When he was close enough, he might catch the subtle scent of lavender mingling in with the other smells of the house. It was the same scent she used for the linens and such, which was a deterent for insects. The knot proved to be a pain in the rear to untie but once he had it untied and the strings dropped, she pulled the thing off and half wished he woul--- No. No no no. She cleared her throat and put some distance between them again before any of those unwelcome thoughts came barreling in through her mind.

"Come... eat," she said, ducking her head. She moved to where the babies were and knelt, looking at Heidi. "I am goin' ta put the babies back in their beds for now so we can eat and they can sleep and then after we eat ye can play more with them, is that alright, Miss Heidi?" She talked to the girl like she was a grown up.

Then she scooped the babies up, pausing long enough to let the little girl have a last look, and then stood. She placed the babies each in their bassinets. Then she kissed one and then the other before straightening up and smiling. Karen would lead the way to the dining room table and start dishing up the stew, putting just a little dollup in a bowl for the little one first to let it cool some more, and tearing off a small piece of bread, which the girl was more likely to eat than the stew, she thought, because children could be picky eaters sometimes.

She ladled a bowl up for Lorn before she would serve herself, and then gestured toward the head of the table since he was a guest. Before she sat down, she filled a mug about halfway with milk and put it next to the bowl for Heidi, and cider for both her and Lorn.

The lavender was a pleasant smell and now he knew where it had likely come from when he had smelled something new when had picked up Heidi lately.  Her clothing was more often in need to be washed than his own.  Though he thought now that he thought about it, perhaps in his bed linen as well there had been a hint of that smell as well.  He could get used to that.

Heidi looked up at Karen and nodded.  "Babies naptime."  She followed Karen over to where the young mother put the babies in the baskets.  Heidi sang "Hussss, lit baby, don't word."  

Rather she tried to sing a song that her father would sing to her when it was time for her to go to bed.  Lorn chuckled and then moved over to crouch near his daughter and sang with the little girl, helping her out.  His voice was a low bass tone and very gentle as he sang the song.  Heidi's little voice with more areas of humming than the actual words was there with him.

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird

And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring

And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass

And if that looking glass gets broke,
Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat

And if that billy goat won't pull,
Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull

And if that cart and bull turn over,
Papa's gonna buy you a dog named Rover

And if that dog named Rover won't bark
Papa's gonna buy you a horse and cart

And if that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town."



Heidi's smile was bright and huge as she looked over at the babies again.  Lorn looked up at Karen a bit bashfully.  "I sing it to her each night and if I am there when it is her nap time.   I guess she thinks it is a requirement to sleep now.  I hope you don't mind."

Looking down at the little blonde child, he picked her up.  "Let's go have some of this stew that Mrs. Calloway has invited us to share."  He sat her down in the chair near the little pieces of bread.  "Make sure to say thank you to Mrs. Calloway."  He said settling her in and showing her the bread.

Heidi's little blue eyes looked up at Karen and a sweet smile.  "Thank you, Mrs. Callay." 

Lorn chuckled.  "Close.  We'll work on that."  He glanced at Karen.  "I promise.  Though the butler is now Mr. Tink rather than Mr. Tinkerman." He grinned as he sat down himself.  "It was just Tink, but I've managed to get it up to Mr. Tink, but I think the man likes it, so we'll see." 

When he got his own bowl, he gave a nod.  "Thank you ma'am.  This looks as good as it smells.  I may be in trouble if it tastes as good as both those areas."  He waited till she had gotten her own bowl and sat down.  Then making sure Heidi was eating the bread and not just playing with it, he took a spoon himself.  "Oh, yeah, I am in trouble."

He finished the bite and shook his head.  "If I walk through here and smell that again, you will have to just tell me to head on home when I come by wanting some of it."  He teased with a wink.

