Chapter 6
"Pilar, do you suppose Mother and Father truly loved each other once?" Natalie Crane pondered as she brushed crumbs of gingerbread from her pleated skirt. "Like you and your Martin do."
Pilar wiped her hands on her apron before reaching behind her back and loosening its ties, all the while searching for the right words to respond to the tenderhearted child's hopeful question.
"You always ask such ridiculous questions, Nat," Delia frowned at her younger sister. Ignoring the odd looks she received from Cook and the other servants for being in the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator and perused its contents before taking a seat on the other side of Natalie and swiping a gingerbread cookie for herself. Taking an experimental nibble, she said, "Mother and Father had an arranged marriage. Love had nothing to do with it. Tell her, Pilar."
"Deep down they care for each other. I know they do," Natalie insisted as Pilar placed a kiss atop her chestnut curls. "Will your children be at the Tree Lighting Ceremony tomorrow night? I'd love to meet them. Bring them, Mr. Fitzgerald," she beseeched Martin, who appeared at the servants' entry, ready to walk his wife home. "Make sure they come."
Draping Pilar's wool winter coat over her tiredly slumped shoulders, Martin made his promise with a twinkling smile. "I'll make the introductions myself. Evening to you, girls."
Delia rolled her eyes at the wistful expression in her sister's brown eyes as she watched Pilar and Martin leave, arm in arm, and muttered, "Honestly, Nat. You're full of the strangest ideas. Next you'll be begging to stay home from boarding school when the holiday's over."
Looks like Sheridan has another kindred spirit in the family besides Ethan.
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