A/N: Hello, lovelies! I am BLOWN AWAY by your reviews and support - my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for the reblogs on tumblr and the follows here.

Posting two updates today as I'll be away for a few days.

xx

CSotA

August 7, 2014

Charles walked into the café and scanned the room. Finding Robert tucked away in the corner, he gave a small wave as he weaved through the throng of customers.

"There you are!" Robert stood and held his hand out. Charles shook it firmly and took the empty chair across from his friend.

"I thought I'd never get out of that office! I know I'm an attorney myself and so I should have expected it but, honestly, the paperwork I've filled out this afternoon alone!" He leaned back in his chair and added a bit of sugar to his tea before taking a tentative sip.

"Nothing like tea to soothe the nerves," Robert said with a chuckle. "Unless you're Cora, of course."

"Oh heavens - please don't ever give me cheap coffee in a takeaway cup. Americans," Charles muttered with a knowing smirk.

"Yes, but I'll forgive her that slight. Now, how did it all go?"

"Fairly well, I think. Alice's estate is just about settled. I've inherited her business, as you know, but it's already being sold. I think that Braithwaite woman is buying it, actually."

"The one who wanted to be Alice's business partner? She's awfully young," Robert commented.

"Yes, but ruthless. I never liked her, personally, but the money from the sale will go into a trust for Daisy. If Braithwaite can come up with the funds, I'm happy to let her have it. And Grigg didn't show up for anything, which was a blessing."

"Probably out of fear for his safety," Robert grumbled.

Charles leaned back in his chair, pondering his friend's words. "Possibly. I can't help feeling sorry for the man, though. Alice was his meal ticket, being his agent and bringing financial security to their relationship. And he was clearly broken up about her death. I think he truly did love her, and he was kind to Daisy."

"And the rest of it?"

"Well," Charles said, "the movers are set. They're coming tomorrow to finish packing up what we're taking from the house, and I've filled out all of the forms for everything. They weren't happy about the piano, but I'm certainly paying enough for them to take exceptionally good care of it. Edith and Marigold are meeting us at the airport when we arrive in Massachusetts, then driving us up from there. The rest of it will get settled after we arrive, I suppose."

"It's a big move, going to the US."

"I know. I just …" Charles pursed his lips, the pain evident on his face. "We need a change, Robert. Something where we're not reminded of it all every time we're in London, or every time we look at something in the house: her bookshelves, her old office." Her bedroom, the clothes she never had a chance to take with her, the hat boxes in the attic … "Daisy still cringes every time the doorbell sounds."

"I'm sure it's hard. Like losing her twice, as you've said before. I'm so sorry, Charles. I still have no words that feel adequate to help with any of that."

"You and Cora have helped plenty, and I am truly grateful. I'd come to terms with the fact that Alice was unhappy years ago. Once she moved out, I realized how much of my life had been spent trying to keep everything at an even keel, trying to make her happy. But it's impossible to move on when we're still surrounded by her presence."

"Well, we've been worried about you, mate. How's Daisy?"

Charles heaved a deep sigh. "Alright, I think. Excited. Sad that I've sold the place, as it's the only home she's ever known, but I think she's looking forward to the adventure of it all. Having Marigold there will help, of course, not to mention your girls. Daisy trusts you all, and it's been such a relief to have you and Cora pitching in to help when I've had meetings and such."

"She still won't speak to anyone but you, though." Robert's concern was clear, and Charles appreciated it. It was his favorite thing about his best friend - the clear empathy he showed for others who were experiencing hard times. Robert had been everyone's best mate in school, the one who would liven up a room no matter what the circumstances; over time he'd mellowed a bit, and now he was just a very caring friend.

"No," Charles admitted, "except for that counselor at school but, in my opinion, he's not much help."

"So you've said. And Edith tells me the counselor at her school is terrific. I believe it's worth a try. But we'll miss you, old chap."

"You can always visit," Charles answered with a smile. "Two of your daughters are already there, after all. I know we'll see you at Christmas, and perhaps we'll come back over for a visit in the summer. I'm not sure I'll be able to handle a New England summer."

"'New England'," Robert chuckled. "Apt, for you."

"That it is." Charles finished his tea. "We'll see you for dinner tomorrow, then? Our last hurrah before the big move on Saturday."

"We'll be there."

Both men stood, then made their way out into the late-afternoon sunshine. Robert patted Charles on the back firmly, saying, "We're happy for you, mate, but we really are going to miss you terribly."

"Thank you for that," Charles answered quietly. "It means a lot to me."

"I'm sure the girls will watch out for you. Mary's been in touch about the house, I imagine? She told me it's all set for your arrival."

