Chapter 24

Margaret told Louisa that she must not tell anyone anything about live fairies and that they would talk about it more later on. The child nodded solemnly. "I promise. I wouldn't want anyone to frighten them." Then Margaret took Louisa home and rushed to the Crown, calling to Arrietty and Spiller. They convened an emergency meeting in the Pott's kitchen where Margaret told the borrowers breathlessly what had happened and what Louisa had said. Peregrine was horrified.

"We are ruined and it's my entire fault!" He shook his head and grimaced. "I tried to be careful. Truly I did! We must leave at once!"

"Oh, Peagreen, don't take on so. "I knew this would happen eventually. Doesn't surprise me a bit," Spiller said. "It doesn't matter, really. No need to rush." He looked at Margaret. "Got any more of these chocolate biscuits?"

"How can you say that?" Peregrine was beyond consolation and put his head miserably down into his hands.

"How do you know it's your fault?" Larkspur asked practically. "It could have been mine. I could have made a movement that Louisa spotted just as easily as you could have. We've been together most of the time anyway, haven't we? We've been together almost all day every day since we first met, come to think of it."

"We talked about this before when Margaret wrote a book about us," Arrietty added patiently. "If Louisa goes home and tells anyone she saw the fairies from the books they'll think she's just got an overactive imagination. The books help us more than hurt us. I'll show you ours sometime, and I'd love," she said, glancing at Margaret, "to see the new one."

"I can't wait to show you," she said. "I'm so glad you're taking this all so well. I had the same reaction as poor Peregrine here. I thought it was going to be a disaster. But perhaps you are all right. Perhaps it does not have to be."

"We were planning on going eventually anyway," Larkspur told Peregrine, reaching over to pat him on the back. I'm sure it will be all right. Ari's right. Who's going to believe a little girl who starts telling fairy stories?"

"They'll probably treat her like they treat Tom Goodenough," Halberd said. "They call him the biggest liar in the county and it's all because he talked about borrowers. Just be a bit more careful until the summer winds down and then move on like you'd planned." He looked up. "I'd like another biscuit, too, please."

Abel Pott laughed. "Poor Tom Goodenough! Is that the way of it? I often wondered. Never fear, though. Margaret and I will keep our eyes open. We'll see to Louisa. We just have to keep a better eye on the child, that's all. She means no harm."

"Humans never do, when it starts," Hemiola said, "but it tends to get out of hand. I wish that wasn't the case, but very often it is" She looked at Halberd. "I know we need to get back home and finish preparing for winter anyway."

"Please let me know how I can help," Margaret said. "Anything you need, anything at all, let me know. Would you like some raisins? Dried beans? Dried peas?"

"That would all be wonderful," Hemiola told her. "Could we have tea and some sugar, too? And maybe salt?"

"If you're taking all of that," Spiller exclaimed, "I'll need to take you two back home first, get you settled in, and then come back for the rest. All of us, plus all our things, and all of that would swamp my boat!"

"But if they need things for the winter," I want to help!" Margaret said firmly.

Halberd ignored her and looked at the other borrowers. "Could you do that? Could you stay out of sight until Spiller takes us home and then comes back for you? I need his help with a few things before I can really say I feel secure about winter coming."

"I don't see why not," Arrietty replied, pouring some more tea and taking another piece of biscuit. "I do so love chocolate."

"I do, too," said Lark. "Anyone who doesn't is mad."

The borrowers withdrew to Vine Cottage to debate some more. "Let's go down the river tomorrow night," Spiller said to Halberd and Hemiola. "I can be back here before the middle of August. Then Ari and I can close up these houses for winter and take Lark and Peregrine on their trip, if they still want to go. Lark at least needs to get home before winter."

"Where will you and Ari go then?" Lark asked. "You're welcome to pass the winter with me if you like. There's plenty of room at the lodge."

"Or with me," Peregrine said. "It would be quite safe at the rectory and I've plenty of room. It is very quiet in the winter. The humans hardly even enter my part of the house. It gets lonely at times and it will be worse now that I've gotten used to being with other borrowers."

"I'll have to think about that," Spiller said. "Either would do. Maybe we'll even come across something new."

"I would love to meet all of your friends and see your lodge if you don't mind taking me," Peregrine said, "unless I will put you in danger again."

