Chapter 26

Trevor looked horrified. "As if I didn't have enough troubles already, with you lot!", but smiled to show he was joking. He looked into Peggy's eyes. "Are you really thinking that way, Peggy, my dear?"

Peggy looked into his eyes, then cast her gaze downwards, saying softly, "Yes." Tracy seemed not to hear her, asking, "What was that, Peggy?"

The girl spoke a little louder, "I said, Yes, Tracy."

Tracy declared, her voice showing incredulity, "You want to marry our Trevor?"

Peggy made her own internal decision, and lifted her face towards Trevor. "YES, I want to marry your Trevor, my Trevor, if he will have me as a wife."

Amelia, from her bed, declared, "Don't I have a say in this matter, young lady?"

Peggy realised she was still holding Amelia's baby, and rushed to return the child to its mother. "Oh, yes, Amelia. I want ALL of you to be happy with me. I will do ANYTHING to be part of this family!"

Amelia was careful with her next words. "Peggy, you are already part of this family, albeit on a temporary basis. If you want to join us on more permanent footing, it will take time. You surely realise that we need time to discover whether you will be able to fit into this close-knit family circle? WE need time before you can be considered as a potential wife for Trevor." She looked towards her husband, "And Trevor has to be certain that he wants you as a wife, rather than simply a temporary bedmate."

Trevor saw his cue. "Yes, Peggy. Marriage is a lot more than sex. It is about getting along together, and it takes a long time to know that you have all accepted each other. We didn't marry until we were sure we were meant to become a family group. You have to go through the same process, Peggy."

"Oh. " She thought for a minute, then, "Okay. I understand."

Amelia spoke to her. "Peggy, part of the training for being a wife is making meals. How are you at putting together a meal for us?"

"I could do that, I'm sure."

"Right. Why don't you start now, and show us what you can do at short notice? You know where the kitchen is, Peggy."

Peggy rushed off to get started. Once she was gone, Amelia asked Trevor, "Well, my husband, what do you think about this girl's proposal?"

Trevor considered. "She is a nice girl. I enjoyed making love to her, but I am not "in love" with her. That may come with time. As to her becoming another wife, that is up to you girls. Your opinions will rule what I do, as you know. I love you four and would not do anything to jeopardise that love. It is all so sudden. I wonder how much is due to her release from the pressure her parents put her under. It can't just be my lovemaking techniques that persuaded her!"

Tracy laughed, "I wouldn't be so certain, darling. You have had plenty of practice over the last nine months, to improve your technique. We made sure of that!"

Dinah added, "Part of it may be the years of ridicule at school. She is starting to mature, and taking today as an example, she is going to blossom in so many ways. That girl is a lot cleverer than her school results suggest. She may begin to display her talents, now that she has some self-confidence, and an encouraging family, behind her."

Amelia commented, "Whatever it is, she seems to be enamoured of Trevor. We need Annabel's input for this discussion, to find a consensus among us. Whatever we decide, Peggy has to establish a track record with us, as a family. If she is divisive, she cannot join us; if she is cooperative, and shows love towards us, the odds move in her favour. It is up to Peggy to do what is needed."

As she spoke, Peggy poked her head in the doorway. "Did I hear my name mentioned? Have I done something wrong?" She realised she had to explain her presence. "I came back to ask about some ingredients of the meal – rice or potatoes; and how much salt do you put in the dishes?"

Amelia responded, "Yes, we were talking about you, Peggy. You want to join the family, so naturally we are talking about you. As the eldest wife, and the first mother in this family, my opinion is important, don't you think, Peggy?"

"Oh, yes, Amelia. I didn't want to intrude, really."

"Fine. To answer your questions, we normally prefer rice, but if you want to do potatoes, go ahead. We have been trying to cut down on salt intake, so no more than a teaspoonful in a pot of stew, or similar; and only a small dash of salt in the water if you boil potatoes or cook rice."

Peggy's expression cleared. "Right. I am on to it." And she was off.

Trevor opined, "Well, if enthusiasm has anything to do with it, she is doing well."

Amelia retorted, "She is probably anxious to get into your bed again tonight, dear. After you have made love to her, tell her that Tracy and Dinah get to stay the night with you. It is their right as wives and expectant mothers, after all."

Trevor said soberly, "Quite right, Amelia my love."

Tracy went to ensure that Peggy was coping in the kitchen. She was surprised at how competent the younger girl was. Tracy had benefitted from Mary Kempe's tuition, and so Peggy was less good at cooking, but she was no slouch. Tracy allowed her to continue, offering assistance occasionally, where Peggy was unsure what to do. She asked Peggy how come she was so good a cook. The other girl snorted, "Mummy was insistent that I be able to cook good meals for whoever they picked out to be my husband. It was not to be my choice; my opinion was of no interest to them: the bastards."

