Hannish had not given Sassy's lack of a surname much thought until that moment. "They were raised in an English orphanage, Mr. Wells."
"I see."
Hannish glanced at the picnic area, noticed that Donnel had sat down on one of the blankets and was struggling to get back up. "You will excuse me." He quickly went to Donnel and easily lifted her up.
"'Tis my bad knee," Donnel explained.
"We should have brought a chair." He waited for her to get her balance, and then wrapped her hand around his arm. "I have neglected you and Blanka. Will you walk with me?"
Her smile was filled with years of love when she nodded. "You have too much on your mind to bother with us."
"That is no excuse. Are the two of you happy here?" He leisurely walked her part way around the edge of the lake.
"Why wouldn't we be? You feed us well, our duties are light and we can nap whenever we want. I'd say we are the happiest we have ever been."
"I am glad to hear it." Hannish noticed her slight limp and found a large rock for her to sit on. "Will this do for a chair?"
"Nicely." She gladly let him help her sit down. "My Michael died last year, but then, I wrote you about that."
He put a foot up on a nearby rock. "You cannae know how much your letters meant to me. Some took a good measure of time finding me, but they were as welcome as the sunrise. Was the voyage very miserable for the two of you?"
"Blanka had the sea sickness, but Cameron and your sister got us a stateroom and we were very comfortable. She is a good woman, your sister."
"The best there is; our father would be very proud of her. How I would love to show him my accomplishments, and mother too, of course."
"Well, I am proud of you, if that counts," Donnel said.
"Indeed it does."
"Blanka and I very much wanted to come to America. We have no other family and wanted to see you again before we die."
He frowned. "I'll not hear talk of dying."
"We all must die and if we are here, we can know you will watch over our graves." She reached for his hand. "You are not happy now and it pains me to see it, but you will be soon."
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Have you been reading tea leaves?"
Donnel giggled. "I do not need tea leaves to see what is before my very eyes. Your…"