The three of them went through to the drawing room, where tea had been set for Amy and Sarah, and warm milk for Eddie. Amy was on the point of suggesting that Eddie go and fetch the book Sarah had sent him for Christmas, when Sarah called the little boy over to her. Beside her stood a low table, with a wooden box resting on it.
‘I’ve something you might like to play with,’ Sarah said. ‘But you must be very careful—they’re quite old, and they’re… well, they’re rather special.’
She raised the lid of the box. Eddie peered in, reached in a hand and pulled out a brightly-painted lead soldier, mounted on a rearing horse. ‘What are they?’ he asked, turning the toy round and round in his hand and gazing at it in wonder.
‘Soldiers and horses—you’ll find a cannon or two in there, too. You can line them up and… I don’t know, pretend to have a battle, I suppose. Whatever you like, as long as it doesn’t involve breaking anything.’
‘They could be in a story,’ Eddie breathed, pulling out another figure with elaborate care.
‘I’m sure they could.’ Sarah took her seat beside Amy, where the two of them watched Eddie as he lifted the toys out one by one.
Amy tore her gaze from the pleasant sight of Eddie so happily occupied. ‘Sarah, are you sure it’s all right for him to play with those?’ she asked, keeping her voice low so Eddie would not hear. ‘You told me your… your father,’ she said, the word coming out only after an awkward hesitation, ‘didn’t want them disturbed.’
‘It’s perfectly all right. Father wanted to keep them as Maurice had left them, as something for him to remember Maurice by. But I don’t think he would have wanted them treated like sacred objects for all time, as if Maurice had been some sort of saint. Father was a sensible man. I’d like to think he’d have been pleased to know another little boy was enjoying the soldiers. Especially when the little boy concerned is my nephew.’
Eddie played with the toys for almost an hour, devising a complicated series of stories that began with a battle (he announced that a rather splendid general mounted on the largest of the horses represented Eddie’s own father), but soon owed more to his favourite fairytales. He persuaded Sarah to allow a brass vase to be used as a castle, while one of the more diminutive soldiers had a scrap of lace wrapped around him and was pressed into service as a princess (naturally called Daisy) who needed rescuing from a monster in the guise of a paperweight.
He provided his own commentary to the tales, though quietly enough not to disturb Amy and Sarah’s conversation. Occasional glances told Amy that he was content to entertain himself; they also alerted her when Eddie began to show signs of sleepiness. His speech grew slower and his eyelids drooped. Not long afterwards he came over to the sofa where Amy was sitting and plumped himself down. She slipped her arm around him and he snuggled in against her. It was only a minute or two before he was sprawled with his head in her lap, fast asleep.
‘Are they all like that?’ Sarah asked. ‘Small children, I mean—running around as if they don’t know what it means to be tired, then falling asleep all in a moment?’
Amy stroked Eddie’s hair. She had combed it while it was still damp from the bath, and for a brief period it had been looking almost tamed. Now it was returning to its usual state of wildness. ‘Boys generally are, anyway.’ She rubbed Eddie’s shoulder gently; he wriggled, but showed no sign of waking. ‘It’s time I put him to bed.’
She cradled Eddie’s head in her hands while she extricated herself, then crouched beside the sofa to lift him in her arms.
‘May I?’ Sarah asked.
‘He’s quite heavy,’ Amy demurred.
‘All the more reason I should be the one to carry him.’
Amy moved aside and let Sarah take her place. Sarah scooped Eddie up somewhat awkwardly; when she stood, Amy guided her arms to take a more secure hold.
Eddie stirred a little. He flung one arm around Sarah’s neck, and moved his head to nestle against her shoulder. Amy knew the comforting feel of a child in her arms, all softness and trust; to Sarah it was something new and startling. She blinked in surprise, then cautiously traced a finger along the curve of Eddie’s cheek, down to the corner of his mouth. He nuzzled against her more closely.
Sarah lifted her eyes to meet Amy’s smiling gaze. ‘He’s so warm,’ she said, a trace of wonder in her voice. She shifted Eddie’s weight slightly. ‘And he is heavy,’ she added, setting out towards the stairs.