Tracy was again shocked at Peggy's still tormented soul. The girl was in need of some seriously sweet loving, so she would encourage Trevor to do his duty this evening again.

The evening meal was a great success, with Peggy being congratulated on her cooking skills. Dinah and Tracy volunteered to clear the table and get the dirty dishes washed and put away. Trevor went to Amelia's room to collect her meal tray, and Peggy went to do her own thing. Everyone assumed it to be her school homework.

Trevor brought the tray to the kitchen, and grabbed a dishcloth to help dry dishes. He was busy at that when a voice said, "Trevor, darling?" He turned, and there in the doorway was Peggy, completely nude, leaning provocatively against the door frame. He goggled, while Tracy and Dinah giggled at the scene. "I am ready for you, Trevor, whenever you want me," announced Peggy. "First I wanted to show you I was now fine with being naked in the house."

Trevor came over to her and ran his hands over her soft hair, down her neck, and gently ran them down her pert breasts, brushing the nipples as he did so. He went to go further, but stopped. "I would love to take you right now, Peggy, but the hospital visiting time is not far off. Annabel and the twins need me to be there, so can we postpone your loving until later this evening?"

Peggy stiffened in shock and put her hand to her mouth. "Oh, I forgot! Sorry, Trevor; sorry girls. I'll get my clothes on again, immediately."

Trevor and his two wives visited an appreciative Annabel, admiring the twins, while Peggy remained at home to attend to Amelia's needs. Annabel told Trevor that as she was healing well, she would be allowed to get home tomorrow afternoon. When she heard of Peggy making the evening meal and making a good job of it, she gave her opinion on Peggy's marital desire. "She sounds good on the face of it, but I would like to see her living with us for much longer before giving approval to the idea. She may have some issues in her mind that may come out as destructive tendencies. I understand Ruth Kempe is an expert on the mind: why don't we ask her to have a session or two with Peggy, just to make sure she doesn't have underlying problems?"

Trevor was impressed with Annabel's thought. "Good idea, love. I'll speak to Mrs Kempe as soon as I can. I am still waiting to hear about a date for Peggy's abortion. I am still amazed that she wants to have my baby afterwards. As if I didn't have enough children, and about to have more, as it is!"

"Keep her happy in the meantime, Trevor darling. Give her a good time tonight, but remember my sisters get to sleep with you for the rest of the night. Apart from your pleasant company, you will be on hand if either goes into labour."

Next day among their messages was an invitation to the De la Torre wedding, in a few days from now. Trevor was saddened that they would have to refuse the chance of attending. The new babies, and the chance of Dinah and Tracy also going into labour, was too tricky to juggle with a wedding attendance. Anyway, as Trevor said, their acquaintance with the family was minimal. "I know him as one of the new directors of Rehome Fertilisers, but that is all. I gather he used to be a UN diplomat on Earth, but since coming to Rehome he has set himself up as a fruit and vegetable farmer for the high end consumer market. He is just being nice, so we will not be missed."

"Daddy is going, I understand, Trevor," Said Tracy. He can give our apologies personally, explaining our difficult circumstances at the moment."

"Oh, yes. He and John Frederickson are fellow directors of Ebenezer de la Torre, and of course Mrs Frederickson is Managing Director. Do you remember that woman at the Fredrickson wedding, when she went up to John and gave him a very passionate kiss. It was quite a surprise to me, and I think to him!"

Tracy interposed, "Oh, that woman? The one who was slightly dumpy? The story is going around that she is Angelina's secretary, but that was much more than a secretary's kiss of congratulations."

Trevor dismissed it. "Anyway, she would not be at Ebenezer's nuptials, so he is safe from that kind of approach. Does either of you know much about Ebenezer's two brides?"

Both of them shook their heads. Tracy suggested, "Perhaps Amelia might know. She always seem to know what is going on around the colony. I think it is her tourist guide training – knowing all, if possible!"

Trevor announced, "I am about to take Amelia's breakfast to her, so I will ask her."

When he quietly opened the bedroom door, he found Amelia breastfeeding her daughter, so Trevor stood admiring her for a moment, then crept soundlessly in to lay her tray down beside the bed. He motioned to Amelia that he would feed her, and carefully brought her teacup up to her mouth. Amelia used her free hand to manipulate the cup, taking a thankful sip. She did not want to disturb her baby's feeding routine. Trevor removed the cup and indicated the tray. She pointed at the boiled egg and toast, so Trevor tried, with exaggerated movements, to cut the top off the egg without making any noise. His antics caused Amelia to giggle, and her shaking breast caused the baby to pause her suckling. Amelia settled down and took the opportunity to switch the baby to the other nipple. Once her daughter was sucking again, Amelia accepted a finger of toast that had been dipped into the soft-boiled egg.