"Attie!" Callie frowned at her sister. "She has hardly kidnapped him! She is clearly concerned for his well-being. She was under no obligation to take him in, nor even to write to us of his troubles. She sounds kind and concerned."

"It's so romantic," Iris whispered to Archie, her sweet voice worn away by her terrible cough. "Do you remember Yorkshire, darling? A Midsummer Night's Dream?"

Archie bowed to his queen and kissed her pale cheek. "I do, indeed. You wore Titania like a second skin, my dearest."

"And you made a delectable Oberon!"

"And we danced in the rain, refusing to close the show even though the audience had fled the storm." Archie slid his knuckles down her cheek as she sighed happily up at him.

The Worthington siblings went still, their deep gladness for their mother's recovery joining them despite their wrangling. Callie reached out for Miranda's hand and clasped it tightly.

"Thank you for caring for her," she whispered to her second-newest sister, her lashes darkened with unshed tears.

Miranda, former widow and orphan, now as much a Worthington as anyone, simply shook her head and squeezed Callie's hand in turn.

Cas leaned his cheek on the top her head. "You," he murmured, "never cease to astonish me."

Miranda closed her eyes and breathed in her husband's admiration with a serene smile. Then, recalling their audience, she cast a wary glance in Poll's direction.

Poll sat alone in a chair. His amusement had faded and he now gazed down at the carpet. Then he looked up, sending a single tortured glance directly into Miranda's eyes.

At her small gasp of dismay, Callie leaned close. "Don't you dare have regrets, Mira. In time, Poll will be all right." She gave a tiny snort. "I love him to bits, but he's always had a tendency to wallow. This is a prime opportunity for a bit of romantic heartbreak. He'll fall passionately in love again before you know it."

Miranda nodded and looked away. She fervently wished she and Poll could be as close as they had once been, back when he'd been her charming, witty friend and kindly sharer of interesting books. Before he'd declared his feelings. Before she'd met his twin brother and developed feelings of her own.

She hoped Poll would fall in love soon and end this terrible tension between them. Of course, the future love interest would have to be just the right sort of person. Someone who could embrace the uncommon, peculiar, occasionally terrifying, devoted, accepting Worthingtons. Miranda would fight to the death to keep anyone from ruining her bizarre, beloved adopted family.

She looked at Attie in bemusement. Attie had always been prone to meddle with her siblings' promising relationships. Occasionally, this interference had involved poison and firearms. I think I understand you even better now.

Attie looked back at Miranda, and then at Poll.