girls are you talking about? Two? Three? Hopefully they are older and will be able to help you with the babe.”

“No, they will not be baby nurses. They will be daughters. All seven of them.” Caroline wanted to make sure her mother understood this from the onset. These girls needed love and affection, education and direction. Just what she and Trey had to give. They wanted this together so very much.

“Seven!” The color drained from her mother’s cheeks.

Caroline rushed to taker her mother’s arm. She hadn’t thought the news would affect her so drastically, but then Mama was already overexcited about the news of the babe, so perhaps that explained it.

“I think… I might… need a chair.” Mama’s voice quavered as she groped behind her, as if reaching for a chair arm. Caroline helped her so she wouldn’t fall. It was possible that her mother was being a bit dramatic, though Caroline doubted it.

* * *

On a beautiful spring morning two months later, as new leaves were blooming on the trees and green shoots of future colorful garden plants were just starting to pop up out of the ground, Trey stood with Caroline at the base of his front steps, ready to greet the young ladies about to enter their new home for the first time. He hoped the girls were as happy to be coming here as he and Caroline were to finally have them here. The oldest girl, Rose, had written to Caroline and said that all seven of them had agreed to the adoption. Mrs. Donalson had also sent a letter stating she was confident that the path ahead was clear for adoption as her brother’s agent in Kentucky found no record of the girls’ father arriving in Frankfort with the party from Richmond. Trey was relieved to have that obstacle out of the way. Legally there was no barriers to adopting the children.

Because of this, he sent for his friend the earl of Camden so that there would be a legal record of adoption for their new daughters.

Caroline’s parents, Lord and Lady Randolph waited in the saloon, near the fire as the spring air still held a nip to it.

The two heavy traveling coaches rounded the curve to Oakwood, now visible to all the family and staff. Anxious now that the moment was upon them, Trey reached for Caroline’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Neither one of them slept much the night before, both nervous about the arrival of their new daughters. Of course, his wife had the added physical changes their child caused in her, and at night when he held her close, he could feel their babe move. Each time she complained about the babe moving, Trey thanked God for the child growing within her. He was infinitely grateful and thankful for his wife, and all their children.

“How do you feel?” He was going to have to be extra vigilant over her because his wife had a tendency to try tackling everything she had on her plate, and she usually succeeded with ease. But he didn’t want Caroline to risk her health or that of the babe by over-exerting herself. At five months along, Caroline wouldn’t appear to the average stranger to be carrying a child, but at night when he held her, he felt his babe cradled there in her womb. Lately the babe had been making his presence known, too. He’d told Caroline this was his son, and she laughed. She didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl, she’d told him. It was theirs, and that’s all she cared about. “Just as the seven flowers will be ours,” she’d added in her slumberous whisper just before falling back to sleep.

“I am so nervous about meeting these young ladies we are about to call our daughters.” She turned her face up to him. “Did you ask Lord Camden to come out this weekend? Will he bring the papers for Mrs. Donalson and us to sign?”

“I did, and he is.” Trey gave her a smile. “He and Elise will coming out with Charlotte.”

The lead coach was drawing nearer, and Caroline began to shiver. “Tell me again what each girl looks like so that I will know who is whom.”

“Are you cold, perhaps you should wait—”

“I will wait with you,” she insisted. “Now, how will I tell them apart?”

“I was never officially introduced. I just saw them—once—while I was seated in Mrs. Donalson’s office. But they were—” Trey struggled to find the right words. The group collectively reminded him of his childhood, as a middle child of eight, a third son with three brothers and four sisters, his siblings were his friends, co-conspirators in mischief and confidants. He sensed this in this group of sisters. “They’re all adorable and their personalities—what I could determine of the older girls’, reminded me of my sisters when I was a child—stubborn and determined. They are all reddish-blonde of some sort. One of the middle girls has a riot of curls, and— Well, you’ll soon see.”

The coaches pulled to a stop before the wide stone steps. Groomsmen rushed forward to hold horses while the coachmen stepped down from both vehicles. The steps were lowered and the doors opened. Mrs. Donalson was the first to disembark and she came forward to greet Trey and Caroline. Finally the little ones’ journey was over.

“Captain Wilson, it is a pleasure to meet again.” The woman’s warm smile and calm mien reassured him. After six days in a coach with seven little girls, the woman wasn’t ready to dump them on his porch and flee. She’d communicated in the last letter that the girls were happy to have found a situation where they were allowed to stay together. Trey knew the girls could be happy here if they would give him and Caroline a chance.

“Mrs. Donalson,” Trey said, “may I present my wife, Lady Caroline Randolph Wilson.” The woman greeted Caroline, and his wife immediately asked after her comfort and that of the children.

“The girls had never been in coach before,” Mrs. Donalson said, “so we had some settling issues early on, but once the girls learned not to request toilet breaks every ten minutes, we were able to make good time.

