C h a p t e r T w e n t y-Two
Passionate One
I came out of the woods and my legs could hardly carry myself. I was weary and cold and muddy. And I felt a mild fever coming my way.
Charlie didn’t say anything.
I was not myself. Not right now.
We came out towards the river. The sand here wasn’t as nice as our beach. It was browner, dirtier, and more like mud, which we were used to by now.
I sat down in the brown sand and sighed heavily, feeling a ponderous wear in my bones, something I’d never felt before. I was very tired and very worn.
I don’t remember falling asleep.
But I woke up to singing.
Claudia sat by my side and hummed a low tune, one that sounded like a sweet song our mother used to sing to us. The river lullaby.
“Claudia?” I said hazily, not fully departed from dreamland yet. “What are you doing?” My eyes stayed closed and I yawned.
“Waiting for you to be better.”
That’s when my eyes opened. It took an extra moment for everything to come away from the blurs and into focus, but when they did I looked into Claudia’s eyes and didn’t say anything. I leaned against a tree. I tried to sit up more but I felt an ache in my back. “I feel remarkably ill,” I moaned. “Why do I ache so much?”
“You’ve a fever,” Claudia caressed my forehead lovingly with her finger. “We got a bit lost, Charlie and I. You wouldn’t wake up, so we decided to stay put until you got better.”
“Where’s Charlie now?”
“Fetching the boys.”
I sighed and regained enough strength to prop myself up higher. “Henry must be worried.”
Claudia shrugged. “Arther too.”
I laughed and then sputtered. “Oh, Claudia.”
She looked at me and smiled, and I could see the colorful reds and pinks in her face. She looked like a flower.
“I think Arther is a good name.”
“Yes. I’m glad he’s been such a good big brother for you.”
“I was actually considering him otherwise.”
“Really?” I raised my eyebrows. “I suppose we do have a lot in common.”
“I was talking about myself,” she stated decorously. “There’s other fish in the sea but me and Arther are a smart match, if I do say so myself. He’s very clever, and I, very fetching.”
I didn’t know if I should laugh, for she did look dead-serious. Every other day, Claudia had a new future planned out. I could hardly be expected to keep up with her dreams, so I glanced off and let her stare away wistfully.
Another hour went by and I came to my feet effortfully. I felt a thick weight upon me and I knew I had to get home. It really was a nice sight when I saw those three boys in the distance. I could hear the crunching of their feet over leaves and dry grass.
“Henry!” I called out, but my voice was weak.
Claudia leapt up and yelled for the boys.
I sat back down and sighed with relief.
It was dark now and the stars were out. Our summer days were long, back then. Sometimes, through our endless games and fun, we lost perception of time.
We were halfway through July, nearing August.
I missed Father everyday and wondered about him so much it made my head split sometimes.
Where could he be, or what could he be doing?
Why wouldn’t he come back?
I felt a little better now that I was home and I had washed and ate and slept. Felix and Claudia waited on me as if I were a queen, and made sure I was rightly comfortable and felt pleasant.
Henry had been so worried for me and the others. I thought it was very kind of him to care so.
I came out of the Lovingale after searching for Henry upstairs. Everyone was asleep, except Henry and I.
I found him close by the gate to our house. He was simply on the other side, staring off down the road that led to the heart of Averdeene.
“Henry,” I said, and opened the gate to stand with him. “It’s dreadfully late.”
“Why does that make it dreadful?” he asked nonchalantly and without much emotion.
“I don’t know. That just sounds like something Mother would say.”
“Aye.” Henry’s shoulders dropped as he exhaled.
I stood beside him and looked where he looked, only our minds were both somewhere entirely different. Mine was back in England near my mother’s grave. I didn’t know where his was. Maybe it was across the sea with Father. Or maybe it was here in Averdeene.
“I got my name today.”
“Really?” I smiled and waited for more. “Won’t you tell me?”
He shrugged. “It doesn’t fit me.”
“Charlie must’ve picked it for a reason.”
“I suppose so.”
I chuckled lightly and kept my eyes on him. “Well, what is it? Please?”
“Passionate.”
I didn’t quite understand yet. “You mean…”
“Henry the Passionate.”
At first I couldn’t believe it.
But then I realized it was quite perfect. It made more sense than everything in the world. It did fit him. I believed so whole-heartedly.
And I think Henry did, too.
It wasn’t too much of a trial to take us six children to church, but we did have our own small tribulations. Artie was uncertain, insecure. Felix was fidgety. Charlie wouldn’t wear shoes and wanted to move every moment, and I—well, me and Henry and even Claudia were just solemn and quiet.
I always liked church. And I usually liked people in general. But I couldn’t ignore the stares and whispers I felt and heard as we walked in and sat down.
Six children. No parents.
And Charlie. Dear Charlie. If only these people made the effort to know you, rather than stare and frown.
There were a good handful of children.
Claudia attempted to speak to them, but I could tell she was a little afraid. They all went to school together.
Claudia learned alongside with us, out in the meadow or on a sandy beach.
Felix and Charlie started up a game of tag amongst themselves, and Henry and Artie stood in some corner, observing everyone else.
I was fine with just us six for company, if I had to say. I didn’t mind us just staying the way we were. I glanced at each of them. Those five were my best friends. And I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world.
So I stood by myself and watched, and when the children were done playing, we went back home to the Lovingale for a picnic.
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