Alice slipped the last flower into place and carried the heavy pot over to a huge oak dresser, yet another piece of her brother-in-law’s excellent craftsmanship, made from timber scraps Oliver had had sent over to him. She poured a mug of steaming tea for Matthias and herself from the never-empty pot on the brick oven, then sat herself at the head of the table. Glancing at the door that shut off the staircase she listened for Rosie’s returning. There was no sound from upstairs. She turned to Matthias.

‘I love Rosie like she’s my own sister. Clem absolutely adores her, you know that.’

He nodded and Jessica stubbornly yanked back his head.

‘Jessica, don’t be so rough, my handsome,’ Alice checked her daughter, then went on to Matthias, ‘No one could make a better husband for Rosie than you, Matthias.’

With ‘Preacher’ now dropped, he recognised that Alice was speaking as surrogate mother of his intended bride. He opened his mouth to respond but Alice held up her hand to silence him.

‘Hear me out,’ she ordered kindly. ‘You’ll not find a better wife than Rosie, brought up as she is on a well-run farm. She’s a good Christian girl and will support you in this ministry you’ve taken upon yourself, but,’ and Alice emphasised the ‘but’, ‘are you sure, Matthias, that you have room in your life for a wife? Most of the time these last years you’ve been almost totally absorbed with God’s work, as you call it. A wife could be more of a hindrance than a help to you if you’re not prepared to put time and effort into a marriage. Have you thought of that? I wouldn’t like to see Rosie hurt.’

Matthias did not have the opportunity to reply. Rosie lifted the latch of the stairway door and joined them. Her face gave nothing away as she made for the teapot. Pouring herself a mug of the almost black liquid she sat down on a stool in front of the hearth.

Alice smiled maternally at her. ‘Nice and dry now, m’dear?’

Rosie nodded.

Then Alice cast a glance at Matthias. Jessica had climbed down off his lap and returned to her doll and he swept his hair back in an attempt to tidy it again. It made him look younger and rather vulnerable. He was gazing at Rosie with the side of his face cupped in a hand. Alice looked satisfied. He was smitten all right. She could think of no reason why Rosie should reject Matthias. After all Clem’s proddings and machinations, it looked like all that was needed now was to allow nature to take its course.

Chapter 23