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  “Right! First let me say how grand it is to be back among this group of very special women to whom I owe my very life.”

  It was not what they expected to hear and brought a sigh of pleasure from Honor and Mavis. Hilary was astonished. She never thought Faith was the grateful type, but things and people could change and here was proof of it.

  “I say, raise your glasses for a toast to all in Harmony House!”

  Once the glasses were clinked around the table, Faith got to the point. She knew she had established a suitable atmosphere for what was to come.

  “Now, I must say Grant and Stuart approached me at one of my talks. I had mentioned the story of part of my life here, and they zoned in on the London location because they were about to transfer their studies to a large hospital complex and were not too keen on Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto because of the major costs of city living. They had been traveling from their Scottish homes for some years to acquire experience in their field.”

  “What exactly is their field, Faith?”

  “It’s some form of geriatric research which may seem unusual for young men. They said it was because of the growth of aging populations throughout the world. They will explain it better to you, Vilma, when they get here.”

  “Of course, I did some investigating of their backgrounds and I discovered they are the recipients of several prestigious bursaries. I have been in touch with them several times and I am sure they are respectable and devoted to their work. They have medical degrees already and are accepted to work at London Health Sciences Centre as valued members of their research teams.”

  Honor listened to this speech and could not help remembering the fourteen-year-old child who landed into her life like a rocket and blew up everything she had previously believed.

  Mavis marvelled at the poise, the adult language and delivery of Faith’s words and remembered the hours Hilary spent tutoring the uneducated young girl in the basics to get her through exams.

  “How would you describe their personalities?” Vilma was concerned about general compatibility.

  So many changes were coming, trouble in this sphere was not welcome.

  Jannice jumped in to defend the unknown men.

  “I remember when you introduce us to Braden Santiago and Amanda Lennox. They were also young and focussed on work and they were from a far different culture but they settled in well and were an asset in many ways.”

  Vilma had to admit Jannice was correct but she still wanted a heads-up on what type of young men were about to descend on them.

  Faith knew there was no way to avoid it.

  “Well, they are wild Highlanders in one respect, and they do make a bit of noise when they celebrate.

  One of them loves to cook and the other is a bit of a musician so you can expect some treats on occasions like Christmas and Robbie Burns’ day, but for most of the time, they will be heavily involved at the hospital.

  Oh, I have mentioned your garden to them, Mavis, so don’t be afraid to put them to work. Grant, in particular, is a big fellow with lots of spare muscle power.”

  This seemed to be enough detail to satisfy the women. Talk turned to other matters and Faith breathed a sigh of relief. The rest was up to the men. She had given both of them serious warnings about good behaviour.

  Time would tell how things went.

  She crossed her fingers under the table where no one could see them.

  Honor took the top layer off her mattress and placed it on the floor for Faith. They kept the door wide open and eased the glass panels apart to let in the night air. When the lights were out, both were feeling sleepy but they could not settle down. One or the other thought of something to talk about and the conversation roamed wide and far until Faith dared to ask her aunt about Jared Pace.

  In the dim light, Honor was able to be honest about her doubts in a way she would not have managed face-to-face with her niece. Faith had inherited the gimlet eye of her mother, Felicity. It was almost impossible to lie when faced with that intensive gaze.

  It was only a few minutes into her aunt’s rambling account of her worries, before Faith decided it was her duty to check out this dude and see what exactly he was made of. Her aunt was not familiar with the kind of deceptions men could conceal so well. Faith learned this truth the hard way, early on in her foster experiences, and she was determined to save her innocent aunt from an expensive mistake in the relationship department.

  They finally drifted off to sleep after Faith extracted a promise from Honor to meet Jared very soon. There was no time to waste.

  Chapter 11

  Eve’s painting easel was moved out to the garage with other very personal items Mavis thought should be saved. The general opinion was positive about using Eve’s chair and matching drapes in the kitchen extension which was slowly coming together somewhere behind the thick sheet of plastic.

  Vilma had peeked behind this plastic one evening when the workers left. Her report was that the room would be much larger. She also reported that there was an unexpected bonus. The work behind the partition had revealed a bay window to the side of the house. It required only the removal of a few bricks to bring it into use.

  “The new room will be light and lovely. It’s an improvement to what was already a fine house.”

  Vilma was not jealous of the upper level advantages. As far as she was concerned, she had gained more than anyone else in the house, by moving to the former guest suite. She counted the porch access as a private outdoor area, the winter dining room as a big spare room for herself and the dogs to spread out in, and her refreshed room with the enlarged washroom, closet and special area for the dog cage, as a space designed exactly for all their needs.

  The big new bed was luxurious and Oscar climbed up there via a two-step ladder that folded up neatly when not in use. The window looking onto the porch was low set and a soft bench placed there soon became the dogs’ favourite perch. They knew they were on guard for the safety of all of the house residents and they took the job very seriously.

