Mabel stood with her ear pressed against the thick wood door that was used more often than the other. Of course, she could hear nothing. Sighing to herself, she turned back towards two sets of eyes that showed fear, pain, loss and love. Elias had been gone for hours. The children hadn't had their supper since she didn't know if it was wise to try and feed them with what was going on outside. She knew better than to make a bunch of noise, let alone, finish making supper that the smells could have easily caught whatever was outsides attention. Smiling at Oweynn and Sybil, she reached down for the little girl and playfully ruffled Oweynn's hair.
Sybil touched her cheek, trying get her attention and then touched her mouth indicating she was hungry. It's the most communication she'd seen the little one give since she'd arrived almost five months ago. According to Robert, Elias's Brother's bastard child had shown up on their door step and ended up living with them for a time. It wasn't until Elias's late wife was about to give birth to their fourth child that Marion had started showing signs that certainly would have alerted the adults suspicion if she hadn't been so good at keeping them hidden. One fateful night, events took place that allowed Marian to exact her revenge on the Bishop family, unfortunately for her - She'd been caught trying to drown little Sybil. Thankfully Thomas was able to distract her just long enough for Elias to interrupt and save Sybil's life. It was the only reason she felt that Elias allowed her presence on his farm and around his children for it was Mabel who'd taught him as a child to resuscitate someone. However, he still had to get her to the hospice in town and couldn't take Thomas with and Sybil, so he made the decision to leave Thomas behind.
She knew he still blamed himself for Thomas's death. She also knew Oweynn, too, felt responsible for his little brother's death and partially for his Mother's passing as well. None could convince either of them otherwise. Smiling at the little girl in her arms that she'd come to love and care for as her own daughter, she nodded in response and put her finger to her lips indicating they needed to be very quiet. She sat Sybil down on the floor in the sitting room and gestured to Oweynn to keep watch over his little sister before heading to the kitchen where she grabbed some bread from the bread basket and some cheese. Knowing Grace would be awake soon from how full/tender her bosom was, she knew it was almost light out. She was starting to understand the fear she saw in the children's eyes. Keeping a straight face, she marched back into the sitting room with a smile on her face hoping like hell her eyes didn't betray how she was really feeling.
Mabel gave them each some bread and cheese and went back into the kitchen to pour each a glass of cows milk that she managed to warm by the dying fire. She'd set them at the table and had just gotten when she thought she could hear the sounds of horses hooves pounding on the ground down the road. Her heart began to race has she strained to hear whether or not the rider, or wild horse - though she silently hoped it had a rider, was merely passing or visiting, but alas she heard nothing more.
