The captain brought the wagon around to the front of the cottage. There were only five of them to carry the coffin into the house, but they managed it better than he’d expected.
Mrs. Olivia came out of the bedroom. Charlie was in her arms, her head on her mama’s shoulder and her thumb in her mouth, while Noelle clutched Mrs. Olivia’s skirts. They stood to the side as he and George, Father Ed and Frank, and Captain Marriott set the coffin on the bier.
Mrs. Olivia put Charlie down and slowly approached the coffin. “Tom.”
“You don’t want to open that, Mrs. Pettigrew.” Captain Marriott gave a brief nod to the little girls.
Oh God, how bad had the Captain been shot up?
Mrs. Olivia looked at the Captain for a second, before she let out a shuddering breath. She stroked the pine wood, then le
