creature with white stockings that was tied to the hitching post.
“No, no, Filmore borrowed Beauty, just for today.” Iola wiped her hands on
her apron and put an arm around Olivia’s shoulder. “Come in, child, come in. It’s
so good of you to offer your help.”
“Why is Filmore moving all that stuff outside?” Olivia asked, staring at the pile of farm implements in front of the barn.
Iola gently nudged Olivia toward their home, as if she were a small child.
“Sometimes a person has got to make room for more important things,” she said
as she led Olivia inside.
Their cabin was no bigger than Olivia’s, but had a high roof with a sleeping
loft under it, leaving more space on the ground floor. Filmore was a skilled carpenter and spent his winters building furniture. He had made a table and four
splint-bottomed chairs, a rocking chair, a wardrobe, a bureau, and two stools.
Olivia marveled that someone so big and clumsy looking could do such beautiful
work.
“Here, dear, let me take that.” Iola relieved Olivia of the water skin and sat her down in the rocking chair. Olivia had expected the cabin to be a shambles of
fruit in various stages of preparation, but it was spotlessly clean.
“I thought you’d be ready to start,” Olivia said.
“In my kitchen? Nah. Not enough room in here to swing a cat. Everything’s
ready for us out in the barn. But first you’ve got to have a nice cup of tea after
that long walk.”
“Thanks, Iola, but I’d as soon have water.” Olivia was glad to hear they’d be
working out in the barn. The Stubblefields’ cabin didn’t have a cellar under it and smelled even worse than Olivia’s.
Iola went to the barrel and dipped a cup for her. “There’s your water. But I insist you have a cup of tea. It’s my newest blend. This one has special
strengthening powers and the good Lord knows, out here we need all the
strength we can get. I don’t want to hear any argument. You had a long walk and
you got to learn to take proper care of yourself.”
There was a pot brewing and Iola poured out a cup.
“It’s bitter.” Olivia made a face and pushed it away, wondering if anyone ever
managed to say No to Iola.
“Don’t you bother about the taste. You know I only mind what’s good for
you. Here, I’ll put a lump of maple sugar in it. That will ease it down.”
Iola studied Olivia while she drank and Olivia was reminded of the seagull on
the rail of the steamship from Erie. Same tiny eyes, no light in them. Iola didn’t
seem to be in any hurry to get to work and insisted that Olivia have a second cup
of tea, together with a piece of her apple pie.
“So whose horse is that?” Olivia asked.
“Beauty? She belongs to Emery Meyers. Filmore borrows her once in a while
when he needs to get around in a hurry.”
There was something strange about the way Iola said that, but Olivia couldn’t
think what it was.
“That must be a harder walk than I thought,” Olivia said, feeling dizzy. She