"Oh, Peregrine, you aren't putting us in danger. Not any more than any borrower does just for being around. We'll be fine," Arrietty said. "Let's all turn in and see how much we can get done in the morning. It depends on how long it takes Margaret to get the supplies together. Knowing her she's probably working frantically as we speak."

When she and Spiller went back to the Crown Peregrine started across to Dovecote. He was still hanging his head and had his hands in his pockets. He looked pathetic. Lark looked over at Hemiola. "I can't stand to see him feeling so guilty. Spiller's right. We expected something like this. It could have been any of us. I'm going to go see if I can cheer him up."

Hemiola hugged Lark and wished her luck. She and Halberd went upstairs to go to bed. Larkspur went over and knocked but she didn't wait for Peregrine to answer. She just slipped in. He was sitting on the small settee in the parlor looking dejected. "Don't feel bad," she said. "Everything will be all right."

"Everything has been all right, but it won't be now," he said sadly, turning to face her on the porch. "This summer was the happiest of my life. The absolute happiest days I've ever had. Ah, well, I knew it had to end sometime."

"It is not over, yet," Lark said. Then to cheer him, she told him, "We still have our grand tour ahead of us. Oh, that reminds me. Spiller and Halberd are saying the funniest things. They don't like the fact that Halberd's brother, Grego, said he misses me. They think I should tell him that you're my beau so he leaves me alone. Isn't that funny?"

He looked at her and seemed even sadder. "Oh, yes, I can see why you think that's an amusing idea." Unable to cheer him up, she went home.

The next day the village was closed. At breakfast everyone planned out their day except for Peregrine who still seemed down. They chalked it up to him still feeling guilty about Louisa. Halberd and Hemiola packed and sorted their belongings. Arrietty and Larkspur helped them go through the storerooms to see if there was anything they could use. Margaret helped them take everything to Spiller's boat. It took him awhile to get it loaded the way he wanted everything situated, but he eventually got it all settled in.

"Be back in a week, maybe less," Spiller said, kissing Arrietty goodbye as Halberd and Hemiola shook hands with Peregrine and Larkspur. When he cast off everyone waved.

Arrietty had a wonderful dinner that night, of roast beef with caramelized onion gravy. "I have to admit," Peregrine said, wiping his fingers with one of her beautifully finished napkins, "that your Margaret is quite remarkable as humans go. Indeed, she is almost borrower-like in some ways," he added, looking at the perfect tiny, even stitches on the napkin.

"Spiller and I always thought that," Arrietty replied. After dinner she suggested he read a book. She and Lark both loved listening to the sound of his voice. Peregrine chose "Oliver Twist" It took several evenings to get through it. The girl's eyes were both wet when Peregrine finished the last chapter and they fell to discussing it.

"Humans were so dreadful then," Peregrine said. "Much worse than they are now, I think. The charitable institutions run by the churches and the government were certainly failures."

"I wanted to scream at Mr. Bumble and Mrs. Mann," Lark said. "They were so arrogant and lazy. What horrible people!"

"Shall we start something new tomorrow?" Peregrine inquired when they had totally dissected the book.

Arrietty shook her head. "You two feel free but I really must start preparing for our trip downriver. I've been very lazy since Spiller left. I did finish all the mending and sorted through the things we brought from the mill but I have so much more to do."

"I hope he's back by Friday," Larkspur said. "I'd love it if he got back by Friday. It's my birthday and I did so want to spend it with him. We lost so much time together after our parents were lost in the fire."

"Oh, I didn't know that! I hope he is, too," Arrietty said. "We could have a special dinner to celebrate!"

Peregrine thought that was a wonderful idea and the idea of it being Lark's birthday made him desperate enough to go with Arrietty to Margaret asking for help.

"Oh, what fun!" she told them. When she unveiled her plan, Peregrine and Arrietty thought it was splendid and were very grateful. They were also glad when Spiller returned the night before, just in time for the party. They had a wonderful birthday dinner of steak and kidney pie and a fairy cake with pink icing that Margaret managed to get to the Crown without Larkspur seeing it. She'd also made Lark a new dress of gold silk with a burgundy overskirt. It had a jacket with cuffs that matched the overskirt. There was a hat that matched the overskirt as well with an inside lining of gold silk and silk roses and tiny feathers on the outside.