  Vilma purchased, in an end-of-summer sale, a set of white cane furniture for the porch. She made sure the backs of the chairs did not intrude into the front window space and spoil the dogs’ views over the front lawn. The cushions she purchased for the chairs were a bright spark of colour and inviting to all who saw them there.

  Vilma was delighted to see her animals so well suited. She loved her new room and her colour scheme of green and sunny yellow picked out with white. When Mavis came for the room tour, she promised she would provide a vase of white daisies for Vilma’s bedside table, right into the fall season. Vilma reminded Mavis that she was always welcome to use the new furniture on the porch and thanked her again for allowing her piano to be removed to the winter dining room.

  “Not a problem, Vilma. I don’t play much in the summer months. I have too much to do in the garden. But in the winter I will resume again.”

  “Did I hear Faith say one of the Scottish doctors is musical? I hope he doesn’t play the bagpipes!”

  “If he does, your dogs will object, I am sure. It would be nice to get a group together though. Playing music is a wonderful activity.”

  * * *

  Vilma was happy to leave all of her upper room furniture for Honor and Jared. The large bookcase that occupied one whole wall, had sections she could lock up. Into these, she placed any very personal photos, trinkets and books, and cleared a space for Honor to use.

  The three paintings Eve made for the proposed home Vilma was to share with Andy Patterson, she hung in the new suite. Vilma no longer saw sadness in the fine paintings of Mavis’s garden. She thought of them as a substitute for the view to the back gardens that she lost when she moved.

  It was the one and only thing she lost in the move. Oscar slept better and moved more easily without the stairs or even the elevator, which was not a comfortable place for him. He disliked the whine of the motor. The vet supplied a new arthritis medication in pill form for
him, to which he was responding well.

  Vilma also discovered an unexpected personal advantage.

  All memories of Andy were gone when she could not automatically remember places and times when he did this, or said that, or stood right there at the window in the light, or they shared a shower, or joked about the space in the bed taken up by the dogs.

  All was new and all was set for many happy years in Vilma Smith’s new suite.

  The word soon went around that Faith was back.

  Shania was the first to know. Her Mom, Louise, was always aware of comings and goings next door at Harmony House. It was an old habit, and one that Louise Ridley did not care to change. She had great affection for the inhabitants of the house. They had steered her through many tough times in the past. This lovely young woman standing before her was a consequence of the help of Mavis Montgomery in particular.

  “I am sure I saw Faith arriving. She had only a small bag with her so she isn’t likely to be staying too long. Ty and Betsy are in the kitchen watching television. Why not pop over now, Shania, and have a chat? We are having a pork roast for supper when your Dad gets home.”

  Shania dropped her bag of books and papers and rushed through the tall fir hedge and across the side lawn beneath the fruit trees and round to the back of Harmony House. She figured Faith would be with her Aunt Honor.

  They spotted each other at the exact same moment and there was a loud cry of delight.

  “You should have told me you were coming!”

  “I had no time to warn you!”

  “Damn girl, you look good!”

  “You, too, Shania! That haircut is ace! How are the studies going?”

  “Intense to the max but we work in teams and mine is one of the best. Listen Faith, I need to talk.

  Something important has come up.”

  They immediately went into a huddle. Honor had gone to pick up Pad Thai from the Byron restaurant that was a favourite of Faith’s. They had the office area to themselves.

  It was their shorthand version of sharing information, deriving from the fact the two young women bonded together from the first minutes Shania and her siblings arrived from Child Services to live in the Ridley home. No one else could have understood how lost Shania felt. Faith took one look at her face and she recognized the trauma of a broken home carved into those young features. She took Shania under her wing, set her up in school with Jolene’s brother as a protector, and introduced her to the vagaries of Hilary Dempster as a tutor.

  Although Faith had moved away for college, she kept in touch with Shania, so they got to the nub of the matter without a moment wasted.

  “It’s about Ty. His father is back on the scene again and this time he’s better prepared with a decent lawyer and he’s pressing his case.”

  “But the court dismissed his paternity suit because of his record of drug use. Why would they reconsider him as a suitable parent now?”

  “He has inveigled some poor female into marrying him. They say they can’t have children. She has a job and a home, so it looks as if he is a better prospect altogether. I am terrified, Faith. This is why I went into law. I wanted to be able to protect Ty but I was hoping for more time to get my qualifications and join a good legal firm.”

  “I know. I know. But you must not forget you are the only one who really understands what this man is like. You were the oldest and you saw him with your mother in the bad old days. Your testimony saved Ty before. It will again.”

  “That’s what I have pinned my hopes on. I studied court procedures and evidence rules in my first year at Western Law School. I know what is needed but I can’t control all the elements in a court room and I can’t risk losing Ty. He’s too vulnerable to be torn away from the only safe place he has ever lived. Louise and Dennis are the only parents he remembers. I thank God for that.”