Charles nodded. "Yes, she texted me this morning. 'All sparkling and ready,' she wrote. I really appreciate her doing this for us. The photos look amazing, and it was such a blessing that it's already partway furnished."

"It is amazing, Charles. Beach front land, a large property, easy access to town. It's a wonderful community - it must be, for both Mary and Edith to be willing to live in the same place once again," he joked. "But it is lovely."

"I just hate being indebted to Carlisle," Charles muttered.

"Oh, you're not," Robert said, his eyes widening. "You mean you didn't know? Mary and Mama actually own the house, in equal halves."

Charles laughed aloud, his deep, booming voice startling the women who were passing them on the sidewalk.

"Let me guess. Wedding gift from Violet?" He knew a bit about wedding gifts from Violet, after all.

"Sort of," Robert admitted. "Let's just say Mama doesn't trust Richard any more than you do. She wanted to be sure Mary had a fall-back plan, and a source of her own income in the meantime."

"Well, I do feel better about that. You've been such a help to my daughter … now, I can't help but feel that I'm returning the favor."

They shook hands again as Robert hailed a taxi. "See you Saturday, old mate."

"See you then."

August 14, 2014

Saturday came and went. The house was now empty, and Charles and Daisy had spent the last four evenings in an hotel in London. They took the opportunity to revisit all of their favorite places, taking pictures and just enjoying being together.

Daisy's demeanor was different when she was alone with her Papa, something that warmed his heart completely. He knew she needed help and was hoping their move would be the right spark to ignite her progress. Since hearing of her mother's accident, she'd been suffering from what her counselor called 'traumatic mutism" - speaking only in a whisper, and only to Charles. The doctors had assured him that this type of thing was not unheard of and that, with proper counseling, care, support, she could recover. The more Charles learned about the characteristics of it, the more it made sense; mutism was much more common in children whose parents suffered from anxiety or depression, both of which had plagued Alice from the time she was a teenager. Daisy had always been shy and a bit nervous around new situations, but this was completely eclipsed by the discomfort she now felt about everything in general. She was, however, eager to see what life in the US would bring; she was as interested in leaving that terrible July night behind as Charles was.

Their flight was uneventful, and both Carsons slept most of the way, exhausted both physically and emotionally from the past several weeks. Neither could wait to get to Maine, see Edith and Marigold, and just take some time to visit the beautiful beaches and farmland they'd seen in all of Mary's photos. Daisy was nervous about her new school, but having Edith and Marigold there calmed her anxiety somewhat. For his part, Charles was hoping to set up his office rather quickly. He'd left someone in charge of his firm in London, and he was all set up to work from home. He'd be a consultant on the cases still pending, and had connected with a few international colleagues to get set up in the US as well. Other than the potential of travel to New York or Chicago once or twice a year, he hoped to spend most of his time home with his daughter.

As the plane began its descent in Boston, Daisy looked with awe out the window.

"Papa! There are so many buildings … and look at the water!" she whispered excitedly.

"I know, but this is Boston. Once we're in Maine, the water will be the same, perhaps, but the city won't be there. The area we are going to is more like your grandparents' home in England: a good deal of farmland, and smaller cities and communities."

"And Misty Cove is small?"

"That it is. It's a very quaint community. There are two schools, the town newspaper, some shopping areas, and not much else. It's a big area for lobster fishing, though - you'll enjoy lobster, I think," he said, reaching over to ruffle her hair a bit. She looked up at him and gave a trepidatious smile and a tiny nod. It was a lot of change, but she was comforted by the fact that her Papa would be by her side through it all, and she was excited to see Marigold again, too. They were almost the same age, and Daisy secretly hoped it would be like having a sister nearby. She might even speak to Marigold, she thought … after a while.

As they made their way into the terminal, Daisy clutched tightly to Charles's hand. He ran his thumb across the top of her hand, soothing her with his touch and calm demeanor. They tried to make their way through the mass of other passengers when, suddenly, they heard a very clear voice.

"Uncle Charlie! Daisy!" Charles looked over to see Edith waving furiously.

"Edith! Ah, it's so good to see you!" He opened his arms to hug her, and smiled as she kissed his cheek.

"Welcome to New England! Marigold," she said, "do you remember -?"

"Daisy!" Marigold shouted, tackling Daisy in a bear hug. "Of course, Mama," she added as an afterthought. She turned her attentions back to her 'cousin.' "How was the plane ride? Did you like it?"

Daisy smiled and shrugged a shoulder, looking up at Charles.

"It was quite nice, thank you, Marigold, but we are anxious to get to Maine," he told her.

"Let's head down to get your bags, then," Edith offered. "It's about a three-hour drive, so I thought we'd have something to eat locally and then drive up afterward. We'd arrive around seven tonight, if that works?"

