December 1919
Cora and Robert
"You look flustered."
"I am flustered."
"What are you thinking about?"
"That we have too many children."
"Why do you think so?"
"Look at that pile of presents."
"They aren't only for the girls."
"No. They are for their husbands and children as well. And only half of them are married. Imagine what it will be like when all of them are married."
"Julia is six. She won't be married for some time"
"I know. But we thought that about Mary too once. And now she is married and the mother of two children."
"Three soon, I think."
"Is she pregnant again?"
"She hasn't said anything yet but I think so. She's stopped drinking wine for dinner and I just have a feeling that she is having another baby."
"Is it your mother's intuition that is telling you that?"
"Yes."
"Then she is pregnant. You are always right about our girls."
"Not always. Often."
"More often than me."
"I am their mother, they are my daughters."
"Do you think that makes a difference? That they are girls?"
"In this case yes. You are much better with Matthew than me or even Isobel. And it doesn't bother me. Or her. In fact I think she is rather glad that he's got some sort father figure in his life. And you are a very good father for our girls."
"I hope so."
"I know so. Look at what Mary, Edith and Sybil have become. They are strong independent women with good heads on their shoulders and their hearts in the right place. And Julia will be just like that."
"They aren't what they are because of me."
"No. They are what they are because of us."
"They aren't what I thought they would be. The older three I mean."
"Of course they are not. But children seldom turn into the adults their parents imagined them to be. Just ask my mother."
"I won't. She will give me a speech about having turned you into an aristocratic snob."
"Then ask yours."
"I won't do that either. She still hasn't gotten over the fact that I didn't marry a woman from the English aristocracy."
"It's only been 31 years. We should give her more time."
"31 very happy years."
"Yes."
"Cora, you know I was joking when I said that we have too many children, don't you?"
"Of course I do."
"Good. Because that is certainly not what I think. And I am very glad that they will all be here for Christmas. "
"We have to go outside. Tom and Sybil will be here in a few minutes."
"Good."