“I can’t believe it—Ezra Downing—in the flesh?” Matthias asked, stepping toward the stranger.
Ezra Downing?
Papa’s long-lost younger brother.
My uncle.
“We all thought you’d died,” Martha McCleary said, joining everyone in the yard and peering up at him. “You went into the woods and just disappeared.” She circled around him, even going so far as to grab his chin and tilt his face from side to side. “You look just like Gideon.”
Did he?
I stared at him critically.
There was a resemblance, I supposed. A bit of familiarity around the eyes. I could make that out even around the glasses.
“A Downing through and through,” she declared.
There was a long beat before the stranger, Ezra, my uncle, nodded.
“Yes. Yes. I’ve finally returned home to Amity Falls.” He took off his spectacles and polished the glass on the corner of his vest. Once they were clean, he returned them to the bridge of his nose and looked around the yard, acknowledging everyone there. “It’s so good to see you all again.”
“Where have you been, Downing? It’s been nearly twenty years!” Matthias clutched the man’s shoulder, bringing him in for a closer examination.
“Out beyond the pass—in the city. I…I wanted to find my way in the world, but…I’ve traveled long enough and just wanted to come back home.” The young man sitting at the buckboard of the cart coughed discreetly. “And I’ve brought my son back with me. Thomas.”
Thomas nodded.
“Where is Gideon?” Ezra asked, sweeping his eyes over the gathering.
“He’s gone,” Amos McCleary said, rubbing his thumb over the miniature Founder Tree at the top of his cane, his cataracts glaring an otherworldly blue in the morning light. “There was an accident.”
The man’s face paled, and he pressed a hand to his mouth. “No. Is he…”
“There was a fire,” I said, unable to keep from stepping forward. I wanted to see the man who was my uncle face to face for myself. “His wife was badly burned. They went to the city for her to convalesce.”
“And he’s—was he all right?”
“As well as can be expected.”
“This is Gideon’s daughter Ellerie,” Matthias filled in. Then he pointed to Merry and Sadie. “His eldest girl.”
“My niece,” the man said, appraising me with fresh eyes.
“And nephew,” Sam said, moving in closer. “Samuel Downing.”
“Look at you. Both of you,” Ezra said. “You look so much like him.”
Sam and I exchanged quick glances. We both had Mama’s coloring.
“Uncle Ezra,” I said once it was clear that someone would have to speak. I offered my hand. “What an unexpected pleasure to meet you.”
His hand clasped around mine lightly, as if he wasn’t certain his touch would be welcome. He moved on to Sam, then threw a small wave to Merry and Sadie.
I turned to the cart. “Cousin Thomas.”
“Cousin Ellerie. Cousin Samuel,” he greeted. For a moment, I thought his voice held a strange melodic cadence to it, an accent unheard in these parts of the world, but as he greeted Merry and Sadie, who’d finally crept forward, it was gone.
“Did you…did you bring this…creature with you?” I asked, though it was obvious they had.
“We came across it wandering in the forest as we made our journey here.”
“In a pack?” Winthrop Mullins asked, his eyes shining with eager interest.
Ezra shook his head. “No…this one was on its own. I know it looks positively ferocious, but it was quite disoriented and weak. It only took one well-placed shot to fell it.”
He strode over to the monster and pulled its head up, revealing a broken arrow jutting from its neck.
It’s a wolf, I realized belatedly. Mostly.
“Remarkable,” Matthias murmured in seeming admiration. He knelt down beside the misshapen animal and gingerly poked at its talons. “Almost like a harpy, isn’t it? And…are those feathers?”
“Possibly,” Ezra said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“And you said it was all alone?”
He nodded. “Have there been others of its kind around here?”
“No…not exactly. There was a stag about a month ago. Elk, I think…ghastly thing.”
“Malformed?” Ezra asked. “Like this?” He nudged the creature’s tail with the tip of his boot. The gray fur was punctuated with long quills that looked dangerous even with the animal dead.
Matthias’s eyes raked over the carcass. “Yes.”
My uncle scratched at the stubble of his beard thoughtfully. “I wonder if—”
“Perhaps this isn’t the best place to discuss this, Father,” Thomas said, nodding his head toward the house. “There are ladies present, and we’ve clearly interrupted some festivities.”
“Of course, of course. I only—”
“It’s a workday,” Matthias said. “We’re raising up a new shed for the Downings. The old one burned away with the fire. In fact, we were just about to sit down for a meal. Join us, won’t you? I’m sure we’d all love to hear your tales.”
“Please.” Sam nodded encouragingly. “We’d be honored to have you with us, Uncle Ezra.”
Ezra waved off Sam’s words. “That’s far too formal for me. ‘Ezra’ is fine. Just fine.”
* * *
The benches filled quickly as most of the adults vied for a place near the center section, where Matthias sat with Ezra, deep in discussion. Sam had sat across from them, listening in rapt wonder.
Thomas hung back, his ears acutely red as a gaggle of Merry’s friends huddled nearby, preening for the object of their whispered giggles. He was undoubtedly handsome, with a sophisticated air unknown in the other boys in town. I couldn’t begrudge the girls their admiration, but I did want to set my new cousin at ease.
“Sit with me?” I asked, pointing toward a quiet section.
He nodded gratefully.
At the other end of the tables, Amos raised his hands. We all bowed our heads for his blessing. “For that which we are about to receive, we offer thanks. For the hands that prepared it, we offer gratitude. For the new faces who’ve joined us, we offer welcome.” Prayer done, he sank onto the rickety bench and slapped his knee. “Now, who will pass me one of Martha’s biscuits?”