“Where do I put these?” Charlie asked, using his chin to steady the stack of boxes he was carrying.

“You may take them upstairs,” Julia said to the boys as she followed them into the entrance hall. She removed her hat and gloves. “Put them in my bedchamber for now. I’ll sort through them after we’ve had our tea.”

Alfred traipsed up the stairs after his brother, struggling to contain two hatboxes and a chin-high stack of fabrics wrapped in paper and twine.

Mr. Beecham passed the boys on the staircase as he was descending. “Upon my word. Did you buy out the whole of the Emporium?”

“Hardly,” Julia said. “But the children have all got new undergarments, stockings, and gloves, and we selected a great deal of fabric for their new clothes. All that remains is to find a good tailor and dressmaker.” Julia removed Daisy’s bonnet for her before ushering her into the drawing room. “We’re exhausted, aren’t we, Daisy?”

Daisy gave Mr. Beecham a broad smile, revealing her missing baby teeth. “I have a new parasol and a new nightgown. And Julia bought me a new hairbrush, too.”

“Did she, now? That was grand of her.” Mr. Beecham opened the drawing room drapes. “You’ll be wanting your tea.”

Julia sat down on the sofa. “If it isn’t too much trouble.”

“Not at all, ma’am.” Mr. Beecham departed. He returned shortly with the tea tray. There was bread and jam, along with savory rolls.

Alfred joined them a quarter of an hour later, a guilty expression on his face. He plumped down in a chair next to Mr. Beecham as Julia poured his tea.

“Where’s Charlie?” she asked.

Alfred took the teacup, avoiding her gaze. “Upstairs.”

“He’s not attempting to put things away, is he?”

Alfred shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Julia frowned. She knew Charlie was famished. He’d complained enough about it on the journey back from Hardholme. She couldn’t imagine him delaying his tea in order to unpack their purchases. “I hope he isn’t,” she said. “He wouldn’t like his tea to get cold.”

When another quarter of an hour passed and Charlie still hadn’t joined them, Julia began to have an uneasy feeling. Returning her teacup to the tray, she rose from her seat. “I’ll just go up and see what’s keeping him.”

Alfred’s anxious gaze followed her as she exited the drawing room. It did nothing to quell Julia’s suspicions.

Climbing the stairs to her bedchamber, she couldn’t help feeling disappointed. After their trip into the village, she’d thought the boys had begun to accept her. But perhaps it was still too soon for that.

Reaching her room, she found the door ajar. All the boxes from their shopping were heaped rather untidily on the bed.

“Charlie?” Julia called out as she entered.

There was no answer.

Her gaze swept over the room. A glimmer caught her eye, just as it had this morning—the sun shining through the windows to twinkle on Jasper’s pocket watch. She gave it a distracted glance.