The little girl was singing to the twins and she bit back a smile. It was the cutest thing ever. But then Lorn began to sing and she couldn’t help but listen as he did so. She watched him, transfixed for the duration of the song. He had a lovely singing voice and she had the urge to harmonize with him, so she began to sing along in higher notes.

When the song ended and he looked bashful, she tilted her head and then said, “Oh… No, I don’t mind at all.” In fact, she was still a little transfixed with the man for his singing voice. She had to take a step back and turn around to go into the dining room and do what she did in there.

When seated and when they began to eat the meal she had prepared, she smiled at Heidi when thanked for the food. “Ye’re welcome, Heidi,” she said. At his compliment, she got a little red faced and she said, “I wouldn’t turn ye away if ye wanted me stew. I always make plenty, today’s stew will be tomorrow’s too.”

She then took a bite of her own and sighed with pleasure because it was a particularly delicious batch. She dipped a piece of bread in and popped it into her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she said, "Before I met me husband, I worked at a manor house as a nurse and I made friends with the cook. She taught me how to cook whenever I wasn't needed by the children. I've been cookin' fer only a year." But she had a particular talent for it. "Wait until ye have me apple pie. I am plannin' on makin' some in me free time soon."

Heidi had looked up when she heard Karen's voice along with her father's.  Her eye twinkling and her hands swaying as they sang. 

"Careful there, ma'am, I might take you up on that, though the cook might get mad at me if I skipped too many meals."  He grinned.

"Well, I would not have thought you'd only been doing it for a year."  At the mention of the pie, he raised a brow.  "Ma'am, that is my favorite kind of pie."  He reached over to help Heidi with a spoon of the stew after having another bite of his own.

She was getting better with using utensils but still had a bit of trouble.  Lorn kept her from getting too much and kept from getting too much of it in her little pink dress.  Heidi chewed on a chunk of vegetable and Lorn went back to eating on his own bowl.

"Miss Cora is teaching her sister's granddaughter, Miss Bella, how to run a kitchen and cook. They share the small cottage we've numbered #S3."  He took a bite of the bread.  "Have you been able to meet the others that live here around you yet?"

“I’ll be sure to save ye some,” she said cheerfully. Her eyes danced with merriment at that. She served the food up and sat to eat by that point. After a few, not so dainty bites of food from someone with a hearty appetite thanks to having to feed two babies and working hard at doing laundry, she sat up a little straighter.

“I didn’t have much time ta be learnin how ta cook when I was travelin’ with me brother. And then I thought I found where I wanted ta be fer the rest of me life. I met Harold shortly after I began to learn how to cook and won him over with scotch eggs.” She missed her husband, she thought, and shut her mouth for a moment as she stared down at her stew. “Anyway,” she said after a moment.

Then she cleared her throat and replied to him about meeting the others, “Nay, I haven’t had a moment to meself in some time ta be able to go visitin’. Right now I wish ta wait anyhow… I am sure ye understand.” Her words were quiet at that one. She was still a bit shell shocked from the jilting.

He listened as he ate.  Though his eyes often go to the little girl next to him, and quick hands when the help with the spoon was needed as Karen spoke.  "Did you like traveling?"  He asked not wanting to be impolite about her history, but he was curious about her history.

"I have tried those.  They are good.  When I first heard about them I thought they were eggs soaked in scotch.  Like pickled eggs we get back home."  He chuckled at the memory.  "I thought someone was offering me a weird kind of drink or something."

Understanding how the mention of a lost spouse could trigger deep emotions, he turned his attention to Heidi to allow Karen to have a moment.  Then said slowly.  "I think it was seeing my Cressida riding a horse had her catching my heart."  He gave Karen an understanding glance.  Something they could both understand.  Something that only someone else mourning a part of one's heart.  Another widow(er).

