The elderly couple tasked with watching over the estate received the group with a reluctant expression but let them all inside.

Getting everyone settled was another flurry of activity. Although the estate was old, it was still in decent condition—there were no leaks or drafts. However, there weren't many places to sleep. Since this was borrowed property, Julia didn't feel comfortable letting the dirty children use the bedrooms. Instead, she had them lie down in the large living room. Once the furniture was moved out, they spread out the remaining blankets and stoked the fire in the fireplace. With the children wrapped in their blankets, Julia was confident they wouldn't...