Peregrine brought a bouquet of small, blue-faced bird's-eyes that he had picked. When he saw the exquisite, tiny silk flowers on the hat he blushed and set his ordinary bunch on the table but Lark quickly kissed him on the cheek in thanks which made him blush harder before she went to put them in a vase. She knew how independent he was, and that the poor man had tried hard to come up with something for her.

Spiller told them as they ate about how Halberd and Hemiola had stored everything they'd gotten from the Potts at the stove and how they were reorganizing the storage space. They all agreed it would be wonderful to go and visit. They spent the next day discussing plans for their trip. Spiller wanted to rest at Little Fordham until the middle of September and then set out. He thought they could see everything there was to see before autumn was over.

Peregrine and Larkspur knew he was keen to spend time alone with Arrietty so they went back to playing chess in the evenings or reading. One night when they had headed over to the Dovecote after dinner, he picked up the book from the table in front of him. "Perhaps we can finish 'The Tempest' before we go," he said.

"That was such a good choice," Larkspur said. "I've really been enjoying it."

She sat across from him in the wingchair, and closed her eyes listening to the sound of his voice. He read smoothly until he reached the line that said, "I would not wish any companion in the world but you…" and then faltered.

Lark looked up and saw he had shut the book and was looking down at the cover, biting his bottom lip. "That was wonderful. Why did you stop?"

"I was rather embarrassed saying that to you," Peregrine admitted, unable to look her in the eye as he leaned over to set the book on the table.

Larkspur frowned. "Has Spiller been teasing you about me? If he's made you uncomfortable I'll tell him to mind his own business. I know he likes to tease you, and I know he told Halberd and Hemiola that he thought you were sweet on me. What put that idea in his head, I don't know. To make it worse, Halberd told me Spiller's never wrong, but it is wrong for him to make you embarrassed."

"He's said nothing, but I am embarrassed. Not because he is wrong but because he is not wrong. Don't you see, Lark? I've been happy this summer because I've been with you. I knew you'd have to go home eventually but when you go I hope you will not forget me. I'll certainly never forget you. That we should meet in these circumstances underscores the complexity of fate. If you should decide that Grego chap can make you happier, naturally I will accept that, but I can't help wishing that I could be the one to win your heart. You may not share my sentiments now but my fondest hope is that someday I will have a shared future home with you."

"I can't even think of home the same way now that I've met you," Lark said, locking her gaze with his. "You might find 'The Tempest' most appropriate, but I think I will hearken back to 'King Lear' if you don't mind."

"What about it?" He asked, puzzled.

She rose and came to the settee, sinking down beside him and recited rapidly, "I love you more than words can wield the matter, dearer than eyesight, space and liberty."

He was totally flummoxed. He blinked and babbled, "But…I thought Arrietty's cousin was...will you then…?"

Before he could say anything else, she answered firmly, "Yes, I will. I promise you, Peregrine Overmantle, you are the only one who will ever have custody of my heart."

When he took her in his arms then and kissed her squarely on the mouth she was surprised by how thoroughly she enjoyed it. They went to breakfast hand in hand the next morning and Larkspur exclaimed almost the moment they got in the door, "Congratulate us, brother mine. We've come to an understanding!"

Spiller looked at Arrietty and said nonchalantly, "Told you so."

She gave him a dirty look and went to hug her sister-in-law. "I'm so happy for you, so happy for you both. I think you suit excellently. When do you want to have the wedding? Do you want to turn our trip into a honeymoon?"

"Oh, may we? I never thought of that! Oh dear Arrietty, may we? I would so like that!" Larkspur said, hugging her back.

"We'd better find out from Margaret if there are going to be any weddings at the church," Arrietty said. "If there are we can load the boat and go back to the rectory. Peregrine can do any packing or arranging he needs to do and then we can go downriver from there. The village is closed now. Let's go ask her, Lark, shall we?"

The girls scurried off, leaving Spiller and Peregrine standing awkwardly in the kitchen. "I hope you'll give us your blessing," Peregrine said hesitantly.

"If Lark's happy, I'll be happy for her," Spiller said. "Ever hurt her, though, and mark my words, I'll drown you. Have a cup of coffee, Peagreen. We can drink on it."

