Chapter 64

"What do you think of this

idea, Nicholas? Speak plainly and honestly, please. Do not say what

you think I wish to hear," Alessandra said sternly to her brother,

seeing the overwhelming surprise on his face. "Father also offered

to let you live in the house we grew up in, so you have that option

also."

Nicholas stared at his sister,

wondering why there were not more people in the world like her.

Already she had done so much, letting his family stay at Missinger

Estate when their mother had been in her last days, and now

Nicholas and his family were staying at Chisholm Manor to spend

time with their father.

"Alessandra, are you sure? It

seems like a very generous gesture…"

"You are my brother, and your

children are my nieces and nephews. It is important to me that

Edward and I, and our children, and our parents, all have rooms

established in the home there. That will leave plenty of rooms for

you and Victoria to set up for you and your children, so you will

not be without space. I would also like for any of us to be able to

come and stay in the house when we wish to, as if it were our own

home…"

"It

is your own home," Nicholas said, amused.

"Yes but I am handing it to you

to live in."

"But how will I repay you for

this? You could be earning rent off the estate."

"I still will be, from

the tenants," Alessandra replied. "You will be doing me a great

service by keeping the estate running exactly as it does now,

without changing anything. You also have the skills to identify any

maintenance that needs to be done. Quite simply, by keeping the

manor house lived in, you will be helping me immensely."

Nicholas was in shock at what

was being offered to him.

"I

will certainly think about

it, Alessandra, but I do thank you as it is a wonderful offer. I do

have to consider what Father has offered also, as that would

provide me with something to leave my children, and I do need to

think about that."

"Yes, although you could invest

the funds from the sale of the house…" Alessandra responded

thoughtfully, whilst not wanting to put pressure on her

brother.

"I am hesitant about

accepting our family home from Father," Nicholas admitted. "I know

it was his idea, but all those memories it holds for him, with

Mother."

Alessandra thought about that

before answering.

"Yes, but he will still have

those memories, and I do not think he has offered to do it just as

a token to you. I do believe he is quite lonely and will enjoy

living around people. Perhaps he may spend his time divided between

my home and yours."

The siblings walked

further without having to speak any more, both having much in their

heads that they needed to think about and consider.

~~~~~

Watching Alessandra and

her extended family in their household, Edward's parents enjoyed

the vitality it brought their home. They both found her father to

be communicative and a welcome addition to their household, having

empathy for where he was at since Alessandra's mother had died. The

combination of their own two grandchildren, combined with the five

that Nicholas had brought, resulted in Edward's mother, in

particular, feeling like it was how the manor had always meant to

be - full of people.

When it was time for

Nicholas and his family to leave again, it was emotional for

everyone, especially his father, who seemed particularly

distressed.

"Father," Alessandra saw her

brother say, in a rare moment of expression of his love. "What is

it? We shall see you again soon."

"I am proud of you, my son,"

his father said, causing concern in Nicholas and Alessandra as they

heard the words. "You are a fine father and a fine son. Thank you,"

he continued, moving closer to his son and pulling him into an

embrace. It was something that Nicholas had rarely had in his

lifetime from his father.

Alessandra saw Nicholas give

her a look of fear at the action, wondering what it meant to have

his father act in such a way.

"Father, you are welcome to

come with us if you would like to…" Nicholas started to say but his

father pulled away, with a small tear in his eye, and shook his

head.

"No, Nicholas, I am well.

It has been a very happy time, all of us being together. I know

that it meant so much to your mother that you and your sister were

with her … when … before…"

All of a sudden, in front of

them all, Alessandra saw her father break down in a deep flow of

tears. Giving thought to how his father might not want to be seen

in such a way, Nicholas immediately flung his arms around his

father once more and held him tight. It was not a usual thing for

the two of them to do, but finally Nicholas felt that they, as

father and son, had reached a time when it was not only acceptable,

but desperately overdue and, quite simply, needed.

Edward saw his parents

move away respectfully and enter the house. After a brief look of

acknowledgement to his wife, he followed, leaving only Alessandra,

her father, and her brother's family to see the demonstration of

love.

"Oh my children, I miss

her so much … every single day. It does, however, make me very

pleased to see both of you settled so well, and with good people

beside you. Edward and Victoria are both honest, generous, and

loving people. Getting to spend time with all of my grandchildren -

that is a great gift that you have both given to me and your

mother, who I am sure is looking down on all of us, with a great

smile on her face," he said and paused before going on. "I do not

know how much longer I shall have in this lifetime, so please

always remember how happy you both made me and your mother. We

never wished for more children, as we both loved both of you so

much."

"Father," Alessandra said

more forcefully than she expected. She'd grown more and more

alarmed with each word that had left her father's mouth. "Father,

why are you talking like this?"

"Because these things need to

be said, Alessandra! Your mother's passing has made me realise that

I, too, may not have too long to live. We need to say things to the

people we love, while we can. I give that advice to you also, my

children. Make sure that you tell the people in your lives how much

they mean to you. Tell them each and every day if you can, so that

on that one day when they are suddenly not there, you know that

they felt your love right until the very end."

Alessandra caught her brother's

eyes once again. They both suspected that something was seriously

wrong, either in their father's body or his mind, but said

nothing.

"Go now, Nicholas," their

father said. "Your beautiful wife and all of those wonderful

children are waiting for you. I shall see you soon, I believe?" he

asked, pointing the question at Alessandra, who nodded in

return.

"Yes, Father, you will travel

with me and Edward when we go up to Missinger Estate, and we shall

settle in to welcome Nicholas and Victoria when they move there,"

Alessandra replied.

"Very well then. Go safe on

your journey, my son."

Nicholas knew he was

dismissed so climbed into the carriage with the rest of his family,

and Alessandra and her father watched them slowly and quietly

disappear from sight.

