April 2, 1786 Sunday
The gorgeous weather held, the temperature when all returned from church hovered in the midfifties. The doors to the big house stood open for fresh air but the windows remained closed. A bit of cooling in the house would be welcome, but once the sun set it would become cold quickly.
The late-afternoon sun drenched the meadows, the orchards with gold.
Pink and white hyacinths formed a low arrangement in the center of the table where cakes and cookies were piled on the table along with small wrapped gifts.
JohnJohn, Marcia, and Isabelle raced around the table screaming while Piglet chased them.
Ewing commanded the head of the table while his daughters and sons-in-law teased him about turning forty-eight.
Marcia grabbed a gift before Rachel could smack her hand and she leaned on Ewing’s thigh to drop it in his lap.
“Birfday.” She mangled the word.
“My, yes.” He noted the name on the small card. “Piglet. Well, this will be good.”
The three stopped to watch their grandfather open the box. He pulled out a handsome collar that one of the estate’s leatherworkers had made.
“A collar for you, Grandpa!” Isabelle clapped.
They all laughed, then Ewing solemnly remarked to the children, “I believe Piglet has made this present for himself. Let’s see if it fits.”
Charles stood up, called his beloved friend to him, walking him to Ewing. Piglet sat down and, yes, the collar fit perfectly.
One by one the gifts, useful items such as gloves, cravats, an elegant silk bottle-green waistcoat, were opened with appreciative noises. The children did not find the clothing and books that thrilling but they did quiet down.
Finally, Catherine and Rachel disappeared into the kitchen, returning with Bettina, Serena, Weymouth, and Roger.
“Now, what are you all up to?” Ewing loved every minute of this.
The sisters approached their father, Catherine took the smallish beautiful wooden box that Bettina handed to her.
“Hiding things?” His eyebrows raised.
“Mr. Ewing, you can poke around.” Bettina laughed. “But we all thought the pantry would be safe.”
“Now, what is this?”
“Open it, Grandpa!” The three small children were flush with excitement.
The two sisters stood a bit nervously, as did their husbands.
He untied the ribbon, opened the box, and there nestled in royal blue silk gleamed a pocket watch, gold with his initials on the back in an elegant script.
Lifting it out, he admired the hands, the wonderful numbers, and was so very glad no one in his family had heard him at the dinner party crab about this newfangled piece of jewelry, a pocket watch.
“Father, it chimes the hours. May I show you?” Rachel held out her hand. He dropped the expensive watch into it.
She moved the hands to four o’clock and a low chime rang out four times, which made Piglet bark and the children scream again. Then Rachel reset the time, handing him the watch with its heavy gold chain, an oval at the end with Cloverfields engraved on it so he could wear the gift on his new waistcoat.
He stood and kissed his daughters, put his hand on his sons-in-law’s shoulders, then picked up each child one by one for a big hug and a kiss.
“My dears, such a sumptuous gift.”
“We couldn’t stand the thought of everyone else pulling out their timepiece to look at it and our father having none. You are always the apogee of fashion,” Catherine gushed.
As Catherine was not a gusher, her father realized how important the gift was.
Later, when the evening star arose, everyone was back in their house or cabin. Ewing threw on his coat to visit Isabelle’s grave.
“My angel, how you would surprise me on my birthday. The kisses alone.” He stopped. “Well, our girls have kept up your doings. I now have a timepiece so, like it or not, I am a modern man.”
The watch chimed eight times, he flipped open the cover and the chime rang out deep and clear. The evening star, unnaturally bright in the rich Prussian-blue sky, flickered.
“Isabelle, the smartest thing I ever did was to marry you. My days are filled with our children and grandchildren. I am surrounded by love and always, always, and ever, I am guided by my love for you. You made me what I am.” He paused, his eyes glistening. “Ah, my love, time is passing.”