  Faith gritted her teeth. Shania was right. Faith knew the girl still had the occasional nightmare about the days before Social Services finally stepped in and removed the neglected and abused children from the horrible den in which they lived.

  “What’s the parent situation?”

  “He got out of jail several years ago but broke his parole and was re-sentenced within a month.

  She somehow got drugs while still in jail and was hospitalized for an overdose. She was out on day release after three years and involved in a traffic accident that claimed the life of a pedestrian.”

  “In other words, they are toast, and out of the picture.”

  “Correct!”

  Faith knew Shania never referred to her birth parents by name. She refused to dignify them with paternity either.

  “Well, it’s all up to you, kid. There’s no one better prepared to give testimony in court and shut Ty’s father down for good. I think you should do some investigation into the background of this very convenient marriage. Is there anyone who can help with that?”

  Talking to Faith always grounded Shania. Her fear began to retreat and her thinking brain, that was usually a very efficient one, began to scan for help.

  “Wait! Jolene’s brother. Isn’t he in the police force?”

  “Not sure, but I will check it out for you. Stand by on that.”

  * * *

  Just then, Honor returned with a bag full of fragrant food. With her was Jared Pace.

  “Hey there, Shania! Please stay to eat. There’s more than enough here for an army.”

  “Oh thanks, but I have to get home. Masses of homework to do, and a pork roast waiting.”

  She took off quickly, but not before exchanging a glance with Faith that said it all.

  Thank you. Talk again. Let me know about any police connection.

  Faith readjusted her mind set and began an investigation of this man about whom her aunt had doubts.

  There was nothing better than sharing food with someone to check out who they were……. and, the food smelled delicious enough to make her mouth water so the task would be pleasant.

  It was important that Jared did not suspect this was a set-up between Honor and her niece. The food was a ploy, of course. Honor had been warned by Faith to behave as naturally as she could manage under the circumstances. Faith was to be the observer.

  “Give me a hand to move this computer Jared, then we can all sit around the table.”

  Faith got a look at the man’s physique. He was strong and sturdy looking with a set of muscles that showed through his shirt and a fine head of hair that predicted he might even be close to her aunt’s age.

  She had thought this Jared was bound to be an older man.

  Number one in my wrong assumptions?

  Jared helped spread out the paper plates and forks and he placed a napkin at each place while Honor fetched cold drinks from her mini fridge.

  Domesticated!

  “So, Faith, I understand you are working for the government in Ottawa. How’s that going?”

  “I am a very minor worker but it’s an interesting post for a beginner and I hope to learn a lot. My aim is to be able to help folks who get a raw deal from government in one form or another.”

  “That gives you plenty of scope then! No matter who is in power it’s the little guys that get shafted, as far as I can see. Good for you for standing up for the downtrodden.”

  A degree of political conscience at least!

  Honor put down the chilled bottles and Faith watched to see which Jared would choose. There was a light beer as well as various types of pop. His hand wavered over the beer and then veered toward the Pepsi.

  Definitely, some awareness he is on show.

  “Jared, tell Faith about your work.”

  Honor helped herself to a portion of food and Faith watched again, to see if Jared had enough manners to insist she was next in line.

  He did!

  “There’s not much to tell. I have worked for the same company for a lot of years. Management has sent me here and there to get a wide experience of the trade and I hope to move up to the head of
fice one of these days.”

  Possible advancement!

  “It’s heavy work and very important to get it right every time. The wrong tension on the cables or a lack of sufficient lubrication and a serious accident could occur. The company could be held responsible for a series of punitive death or injury suits.”

  A sense of responsibility!

  “Jared, is it true what you see in movies? You know, when people are trapped in an elevator and they push up the roof hatch and escape through it and climb up to safety.”

  He laughed loud enough to scatter a little rice from his mouth onto his plate.

  “That’s pure Hollywood fantasy for you! First of all, those hatches are extremely heavy and meant to be opened from outside. Anyone strong enough to raise one, would be terrified by the climb up the shaft. Chances are, they would stay on top of the elevator and fall to their deaths when it moved again.

  Not a good idea.”

  Not too sentimental, then!

  Faith sat back and devoured her food leaving the rest of the conversation to her aunt. There was nothing particularly concerning about this man. He was a regular working guy. If her aunt was happy with him, Faith was not about to protest or put roadblocks in her way.

  After all, Faith was not the one to engage with him in an intimate way. That was entirely up to Honor Pace. It was her life and her choice.

  Chapter 12

  Faith’s next priority was to meet with Jolene.

  On Faith’s last visit to London, she attended Jolene’s engagement party and met her fiancé for the first time. She was not surprised to note he was good looking and smart. Jolene would never have tolerated any man less intelligent than she was. They made a cute couple. Her dark, glossy hair close to his dark brown hair as they danced together in the downtown hotel’s Events Room. They were of a similar height and seemed to be deliriously happy which made Faith happy for them, particularly when she heard about their plans to travel, then buy a house, and work hard in a business they would start from home.