Peregrine stirred cream into the dark brew. "You're sure you don't mind? I was worried that you'd prefer her with someone else. Arrietty's cousin, perhaps?"

"Not if he were the last borrower on earth," Spiller said, and passed the sugar.

So, it just so happened that on the third Saturday in September, Peregrine Overmantle and Larkspur Lodge married at the Norman church, during the wedding of Lady Mullings' daughter to the fourth and youngest son of Lord Clark of Windmere.

Before the wedding, Mrs. Pott left a fairy cake and a small vial of wine near the vestry wall. Using Peregrine's wagon Spiller had no trouble bringing it back to the rectory while Arrietty was helping Lark dress in her new gold and burgundy dress and hat. Spiller got into his suit and eyed a nervous Peregrine critically. Mrs. Pott had made him a brocade vest and a burgundy cravat to match Lark's dress.

Spiller eyed him critically. "Peagreen, you look grand. My sister will look better but you'll do."

Peregrine laughed and stopped being so nervous. He knew he was doing the right thing.

After the wedding Spiller always said it was almost as nice as his and Arrietty's, but not quite. They had a wonderful wedding feast and had so much fun discussing how everything had gone that it was almost as good as a party.

When they set out on their trip downriver and reached Burgonet and Arista's place, Arista heard them coming and came out into the hall with her baby.

"Well, here come the newlyweds at last," she said, as Burgonet peered over her shoulder.

"Both sets," Arrietty said with a grin, reaching for little Benison. "This is Larkspur's new husband, Peregrine. Peregrine, this is our friend, Arista, her husband, Burgonet, and their son, Benison."

"Oh, my!" Burgonet shook hands with Peregrine and gave Lark a kiss on the cheek. "Spiller didn't tell us you were getting married!"

"Didn't know it myself last time I passed through," Spiller admitted. They had a nice visit. Peregrine admired Burgonet's home very much. To everyone's amusement Benison took to Peregrine even more than he had previously taken to Arrietty. He would crawl to him and pulling on Peregrine's pants leg, get up on unsteady feet to stand at Peregrine's knee until Peregrine picked him up. Terrified at first, he soon got used to handling the child.

"You'll make a fine father someday," Arista said, amused by his well spoken manner and his gentleness with her little one.

"Yes, someday," Larkspur said amused. "Your Benison is so adorable. He looks just like your husband."

"Borrower babies always take after their fathers," Arista said.

"Do they really?" Lark asked, wide eyed.

"Well, that's what I've always heard. You and Spiller are as alike as two peas in a pod. Did you favor your father or your mother?"

"Oh, Dad for sure," interjected Spiller. "Mum's hair was much lighter and her eyes were lighter brown, not so black, and she had a fairer complexion."

"That would be so lovely if that were true," Lark said. "I'd love it if I had children that looked like Peregrine. Fair haired borrowers are quite rare."

"All the borrowers in my family were fair haired," Peregrine argued. "Not just my father."

"But do you look most like him? Arista asked practically, taking Benison from him.

"Well, come to think of it, yes, I suppose so," he admitted. "Mother was shorter and stouter. I've always been tall and thin like my father."

When Burgonet, Spiller and Peregrine went out to take a tour of the house and do some borrowing, the women followed up on the theme of babies as they made dinner, beginning with a long discussion about how they came into being. They were all very comfortable with each other and their girl talk about men and marriage would have embarrassed the men beyond belief if they had eavesdropped on even a few moments of it.

"Thank goodness Peregrine is as gentle and considerate a husband as he is a friend," Larkspur admitted as she set the table. "I was totally terrified at first. I wanted to, of course. I was so curious about it! I was still nervous, though."

"Spiller is so used to being outdoors that he hasn't got much inhibition anywhere, "Arrietty said with a sigh as she took rolls out of the oven, "whether it's the boat, a house, or just plain outside, it's all the same to him."

"Oh, my, that would not do at all for us! Burgonet is a gentleman," Arista told the other two as she set out honey and butter for the rolls, "and only behaves as he thinks a gentleman should. He follows a set pattern and anything that deviates from what he considers the norm he finds absolutely shocking. Not that I mind at the moment. Taking care of the baby and the house exhausts me. I have less time for him at the moment."

