While Fiona engaged in her quiet secret romance, the town of St. Mary’s By the Sea was buzzing with the real and concrete romance of Donald Pettinger and Miss Webster. They were now dating quite publicly and his truck was often in the school parking lot either dropping her off in the morning or waiting for her after school. Charlie was particularly thrilled by this because she felt responsible.

“If I hadn’t been stuck in a tree with Billy Bear, they might never have met,” she said at dinner one night.

“They probably would have met eventually,” said Marlin. “From what he said, everyone in town seemed to be pushing her at him. And she must be really serious about him or she would never have told him our secret.”

“What would she have told him?” asked Natasha.

“I don’t know but she’s an inveterate liar,” said Marlin. “So it would have been good. Look how she handled Ashley’s mom.”

“I hope you’re right,” said Fiona. “Because if they break up, it’s one more person who knows about us but now one who hasn’t a loyal stake in keeping our secret.”

“He would never tell anyone,” said Charlie.

“Besides, maybe they’ll marry,” said Marlin. “He’s the most handsome bachelor in St. Mary’s By the Sea and she’s the prettiest bachelorette.”

“I think that’s shallow,” said Natasha. “You shouldn’t choose a mate based on looks. Although there are birds…”

“We’re not talking about birds,” said Marlin.

“If they get married, they can adopt us,” said Charlie.

“Charlie,” warned Fiona. “Don’t say that around Miss Webster. Ever. Or Mr. Pettinger.”

“I wouldn’t but I bet they’re thinking it. They seem to like us a lot,” Charlie went on happily. “Of everyone in town they’re the ones I choose.”

“Well, yes,” said Fiona. “They’d make kind of ideal guardians. But we don’t get to choose and besides, there isn’t the slightest hint of that, so don’t even think it.”

“And last Sunday,” Charlie went on as if Fiona hadn’t said anything, “they sat on the back steps and she said that of everywhere she’s lived in the world she loves Pine Island the best and she’d love to have a little farm just like ours. She’d keep horses and some sheep.”

“And he said he wanted that too. With a couple of dogs thrown in,” said Natasha.

“They could move right in!” said Charlie.

“Where would we put them? I don’t want to move our beds back in with you small fry,” said Marlin.

“He could build another bedroom onto the side of the house for them,” said Charlie. “He can do anything.”

Fiona had been privately thinking about possible arrangements like this herself. Miss Webster and Mr. Pettinger had taken to coming over every Sunday for what had long ceased to be Miss Webster’s inspection and become her pleasure and they always stayed for dinner. Mr. Pettinger had wanted the girls to call him Don but Miss Webster said they had to continue to call her Miss Webster so they wouldn’t accidentally slip at school and address her as Diana. That made sense to everyone and the girls decided to keep calling him Mr. Pettinger for the symmetry, as Marlin put it.