Bringing more wind than snow, the night's storm left brown leaves poking their heads up through their thin white blanket. Matt and Tina made a point of going out early to wait for the Hawthorne children, but they didn't appear until the bus had rounded the corner. Gwyneth led Gerallt as if she were guarding a prisoner being transferred between cells.

"Hello, Gerallt," Matt said as they approached.

"Excuse me, Matt," Gwyneth interrupted as she motioned her brothers to board the ...