"That's perfect," Charles said. "It'll be nice to get there and have time to explore the house a bit before we collapse."

"Alright, then," she said, leading the way to baggage claim.

"Where will we be eating?"

Edith looked at him and smiled. "The British Beer Company," she chuckled.

"You're joking, yes?" Charles asked, slightly horrified.

"Nope. Not at all."

To his surprise, Charles was pleased when he saw the restaurant, despite his typical dislike of chains. Daisy managed the conversation as she usually did: she'd whisper in Charles's ear if she wanted something communicated to Edith or Marigold; otherwise, she used a series of nods and head-shaking to get her point across. Thankfully, Edith had planned for difficulties in conversation and had brought along an iPad for the girls to play with as they waited for their meals to arrive. Edith used the time to give Charles some information about the school Daisy would be attending - where Edith was, despite her young age, the principal.

"We've about four hundred students," she told him, "in kindergarten through eighth grade. Kindergarten is full-day and is not state mandated, but most children attend. It's a farming and fishing community, and the parents really need their children to be somewhere so that they can work. We run an after-school program where the students can do homework, and that's staffed by volunteers and aides. It works well, I think."

Charles smiled at her across the table. "That's quite impressive," he praised. "You've been principal for two years?"

Edith nodded. "Yes. Quite young for a principal, I know, but I intend to stay for quite a long time. We love it here, Charlie. I've quite a wonderful staff at the school, which makes the job easy. Parents are mostly supportive - it's a job from heaven, truly."

"How many classes are there in each year?"

"The staff work in teams of two in each grade, sharing roughly forty-five students total. The older grades have slightly fewer, because some of the children choice out to the neighboring district for the sports they offer. Most teams, such as in Daisy's grade, are comprised of one person who teaches English and Social Studies while the other teaches Mathematics and Science. The staff get to know the students very well, but of course they already know many of them just from living in a small town. It's hard to keep secrets in Misty Cove, I'll tell you that. It can be a blessing and a curse, of course," she added, "but we make it work."

"And we'll be able to tour the building on Wednesday?"

Edith nodded. "Yes, I think that would be best. The staff are returning Monday for in-service meetings to start the year off, and then they'll spend the rest of the week meeting with their grade-level counterparts, planning and setting up their classrooms. It'll be a good time to get a tour of the building - which isn't terribly complicated to navigate, with only two main corridors - and Daisy can get to know everyone. I don't have them in any meetings Wednesday, and I should be free enough to show you around."

"And this Miss Baxter will be available?" Charles asked.

"Of course. She's already expecting you." Edith reached over and patted his hand. "She's very kind, I think you'll both like her immensely. She's quite accomplished at what she does, and why she's not working for a larger district is a mystery to me, but I'm lucky to have her. She works closely with myself, the Assistant Principal, and the school nurse. We meet weekly to discuss any issues that may arise, and are in regular contact about her caseload."

"And is it a large caseload?"

"More than you'd think," Edith replied, a look of sadness passing over her features. "We're a small town, but that doesn't mean we have fewer issues. On the contrary, I think sometimes they seem greater simply because everyone knows everyone else. It's harder to hide, and that can be difficult for some people. But rest assured - there's plenty of room for Daisy in the fray."

"Well, that does make me feel better," Charles admitted. "The last counselor was knowledgeable, but he really didn't have any personal skills beyond just listening. I was appalled at the lack of communication between that staff, frankly. It was the biggest push to move, aside from the … well, the other things."

"I'm sure that Daisy will like Miss Baxter. She has a couple of suggestions that would likely be things Daisy will enjoy, if given the chance," she added cryptically. Charles raised an eyebrow in question, but Edith noticed Daisy paying attention and shook her head slightly. Tell you later, her eyes said.

The food arrived and the iPad was sequestered back in Edith's handbag. Each of the girls dug into their meals with gusto, and shared bites with one another. Charles and Edith both marveled over their immediate closeness. The last time they'd visited they were four years old but to see them today, it appeared as though they'd never been separated.

"You've been well?" Charles enquired, and Edith nodded.

"Yes, we have." She looked thoughtfully at Daisy as she sipped her drink. "It used to feel as though it would never get better, but it has."

"Well, your situation was different from mine," Charles said softly.

"Perhaps," Edith allowed, "but Marigold and Daisy will always have that in common, having lost a parent."

"I miss Papa," Marigold said suddenly. "I know how Daisy feels about Auntie Alice. It's really sad sometimes."

Daisy's bottom lip quivered, and Charles grasped her hand under the table. "There, there, petal," he whispered, placing a kiss to her head. "It's alright to be sad, you know." But she just shook her head, wiping furiously at her eyes in her embarrassment.

"Give it time," Edith murmured. "Let's see what the new school year brings."

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