An American Home

Epilogue

July, 1877

“Linette and I are going to check which flowers are blooming!”

As the twelve year old boy carried the baby out of the house, Jane turned to her friend in horror. “Are you sure you trust Pip to hold Linette, Katherine?” she asked, her tone sceptical.

Smiling, Katherine stepped out onto the porch with her friends. A light summer breeze hit her face, making her smile widen. “I think Pip has sworn to protect Linette with his life,” she answered, gazing out across the lawn. Jonathon, who was tending to the flowerbeds, nodded respectfully. “I know no harm will come to her.”

“He is also a twelve year old boy who gets impulsive ideas in his head.”

“I wouldn’t dare try to keep him from sharing his world with her,” Katherine told her, becoming serious. “He misses Crutchie terribly.”

Jane nodded in understanding. “I think your father was right in taking him far away from here,” she said. “He’ll learn a lot, traveling with your father.” She smiled. “Your mother is going to have a heart attack when she finds out, though.”

“I believe that Miss Isabella is missing Crutchie more than Pip ever will,” Michaela pointed out.

Smiling mischievously, Katherine glanced at her. “Same as you’re missing a certain Persian man?”

“Shush, both of you! I’m trying to listen to the music,” Michaela said, ignoring the question.

All three of the women fell silent, listening to the organ being played nearby. “He was afraid that it would be too loud for Linette, but she seems to adore the music as much as he does,” Katherine finally said. “That’s the only reason he hasn’t soundproofed the music room yet.”

“You’ve been here two weeks,” Jane exclaimed. “When would he have found the time?”

Shaking her head, Katherine moved to the steps and faced her friends. “Now that the de Chagnys have left for Paris, there’s no one worth Erik attending the opera,” she answered. “Maeve is long gone, and Isabella is still struggling to keep up with his lessons.”

“Maybe he’ll finally compose something.”

“Perhaps.” Katherine paused and took a deep breath. “I suppose this is it. I don’t know how I would have got through these past months without you,” she said, tears welling up in her eyes. She held her arms out. “And I am going to miss you all so much!”

Her friends hugged her. “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry,” Michaela said with a sniff.

“We will write every moment we get,” Jane promised, stepping back first. “And we’ll come back. Now that Aunt and Uncle own a house in New York, we’ll simply have to come back again.”

“You should go now,” Katherine said, wiping at the tears on her face. “You need to get to the city before it gets dark.”

Leaving the porch, the two cousins turned to take in the large, two story brick house in front of them. “This looks more you,” Michaela called out. “But it looks like you’re expecting at least half a dozen kids in the near future.”

“I sincerely hope so,” Katherine responded. “The world needs more young singers in it.”

Laughing, the cousins climbed into the waiting carriage and set off. Katherine waved back for as long as they were in sight. When an arm came around her waist, she jumped, not having heard the music stop. “So they are gone,” Erik commented.

“Yes.”

“Then, our family is alone for the first time in months.”

Katherine glanced to where Pip was holding an early rose in front of Linette’s face. “All we need is Crutchie,” she answered.

“He will do better with your father.”

Heaving a sigh, Katherine nodded. “Yes, I know. But I do miss him,” she said as they began to walk about the garden. “He would have loved it here.”

“He is a city boy,” Erik contradicted. “It would have been too quiet and open for him.”

“Being a father has made you remarkably more perceptive,” Katherine observed, her tone teasing. She leaned against him. “I told you you would make a wonderful father.”

“I did not have good examples of parenting growing up,” Erik admitted.

“Yes, you’ve spoken of your mother’s fear and loathing,” Katherine commented. “But you’ve never said anything of your father.”

Erik tensed. “I do not know my father. I won’t make that mistake with Linette.”

Frowning, Katherine looked up at him. “Have you never wondered about your father? If you inherited your musical gift from him?”

“I have not, and I do not wish to speak about it any further, Katherine.”

“All right,” Katherine said swiftly. She broke away from him, and walked quickly towards her children. “Pip, don’t let her grab that rose!”

A wail of pain filled the garden followed by the boy’s protest, “I didn’t mean to!”

~*~

Humming, Michaela walked out onto the open deck of the ship. Her steps faltered as she took in the tall man who was standing at the railing. “Kahn,” she said, not recognizing her own voice. The man turned and inclined his head. Feeling a smile spreading across her face, Michaela started forward. “I thought you left for Paris months ago.”

“You should never assume things, Miss D’Arcy,” Kahn told her. “I had business to finish.”

Michaela walked to the railing and stood beside him, looking out over the water. “Suppose I have need of you again?” she asked. “How will I contact you in Paris?”

“Do you make it a habit of finding trouble, Miss D’Arcy?”

She scowled at his formal voice. “No, but in general it seems to find me.”

“I suppose, then, that it would be simpler if I were to make sure you stayed out of trouble then.”

Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, Michaela put both of her hands on the railing. “I suppose I might let you,” she conceded.

After a moment, Kahn’s hand came over hers.

____________

A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!