Arrietty began to quiz her about babies, how one knew they were coming, when Arista had told Burgonet about the baby on the way and how, what it was like having one, and what they were like when they first arrived.

Larkspur found this very interesting, but was hoping she would have some time alone with her new husband before they had a baby on the way. "I don't want to be too busy for Peregrine just yet," she said. "Marriage is much too new to me to want to give it up for motherhood right away, but I suppose if one comes along, we'll adjust. I remember a bit from when my mother was having my sisters but not very much. My father liked children and was always happy with the news from what I remember."

"I do hope to start having them right away. I think Spiller would like to have a lot of them," Arrietty said. "Since he got you back, Lark, I think he's begun to remember more about what it was like to be in a house full of children and it's not like we haven't been together a long time. We almost grew up together. It's different for us than it is for you and Peregrine."

When the men came back and Burgonet saw the three women all smiling broadly, he asked them what in the world they had been up to, besides cooking.

"We were discussing all of you, of course," Arista said. The men all looked at each other apprehensively, but just then Benison woke up and began to wail in his crib, so Arista told them to go clean up for dinner and went to get him.

Hemiola and Halberd were delighted when the travelers reached the old gypsy camp, and everyone, including Peregrine was delighted to see them, but Peregrine was horrified by the gypsy camp and the old stove.

"I didn't know borrowers lived like this!" he confided in Larkspur when the others had gone to cross the stream and gather some corn from the field. Halberd had suggested Peregrine stay behind since so much walking was involved and he could not run fast if need be. Larkspur hadn't wanted to leave him alone.

"They're happy, though," she said.

They stayed a few days helping Halberd and Hemiola prepare for winter. The pinholes in the gas pipe assured they would not freeze and snow could provide water when it came, but it was important to make sure they had a good stock of food stored away.

The groundskeeper's cottage was a bit more to Peregrine's liking even though he thought it madness that they all spent so much time talking to young Tom Goodenough when they got there. It was rather off-putting to Peregrine when Tom looked him up and down and said, "That's one I ain't seen yet."

"You are not supposed to see any of us at all," Peregrine said with as much dignity as he could muster. He stood aside quietly as Spiller got an update from Tom as to the movements of the gypsies, who were stopping in the area occasionally, but were still being urged to move on.

Once they were all through the hole behind the log box and up the ladder, Arrietty was happy to see her aunt, uncle, and cousins and they were glad to see her, but she knew they would not be able to stay long. Spiller never liked staying at the cottage anyway, and Lupy was being very cool to Peregrine. As he was a real born and bred Overmantle she had to restrain herself and not put on airs around him.

Peregrine liked Timmis and Eggletina, who were both just as happy for Larkspur as they were for Arrietty, so he tried to spend most of his time with them during the week they were in residence.

Timmis wanted to learn how to read and write and Peregrine promised to teach him. They used to go into the ornate drawing room while everyone else was talking in the kitchen. The others liked to reminisce about Firbank, Pod, Homily, and speculated on how Halberd and Hemiola would fare over the winter and when they would come back to visit.

Lupy launched many a long complaint about how seldom they came to visit. "They've only been twice since they got married. It can't be the river. Halberd is doing very well with his boat. I can't imagine why he doesn't want to come see his mother more often!"

Peregrine had a pretty good idea, even though his acquaintance with Lupy was brief, why Halberd didn't want to spend more time at the cottage. He had brought the paper and pencils from the desk at Dovecote and would excuse himself from these discussions and give Timmis a lesson and have him copy it out.

Yes, he enjoyed Timmis, but Peregrine was not comfortable around Lupy and Hendreary, or with climbing about in the lath and plaster. Arrietty. Spiller gave him and Larkspur the bigger bedroom, and slept on Arrietty's old bed near the ladder but it was still not an entirely pleasant visit due to Peregrine's uncomfortable attitude toward climbing around in walls, Lupy's bossiness and Grego's sulking.

"I don't know why he's in such a mood," Larkspur said one night as she and Peregrine were getting ready for bed.

"He doesn't seem naturally loquacious," Peregrine said, "and of course my dear, you must not forget that he wanted you."

"Well, he can't have me," Lark said, giving her husband a kiss.

It was much jollier at Daubery and Sateen's house. Daubery backslapped Peregrine and wished him congratulations, and Spiller's adopted sisters fussed endlessly over the two newly married couples. They were so happy there they stayed there until the end of October.

