journey. And her mother. “She came anyway.”
“Yes.” At his radiant smile, Jenn drew a soft wondering breath. “Yes, she came. Melusine laughed at her family’s fears. Kissed mine away. ‘For love,’ she said, and would hear no more arguments.
“The truth, Dearest Heart? Life was hard, but joyous. Exile, the cold, learning the mill—an undershot wheel, Ancestors Witness, and me used to turbines and ordering others to their work. I sent a stone flying through the wall the first harvest, did I tell you? Lucky I didn’t kill someone, including myself. What did it matter?” Warm and sure, “I had Melusine at my side and Peggs in my arms.
“Your mother made this place our home. She loved it. So much, she gave you to us before she—before she had to go. When she passed you to me . . . ‘For love,’ she said then too.” His voice thickened. “Her final words.”
Eyes brimming with tears, Jenn rushed to kneel at his feet. She put a tender hand on his knee. “I’m so sorry, Poppa—”
“No. No, Jenn.” He took her hand between his callused ones. “Nothing about her death was your fault, sweet child. You’re what helped me survive it.” He bent to press his lips to her forehead, then sat back. “I’m telling you this so you understand. So you believe me when I say I would never want you or Peggs to marry for convenience or to leave home. All I want—with all my heart—is for you to have a great love, a lasting one. Like mine with your mother.”
His eyes searched her face. “Is it possible,” her father continued with the air of a man crossing ice of unknown thickness, “this is what you want too? What you feel you must leave Marrowdell to find?”
Was it?
Jenn’s brow furrowed.
She hadn’t thought so before. No. Her hunger was much too personal to include anyone else, intimate in a way she could barely express to herself, let alone explain to her father.
Anyway, she already loved Wisp. Wasn’t he her dearest, truest friend? The wishing, though. Sitting here, with Night’s Edge lost to shadow, her belief faltered. “What if that love isn’t here, Poppa?” she asked forlornly. “What do I do then?”
“Give Marrowdell time, Dearest Heart.” He held her eyes with the earnestness in his. “Here you’re loved. Here you’re safe. And here’s where you’ll have a bright future—whether you see it yet or not,” with mock sternness. His fingers squeezed hers lightly then let go. “Trust me to know what’s best.”
Jenn’s heart beat against her chest like a bird trapped beneath a basket. Here wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough.
“I can’t stay, Poppa,” the words forced from numb lips. “I can’t spend my whole life in Marrowdell. I can’t.”
“You mustn’t say that. Don’t. Please, Jenn.” Her defiance should have made him angry. To her consternation, her father’s eyes sparkled with tears and the pleading hand he raised trembled, as if he aged before her. “You must promise me. Promise you won’t ever try to leave.”
To refuse was cruel.
But to stay?
To promise?
Impossible.
She scrambled to her feet and ran from him. Through the door, through the parlor, into the kitchen. Past her shocked aunt and sister. She tugged down the ladder.
Footsteps. “Jenn! Wait!”
She scrambled up to the loft.
There, Jenn threw herself facedown on her pillow and pressed her hands tight over her ears.
Peggs followed shortly after. The mattress shifted as she sat on the bed. Jenn ignored her for a moment, then freed one eye. Her sister had loosened her hair from its tidy knot and now drew a comb through the long black locks, her face pensive.
Jenn mumbled into the pillow, “It’s too early for bed.”
“I brought a fresh candle. We can read, if you like.” A meaningful pause. “Aunt Sybb and Poppa want a private conversation.”
She rolled over to stare at Peggs with both eyes. “About me.”
“Who else?” Her sister regarded her, a dimple almost showing.
“Yes.” At his radiant smile, Jenn drew a soft wondering breath. “Yes, she came. Melusine laughed at her family’s fears. Kissed mine away. ‘For love,’ she said, and would hear no more arguments.
“The truth, Dearest Heart? Life was hard, but joyous. Exile, the cold, learning the mill—an undershot wheel, Ancestors Witness, and me used to turbines and ordering others to their work. I sent a stone flying through the wall the first harvest, did I tell you? Lucky I didn’t kill someone, including myself. What did it matter?” Warm and sure, “I had Melusine at my side and Peggs in my arms.
“Your mother made this place our home. She loved it. So much, she gave you to us before she—before she had to go. When she passed you to me . . . ‘For love,’ she said then too.” His voice thickened. “Her final words.”
Eyes brimming with tears, Jenn rushed to kneel at his feet. She put a tender hand on his knee. “I’m so sorry, Poppa—”
“No. No, Jenn.” He took her hand between his callused ones. “Nothing about her death was your fault, sweet child. You’re what helped me survive it.” He bent to press his lips to her forehead, then sat back. “I’m telling you this so you understand. So you believe me when I say I would never want you or Peggs to marry for convenience or to leave home. All I want—with all my heart—is for you to have a great love, a lasting one. Like mine with your mother.”
His eyes searched her face. “Is it possible,” her father continued with the air of a man crossing ice of unknown thickness, “this is what you want too? What you feel you must leave Marrowdell to find?”
Was it?
Jenn’s brow furrowed.
She hadn’t thought so before. No. Her hunger was much too personal to include anyone else, intimate in a way she could barely express to herself, let alone explain to her father.
Anyway, she already loved Wisp. Wasn’t he her dearest, truest friend? The wishing, though. Sitting here, with Night’s Edge lost to shadow, her belief faltered. “What if that love isn’t here, Poppa?” she asked forlornly. “What do I do then?”
“Give Marrowdell time, Dearest Heart.” He held her eyes with the earnestness in his. “Here you’re loved. Here you’re safe. And here’s where you’ll have a bright future—whether you see it yet or not,” with mock sternness. His fingers squeezed hers lightly then let go. “Trust me to know what’s best.”
Jenn’s heart beat against her chest like a bird trapped beneath a basket. Here wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough.
“I can’t stay, Poppa,” the words forced from numb lips. “I can’t spend my whole life in Marrowdell. I can’t.”
“You mustn’t say that. Don’t. Please, Jenn.” Her defiance should have made him angry. To her consternation, her father’s eyes sparkled with tears and the pleading hand he raised trembled, as if he aged before her. “You must promise me. Promise you won’t ever try to leave.”
To refuse was cruel.
But to stay?
To promise?
Impossible.
She scrambled to her feet and ran from him. Through the door, through the parlor, into the kitchen. Past her shocked aunt and sister. She tugged down the ladder.
Footsteps. “Jenn! Wait!”
She scrambled up to the loft.
There, Jenn threw herself facedown on her pillow and pressed her hands tight over her ears.
Peggs followed shortly after. The mattress shifted as she sat on the bed. Jenn ignored her for a moment, then freed one eye. Her sister had loosened her hair from its tidy knot and now drew a comb through the long black locks, her face pensive.
Jenn mumbled into the pillow, “It’s too early for bed.”
“I brought a fresh candle. We can read, if you like.” A meaningful pause. “Aunt Sybb and Poppa want a private conversation.”
She rolled over to stare at Peggs with both eyes. “About me.”
“Who else?” Her sister regarded her, a dimple almost showing.
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