“I did bring one of the children’s nurses with whom the little ones are familiar. She is willing to remain, as she grew up a resident of the home and has no family. But if you have another nurse already, she can return with me.

“Now, let me start with the older girls who were riding with me.” She turned back to the first coach, and motioned to the occupants inside. “Come girls, there is nothing to fear.” Their hesitation to exit told him the girls were still uncomfortable with what was taking place. And he could easily understand their trepidation. A skirt shifted and someone moved toward the door. His military training told him this would be the bravest girl.

This was the oldest girl, Rose. She stood quietly behind Mrs. Donalson, and waited. The second, then the third girl came out. Mrs. Donalson went to the second coach and the three girls followed her. Trey couldn’t fault them. They likely felt safe with the woman.

At the second coach, the first to emerge was the nurse, then the toddler jumped into her arms. The nurse handed the little one off to her oldest sister and assisted the other three girls to the ground.

“Oh, Trey, you were right. One look at them and you can tell they are all sisters,” Caroline whispered. “I’m nervous.”

“It will be fine,” he reassured. If he were honest, he was as anxious as she. Except Trey had learned how to squash that fear and boldly go forward into any uncomfortable situation, not just battle. “I’m learning about them right alongside you.”

Mrs. Donalson approached again with the girls in age order to her left. The four younger girls were staring at the facade of the home and whispering, while the older three looked very skeptical, which he thought was normal for the age.

“Captain Wilson, Lady Caroline,” Mrs. Donalson began, “I would like to introduce you to the Matheson girls. Oldest is Rose. She has recently turned fourteen.”

The girl smiled and curtsied. As did twelve-year-old Lily, ten year-old Daisy, eight-year-old Heather, six-year-old Iris. Four-year-old Poppy and two-year-old Violet were held by Mrs. Donalson and the nurse, Enid.

Caroline went down the line and shook each child’s hand and kissed the littlest two on the cheek.

As everyone moved into the house, the children began to whisper amongst themselves. In the saloon, Caroline introduced the children to her parents, and all of the sudden the youngest began to chatter unintelligibly, as the nurse tried to quiet her, she began to squirm and cry. The nurse turned to an older sister and whispered into her ear. That child stepped out of the line, and another slipped out with her.

“Girls?” Mrs. Donalson said, “where are you going?”

“Violet left her fuzzy in the coach,” Lily said, “and Enid asked me to fetch it.”

“I’m going to go with her, if you don’t mind,” said Daisy.

“Me, too,” said both Iris and Heather.

Enid had a difficult time keeping the squealing Violet quiet as the girls began to file out of the room. Rose took the child and still she wouldn’t quiet.

Caroline looked to her husband, her eyes asking him a silent question. She wanted to do something, no matter what it was it had to be better than listening to the commotion she littlest one was making.

“Rose, why don’t you take all the girls out to get the fuzzy? Enid, you can watch over them, yes?” Caroline had made her first direction as the children’s mother. She smiled at him, her pride beaming through for all the other adults to witness.

The nurse nodded and ushered all the children out to the front drive to fetch whatever it was. Trey thought it funny that all the girls had to go to retrieve something. But it left the rest of the adults to discuss the matter of whether the girls would be happy here.

“Lady Caroline,” Mrs. Donalson began, “can you tell me if you think your affections toward the girls would change after the birth of your child? Children are very perceptive and will sense any difference in affections.”

The woman asked a question that Trey predicted she would. Mrs. Donalson wouldn’t be a compassionate soul if she didn’t ask it. In fact, he’d told Caroline to expect it. So when it came, it wasn’t a complete shock to his wife and she was prepared with her answer.

Caroline smiled warmly, and answered with confidence. “I cannot see that ever happening, Mrs. Donalson. When I make a commitment, I am prepared to last the duration. When I love, I love with my whole heart, not a part of it.”

Trey was proud of his wife’s answer, and squeezed her hand to show his approval.

“I’m glad to hear that, Lady Caroline, because they can be a handful when they are set on something.” Mrs. Donalson removed a leather folio from her bag and handed it to Trey. “Their father has as of yet, not been found, and I did wait an additional year before considering placing them anywhere. But should he return…”

“Then we would welcome him to come visit his children,” Caroline replied.

Trey was incredibly proud of his wife. Yes, she was young. But she’d been an extraordinary young lady before he met her, and as he had come to know her, and love her, he had realized she was truly special. She had such an even temperament that he didn’t think he’d ever seen her angry. Having grown up here, Caroline knew most everyone. She was always visiting the sick and poor in their village, and helping them as much as she could. When they were together at church or shopping, everyone in the village gave her a ready smile, and asked after her, him, or her parents. Everyone knew her and loved her. And aside from trying to keep the secret of their coming child from him for a few extra days, she had not a deceptive bone in her body.

