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mind.
    When we sat down for dinner, there were so many of us that Hannah and I brought in the kitchen chairs to use in the dining room. It was a jovial affair with candles, gleaming plates, and plenty of food. There was chicken, ham, and steak, which Nathan had grilled over a fire in the backyard. The boys weren’t accustomed to using forks and knives; their manners were atrocious. These would be things that Hannah and I would have to teach them.
    After dinner, we sat in the parlor; while Nathan played the banjo, the refrains of “There is a Happy Land Far, Far Away” filled the room. This was followed by other hymn tunes, while we clapped and laughed. The boys seemed in awe of Nathan, beaming at him with fresh faces and shiny, clean hair. Even Annie smiled, although her face looked awful. The unsightly bruise broke my heart whenever she turned her face towards me.
    When it was time for bed, Annie was with me, after having brushed her teeth. She was unaccustomed to doing this; her grooming skills were nonexistent. It wouldn’t be long before the Montgomery children were versed in manners and cleanliness. The boys were in the bunkhouse with Jerry, but they had to be corralled like wayward sheep, as they had run around after dinner, not wanting to get ready for bed. At one point, Nathan had picked Oscar up by the back of his pants, holding him off the ground, while saying, “Lord in heaven! Pipe down before you get a swat on the butt, boy. It’s bedtime.” He’d brought him to the bunkhouse with his brother, but sounds of talking could still be heard, as my bedroom window faced that part of the yard.
    “You can sleep with me, Annie.” I patted the bed. She crawled onto the mattress, wearing one of my shifts, but it was far too big for her. “We’re going into town tomorrow. You need clothes.”
    “I’ve got some at home.”
    I lay back, bringing the sheet up to my neck. “I’m not going to that house ever again.”
    “Can I go home when my pa comes back?”
    “If he’s proven fit enough to be able to care for you and your brothers.”
    “Pa isn’t a bad man.”
    “No, of course not.” I turned to look at her. Huge blue eyes stared at me. “I’m sorry that bad man hit you, Annie. It shouldn’t be like that.”
    “He was a bad man.”
    I moved hair away from her eyes. “You’ll be safe with us for a spell, and then we’ll figure out what happens next.”
    She sighed, her mouth forming a circle, as she yawned. “This is a nice house, Louisa.”
    “Let’s say our prayers real quick, and then we can go to sleep.”
    “Prayers?”
    “I say mine every night.”
    “What do you pray for?”
    “I thank God for another wonderful day here on earth and for all the good things in my life.”
    “Should I do that?”
    “Don’t you think you have something to thank God for?”
    “I sure do. I’m so happy I’ve got food now.” She sat up, surprising me. “I’m thankful that you came and fed me all those times. Those baskets were so nice, Ms. Louisa. I’m also thankful for that dog, George. He’s the softest animal I’ve ever felt. I know he and me are gonna be good friends. I can’t wait to pet that cat. She’s…what’s her name again?”
    “Cottonball,” I laughed.
    “Do you think she’s out in the barn hunting mice right now?”
    “I’m sure she is.”
    “I’m so happy to be here in this pretty house. Amen.”
    “I’d say that was a successful prayer, Annie.”
    “It was?”
    “Yes.”
    She settled under the sheet. “I really like you, Ms. Louisa. You’re a very nice lady.”
    “Thank you, Annie.”
    “You look like my ma.”
    “What?”
    “You look a lot like my ma. She had brown eyes and the same hair color.”
    “I’m sorry you lost her.”
    “Me too. Nothin’s been the same since she passed.”
    These children had been through so much in their short lives. It saddened me to think how much they had suffered. It put my marriage and the annulment into perspective. What