"Why are you sad now?"

"I am not sad. I am worried."

"What about?"

"Robert. It's the second wedding anniversary he's missed. And he's been gone for almost two years now."

"Yes. But he'll be home in three weeks."

"I know that. But haven't you heard the stories about the men coming back and not being themselves anymore? What if that happened to Robert? He stopped writing."

"He might have stopped writing. Or maybe his letters didn't get here. We don't know that."

"Sybil doesn't remember him anymore. It will kill him."

"No, it won't. I don't often speak about matters of the heart but he loves his girls. And he loves you too."

"Let's hope he hasn't forgotten that."

Three weeks later

She walks up to the Abbey because she is too nervous to sit still anywhere. Despite what she might have told Cora she isn't completely sure that Robert will be himself. She sees Cora standing in front of the house, looking ready to explode, though it is unclear with what. She gives her daughter-in-law a kiss on the cheek and squeezes her arm. She isn't sure that Cora has registered any of it. When she sees the carriage that surely carries her son come up the path that leads to the house, she feels herself go weak. She wants him to be alright, not only physically but in all other aspects as well. Not only for himself or her but also for Cora and the girls. But especially for Cora who has suffered so much and done such an admirable job at running the estate and raising her children. She sees her son leave the carriage and she isn't sure what she should make of his posture and face until he turns to his wife, walks to her, picks her up, swings her around, kisses her and says something to her she can't understand, but she is sure she knows what he has said regardless because Cora's face has lit up like the sun. She hears screams of "Papa, Papa" behind her and although she is supposed to be greeted next by her son she lets her three granddaughters run past her. She is glad to see that Sybil is following her older sisters, even if she probably doesn't remember her father. The moment Robert sees his daughters he lets go of his wife and catches them one by one. Sybil is the last one to come to him and he picks her up. "Are you really my Papa?" the little girl asks. She can see Robert's face cloud over for a moment but he looks into his daughter's face and says "Yes, I am." "Good. Because I missed my Papa so much." Robert gives his youngest daughter a kiss on the cheek and walks over to her, still carrying the little girl. "Mama", he says and gives her one armed hug. She sobs once. "I'm glad you've come home my dear boy."

They go inside and sit down in the library, the girls bouncing around them excitedly, alternately jumping onto their father's lap and running upstairs to get toys they got while he was away, or get pictures they drew while he was away and whatever else children like to present to their parents. She can see that the girls are tiring Robert out and offers something she has never offered before and probably won't offer again for quite some time. "Girls, why don't you come to my house for tea today? If you get ready now I can take you with me. I'll take you back with me when I come here for dinner tonight. Let your father rest now so that he can read you a bedtime story later." "Me too?" Sybil squeals. "Of course you too, my dear" she says. The girls run out of the room, followed by their nanny who looks at her apologetically.

"Thank you, Mama, but you don't have to this." "No Cora, I don't. But I want to. I'll go upstairs now, help Nanny pick out the dresses for the girls and won't come back in here again. So I'll say my goodbye for now. I'll see you both at dinner." She gets up and so does her son. She leaves the room without turning back and hopes that both her son and daughter-in-law will sleep while she has got the girls, but she isn't too sure about it.