They ummed and aahed over whether or not to take all the children with them for the adoption, but Mary offered to go with them, and the older children would help with the younger ones. They were to meet Genevieve and Mireille at Flinders Street Station so with so much help it should be quite easy to get everybody to the court.
May and Suyin were overjoyed to see Mémé and ran into her arms.
"Mes enfants," she laughed, "how beautiful you look today." She hugged and kissed them then hugged and kissed the older ones, finishing with Jean and Lucien. "Oh my darlings," she smiled, "this is going to be wonderful day." She turned to Mary, "so good to see you, again, Mary."
Mary smiled, and let her kiss her cheek. She thought she might have to get used to this kind of greeting, Genevieve seemed to kiss everybody.
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The older children were in awe of the court house, it was imposing; they stood close to the adults, Genevieve lifted May into her arms and Jean held Suyin's hand as they entered the room where the case was to be heard. The lawyer was already there, waiting, and he smiled as the family sat on the benches.
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It was over rather quickly, Jean thought later. The judge spoke to the older children in turn, asking how they were, how they found living with Dr and Mrs Blake and saying how sorry he was that their natural parents hadn't been found.
"Dr Blake didn't have to do what he did, sir," Curtis spoke for them all, "he could just have taken Li and left us in orphanages, but he didn't. He promised us he would keep us together, keep us safe and he has done that and more. He brought us a new mother, new grandparents … and soon another sibling."
"Indeed," the judge nodded, "and you are happy with this, another sibling?"
"Of course, and," Curtis smiled cheekily, "it's not as if we can do anything about it, is it?"
"Quite." He hummed.
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Being absolutely certain that the adoption would be granted, Genevieve had reserved a room in a small hotel so they could have a meal and celebrate.
"I wish I could have you all at the flat, but …"
"Maman," Lucien sighed, "it's a bit small for that. Cosy …"
"I'm not offended, cherie," she laughed, "and to that end I am looking for a place in Ballarat, I want to watch my grandchildren grow up."
"Really?" Jean helped May and Suyin to something to eat, "that would be lovely, to have you near. What are you looking for?"
"Somewhere that I can have a room as a studio, a garden and at least two bedrooms, for overnight guests. Mireille will have the flat here, we have talked about it."
"It's a great idea, I'll be over for weekends and school holidays …" Mireille nodded, "… birthday parties, Christmas …" she looked round.
"And you will be most welcome," Jean smiled.
"Especially if you can change nappies," Lucien winked.
"Lucien," Jean tutted, "that's your job."
He roared with laughter and agreed that he would do his share.
Genevieve shook her head and laughed, Thomas had done nothing like that, but that was alright, it was a long time ago.
"Well, the next time you visit we'll invite the Clasby ladies over for tea," Jean wiped May's face, "we've told them the story and they are dying to see you again."
"They were good friends, in those days, they would come for tea when they had an appointment with Thomas."
"They sneak sweets to the children, when my back's turned," Jean rolled her eyes, "as if I don't know."
"Of course you do. We mothers know these things."
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As Jean's pregnancy progressed Genevieve felt the pull of her family more keenly. She made almost weekly trips to stay with them, helping Jean with the children and looking at houses and bungalows that might be suitable for her to buy.
Clement was convicted of murder, sentenced to hang for his crime. His lawyer had prevailed upon him not to sue Genevieve for defamation of character, he told him that no one would believe him, not after he was charged with the murder of a man who had seen everything that night and the attempted murder of the other.
She saw old friends, reacquainted herself with them and the town, and finally found a home she could be happy in. Lucien and Matthew helped her move in, set her things as she wanted them, moved furniture and Jean's father came over and tidied the garden, made it easy for her to manage herself.
Curtis and Will offered to go over at the weekends and cut the grass, do a few little jobs for her, the girls went to bake with her and learn to draw and paint and when Jean and Lucien's son was born she was there to help in the house, with Mary.
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It was a shock to Jean, to have a son. She was so convinced the baby would be a girl and hadn't thought of any boy's names. It was Genevieve that helped her with that.
"He looks like I remember my brother, when he was born," she held the little boy in her arms.
"And what is his name?" Jean hadn't known she had a brother, Lucien never spoke of an uncle, except for those on his father's side of the family.
"Oh, his name was Phillippe," she sighed, "he was killed, in the war."
"I'm so sorry."
Genevieve just gave a small, sad smile.
"Would you mind if we named him Phillip, in his memory; it's a nice name and no one else has it. Phillip Lucien," she looked at the ceiling and examined the water stain on the tiles as if looking for approval.
"I'd like that very much, cherie," Genevieve smiled, "but you don't have to."
"Everyone has a name from an older member of the family, or someone they have lost, it's like a legacy."
"You?"
"My middle name is Mary, after mum." She smiled, "if this one had been a girl she was to be Susan Mireille."
"Oh!"
"We gave May your name and her mother's …"
"Of course, I was very touched when I found out."
Jean reached over and squeezed her hand.
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It wouldn't be long before May started school, so Jean took time to spend with her, do all the things she had always done with her while Phillip slept off his feeds. He was an easy baby, fitting in well and loved by all the others. Curtis, at sixteen, was looking to his future, what he would like to study, if he would like to continue his studies or go on to an apprenticeship. Whatever it was it would have to fit in with his cricket. Will wasn't far behind him, but he was more bookish, Mireille had recognised this in him and they bonded over books, any kind of books, from Shakespeare to detective fiction. She had said that if he decided to study in Melbourne she would be happy to have him as a lodger or an occasional visitor.
