His smile didn’t so much as falter, though his mind surely snagged, as Mabena’s did, on that once your sister went home. “I’ll certainly be paying a visit to Mr. Gale. He did send me a note just yesterday, yes. And I told him I’d be happy to fill in for him at St. Mary’s soon. I’m going to encourage everyone at St. Nicholas’s to simply come over here with me.”

“Oh, we could have a meal together afterward, the whole parish together.” Mrs. Pepper positively beamed at him. “And we do so love to hear you now and then.”

“And I relish the time with you all as well.” He patted her hand, which still rested in his. “And how is Kayna, ma’am? And your husband?”

He had a way of asking those simple questions in a way that made it clear he actually cared about the answers. Where normally people would give a polite, simple answer, with him they responded with the truth. Hence Mrs. Pepper’s long sigh. “I do worry for Henry. He tries to do too much, never admitting he isn’t as young as he used to be. And Kayna hasn’t been quite the same since she lost the last babe.”

Mabena drew in a sharp breath. She hadn’t even known Kayna Pepper had married, much less that she’d lost a child—or more than one? Was that what “the last” indicated? Perhaps she oughtn’t to have told her parents not to bore her with island gossip. Then she wouldn’t feel quite like the world here had spun away from her.

“I’ve been praying for her and Thom every day,” Oliver said, his gaze never leaving the woman’s eyes.

She sniffled. “I know they’d appreciate it if you stopped in while you’re here. Poor Mr. Gale hasn’t been well enough for his usual visitations.”

“Absolutely. And I’ll make certain to say hello to your husband as well before I go home for the evening.”

Mabena was about ready to shake him—or Mrs. Pepper—to draw them back to the question of Beth. She had to curl her hands into fists to control them but didn’t quite manage to keep her feet still. She shifted from one to the other.

Oliver finally glanced at her, then back to the older woman. “Forgive me, Mrs. Pepper, but did you say Beth left for home?”