"I totally understand.  The older women are more ...um... well, good intending ladies with hearts of gold, but can be pushy about things once they get to know you and adopt you.  Just a heads up."  He gave her a smile.  "I write home to my ma that she doesn't have to worry too much as I have two just like her keep an eye on me and Heidi.   They are like mother hens and all us here on the property are their chicks.  You'd think I was still in short pants when they get something they think is needing attended."  He gave a slight smile.  He didn't mind, most of the time.  It was actually nice a lot of the time feeling like he was with his family.  Other times, he thought they were a bit meddling.

She had to think about his question. Did she like traveling?? In parts, she thought as she chewed a piece of bread more than necessary. Karen swallowed and then said, “Ye know, I liked it some but I’m always lookin’ fer home. Does that make sense at all?” she set her spoon gingerly down in the half empty bowl, then laced her fingers together.

“I had it with Harold for a few short months. My home was where he was.” Her lips quivered a little but she lifted her chin and kept her tears unshed. She listened to what he said about his wife and her chin began to quake. She took a deep and shuddering breath but was bound and determined to put a smile on her face despite, reaching out and patting his hand, but careful not to linger.

Oh no, she thought when he brought up that her neighbors were somewhat busybody, she wanted to cover her face in denial. Hopefully they wouldn’t get the wrong idea about her. She was not about to make a fool of herself over another man, even as handsome and kind as this one was. Of course, she kept this worry to herself, not wanting to imply anything at all. It was already too late when it came to them eating supper together. Nono, that was just a friendly supper between two people who were developing a friendship out of similar circumstances. That was all, that was it.

“Consider me warned,” she said with a soft chuckle, then, though the chuckle was a little raspy and her lips were quivering ever so slightly still. Then she took in a sharp breath and said, “I’ll need a few more days to meself and then I’ll visit them if they haven’t visited me first.”

"Actually, it does.  I've always been with the folks and our property.  So, I can't say I have experienced a lot of traveling until we crossed the ocean.  Moving to London was huge for me, but we made it home, even though my family and life had always been an ocean and miles away.  Then it wasn't."  He paused.  "I just couldn't stay there any longer."

He looked at Karen and then quickly ducked down to pick up the spoon Heidi had dropped on the floor and given it back to the little hands.  "Now, this will be her home.  A foundation."  He had found a routine for himself, and worked hard to push back the sadness that took over, or spent time with his little girl.  Everything was now for her, he didn't really matter, he wasn't beyond that part of his grieving yet.

At her comment, he nodded.  "I'll let them know to give you more time to settle in before more than asking to hire you on the laundry.  You are in mourning.  They will understand that."  He reasoned it would be a good enough reason as he took another bite.

“Thank ye,” she said quietly, taking a deep breath in and letting it out. She would get her emotions under control, she thought as she took her spoon up and ate another bite. Karen’s eyes lifted to his face and studied him for a moment. “It’s just… a lot ta take in all at once. I am truly grateful for yer help even still.” And she was.

“I am sure that when I do meet them, twill be lovely.” She gave a smile. “I won’t be hidin’ forever.” She wanted to, Lord, she wanted to. The blonde turned her gaze to the little one and she wrinkled her nose and chuckled. “I am glad she likes me stew enough to wear it.”

She moved automatically from her seat long enough to grab a towel and offered it to Lorn so he could wipe Heidi’s face when the time came, chuckling as she sat back down.

"I'm glad to be of help."  He gave a warm smile.  "You've had a lot of hits all right close together.  Once you get your feet settled down and firm again, it will be easier.  You will find you have a support group here.  Friends."  He said with a hopeful glance around.  He hated the idea of the lady having to deal with all of it alone.

He chuckled.  "At least she is getting most of it into her mouth.  But yeah, now you see why your skill is most needed.  Otherwise, the maids would be always either doing laundry or giving her baths or both all the time.  I likely would just be hiring a seamstress to make her new frocks more often.   Though I have a feeling when she gets old enough to get into dresses and fashion, I will have that ahead of me anyway."  He chuckled giving her a nod of thanks for the towel before wiping Heidi's face and hands before going back to his own stew that was nearly done.