Amy undressed Eddie and put him to bed by the light from the passage, keeping his little room dim so as not to disturb him. She opened the connecting door to her own room so that she would hear him if he woke in the night, then she and Sarah went out into the passage.
‘I know it’s early, but I think I might go to bed myself,’ Amy said, stifling a yawn. ‘It’s been a big day.’
‘An early night’s a fine idea—but can I persuade you to stay up just a little longer? There’s something I’d like to show you. It’ll only take a moment.’
Mildly curious, Amy allowed Sarah to lead her along the passage to its furthest end, till they stood before a closed door. Sarah opened the door and entered ahead of Amy, turned on the light, then beckoned her in.
Amy found herself in a room that was almost square. The walls were painted pale cream, bright and fresh in the electric light, and with a hint of new paint smell. Large windows along the front wall suggested that the room would be light and airy in the daytime. A high shelf ran along two walls, and a blackboard had been mounted on the remaining one. There was a plain table, low enough to be comfortable for a child, but still convenient for an adult, with two wooden chairs pulled up to it. A slate and several pieces of chalk rested on the table, as well as sheets of paper, pens, pencils and inkwells.
‘I’ve made you a schoolroom,’ said Sarah. ‘Do you think it will do?’
Amy stood in the centre of the room, gazing about her quite lost for words.
‘I know it looks bare,’ Sarah said. ‘But I thought it would be nicer for you to choose what books and so forth you’d like to use. Paints and drawing things, too. And you’ll want maps and pictures for the walls—I’ve had them left plain so you can put whatever you want on them. We can go out shopping tomorrow if you like.’
‘You’ve done this just for me?’ Amy said, regaining her voice at last.
‘Yes. I knew you’d want to go on teaching Eddie, and I thought you might like to have a real schoolroom of your own. And—this is completely up to you, of course—but if you felt you wanted one or two other pupils, I’ve had acquaintances with young children remark that they’d dearly love to send them to you for a term or so rather than straight to a big school. Emily’s oldest, for one.’
‘They want me to teach their children?’ Amy asked, scarcely daring to believe it.
‘And why shouldn’t they? You’re obviously doing a fine job with Eddie. He might enjoy the company of other children, too, until you feel you want to send him to school.’
A schoolroom of her own. As many children to teach as she wished. That spark of excitement when a child first made the link between scratches on a page and the words of a story would be hers to share in over and over again. And in the meantime, a proper room to use for teaching Eddie, not a corner of the kitchen table that had to be cleared as soon as it was time to prepare the next meal.
‘Thank you,’ Amy said, feeling the words to be hopelessly inadequate. She sank onto one of the chairs.
Sarah took the other chair. ‘I do realise I can’t keep you here all the time. I know I’ll have to share you with Dave and Beth, and Daisy, and goodness knows how many more children that might come along.’
‘There won’t…’ Amy hesitated; was it correct to tell anyone else about this? But Sarah was family. In any case, people would notice soon enough that Daisy was not being joined by brothers or sisters. ‘Do you remember me telling you we were worried about Beth when Daisy was on the way? She’s come right now, more or less, but… well, they think it might b
e best if she doesn’t have any more. So there’ll just be Daisy.’
‘Oh, I see.’ Sarah sounded thoughtful rather than concerned; she must be blissfully unaware of the contrivances and sacrifices the resolution demanded of David and Beth. She gave a small laugh. ‘I’ll admit I’m selfishly relieved. I think I’m capable of becoming as fond of two small children as an aunt should be, but I wouldn’t like to be put to the test if Beth were to follow her mother’s example.’
‘Daisy’s a lovely baby, I’m sure you’d like her.’ Amy knew that Sarah was not overly fond of infants, but Daisy, with all her charms, must be an exception.
‘Perhaps I would—we shall have to see. I expect you’ll want to visit the farm several times a year, and it will no doubt suit Eddie to run wild there as a change from Auckland.’
‘He’s very fond of Daisy, he’ll want to see her again before long. And they seem grow up so quickly, I don’t want to miss too much of that. I wouldn’t like to be away too long and have her forget me.’
