Seven! Well, that was quite a family. On the other hand, she was not quite so far gone that she didn't hear the word 'was.' He was either there very much alone or had suffered loss. Either way, a comment on the size of his family would be tactless and probably rude regardless.

"Then I see you know what I mean," she said simply. "Though I'd say they are as well suited for it as I am." More so, maybe. Susan just wanted to be one place or another, really. "And I suppose - when you know people so well, they're somewhat difficult to explain. Lucy is the youngest. She's - brave. Brave enough to see things first that other people don't, and she's a very sweet girl, very kind."