1878
1878Relying on his eldest, eighteen-year-old Minnie to help with the younger children, Charles and Ada, Richard also had the support and help of friends. Alexander Mackie, whose son David had taken a liking to Minnie, and Alexander’s wife Jane, who supported Richard with preparation of meals and laundry.
Spending his time growing wealth enabled Richard to immerse himself in thoughts other than those of his loneliness. He missed his wife’s smile; her cuddling up to him in bed on a cold winter’s night; her putting her cold feet on his backside when she’d been out of bed to one of the children. But above all, he missed her companionship.
Minnie married David Mackie two years after her mother died. Mary Ann would have swelled with pride. Richard thought she would have struggled to hold