‘We’ll make sure there’s no danger of that. I shall have to manage without you—and I suspect the house is going to seem very quiet when Eddie’s away!’ Sarah smiled. ‘But I think I may invite myself to go with you occasionally—perhaps at Christmas.’
‘That would be lovely! As long as you didn’t mind sharing with me—they haven’t got a lot of room.’
‘Oh, I expect I could put up with you for a week or two,’ Sarah teased. ‘I find myself wanting to make Daisy’s acquaintance, although I know she won’t be much of a conversationalist as yet. I hope you realise that I fully intend to interfere in the case of Daisy?’ A glint of mischief lit Sarah’s eyes. ‘Once she’s exhausted the possibilities of that little school in the valley, I want to see that she goes to High School, at the very least. My interference will, of course, extend as far as insisting that I be allowed to pay for it. But I won’t hear any nonsense about girls not needing a proper education.’
‘I’d like to see Daisy go to High School—and I don’t think Beth would say she couldn’t. Beth’s not one for saying girls shouldn’t be allowed to do things—she goes out on the farm with Dave, and she gets him to help her in the house so she can manage to do both. And if Beth says it’s all right about the High School, Dave’ll go along with it.’
‘Very sensible of him. But I think I can safely delay any interference in Daisy’s future for a good few years yet. It’s Eddie who’s uppermost in my thoughts at the moment.’
‘This will be such a lovely room for his lessons.’
‘I’m glad it suits. Whatever else you need, you’ve only to ask.’ Sarah stacked the nearest sheets of paper into a tidy pile, and placed several pencils on it. ‘So yes, you’ll go and visit Dave and Beth, and you’ll make sure Eddie’s able to spend time with his cousin. But I want you to consider this your home from now on, Amy. You and Eddie both.’
‘You’ve gone to so much trouble. Getting him a pony and everything!’
‘Oh, my motives were purely selfish, I assure you. I was simply thinking of what might help Eddie settle in. I knew I wouldn’t be able to persuade you to make your home with me if he wasn’t happy here. That, of course, was before I met Eddie,’ Sarah said meditatively. ‘Now I find myself thinking rather further ahead.’
‘What do you mean, dear?’
‘His education, for one thing. Of course you’ll teach him here for as long as you wish, but we’ll look into a good school for when the time comes.’
‘Not a boarding school,’ Amy said quickly.
‘Certainly not. I want Eddie to be brought up by you, not a succession of schoolmasters. No, a primary school as close to home as we can find one we like, then whatever we decide is the best grammar school for him—Auckland Grammar’s closer, but we might prefer King’s College. And university after that.’ She saw Amy’s dazed expression, and smiled. ‘Oh, yes, I have grand ideas for Eddie, though we’ll leave him in blissful ignorance of them for now. I’d like him to study enough law to know whether he’s being properly advised or not—I see that as a necessary preparation. Beyond that, he can choose whatever subjects take his interest.’
‘University?’ Amy echoed faintly. ‘Preparation? What for?’
Sarah arranged pieces of chalk around the edge of the slate. ‘I don’t intend to marry. I’d see that as diminishing my own comfort, and probably the comfort of any man foolish enough to take on the challenge. The one thing I might have felt I lacked was companionship.’ She put her hand over Amy’s. ‘I’ll never lack it as long as you’re here.
‘But meeting Eddie has made me realise what else I might be said to lack. Eventually I’ll want someone to take a share of my business responsibilities, and… well, I’ll need an heir. I don’t plan to acquire one in the usual fashion, but I believe you’ve found a way to fulfill that need, too.’
‘You mean Eddie? You’d make him your… heir?’ It seemed a grand word for a small boy.
‘Yes, I believe I shall. I can’t think of a finer choice than a child raised by you who happens to be my own nephew.’ Sarah glanced in the direction of Eddie’s room and smiled. ‘You know, Amy, I’ve never felt any great desire to share my home with a child, though I was perfectly willing to do so if it was the price of having you come to live with me.’ She laughed softly. ‘Now I’m beginning to wonder how I’ve borne the peace and quiet for so long!’
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