The Passing Bell Tolls for Thee

34 Winter Turns to Spring

The short Winter days lengthened slowly as Spring neared. April worked with Ben to get Oakton in top condition. Ben bought a second golf buggy, which was very useful. The ewes started dropping lambs, and the lambs thrived. The prize ewes bred to Nico lambed, two lambs each.

April went to the barn when the prize ewes dropped their lambs. "One ewe and three ram lambs," Bill said proudly.

"Marvelous. They're so cute. Do you think the ram lambs can replace Nico?"

"Probably. They've got good bloodlines. We'll see as they grow up." The ewes nursed their lambs. "I'll watch over these myself and keep them near Chico. He's very protective of his lambs.

"Chico is quite the guardian."

***

Nala died in her favorite chair one night, and Ben gave the cat to Bill for burial. He didn't seem to miss her particularly. April thought he might get another moggy, but he ignored the kittens at the vet's office.

Drew was working on the farm accounts when April entered the library with the old diary she had found. "I found this one night last year. It's Sir Drew's old diary."

"Whaa-at?" Ben asked.

"Vere Ramsey's diary form school in France." She held it out to him.

"He didn't have one that I knew of," said Drew, who had never kept one as Vere Drew Ramsey, April's late employer.

"He kept a diary of his school years in Paris. I read the first few pages. He hated it."

Vere had hated school in Paris, but Drew ignored his begging, and eventually threats, and sent him to the small, dismal school. Kept him isolated, from forming friendships or making acquaintances in Wiltshire.

"Can I have it back?" Drew asked, wondering why he'd never found the diary.

"Back? Asked April. "We can keep it with the Oakton records. Here." She handed the warped volume to him.

After dinner, Drew went to the master bedroom with the diary. He was curious to see what Vere had written. He settled on the bed and opened the book. He skimmed through the pages, noting the boy's growing dislike of school. Finally, at the end of the book, Vere wrote about catching the mumps at 17.

Drew was shocked. He had been in South Africa at the time and hadn't heard. The boy went on to say that he'd been tested and was sterile from the mumps. Vere wrote the only good thing about this was it would make his father furious beyond belief. His father would go on and on about Vere needing to keep the Ramsey line going. Now he couldn't. The boy added that he would inform his father when it would hurt him most.

Drew slammed the book shut. That was why he'd never had children with Vere as his vessel. Three wives, no son or daughter for his new vessel permitting him another life at Oakton. If he'd known, he'd have married again and had more sons.

So that was the reason why I had to search for another vessel, he thought as she shut the diary. The reason April Waverly is here. Perfect, in many ways, but he'd have to watch her growing relationship with Geoff. If the chit got pregnant before Ostara, he'd have to find a way to make her lose it. If a woman were pregnant, his soul might end up in the mother's or the unborn child. No way of telling. Hydd had no way to control that result.

About ten weeks till Ostara. He'd send her to the Bath house as much as possible. Geoff's busy practice would keep them apart.