“Mrs. Donalson, we invite you to stay for as long as it takes for the children to decide if they can be happy with us,” Caroline said. “I will give them all my undivided attention. All I ask from them is that they give me a chance.”

* * *

Late that night, the girls’ very first night at Oakwood when all seven of the new residents were supposed to be tucked into their beds and sound asleep, Caroline awoke to the sound of footsteps on the floor above. The children’s nursery was directly overhead, and what the children didn’t know yet, was that there was a staircase from the dressing room to the dormitory-style nursery. It was likely constructed to aid children’s nurses in bringing the infants down to the lady of the house.

Caroline climbed this staircase in the dark to listen to the girls’ whispered chatter. She’d never had siblings, nor cousins on her maternal side. The cousins she had on her father’s side were all much older than she. So the experience of gossiping with your friends or sisters is something she’d never had. She hoped, more than anything, that the girls would accept being one family with her, Trey, and the baby when he or she is born.

“I can be happy here,” said one of the middle girls.

She smiled in the darkness. It sounded like they were off to a good start so far. At least according to either Heather or Lily. Caroline knew that eventually she would come to recognize their voices, but as of yet, she was unsure which girl said what she’d heard.

All seven girls were in nursery, but Caroline had offered Rose, as a young lady, a room to herself on the family floor below the nursery. Rose had said that for the time being she would like to remain with her sisters while they adjusted to their new residence. Caroline let her know that it would be available whenever she was ready.

“I wan’ be p’incess w’en I gwows up.” This was from one of the very young ones. Likely Poppy, she had such a bubbly personality. And now she had an idea of what to play with the littler ones. They could all be princesses during their first tea party.

“You will be a princess one day, darling. I just know it.” This sounded like Rose. Rose was determined, decisive. The caretaker. “They are nice people. And as long as we’re allowed to be together, I can be happy anywhere.”

“We stay only until papa comes to bring us to America with him, right?” This was Lily. Or it sounded like Lily. She was definitely more skeptical. She’d be the hardest one to win over. “He’s coming back for us once he’s settled there. He promised.”

“It’s been two years now and he’s never written us one letter,” Rose said. “He said he’d be back before the year was out.”

“He’s working hard to make a home for us,” Lily argued. “He said he would come back.”

“Not one letter,” Rose said. “Not one. I know him better than you. He makes promises and never keeps them. Remember, he told mama he’d quit gambling and drinking. He was going to live a clean life and be the husband she always wanted. He didn’t. He broke her heart again and again. He’d come home long enough to put another babe in her belly and disappear. You don’t remember, but I do.”

These girls had grown up in a far different manner than she had. She needed to be mindful of this in her interactions with the older girls. They obviously will always remember their parents, and love their mother, and quite possibly the father, too.

“Don’t say that in front of the little ones,” one of the middle girls said.

“The captain and Lady Caroline didn’t have to take us,” Rose said. “Be appreciative of that fact.”

Caroline couldn’t hear what came next, but the fact that the oldest was in favor of their adoption made Caroline happy that she had someone in her corner, especially among the three who were influential with the younger four.

One of the middle girls tried to quiet Poppy’s chattering.

“We have to behave until papa comes for us?”

“See what you’ve done, Lily?” Rose chided.

“Poppy, sweetie, papa is not coming back,” Rose said. “This is our home now. We are together, and that’s all that matters.”

“I miss Mama.” This sounded like another middle child. Daisy? She was unsure. Caroline was going to have to come up with a way to discern the different voices. As it was she could only differentiate Rose, Lily and Poppy. Iris, Daisy, and Heather were still indiscernible to her. Violet was likely asleep, as she didn’t hear the babbling toddler.

“Sweeting, she’s in heaven with all the angels,” Rose said, “and Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”

“I want to see her. Why can’t she come visit?”

“Ugh… Here we go again…”

“Mama and papa can’t be here with us to raise you. So I will do the best I can. I appreciate the fact the captain and Lady Caroline will allow us to be together. Now, let us be appreciative,” Caroline noticed Rose stressed that word more than once, “that we are in a warm home where there is plenty of food, and clean beds.”

“I liked the mouse in my bed. She was my pet.”

Several of the girls squealed with shock-softly so as not to wake the adults below them. “Heather, I think it’s safe to say there are no mice in our beds here.”

Caroline had heard enough. Rose was more open to giving her and Trey a chance to be their parents, and Lily was still hopeful for their father to return and take them away.

Caroline got what she came for. She’d wanted to know if the girls were happy to be here, and now she knew. She also realized that she and Trey had their work cut out for them, as this was not going to be an easy feat to accomplish. She slid into bed next to her soundly-sleeping husband and decided she’d start with winning the ones over who might be amenable to it, and go from there. Because Caroline Randolph Wilson did not quit when a task got difficult.

It was a good thing that she had an entire lifetime to do it and nothing else to keep her from it. She would face the issue of their father’s possible return at that time—if it ever happened.