In his heavy French accent he shouted out the moves—three-hand swing, cage the bird, ladies’ ring—pausing now and then to bellow at somebody who was a beat behind or, more often, a young woman who knew how to move. He would break into rhymes he seemed to come up with spontaneously, because Hannah had never heard him repeat one.

It’s right by left by wrong you go,
Step right lively, à la fois,
Madame around, Monsieur bow low,
Run the gauntlet and duck that blow
Wheel left and greet your beau.

Another time she would have been here dancing with Ben, and enjoying herself mightily. Now Hannah made a circle around the dance, but there was no sign of the little people. She had turned toward the road down to the lake when she saw them coming toward her at a trot, each and every face grim and worried. Evidence enough that news of Jemima’s arrival had already reached them. The boys walked in almost military formation, with Nicholas in their middle.

They stopped in front of her. As Nathan was the oldest when Birdie was absent—and where was Birdie, Hannah wondered—he took one step forward and cleared his throat to recite a speech.

“Auntie Hannah,” he began. “We heard that Jemima is back.”

“That much is true,” Hannah said.

“And we heard she’s here to fetch Nicholas and take him away, and there’s nothing anybody can do about it. He has to go whether he wants to or not. And Lorena can’t go with him because she married Levi, and Nicholas doesn’t want to go. He wants to stay here with Lorena. And us.”

Hannah said, “Who told you all this?”

“Lots of people,” said Mariah.

“Maggie and Kate LeBlanc,” said Adam.

“Jonah Ratz,” added Nathan.

“Cam Cunningham.”

“Georgia Blackhouse.”

Hannah held up a hand to stop them. “So, everybody is saying these things.”

Heads nodded. At least the news about Jemima’s health had not begun to circulate.

She said, “What have I told you about rumors?”

Isabel leapt in the air, waving madly. “Rumor grows as it goes!”

John had come up beside her and now he leaned into her leg and rubbed his face against her hip. Hannah cradled his head and wished that she could still pick him up, but at five he was more than half her height. All the boys were big-boned and tall for their ages, and she mourned those days when she could carry them easily. It was to her the essence of motherhood, and it was why when she thought of Nicholas, she thought of Lorena. She had held him and rocked him and sung to him; she was, in Hannah’s mind, his mother.

Nicholas spoke for the first time. “Do you mean my ma ain’t here?”

“She’s here,” Hannah said. “But there’s no talk of taking you anywhere.”

He made a thoughtful face. “Does Lorena know?”

“I’m not sure. Will you come with me now so you can see your ma?”

The boy blinked at her as if he were on the edge of sleep. He let out a great sigh, came forward, and took her by the hand.

“What about us?” Amelie said. “Can we come too?”

“No,” said Henry gently. “Let Ma take him on her own.”

“You can all stay right here and watch the dancing,” Hannah said. “I believe we should be back in time for the fireworks. Henry?”

“I’ve got hold of her, Ma,” said her oldest. He took his littlest sister by the hand and then turned toward the dancing.

On the way to the Red Dog Hannah told Nicholas that his mother was ill, and then answered his questions, which would have been amusing, if not for the seriousness of the situation. As plainly as she could, she explained, and still she wasn’t sure he understood; the words didn’t make a picture for him. Jemima herself would have to do that.

She said, “If your ma seems crabby, it’s because she’s feeling so poorly,” Hannah said.

“Ma is never mean to me,” Nicholas said with great seriousness. “No matter how mad she is at other people. Once she threw a vase at Mr. Focht she was so mad at him, but when she saw me she smiled. Ma gets mad easy, but not at me. Maybe when I’m older.”

Before Hannah could think how to respond to this speech, he was off again.

“Ma says if she doesn’t fight for what’s hers and mine, nobody will. She seems mad when she talks like that, but mostly I think she’s scared. Did you know my ma used to sing in a theater? There was music and costumes and she sang. She told me some of the stories. Someday maybe I can go to the theater and watch.”

Then they were at the Red Dog and Luke was coming toward them with a focused look that told her what he had to say before he ever opened his mouth. Elizabeth was right behind him, and Da. The sight of those three faces worked like a balm.

Nicholas dropped her hand and went straight to Luke who put a hand on the boy’s head and smiled down at him briefly.

Hannah said, “Jennet?”

He nodded. “Curiosity’s at Downhill House with her. Alone.”

“I’m on my way already,” Elizabeth said. “You needn’t rush if you have something to do—” She smiled at Nicholas, and he smiled back at her, though it was for him a quiet smile.

“I have this call to make,” Hannah said, meeting her father’s eye. “And then I said I’d stop by the fireworks so I can fetch the little people home.”

Nicholas looked up at her hopefully.