Changeling

My love to you … today, tomorrow and forever,

Pedrek

My grandmother had written:

My dear Rebecca,

Pedrek has just told us and I must write and tell you how happy that has made your grandfather and me. Pedrek was a little contrite. He said you had agreed not to tell yet. You wanted to wait until he was out of college … or almost. Don’t blame him. It slipped out. He was so happy and wanted to share that happiness with us.

If only you could have been here!

Your grandfather says he would not have wished anything else for you and that goes for me. You should have seen the Pencarrons. They are a dear, sentimental old pair and as you know Pedrek and his mother are the sun, moon and stars and the whole universe to them. They are such family people.

They are so happy about Pedrek’s going eventually into the mine and this of course has made everything quite blissful for them.

We drank your health and talked of you continually. Mrs. Pencarron is already working out what she will wear for the wedding as the bridegroom’s grandmama and Mr. P is wondering who shall be honoured with the order for the catering for the grand feast he has in mind. Then there are Pedrek’s parents. Morwenna is completely delighted and so is Justin. Morwenna says our families have always been close and she went on about the way the two of you were born in your stepfather’s grand house in that grim mining township and how close she and your dear mother always were. Oh, Rebecca, I am sure your mother would be delighted. Your happiness meant everything to her … as it does to us. Pedrek is a really good young man and we all love him dearly. It is wonderful.

Now to more mundane matters. Things in the Poldoreys go on much as usual. Mrs. Arkwright has given birth to twins—predicted of course by our wise Mrs. Polhenny. One of Joe Garth’s fishing boats was lost in a gale recently. All on board were saved, thank God, but the loss of the boat was a blow. Somebody thought she heard the bells of St. Branok recently. But that happens periodically, as you know. Mrs. Yeo and Miss Heathers had their usual fight over who should be in charge of church decorations for Christmas. Mrs. Polhenny still pursues her calling, fighting the good light and travelling round on her old bone-shaker. You would be amused to see her. She really is one of the sights of Poldorey.