he missed Isabelle.

    Cember, October, November, December, January and February, and at turned.

    Ccracing steps, o ted no visitors.

    A familiar figure stepped do stood still.

    teps, beside t, and Isabelle here.

    ared at her.

    Isabelle laugake to took somet. “And tucked it obediently under  I’d like most in the world is a very large brandy.”

    Stunned, Co to tudy. Sraigook out glasses and a bottle. So a glass and drank it in one go, seness of , t to ood tiger resounded about  oo close to an enormous carted to spin and tears sprang to  tructed. “e’ll drink a toast.” ook t fumes. “to ture!”  its unfamiliar burn.

    ‘You  even seen them, have you?“ she asked.

    he frowned.

    ‘Look.“ Isabelle turned to tudy desk, pulled t ood back so t urned  some kind of response  didn’t know w o say or do.

    ‘Oer took boto a madcap dance around til tarted to clear o a  sook o ’s you and me noand?“

    he nodded.

    ‘Good. Now, where’s Pa?“

    old e erical. tc o bed in  last s again, asked, “t are they called?”

    ‘March,“ Isabelle responded.

    But t. ord of t needed to count t s anyed by ter-in-laly so grieve.

    ‘ about Cian names?“

    ‘Adeline and Emmeline,“ said Isabelle sleepily.

    ‘And ell t?“

    But tier old bed, ten, ored to  ernal bone in her body—

    but as mere spirits of the house.

    t, too. In tc over talked in low voices.

    ‘hich one is which?“ he asked.

    ‘I don’t know