~~~~~

"I worry about him, Edward. He

is despondent, as if he is giving up on life," Alessandra said as

they lay in bed that night, holding each other tightly.

Edward nodded in response.

"Yes, I can see it also. I suppose it is understandable, given how

much he loved your mother. Certainly, I cannot imagine how I would

be if anything happened to you, but what do we do about it?"

"I do not know," Alessandra

replied.

"I will talk to Mother and

Father about it when I can do so alone. Perhaps tomorrow you could

take your father out for a walk after breakfast, to get him out of

the house."

"Yes I will do that, and then

you and your parents can have some time alone together," Alessandra

continued, suddenly aware that her family must sometimes seem like

such an imposition on his family.

"Oh, no, I did not mean for

that reason. If you and your father take a walk, I shall be able to

see what my parents' input is to how he is feeling."

Edward looked closely at her

and saw her tears beginning.

"Thank you, Edward. I am so

fortunate to have you…" she started to say. Edward pulled her even

closer to him and no more was said.

~~~~~

"I do not know, Edward," his

father said when Edward brought up the subject the next morning. "I

agree, he is very unhappy, but what can we do?"

All three were quiet as they

thought about options.

"Could a change of scenery not

perhaps help?" Edward heard his mother say quietly. "A trip to Bath

can do wonders for anyone. Has he visited there before? Seeing

something new might reinvigorate his mind."

"Yes. It is worth suggesting I

suppose," Edward said. "Certainly, making the suggestion could not

hurt. I will talk to Alessandra when they come back from their

walk."

As if sensing the discussion

between Edward and his parents had ended, Alessandra and her father

walked in then, making the conversation flow naturally.

"Ahh, there you are,"

Edward's father said, smiling at both. "We were just discussing how

lovely Bath is at this time of year. How would you like it if we

were all to go and look at some of the sights there? Perhaps we

could even visit the baths. They are very good for one's body, you

know." He worded the question to everyone but directed the question

most particularly at Alessandra's father, who looked up with a look

of interest on his face.

"Bath! Do you know, I

have always wanted to visit there," he said. "My physician has

mentioned the waters on many occasions, as therapy for one

complaint or another."

Edward's mother smiled at him,

pleased her suggestion may have been a good one.

"Shall we all go, then? We

could arrange to rent a house that will fit all of us in.

Alessandra, would the children be pleased to visit Bath also, do

you think?" she asked her daughter-in-law to divert the

conversation.

"They would," Alessandra

said, excited. "Oh, it is a wonderful idea!"

And so it was arranged.