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today,” said Fanny. “It might not be all that bad. Thomas can play while I do the mending. Then I can change the bedding when he’s asleep.” She waved to me. “You go now. You don’t want to be late.”
    “I’ll see you later, then.” I grasped the reins, calling to Sally Anne, “Yah! Go on.”
    After I had taken my siblings to town, I returned to the Weaver farm, feeling surprisingly energized for another day of work. After escorting Sally Anne into the paddock, I entered the house, finding Hannah in the kitchen. There were dishes in piles leftover from breakfast.
    “I woke up too late,” she said, looking slightly frazzled.
    “What do you need me to do?”
    “Go get water, and we’ll clean these.”
    I took a bucket from beneath the sink. “I’ll be back.”
    “Thank you, Jane. By golly, what a mess.”
    The rest of the morning we cleaned and baked, preparing for lunch, which would be fried chicken with broiled potatoes and greens from the garden. When the ranch hands arrived, they were startled to find such an offering, enjoying the taste of the chicken and reaching for seconds. My mother had a wonderful recipe for fried chicken, which I had committed to memory.
    “This is the best chicken you’ve done yet, Hannah,” said Nathan, grinning while chewing.
    “Jane’s responsible for the chicken. I made the collard greens and potatoes.”
    “Thank you, Jane. This is delicious.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    I adored praise, and I particularly enjoyed pleasing Hannah and her husband, feeling that I had been useful. Ryan Hartsock continued to be quiet, but he was easy to read in that moment. He chewed heartily, devouring the food, while eyeing me. The meal met with his approval. I sat across from him, while Hannah was to my left.
    “She’s going to make Wesley a fine wife, I’d say,” said Nathan.
    I hadn’t been expecting that, and I flushed, feeling embarrassed. I’d hardly thought about Wesley at all these last two days, but now everyone, including Ryan Hartsock, would know that I was intended for him.
    “Well, he hasn’t asked her to marry him yet.” Hannah reached for the butter. “I wouldn’t put the cart before the horse, honey. Life has a funny way of offering up lots of surprises.”
    He considered her statement, eyeing the men at the table. “Well, I thought that was a done deal.”
    This was mortifying! They were discussing my love life in the open. I got up quickly, nearly knocking the chair backwards. “Uh, I’ve…excuse me for a moment. I’ll be right back.”
    As I dashed for the kitchen door, I heard Hannah giggle, “Was it something we said?”
     

Chapter Five
     
     
    At half past two, Charlie went missing. Letty was the first to inform me. “He’s gone again, Jane.” She stood with her hands on her hips, appearing far older than her age. “He’s awfully quick when he escapes too. Just as fast as those pigs.”
    “You didn’t happen to see what direction he went, did you?”
    “No, ma’am.”
    Hannah was in the backyard, beating the dust out of several carpets. “I’ll go see where he went.”
    “I’ll help you.”
    “Thank you, Letty.”
    “Baby brothers are hard work.”
    We were on the porch, as I scanned the yard. “They sure are.”
    There was a bunkhouse across the way, but, because all the beds were taken, Ryan had erected a tipi, which sat across an empty field on its own. Mr. Hartsock was not only a quiet, shy sort of man, but he seemed to prefer to be by himself. I set out with Letty, wandering in the direction of the tipi, thinking that this would be of interest to a little boy.
    “He might be in here.” I opened the flap in the buffalo skin and got the shock of my life. Instead of finding Charlie, Mr. Hartsock stood before me in all his glory, having taken that moment to change his clothing. “Oh!” He turned to see who had invaded his privacy, and, upon apprehending me, he’d frozen. I’d gotten more than an eyeful of his person,