Winter 1938
The room was peacefully quiet as the fireplace crackled and Marigold and Bertie sat reading on opposite sofas.
Unknown to her stepfather, Marigold hadn't been reading for the past couple of minutes but instead, she'd been watching him, and wondering.
While she knew he loved her very much, she always couldn't help but wonder if he loved her less because she wasn't his biological daughter.
Unlike Peter and their little brother Timothy, she wasn't a Pelham by birth. She wasn't very sure she was a Pelham at all.
"Goldie?" Bertie's voice disrupted the quietness of the living room.
She blinked, and blushed slightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare."
He shook his head with a warm smile. "You don't need to apologize. I stare at people all the time." a twinkle in his eyes informed her of what he was going to say next.
"'Especially Mama.'" They said at the same time, Bertie chuckling afterwards.
"Do I really say that that often?"
Marigold nodded profusely. "All the time."
He grinned. "Well, I can't help it. Everything comes back around to your mother for me. She's the love of my life. My best friend, my soulmate. She's given me everything I could ever want and more."
His stepdaughter found herself tearing up. "That's a lovely thing to say."
"I'm just telling the truth." he knew of the doubts that plagued his eldest child's mind. He knew how she wondered if he loved her less than his biological children. "Your mama brought you to me, and you, my dear daughter, are such a blessing."
A tear escaped her eye as piece of her heart she didn't know was missing was put into place.
Her father walked over and sat down beside her. He gently incased her hands in his own. "I want you to remember that, all right? I love you so very much. I do not care about blood relation. You and I are family. You're my daughter and you always will be." he removed one of his hands from hers and lifted it to wipe the tears off her face.
"I love you too, Dad." was all she could manage to say to such a sweet and loving reminder. Whenever she doubted his love for her, she would think back to this day in the living room.