Chapter 44

Clara didn't know if it was just her imagination, because of how little sleep she'd gotten the night before, or if the children were really that much more rambunctious than usual. But even little Jacob seemed to take delight in escaping from her every time she tried to change his diaper or get him to sit down for lunch. Nap time was it's own nightmare as she and Mary tried to get them all settled.

When they were all finally down, most out of sheer exhaustion than anything else, she and Mary at last had a moment to talk. "I think all of this is because there's going to be a full moon tonight," Mary offered as they sank into chairs for their first break of the day. "You do know that is where the term 'lunatic' came from don't you?" Even as much as the older woman loved the children, this morning had been worse than any Clara had seen since she'd been below, and Mary was certainly frazzled.

Clara nodded wearily, trying to suppress a yawn, as she did so.

"Didn't you sleep well, dear?" Mary asked when she saw this.

"Oh, I slept just fine for the two and a half hours I was in bed. I guess my body is trying to tell me that I really do need more than that."

"I should guess so! Why did you get so little sleep?"

"Vincent kept me up," Clara replied without really thinking how that would sound.

"Oh?" was all Mary said, but her tone clearly indicated that she would be open to hearing more.

Seeing the look on her face, Clara realized how what she'd said might have been taken. "I'm sorry, Mary. I didn't mean that anything was going on between Vincent and I yet. It was just that with last night being the anniversary of Catherine's death, he was going through a lot of emotional memories. Even though he was Above at her grave, they still all came flooding through to me via the Bond."

Mary hadn't missed that simple three letter word in Clara's comment that gave her hope these two caring people might have a future together. She wondered if Clara was even aware she had said so much with that 'yet'. But for now she needed to respond to what Clara had said. "Vincent is a person who feels everything very deeply, so when he gives his love he does it wholeheartedly. I doubt he will ever get over Catherine's death, but that doesn't mean he might not be open to a new love in the future.

"I don't want to jinx anything, but I know how close you and Vincent are. I would also like to think that we have become good friends, Mary, so I think I can trust this won't go any farther than between us. Last night, Vincent went to tell Catherine that he was ready to stop grieving and to move on with his life. He and

I have our first date tonight."

"Oh, my dear! That's wonderful! I think the two of you would do very well together! Just remember to take things slowly and if you need to talk at any time you can always come to me."

"Thank you, Mary," she replied, as the first of the children woke from her nap and needed a diaper change and bottle.

By the time all the children had been picked up, the two caretakers felt like they had been in a ten round fight. Mary's usually smooth bun had wisps sticking out all over, and Clara felt like she had been put through a wringer.

However, after she left the nursery, things suddenly seemed to magically fall into place. Because her dinner came on a tray to her chamber William always sent it out early. So Clara was eating while everyone else was just heading to the dining hall. This also meant that she finished while they were still eating, so when she headed to the bathing chamber she had the place all to herself.

To be continued….