She blinked.
The boys dug in their pockets and presented two very dull, flat-sided rocks to her, but as Rebecca squinted, she could make out the shape of some sort of fern leaf there. She could almost imagine they’d been drawn, sketched. “Leaves in rocks? Well, that is unexpected.”
“They are both fascinated by our finds and couldn’t wait to show you their treasures.”
Rebecca nodded, brushing her hands over the boys’ untidy hair. They were always excitable, and they were growing so fast. “I swear you’ve grown inches since I saw you last.”
“Will you measure us?”
She ruffled their hair again fondly. “After dinner tonight, I certainly will.”
“Auntie Jessie!” both cried out suddenly.
The pair shot away toward their other aunt, who had appeared from the shaded lawn across the garden. They were a whirlwind of excitement whenever they arrived anywhere. Later, when the novelty of new faces had ebbed, they would ignore everyone and get into the most trouble.
Rebecca straightened, knowing they would come back to her eventually for affection, and studied her brother carefully.
Samuel, her junior by two years, was still smiling. “Do I get a welcome, too, Becca?”
When he held out his arms, Rebecca hugged her little brother quickly. “You look very well, too,” she whispered as her brother’s arms tightened about her ribs firmly. He kissed the side of her head before releasing her and stepping back.
Samuel’s face was as tanned as the boys, and his once short-cropped hair had grown longer and more unruly than it used to be. But it was the ease in his expression, the lack of discontent about him, that pleased Rebecca most. Samuel had lost his wife when the twins had been birthed and had never seemed happy since. Today, however, his eyes sparkled with excitement—the way they had when he’d been a boy and into as much mischief as the twins got into.
“A few months by the sea has been good for all of us,” he confessed. “We met many odd fellows scaling the rock falls for prehistoric treasures. I felt right at home there amid the scavengers.”
“I’m glad. I—”
“Are you not going to welcome me too, sister,” an unexpected voice asked.
Rebecca looked past her brother’s broad shoulders and spied their sister Fanny lurking behind him. Lady Fanny Rivers was fanning herself languidly but seemed not the least bit untidy after the journey with the twins. Rebecca always ended up very rumpled.
She frowned. “You came together?”
“We had some catching up to do.” Fanny beckoned the twins near. “Children, come inside with me now. We must find their graces.”
“Father is not here,” Jessica said as she joined them. “He and the duchess went out in the carriage earlier today.”
“We do not expect them back for many hours yet,” Rebecca murmured.
“Ah,” Fanny said, looking crestfallen. Fanny had been nearly impossible to be around upon learning their father had fallen in love again. Fanny had called Gillian Thorpe her friend first of all.
“Perhaps some refreshments,” Rebecca suggested. “There should be tea and sandwiches and such in the morning room.”
“That would be lovely until they come back.” Fanny smiled smugly, the boys holding her hands now. “We will all be freshened up by then, won’t we? The duchess and I have so much to catch up on. Come along, children. Let’s get out of this dreadful heat.”
The boys dragged their slow-moving aunt up the steps faster than she wanted to go. Jessica followed, hiding a laugh behind her hand. They reached the top of the stairs finally and disappeared inside.
Rebecca turned toward her brother and raised one brow. “What did she buy them this time?”
“A horse each,” he answered with a jerk of his head toward the carriage. A pair of unsaddled mounts were being held by grooms near the carriage. The horses were quite tall and obviously of good breeding but they pranced with impatience. The boys were too young to appreciate such noble beasts.
Rebecca groaned inwardly. Fanny had too much money and often used it to get what she wanted. Apparently right now, she wanted to be the favorite aunt. “I suppose that bit of bribery might make them better behaved for a few hours.”
“We can only hope. They still love their Aunt Becca best though,” Samuel promised as he held out his arm for her to take.
The boys did not need more possessions. They needed the unconditional love and attention of their family. Rebecca laughed softly. “I wager you say that to all of us.”
Samuel chuckled. “No, I mean it. They’ve really missed you most of all. We called at the townhouse in London first, only to be told you’d left for the country in something of a hurry. I trust nothing was wrong, or was the townhouse too quiet without us?”