Arrietty and Sateen planned a surprise party for Spiller's birthday, using the date he had chosen for himself the year before, after checking with Larkspur. She didn't remember when the actual date was either, but thought the date Spiller had picked was about right.

Daubery took Spiller out fishing while everyone else stayed behind doing a frenzy of cooking, cleaning and decorating. Peregrine, who was not good at any of those things, took Actina aside and told her story poems to amuse her and keep her out of the way, since he knew so many by heart .

She loved "Animal Fair" and made him repeat it until she could say it with him. Once he explained to her what a chimney sweep was, she liked "Willie the Weeper" almost as much. James T. Field's poem, "The Owl Critic" made her giggle so loudly that Larkspur came in to see what they were talking about.

When they explained about the silly human who mistook a real owl for a stuffed one, Lark shook her head and smiled at Actina. "Peregrine is going to lose his voice if he keeps this up. Why don't you go see if Arrietty needs help setting the table or your mother frosting the cake?"

When the child scampered away, Peregrine watched her go with shining eyes, then stood up and stretched. "I didn't mind really. I'm beginning to find that I like children and Actina is so lovely and has such an inquisitive mind. Oh, that child could go far!"

"Spiller thinks she might be a good match for Timmis someday. They're all lovely people, though," Larkspur said. "I'm so happy that when Spiller thought he had no place to go he found this family. They're exactly what a family should be. I know Daubery was sad at first that he didn't have any boys, but Spiller was able to fill in for awhile and now that Hemiola has married Halberd, Daubery has him to fuss over."

Peregrine considered this. "I'd let time and their own hearts mate them, if it is to be, but I can see why that might work out. Timmis is a delightful child and will grow, I think, into a very good man."

"He has such good role models," Lark said, hugging her husband who kissed her forehead.

When Spiller got back and was standing in the doorway holding a string of fish, there were shouts of surprise and happy birthday. He stood there dumbfounded while everyone else, including Daubery behind him, laughed.

Then Sateen stepped up and took the fish. "I'm going to put these in the kitchen. You go clean up, Spiller. No one's going to want to give you a birthday kiss if you smell like fish, not even me or your wife."

"Thank you for that," Arrietty said, and they all laughed harder.

When they were all sitting at the table, which nearly sagged with the weight of the salad, beefsteak, fresh peas with butter, mashed potatoes, gravy, blackberry cordial and birthday cake, Spiller thanked everyone. "If you wanted to surprise me, you did."

"Well, there's more," Arrietty said, standing up and holding up a glass. "I have a toast to make, but it's not to you, it's to us, or rather to part of us. We're having a baby!"

"Are you sure? Already?" Spiller asked, even more dumbfounded as he hugged her. "My, that was fast!"

Larkspur shrieked with delight. "So that's why you spent so much time asking Arista all of those questions about babies! Did you know then?"

"I wasn't sure then," Arrietty admitted, "but I am now."

Everyone was delighted with this news. When asked when the newest borrower was expected Arrietty admitted, "Based on what Arista and I talked about, I'd say in the spring, perhaps some time in May."

"Perfect," said Sateen. "Perfect weather for traveling. If you can't come see us we can come and see you."

Daubery looked at her as if she were mad. "See them where? We don't travel anyway, my dear. We never have at least."

"Well, it's time we did," she said. "Before we get too old I'd like to see all of these places and borrowers that Spiller knows. The things he has told us about Little Fordham! My, my! I can't wait to see if Arrietty has a boy or a girl. If it's a boy it will probably be such fun to see a little version of Spiller again. Remember how cute he was when he came to us? We can certainly go to see the new baby and we can stop in and see Halberd and Hemiola. Perhaps they'll be having a grandchild for us by then!"

Spiller laughed. "You can make this one an honorary grandchild, if you like. I wouldn't dare ask Hemiola and Halberd when to expect one of their own. But," he said, looking at Arrietty, suddenly very serious, "Daubery's right. We need to settle in somewhere before it comes and it has to be someplace where we can stay for awhile. We don't want to be riding the river with a newborn on our hands."

"We can decide that after we get Lark back home to the lodge," Arrietty said. "At least the baby will be coming when the weather is good. Do you really think he'll favor Spiller?"

