After a long pause Iola said, “So, you’ll be going home today. I told you it would be over before you knew it.”
But she locked the door behind her. When she returned with the usual bucket
of warm water she also set Olivia’s shoes on the floor next to the chair. Then she
drew a pair of her own drawers out of her apron pocket and laid them on the bed.
“I’ll not have you leaving here half-naked, like a whore. It’s time you learnt
to behave like a decent Christian woman. You wash up while I go get your dress
and your breakfast. You have to eat well now. Take care of yourself.”
Again the door closed behind her. The sound of the lock clicking shut
paralyzed Olivia. They were never going to let her go. But she dragged herself
off the bed and began cleaning Filmore from her body. Iola soon returned, set a
tray of food on the bed, and then held out the dress Olivia had been wearing the
day she came.
“Go on, put it on.” Iola nodded disapprovingly at Olivia’s thin chemise. “Get
yourself covered up. Learn some modesty.”
Olivia took the dress, but her fingers felt numb and she stared as if she didn’t
know what to do. Finally she pulled it over her head.
“One of the buttons fell off when I was washing it, but I sewed it back on for
you,” Iola said as if expecting thanks.
Olivia’s head jerked up as a sickeningly familiar smell reached her. Filmore
came in, set a water skin and leather bag next to the breakfast tray, and hurried
out without looking at Olivia.
“There’s some fruit and bread in there for you to take home with you,” Iola
said, nodding at the bag on the bed while Olivia fumbled with the buttons of her
dress and ties of her apron. “Get them drawers on you,” she ordered and Olivia
obediently stepped into them, shivering with revulsion. “Well, go on now, sit down and eat,” Iola said impatiently. “Your eggs are getting cold.”
Olivia sat and stared at the plate. Fried eggs dusted with black pepper and two
flapjacks generously spread with butter and jam.
“Go on, eat. Then it’s time for you to go home,” Iola said. “Filmore will come
by tomorrow, see what needs doing around your place. He’ll bring eggs, butter,
and bread. Tomorrow’s Friday, so he has to deliver eggs and butter to the store
anyway. I’ll send some chicken too, if I have the time to fry one up. If not, you
still have plenty of venison. You get yourself a good rest. It’s been hard on you, I
know, and now you’ve got to look after yourself. The walk home will do you good, but you best lie in bed after that. I’ll stop by day after tomorrow, see how
you’re feeling. Bring you some of my tea.”
Olivia recoiled when Iola reached out to pat her arm. On her way out Iola
paused in the doorway and turned to say, “You don’t got to worry about Filmore
bothering you none. That’s all behind you. He wouldn’t dare. He knows I’ll be
talking to you.”
Iola disappeared from the doorway and Olivia remained motionless, frowning
at the food. It took a few minutes for her mind to register the fact that Iola had
