“Well, Alwy,” Githa sighed wearily as she came out of the bedroom, “the sun’s awake and that poor girl’s finally asleep. She wouldn’t eat a thing, though.”
“Is that all right?” Alwy asked anxiously. “I guess she usually does like to have a little bite after.”
“Oh, Alwy, you never can tell,” Githa said as she peered at the baby he held. “Sometimes you couldn’t eat a thing, and other times you feel like you could eat your own baby if no one brings you a bit of bread real quick. I’m sure she’ll eat when she wakes up. She isn’t hungry, is she?” she asked, waving at the tiny baby.
“No, she’s real quiet. She’s a real good girl, I guess,” he said, pink with pride.
“Oh, what else could she be?” Githa scoffed. “Hallo, darling!”
“Well, I don’t know, but I guess she couldn’t be anything but good. She looks just like her pretty Ma, don’t she?”
“No she doesn’t, either!” Githa said. “You men never can see resemblances. Well, let me tell you, Alwy Hogge, that this girl is going to look like you. She looks like your boys, not like Wynn. She’ll have dark hair and eyes, but mark my words: she has your mouth and chin already, and I know Beddy and Wick had just that exact nose.”
Alwy sighed. “I wanted her to be pretty like her Ma.”
“Who ever said she won’t be? I guess you would have made a real fine looking girl, Alwy Hogge.
“You think?” he asked, blushing.
“Fair as fair,” Githa cackled. “And what else! The first time I held her up, she looked at me as if to say, ‘What manner of droll little creature are you,’ with a fine curl to her lip, and I said to myself, ‘Oh, Githa,’ said I: ‘This is a girl will keep her Pa stepping high!’ Mark my words, Alwy Hogge – your Wynna’s a giver, and this girl will be a taker.”
Alwy blinked at her, overwhelmed.
“Well, my little miss! I have my eye on you! But don’t fret, Alwy. She’ll be a delight for all that.”
“How do you know all that?” Alwy whimpered.
“I’ve seen my share of babies born,” she said, nodding sagely. “Their little characters are all writ straight from birth, if you know how to read them.”
Alwy took a deep breath.
“Never you mind! Just take one day at a time. There’s a few years yet before she’ll be asking her Pa for silks and ponies,” Githa winked.
“Ponies?”
Githa laughed. “Never mind, Alwy. I’m only teasing you. But I think she will be a handful, for all she’s lying there like a wee angel just now, aren’t you, my baby love?”
Alwy smiled hesitantly.
“Now, my big man, you look proud enough to go without sleep for a week or two, but I am exhausted. And I shudder to think of the breakfast that is currently underway at my house, with all those three-score-and-twenty kids. Poor Ethelmund! If you don’t mind, I shall just get me home and send your pack back up the hill. They’ll all be dying to meet their baby sister anyhow.”
“That’s so,” Alwy grinned. “I got five kids now!”
“Lucky man. You make sure that poor wife of yours gets something to eat before noon. Goodbye, darlings.”
“Well, goodbye, Githa. And I thank you.”
“Oh, Alwy, you great big innocent boy,” she sighed, smiling fondly at him. “You are a happy man, aren’t you?”
“Well, just now I guess I’m the happiest one there is.”
Chapters
So cute, Alwy's got a new addition to his family. Now is five enough or will he want more? Good thing he built that new house!