"They always do," Sateen said firmly, as she began to clear the table. "Look at this lot," she said, gesturing to her children. If they aren't the spitting image of Daubery I can't say what they are."

When they went to bed that night Arrietty asked Spiller if he was at all angry she had made her announcement in front of everyone, instead of telling him privately first. He shook his head. "Would have been a surprise no matter when you said it, and it was nice to see everyone so happy for us."

"The happiest days are the ones when you get good news," Arrietty said. "I just wish Mother and Papa were here to see the baby. I think they'd be so pleased. Can you imagine what Mr. and Mrs. Pott are going to say? She will be so excited!"

"I don't even want to think about what she'll do when she hears," Spiller said. "She's be sewing and crafting until the cows come home."

When they got to the lodge, Larkspur had a scare. Peregrine had a great deal of trouble getting up the slope to the tree. He stumbled and for one long, tense moment they thought he had been badly hurt but he had just strained his already weak leg.

They all ducked into the hollow tree and rested for awhile. As Spiller and Arrietty went back for the luggage, Larkspur told Peregrine about the time Spiller had broken his leg and how she'd cared for him. As Spiller and Arrietty continued to unload the boat and move things up closer to the house, she told him more, about her childhood at the lodge, about her parents, her sisters and the fire as he just listened silently.

She told him quite a lot about Alice. "Poor Alice. She'd suffered almost as much as I had and was almost as lonely back in those days. My poor, poor Alice." She then told him about how she'd felt living in the wall, trying to make a home for herself on her own, and how everything had changed for her when she'd found Spiller again.

When they all went into the lodge, Peregrine was much impressed by it, even though the dust was thick enough to choke them all. They had to quickly brush off a place for him to put his leg up while Arrietty and Larkspur did a quick cleaning and Spiller brought supplies from the hollow tree inside.

Spiller and Lark went off to the kitchen as Arrietty put a few more touches in the bedrooms to find enough food for dinner. When they got back Larkspur was excited. "There's so much food! So much cooking has been going on! At least some of the family must be here. I do hope Alice is. I want to see her so much. I'm sure she wonders what happened to me. She's probably given up any hope of ever seeing me again."

"Tomorrow," Spiller said firmly as he took a last long drink of cool water. "Look for her tomorrow. We're all dead tired now. It's time for bed."

He and Arrietty went off to the bedroom Lark had fixed for him so long ago and Lark helped her husband, who was limping worse than ever to her old bedroom and got him ready for bed. "Are you sure you'll be all right?" Lark asked Peregrine anxiously.

"I'll be fine. I just wrenched my knee a bit coming up the bank. I didn't realize how steep it was or how slippery the grass was. It will be better by morning I think." He propped a pillow behind his head and settled down on the bed gratefully as she got ready for bed. "I like this lodge very much. I like the way the rooms are laid out. I can't wait to see the kitchen."

"For me, this is home," Lark said simply. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. Peregrine looked at her thoughtfully, and brushing a lock of hair off her forehead, he kissed her gently, put his head back on the pillow and did some tall thinking.

He was feeling much better the next morning and Lark was delighted when she checked and saw Alice sitting in the chair by the mousehole reading a book. She rushed to get Peregrine, who reluctantly went with her to meet her human friend.

When Lark introduced him as her new husband, Alice was delighted. She went and fetched tea and scones, and they all sat on the floor and got acquainted. Peregrine was very nervous at first, but soon found Alice as easy to get along with as he had found Margaret Menzies Pott. He had to admit if Alice had not saved Larkspur after the fire that his life would not be nearly as wonderful as it was. He owed her for that and if Larkspur loved her he would have to learn to at least get along with her. When Alice asked about Spiller and Arrietty, Lark told her about their wedding and the baby on the way, and went to fetch them.

Peregrine took that moment to thank Alice for her many kindnesses to Larkspur. Alice just shrugged. "I think Larkspur saved my life after the fire, if you want to know the truth. I was grieving and lonely and she gave me a purpose. She helped me go on and become the person I am today. I promise you, I would never intentionally hurt a borrower."

"I believe you," he said, because he did.

