“Not Judge Porter,” Lily said.

“She never heard the case, though,” Maeve said. “I wonder how she would have decided, if Judy hadn't come forward.”

“I know,” Lily said.

“It's possible that she would have applied the law fairly,” Maeve said. “But what does that even mean? I think that the judicial system in general, and men in particular, need to school themselves about the realities of emotional abuse.”

“Rebecca will help see to that,” Lily said.

“Oh, I can't wait to meet her at the party tonight,” Maeve said. But her eyes were still so serious, Lily couldn't understand.

“What's wrong, Granny?”

Maeve sighed. She turned her head, but try as she might, she couldn't hide the tears in her eyes. “I want it to be enough,” she whispered.

“What?” Lily asked. “What do you want to be enough?”

“This,” Maeve said, waving her arm in a sweeping arc. “Having you back here again. Spending time with my darling Rose—and Liam. Seeing justice served, and Edward incarcerated. It's so much. But . . .”

“It's not enough,” Lily said.

Maeve shook her head. She picked up her glasses case—the one Lily had needlepointed for her up in Cape Hawk, with the word NANOUK in big block letters, and a whale's tail curving in the background. “This was almost all I had of you for nine years,” she said.

“The entire length of Rose's life,” Lily said.

“You made it for me, sent it to me . . . I used to hold it against my heart,” Maeve said, as she did now, clutching it tightly. “And pray for you and your little girl. I didn't even know her name!”

“I couldn't tell you,” Lily said. “I was afraid he would somehow find out. And I think, also, I was afraid you'd want us as much as we wanted you. The more you knew about us, the more you'd miss us. It was the reason I couldn't let myself think about you, or home. Not consciously, anyway. But every night, my dreams . . .”

“Ah, dreams,” Maeve said. “I had them of you too. Holding your hand.”

“When I was a little girl, walking with you to the school bus,” Lily said.

“We had the same dream,” Maeve said.

“There were always roses in mine,” Lily said. “Just like in your garden.”

“Dublin Bays,” Maeve said. “Scarlet Beauties, Garnet-and-Golds.”

“And all the beach roses, between your yard and Clara's,” Lily said.

“Do you suppose we'll dream the same dreams after you go again?” Maeve asked, reaching over to pull Lily closer.

“I don't think we'll have to,” Lily said. “Because I'll never be gone long. And I want you to come up to Cape Hawk to visit—see our house and my shop, and walk Rose to school. We'll never miss another holiday together.”

“Holidays were hard,” Maeve whispered.

“For me too,” Lily said, wiping her eyes as she remembered the terrible pain of missing home, especially the first few years.