"No, I am not," Alannah answered her faintly, "if my father has his way I will be within the year."
Anya looked at Alannah with a thoughtful expression, she stopped feeding Tim and started to burp him over her shoulder. "You're an odd girl, Alannah. You strike me as being a very well-bred and very educated, but no stranger to hard work. From your appearance you must come from somewhere in Europe I'm guessing that your father is . . . I would say, a merchant, or something to that affect. And your mother . . . you have an interesting bone structure to your face which makes it hard to tell your heritage, but if I were to hazard a guess I would say that your mother is Irish."
"You are close, father is not any sort of Merchant, he would die at that comment. Father is from Dalkey and Mother is English," Alannah replied
"From London, I'm guessing?" Anya said knowingly.
Alannah shook her head in wonder. "Once again you are close, my mother comes from a rather quaint town in Northan England known as Yorkshire. How could you possibly know that from just looking at me?"
Anya smiled, broadly. "Patrick told my father in law that you're a romantic, so to me it was obvious since you've run away that you would to someplace that sounded romantic and secluded to you."
"Guilty as charged, I was also looking for a place where I wouldn't be found. That didn't turn out so well. Your father-in-law warned me that there was no use in trying to keep secrets from you," Alannah said as Anya laughed.
"Don't worry, I'm not the type that will betray your trust." Anya told Alannah with a sincere look on her face. "Oh my goodness the children are starting to give the larder rather ravenous looks. I'm afraid that we have talked far too long and now we shall have to make their lunch."
Alannah found herself a bit overwhelmed by the number of children she was surrounded by and now tasked with making lunch. They had boundless energy, level of noise and constant need to get into things was certainly enough to drive a sane person to the nut house. Alannah was very impressed by the calm and relaxed manner of her new friend Anya. Anya seemed to have perfect control over the whole bunch. With lunch done, the little ones down for a nap and the older children still working on chores, Anya and Alannah were finally alone once again, only this time, it was quiet. They sat on a bench out on the veranda where they could keep an eye on the older children to make sure that the chores got done. Alannah took a deep breath and let out a long stream of air.