When Spiller and Arrietty arrived Alice congratulated them and then began to tell them all about her engagement and her upcoming nuptials. She was marrying a friend of the family but she assured them that it was someone she had always been very fond of. She praised his kindness, wisdom and studiousness.

"Papa says we can stay here as much as we like, and George thinks that would be a wonderful thing. He likes the peace and quiet of the country more than the city. He is a scholar and a writer. He thinks the lodge suits his muse. Not that we need to worry about money. His father is quite well off, a very renowned London barrister, and a Member of Parliament. As the only son, George will inherit anything."

"I'm so glad that you found someone nice!" Lark exclaimed. "I was afraid your father might suggest someone who would not suit you so well." She reached for another piece of scone and had Alice pour her some more tea.

Alice looked thoughtful as she did so. "Papa promised me he would take my opinion into consideration and he did. I think I am going to be happy here with George. Now, you must tell me what you need for your stay. Larkspur, are you truly home for good? Spiller, how long do you think you and Arrietty will stay? I'd love to have you all for Christmas, but you and Arrietty might want to go home before the winter sets it."

"We have a lot to decide, "Spiller admitted, brushing crumbs from the scones off of his hands and reaching for his own teacup.

After Lark and Arrietty gave Alice a list of things that they wanted her to find for them, the borrowers went back inside the mouse hole to have a long discussion about their future plans. Peregrine made the first move.

"I know this will seem like an impulsive decision," he said, "but the ones of that sort I've made lately seem to be working out the best." He reached for Lark's hand. "If you love the lodge so much, and are so happy here, why don't we stay here? Arrietty and Spiller can have my house at the rectory. There's plenty of room for them to start their family off there and it would be a safe place for a baby since there are no humans living in that part of the house."

"Oh, Peregrine, are you sure that's what you want to do? I'd love that," Lark said, throwing her arms around his neck. "I do so love this house."

"Might do at that," Spiller answered thoughtfully. "I can still bring everyone up and down the river to visit. Or Halberd can. He's getting better at traveling the river. And it's close enough so that we can still take the baby to Little Fordham to see the Potts as often as Arrietty likes." He looked at her. "What do you think?"

"I think," Arrietty said, "that it's a wonderful idea. But Alice is right. We won't be able to be here for Christmas. Not this time. We need to get back, get settled, and break the news about the baby to Aunt Lupy, although I do want to stop and see Arista and Burgonet on the way back. I need to talk to Arista some more about babies!"

As they settled down for the night, Arrietty said to Spiller, "We need to talk about the baby."

He rolled his eyes, and punched up his pillow. "Why do we need to talk about it? It won't be here for months."

"I have an idea about names," she answered, propping herself on one elbow facing him. "I know what I want to do about names."

"Definitely don't need to do that now," he grumbled. "Don't even know what it is. "

"Do you care what it is?" Arrietty asked, worried.

"Certainly not, as long as it's okay," he answered. He knew he wasn't going to get to go to sleep on the strength of that answer though, so he said, "What's this big idea you have?"

"I like what your mother did. I like how she named you all things that had to do with nature. Nature and the outdoors mean so much to us and have so much to do with how we got together. I'd like to keep doing that. Maybe we can even use Basil, and honor the little brother you didn't get to meet. I really like that one."

"Wasn't sure it was going to be a boy," Spiller protested. "Mum just threw that out there at one point."

"I know, but please, Spiller, promise me we can use outdoor type names for all of our babies. Please?"

He stared at her. "Let's get this one here first, and then worry about any more, but yes, if it means that much to you we can use outdoor names."

Arrietty smiled mischievously. "Maybe another Ash?"

"I don't even use Ash!" He exclaimed. "You want to go with a tree you can just think of another one that will suit."

"No, you don't use it." Arrietty settled down and sighed. "I hope everyone is right and borrower children always take after their fathers. Your black hair and black eyes are so beautiful. I'll bet if we had a girl it would look just like Lark. She's beautiful, too."

"You're beautiful to me," Spiller said, "but we'll just have to wait and see."

"Just until May," Arrietty said drowsily. "That's only a little more than six months if I figured it right."

"That's a long time," Spiller said, closing his eyes.

"It will fly by," Arrietty yawned. "Just wait and see. Time will just fly!"

"Seems that's what time does," Spiller admitted, teaching for her hand.

Authors's Note: The next chapter will be the last chapter.