Page 46 of Repentance and Absolution
I glanced at Clarence, who took off his hat and his coat and hung them up, and he didn’t look at all upset at Irene’s words. I reckoned they must be true, then.
“Well, I cannot argue with you about that. Sometimes, what’s in my heart ain’t plain to see, that’s true.”
They exchanged a look, the two of them, and Irene’s eyes softened.
“Well, you’re lucky I can see it most days,” she said in a quiet voice, glancing at Oscar and me like she was saying something private but plain, and it showed the kind of folks they were.
I’d only ever seen Clarence all wrapped up in his winter gear. I looked him o’er while trying not to be obvious about it. Now that he’d taken off his coat and scarf and hung his hat up, he seemed a bit small for a man, but I guess his gruff attitude more than made up for that. Oscar was on the small side, too, and I didn’t hold that against him. Clarence didn’t seem as delicate as Oscar, but he wasn’t big and muscly either. He was dressed in plain, rough trousers with wide leather suspenders, and a tucked-in blousy red shirt, buttoned right up to the nape of his long neck. His hair was sandy brown and clipped real short.
But Oscar was staring at Clarence, and I elbowed him to get him to stop.
“Where’s this stew you’re raving about?”
Oscar turned and grinned, taking me o’er to where Irene was stirring a thick, savory mixture in a copper pot. “Don’t that smell good?”
I bent close to take a whiff and felt moisture pool in my mouth. “My goodness, but that smells wonderful, Mrs. Trelawney.”
“Now, Jimmy, you call me Irene. We’re neighbors.”
“All right. Irene. That smells mighty good.”
She smiled at me, and I about lit up inside. She had that same spirit of happiness that Oscar did, so that when they were pleased about something, the whole world knew it, and those who were close to them were blessed.
“It’s thanks to those birds you brought me yesterday. I had a recipe for turkey stew, and I figured t’would work with partridge. I suppose we’ll see, when it’s ready.”
“Irene let me have a taste,” Oscar said. “And it’s heavenly.”
“There’s biscuits in the oven, we bought some butter in town and I made bread yesterday. And there’s fruitcake and plum pudding for dessert,” she said, beaming. “Oh, and sweet potato pie!”
“My God, Irene, you’d think t’was the Queen coming o’er,” Clarence grumbled.
“Clarence, it’s Christmas! Of course, I’m going to make a feast. This is the first we’ve had visitors on Christmas Eve since we set up in Port Essington!”
Chapter Eleven
The Trelawneys
Oscar’s wide smile stretched across his sweet face as I laughed, feeling so very welcomed and looking forward to a tasty meal. My heart warmed and expanded as I gazed about me at Irene and Clarence’s house.
T’was a more substantial home than ours and, since they’d lived here so long, t’was real homey. The furniture seemed handmade out of fine woods, with covered cushions in attractive fabrics. A wide rug of blue and gold was laid out o’er the floor, and a piano sat with a majestic air in the corner by the fireplace. The main floor seemed to be one large space, with a small kitchen visible toward the back that seemed well-appointed, with a wide wood counter and an iron cookstove like ours. In between the sitting area and the kitchen, Irene had laid out a large dining table with fancy plates and cutlery, and even a centerpiece of winter greenery and berries.
“I wanted a Christmas tree, but Clarence said t’was too much work.”
Clarence rolled his eyes.
“Maybe next year.” Irene smiled.
“Sure,” Oscar said. “Next year, me and Jimmy’ll help you get one.”
Clarence clicked his tongue. “I could get her one if I felt t’was worthwhile. But I reckon it’ll only make a mess and take up space we ain’t got.”
Irene turned to Clarence then, who’d come closer to the dining table where we were standing, and I swear she stuck her tongue out at him like Oscar had done to me more than once, then she threw her dish towel at him.
Clarence caught it with a gleam in his eye and the tiniest inkling of a smile. I reckon t’wasn’t the first time this had happened.
Oscar and I exchanged a look. I felt more at home here than I had anywhere in my lifetime, and I could tell Oscar did, too. He seemed to find Clarence and Irene’s gentle ribbing just as amusing as I did, because it reminded me of the two of us, and the way we liked to chide each other. T’was too bad we couldn’t say so.
Clarence threw the dish towel back to Irene, and she caught it with a smirk.
