Telling Sydney of Archie Arless' death was the most difficult thing Dorcas had ever done. The memory of the moment still haunted her and when it returned every so often, it refused to let her be.

"But I am better now. Why didn't Archie get better?"

"There's so much we don't understand about illness, Sydney. Sometimes, people with the same sicknesses find that they are … affected in completely different ways."

"It's not fair, Ma, for me to get well and Archie to die."

"No, Little Man, it's not fair."

With harvest time approaching, Dorcas found herself deep in thought about how Sydney had handled his best friend's passing. He'd been typically quiet and reserved, never saying much about Archie. It bothered Dorcas.

She'd noticed, however, that Sydney had become Edmund's boon companion. And Edmund, who idolized Alf, seemed all too happy to have someone around who gladly ran small errands for him, followed him about like a faithful dog and generally imitated him. Dorcas loved Edmund dearly, as she loved all of Emma's children, but she wasn't sure he was an ideal role model for her son. His having left school disturbed Dorcas, even though he was excelling at learning the estate master's trade.

"Gabriel, what do you think of Edmund?" she asked her husband one afternoon as he worked at the forge.

"He is a fine young man. A bit headstrong, but he comes by that naturally."

Gabriel smiled. Dorcas, however, frowned as she fixed her gaze on a molten piece of iron that Gabriel was forming into… something.

"You are unhappy with something Edmund has done?"

"No, not unhappy," Dorcas answered, barely hearing herself. Staring at the glowing iron left her feeling a bit disconnected from herself. "I worry about Sydney following Edmund around as if Edmund were… some sort of... "

Sighing, she shook herself back into the here and now.

"... I don't know."

Gabriel put down his hammer, removed his gloves and took Dorcas into his arms.

"You worry that Edmund has a bad influence on Sydney?"

"No," Dorcas said, resting her head against her husband's chest. "I just don't want Sydney thinking of Edmund as an older brother."

"Why? Edmund is a fine brother and a good son."

"I'm afraid that if anything ever happens to Edmund, Sydney won't be able to handle the pain of losing another friend. He's never talked about Archie dying."

Dorcas looked up into Gabriel's soft brown eyes.

"Oh, Gabriel, it doesn't seem right that he's not talked with me about Archie. Sydney always tells me what he's feeling. It's been nearly a year now and… nothing. I'm worried."

Gabriel pushed back a strand of Dorcas' thick, curly hair from her temple.

"You must remember, my love, that Sydney is no longer a scared boy. He is becoming more of a young man every day. And young men do their best to keep their feelings to themselves."

"But that is not anything helpful or … or … positive!" Dorcas argued. "It only makes a man bitter or angry when he won't share the things bothering him with the people he loves. It's a silly notion - that a man is strong because he pushes his true feelings and … emotions… deep within himself!"

Gabriel kissed the top of Dorcas' head.

"You will get no argument from me," he told her. "Although I fear you expect more from men than we can often deliver."

Now Dorcas gazed up at him.

"And you will not ever completely share yourself with me?"

Gabriel stroked her temples with his thumbs.

"I will try."

"Then that is all I can ask."

Just then, Sydney came running towards them. Edmund, in Candleford on an errand for his mother, was close behind.

"Ma? Can Edmund spend tonight with us? Please?"

"Edmund?" Dorcas asked, "Would that be all right with your parents? Does your mother know you are still here in Candleford?"

"Yes, ma'am, Cousin Dorcas," Edmund said. "I told Mum I'd be sure to see you when I was in town. Alf was here earlier and I sent word to her that I'd be staying with you… if that's all right, I mean."

Dorcas gave Edmund a quick hug, knowing that, like Sydney, he felt he was a bit too grownup for long embraces from his mother or female relatives.

"Of course it's fine. We shall have a special dessert in honor of your spending a night with us."

"Can we have Banbury cake, Ma?"

"Sydney, you have yet again discovered my one weakness! Edmund, I take it you are not opposed to Banbury cake?"

Edmund laughed.

"No, ma'am, I'm not. Thank you, Cousin Dorcas."

Then, turning to Sydney, the older boy said, "Come on… I'll show you the latest I've learned about tallying up what we bring in from the fields."

The pair bolted off to the Post Office. Maths had never seemed so fascinating, Dorcas thought as she watched them.

"Bribing young Edmund with Banbury cake," Gabriel teased. "You are a never-ending source of delight, my love."

Dorcas scoffed at this, but she didn't deny it.

"I happen to adore Banbury cake," she replied, grinning.

"So I've noticed."

"So you have."

"Sydney has a good friend in Edmund," Gabriel said.

"Indeed he does," Dorcas agreed. "And a fine older cousin."

"Banbury cake, then."

"Are you opposed to Banbury cake, Gabriel?"

"Not at all."

"Is it any wonder I love you so?"

"Not at all."