“That is,” I added, “if you are willing to let me and my husband live here, too.”
Her answer surprised me.
“Have you any children?”
I looked at her and hesitated, blushing to the roots of my hair.
“Why, no.”
“I’d be more glad to stay,” said Mattie, “if you had some children. Oh, don’t go away! I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings after you’ve been so kind to me, and all. I only meant there’s plenty of room in the house for all of us, and room for more than us, too.... Because it always seemed to me, when people were married and everything was easy for them, and everybody knew it and was glad, and would bring them presents—wedding-presents and silver spoons for christenings—and they could show the little dresses all around—well, I don’t understand it, that’s all, them not having any.... You must excuse me.”
I wished that Jasper had heard what she said, just as she said it, for I never could repeat it to him in the same way, although I went right downstairs and tried.
We sat for a long time on the doorstep talking it over and reconstructing our lives to suit new necessities. Building our lives around the house, one might have called it, instead of building a house around our lives. It was easy to do that, with a home like the House of the Five Pines. A life built around the way we had been living hitherto would have been as difficult as growing ivy on a moving-van.
“The only disappointment is our room,” I said. “I have given it back to Mattie.”
“Well, there are three other bedrooms upstairs,” replied Jasper, “and one down.”