The Happy Marriage of Rosannah Winthrop (Completed)

Ch 24 - The Children Arrive

Copyright to VedaPettigrew.

Children were everywhere!

They were creating a tremendous noise, running and yelling with excitement, astonished at their new surroundings, though a few nervous ones clung to Rosannah's and Mrs Feathering's skirts, Mr Feathering carried two in his arms and even Henry had Tommy, a red headed toddler, looking through his legs, thumb in his mouth and utterly wide eyed as he clutched Henry's knee with his free arm.

It was glorious and the adults wore enormous smiles at the sight of such amazement and joy in the innocents surrounding them. Rosannah noted that even the two new adults carried looks of wonder, clearly the beauty of Amblethorpe surpassed anything they had envisaged.

Upon seeing the easy way the children turned to the Featherings, Rosannah and Henry exchanged looks of satisfaction, there was clearly affection and trust in the children's actions and they now had definitive proof that their decision to hire them was the correct one.

Rosannah offered up a prayer of thanks, especially as she recalled the sour Mrs Green. She had not once seen the children cling to her for comfort, as they did now to their recently appointed supervisor, who was acting more like a mother. The exact thing Rosannah had been looking for.

"Chessie!" Seven year old Martha called as she ran to them, bouncing with every step, "Dookie..." she spun around wildly, swinging her arms wide. "Are we really stayin' 'ere? Oi have never seen anyfing loike it."

Henry's lip twitched, "Yes. This place is your home for the summer, you can explore to your heart's content. Anywhere up to the red ribbons," he said of the boundary he had established. Plenty of room for play but shrinking the possibility of anyone getting lost, helping the Feathering's keep order.

"We shall take Mr Feathering on a walk of the area and anyone may join us," he said to the ecstatic child. "Go and tell the others we shall be leaving in ten minutes."

She ran off like a bullet, screaming as she ran, "We can go exploring with Dookie and Mister F."

Several children darted out of the tents and cheered. Martha ran about, telling everyone what she knew, and garnered a trail of children following her that would compete with the Pied Piper's.

"Up."

Rosannah looked over to Tommy. He was still between Henry's legs but he was looking up at him, arms lifted high.

Henry smiled down at him and scooped him up without hesitation. Once he was balanced on Henry's arm, he stuck his thumb in his mouth and rested his head against his shoulder.

"Oh dear, I am sorry." Mrs Feathering tried to run over, but the multitude of children hanging onto her made it difficult.

"Stay there," Henry called. "The lad is fine where he is."

She wrung her hands, "He has a tendency to drool when he sleeps and I believe that is his intention now."

Rosannah looked and sure enough, little Tommy's eyes were closed. Henry smiled down at the sight, undeterred by Mrs Feathering's warning. "'Tis but a trifling thing," he reassured her, getting out a handkerchief and slipping it beneath Tommy's face.

Seeing the two together brought tears to Rosannah's eyes and she turned away in a hurry, lest Henry start worrying about her. She had barely escaped her chambers this afternoon, and having been stuck there for almost two days, she had no desire to return.

She had no idea why everything brought tears to her eyes these days, but she was positive she was well enough to be about. She could not abandon their guests again.