“Father. John’s finally here,” said Martha, approaching Oliver Walker

This time he was standing with a cane in his hand, talking to a woman whom Elizabeth assumed was his younger sister, given their resemblance, and three other people.

“Ah, John! Elizabeth, how nice to see you,” exclaimed Oliver, moving with some difficulty toward the couple.

John approached his grandfather and kissed his forehead with the same affectionate formality he had shown his mother.

Elizabeth found these gestures of a