Zelda grinned back at him, a little more delighted by the mischief of this than she ought to have been. They were at the dock of the lake in Ottery St. Catchpole, and Alfred's curls were escaping from under his hat, and Xena was getting married in a few hours, and there was just an energy in the air that was exciting. Maybe — even though Mr. Bixby was closer in age to their dead mother than to Xena, even though this whole thing was Zelda's worst case scenario — it was because of the wedding.

She squeezed Alfred's hands. "I do, don't I?" Zelda said, feeling a little sheepish for thinking so — but maybe she could be allowed to be silly, just this morning. "I'm glad you came to see me."

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