Have Faith

Epilogue

"Can't say I've ever been too fond of beginnings, myself. Messy little things. Give me a good ending anytime. You know where you are with an ending." Neil Gaiman, The Kindly Ones

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Epilogue

Norwood, Derbyshire

July 25, 1809

Cassian had had a dream on the night his daughter was born, just over two years ago. It was more of a memory, really. He had remembered being hungry. Hunger had never been a foreign feeling to him, but he could remember being hungry.

And so his mother, Emma, had left him alone for an hour, and had returned with a loaf of bread. At the time, he had not known what she had left to do, but as an adult, Cassian knew exactly what she had done.

She had sacrificed. His mother made sacrifices to feed him. His mother made sacrifices to keep him alive. That was what being a parent meant. Putting one's child before oneself.

And so it was only right that when his newborn daughter was placed into his arms, that she be named Emma Faith Kensington, after the two women Cassian loved, and had loved, most in his life.

"What are you thinking about, Papa?"

Cassian looked down to see that Lucy had joined him in the drawing room. Lucy was dressed beautifully in her blue summer dress with a matching ribbon in her dark curly hair. She was dressed especially for the occasion.

"I was actually thinking about the day Emma was born," Cassian replied honestly.

Lucy frowned. "It is not Emma's birthday, Papa. It is Kit's!" she scolded, and turned towards the small pile of gifts that Faith had assembled on the little table between the settees.

Cassian had no idea what was inside the packages but one. Faith was the expert in that respect. She always knew what to give people to make them happy.

Lucy adjusted one of the packages so it was sitting perfectly straight. She seemed very pleased with herself. Cassian smiled as he watched Lucy feel the top parcel. She had a terrible habit of trying to guess the contents of gifts that were not hers to open.

Cassian caught Lucy unaware, and scooped her up into his arms as he laid a sloppy kiss on her cheek, causing her to squeal in disgust. Cassian laughed. "I think about all of you, all the time."

It was the honest truth. Cassian had never known such a joy, and yet such a responsibility, than that of being a father. Cassian thought about his children all the time. He wondered about them, and worried about them. Lucy more than the others.

Kit was thriving.

Upon returning to Norwood from their last trip to Leicestershire, Faith had established the village school, and had even taught there awhile until Emma's arrival made it impossible.

Kit had been the one to volunteer for the teaching position after Faith had left it vacant. Cassian had not been too keen on the idea. He had big plans for Kit's own education, plans that included Eton for starters.

But Kit wanted to teach, and Faith had persuaded Cassian to allow it. And for the last two years, Kit had been teaching the children of Norwood how to read, write, and calculate arithmetic. Cassian could see that Kit felt as though he was helping other children like him.

It was one of the qualities that Cassian both loved and disliked about his only son. Kit was forever grateful. Cassian knew that when Kit was a father, himself, that he would understand that repayment was not necessary for the love of a father.