Chapter 31

Aunt Molly had said to Michael when lunch was over: “You’ll want to show Virginia the doves and the ducks.” So they had gone together to the dim, deep barns, where the doves cooed among the rafters, and where the cows looked at them with melting eyes. They saw the ducks sunning themselves in the yard, and swimming in the cold pools between frozen banks. They walked on then across the fields and through a grove of pines. “I’ll bring you here in the spring,” said Michael. “The dogwood is simply wonderful—deep pink, l…