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Jean and Lucien had Phillip baptised at Sacred Heart, with no objection from Father Moreton, this time. Jean thought Father Brown may have had a word with the Bishop about his reluctance to accept Lucien for what he was when he asked for permission to perform the marriage ceremony. He kept in touch and said that if one day, they found they could visit he would love to show them round his new parish.
Lucien said it would be lovely, Jean wondered how on earth they could get seven children to England and find a place to stay that wouldn't take all their savings.
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Just over two years after Phillip was born they added Susan Mireille to their family. Lucien put his foot down and insisted Jean had a cleaner come in three times a week to help her out.
"There are eight children in this family, Jean," he huffed, "you should have some help with the heavy work."
"Two of them have left to study …" she giggled at his 'masterful' stance, "I'm fine really."
"No, I insist," he folded his arms, "this time I won't take no for an answer."
"Very well, dear," she smiled.
They found a warm and friendly lady who came in to help with the laundry and the cleaning. Jean eventually agreed it gave her more time with the children and to manage the household and surgery.
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Curtis sat at Mary's kitchen table. He invariably stayed with her and Albert when he came home from college, he said it was because he could learn a lot of the practical side of farming from them.
"There's a lot of the theory at college," he hummed, "but there are times I wonder if the tutors have ever been on a farm."
"I thought you'd have wanted to study engineering," Mary slid a plate of biscuits over to him, "after you helped fix the tractor."
"There's that part of it, yeah," he nodded, "but agriculture, we're always going to need food, gran, I'd like to do that, what you and grumps do."
"Well, we've been thinking," Albert washed his hands at the sink and poured himself a cup of tea. "With Jean settled and Maggie not in the slightest bit interested in the place, we wondered, lad, if you'd like to take on the place, when we go …"
"What?!" he gasped, "you'd leave the farm to me! I'm not proper family."
"You, my lad," Albert cleared his throat, not in the habit of being 'soft', "are very much proper family."
"We love all of you, Curtis," Mary smiled, "blood or not, you are our grandson."
"But, Maggie's son …"
"Wants to be a copper, he's at the academy."
"You've heard from him? Mum is sorry Maggie doesn't write."
"Danny writes, now," she nodded, "he's happy, that's all that matters to us. So?"
"Yeah, I'll take it on."
"That's settled then, no need to change the will. Oh, Dr Harvey will still be renting the cottage."
"Mum and dad thought she'd get together with Mr Lawson," he sighed, "they worry she's lonely."
"He takes her out to dinner," Mary sipped her tea, "longest courtship on record."
"Ah."
No more was said but Curtis thought he'd let his parents know next time the subject came up in conversation. Jean cared for her friend, and it did worry her that she was on her own except when she was at work.
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Jean and Lucien watched their family grow and fly the nest, returning for holidays, weekends and just because they could. With just Phillip and Susan at home it became very quiet, Jean didn't like it, much, neither did Lucien though he didn't admit it. Genevieve was a frequent visitor, it was more than she could ever have thought she would have, a family and old friends. Neville Franklin had even taken her out to dinner, just the once. She had enjoyed the evening but it was a reminder of all she had lost and decided not to repeat the experience – he understood.
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Since Susan had been born, and the house had been so busy, Jean and Lucien had taken steps to ensure there would be no further addition to the family, but not a permanent solution.
She slid into bed and snuggled close.
"Alright, love?" he kissed the top of her head.
"Aha," she sighed.
"No you're not."
"I am, honestly," she looked up at him, "but it's so quiet. When I came here there were six children to look after, now there are four, and it won't be long before Suyin heads to college or university, May won't be far behind."
"You want another baby?"
"I'm only thirty five, Lucien, I always wanted a big family, but it's selfish of me, really," she put her head on his chest.
"Why is it selfish?"
"Because it's for me."
"And who says I don't want more children? I've loved having all the children around, it was my choice to bring them home, Jean, because I wanted to see them safe and loved. We can afford it, we have the room, well, only because the others have flown the nest, and anyway, Curtis stays with your parents, Li and Lottie tend to stay with maman, Will comes here, so I have no objection to you leaving the cap in its case. But, if it doesn't happen you're not to be sad or disappointed."
"If it doesn't happen," she smiled, "it isn't meant to be."
"Fun trying though," he grinned and lifted her nightdress.
She giggled.
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"Perhaps we tried too hard," Jean laughed at the look on Lucien's face when he told her what he had heard, listing to the heartbeat of his unborn child – or rather the heartbeats of his unborn children.
"Two heartbeats," he had gasped, "Jean, it's twins."
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Marianne Jean and Rosamund Margaret were born healthy and loud one dark and stormy night.
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"Like I said when we first came over to meet the family," Genevieve laughed, "Lucien never did do anything by halves."
"I think Jean did most of the work, maman," Mireille hummed.
"Here, Mireille," Jean handed her Marianne, "have your god-daughter, Alice has Roz."
"Oh, er," Mireille looked at the slumbering bundle now in her arms," right."
"Come, Jean," Genevieve linked her arm through hers, "let's go and find some champagne, I'm sure one glass won't hurt the babies."
Mireille wandered over to Alice who seemed to be cradling Rosamund with practiced ease.
"Left holding the babies," she sighed.
"Oh, well, if you want Matthew will hold Marianne, we should get in some practice."
"What?!"
The End … or is it?