"Sure enough, Dad came back a long time ago, so I didn't see him just now."
Jenkins put the chocolate on the ground, then adjusted his clothes in front of Aunt Sally's shop window next door, and then knocked hard on the door.
After a while, the sound of slippers stepping on the stairs was heard, and then, the old man frowned and opened the door of the store.
"Jenkins? It's you~"
He waved his hands helplessly, "Are you done with the church?"
"Busy working."
He spoke quickly, rubbing his hands together to raise his body temperature. The biggest shortcoming of this suit is that it doesn't keep heat well. He didn't expect the temperature to drop so badly in the evening.
"Come in."
Dad waved.
"no, I'm fine."
Jenkins shook his head, reached into the large inner pocket of his coat with his right hand, and took out a pair of brown socks: "Happy Reading Day!"
As soon as Dad took the socks, Jenkins bent down immediately, picked up the chocolate at his feet, stuffed it into his arms, and then re-buttoned it, leaving only the one at the neckline.
She shivered violently, the cat's body temperature was higher than that of a human, and it could barely be used as a hot water bottle when it was stuffed into its bosom.
"Socks? Such a traditional gift?"
He didn't refuse either.
"Yes, I wove it myself."
While talking, Jenkins stomped his feet twice, and suddenly felt much warmer psychologically. He is also not a master of domestic economics. He learned how to knit socks in an elective class in another world. Because of a comprehensive comparison, knitting socks is more cost-effective than buying socks, so this craft has been maintained.
Dad looked down at the socks in his hand, and then looked up at Jenkins who was shivering with cold.
"You knit... Brat, you are a bachelor who actually went to learn knitting!"
He raised his socks and yelled loudly. Jenkins hid back with a smile, waved goodbye, turned his head back and ran towards the carriage.
The old man held the doorknob like this, watched Jenkins get into the carriage, and looked down at the pair of brown wool socks, a smile suddenly appeared on his face.
"Hmph, brat."
Just as he was about to turn around and go back to the house, he suddenly raised his head and looked at the sky in front of him. He took two steps forward, left the black awning in front of the door, and spread out his left hand, which was not holding anything. A small piece of crystal snowflake fell into the rough, bloody palm, and then melted.
"It's actually snowing?"
Yes, in the eighteenth century, in 1865 according to the common calendar, the first snow in Nolan City came quietly in the third week of the month of sages and harvest.
(chocolate breathing... )
The reason the Williamettes didn't allow pets was not because anyone was allergic to cat hair, it was simply that Jenkins' mother, Mary Williamette, didn't like cats or dogs.
But today is an exception. Jenkins wants to spend a warm reading festival with his family, so the Williams made an exception and let him bring his cat to dinner. Jenkins also specially added an armchair behind his own chair, with a red soft cushion, so that Chocolate can lie there and drink milk by himself.
The whole family is here tonight. Newman Williams went out to study with his teacher a few days ago and rushed back before the festival. John Williams who was in school and Robert Williams who was going to work also both They all arrived home on time. They went to church to participate in activities at noon, but they still had their own affairs in the afternoon.
The holidays of the Orthodox Church are not legal holidays of the Kingdom. So benevolent bosses might grant an unpaid day off if it's a workday, and unkind bosses pretend they don't know anything.
In short, the long-lost family of the Williams got together neatly, and Mary was very satisfied that Jenkins could be the first to return home.
But this did not prevent her from constantly discussing his fiancee with Jenkins' eldest brother during dinner, and kept hinting at him, bringing Jenkins into the topic. Obviously, the tall Newman only cared about the content of the conversation and the bacon on the table, and didn't understand his mother's hints.
Not to mention the exchanging of gifts and the tradition of reading books in front of the fireplace as a family. After dinner, Jenkins and Robert went to the study to talk, and the latter was very satisfied with the performance of his son who looked the most like his own.
Jenkins-Williamette was indeed a promising young man, at least from a common man's point of view, and Robert was glad that he was able to maintain his friendship with the Church.
Mary forbade the men of the family to drink, not even wine, outside the dinner table. Therefore, the two men sitting under the dim gaslight could only hold a teacup each. During the conversation, Jenkins intentionally or unintentionally brought up the topic of the plague thirty years ago. He wanted to know more details, and was also very interested in the history of the ordinary William family.
"A relative?"
Elder William looked up at the struggling cat in Jenkins' arms, picked up the pen on the oak table and turned it around. This is his habitual action:
"Our family has settled in Luyin Town, Gouvrell City, our country since a long time ago. It is unclear how many generations I am. Your grandparents passed away very early, and I have no brothers or sisters, so when I fled , and nothing to worry about. As for the plague, I don't know much, but it was a terrible disaster... "
He shook his head lightly, his eyes a little cloudy: "I still remember that scene. Old Mr. Steele, who had been a neighbor of the Williams family for more than 60 years, died in front of me. When I first came to Nolan, I I still dream about him often, but then I gradually forget about it. If I don’t bring up this topic today, I can’t even remember what he looks like, that damned plague.”
As an ordinary person, Robert Williams didn't know much about the great plague caused by ghosts thirty years ago. But he knew very well that that kind of plague could spread through the air, and burning the corpse with fire was the safest way... and it was also a way to desecrate the corpse.
Up to now, the crow's mouth mask worn by the plague doctors who prevented the plague began to be popular at that time. Although the plague named "Black Death" has completely disappeared for more than 20 years, once someone has similar symptoms, doctors can still immediately recall the terrible disaster.
Big brother Newman Williams walked in while the two were talking, wearing a ridiculous pair of bunny-style cotton slippers, a stark contrast to his towering image. He was also holding a teacup. Jenkins didn't pay attention at first, until he realized that the chocolate was dissatisfied and stretched out his paws to him, and then he smelled the faint aroma of wine in the air.