It had grown because Clara had a systematic mind and because she had started on her own initiative, keeping a small record of what sold and what didn't and on which days, and from this she had drawn conclusions about what to bake and when, and those conclusions had been correct often enough that the dry good store had asked for a regular weekly supply. She came to Calder about the flour. I need more than what we've been budgeting, she said. She showed him the numbers, her numbers, which were written in a hand that was already more careful and precise than most adults called her knew. If I increase production to fill the store's order, the return covers the flower cost and leaves something besides, but only if I have consistent supply.
He looked at the numbers. They were right. What do you need from me? Access to the account when I need to order flour. Or you could do it, but you'd need to know when and how much.
And I think it's easier if I just She stopped. I mean, if you want to manage it, I can write you the amounts each time. Clara. He looked at her. You can manage it.
She looked back at him carefully. By myself? You're already doing it by yourself. I'm just saying yes out loud. She absorbed this.
Okay, she said. She turned to go. What are you going to do with what you save? He asked. She paused with her back to him.
I want to have something, she said. When I'm older. So I'm not so I don't have to depend on anyone for the wrong reasons. He understood what she meant by the wrong reasons. He didn't push it.
That's a good plan. He said she went back to her kitchen. The formal placement papers were finalized on a Thursday in mid December, 2 weeks after Prescott's last visit, in a meeting at the county office that took 40 minutes, and generated a document that Calderant signed nine times once for each child with a pen that kept running dry and that he had to shake twice, which was undignified but unavoidable. Agnes Hollowell was there. She had been quiet through most of the proceedings, which was slightly out of character.
And when it was done, she stood at the edge of the room while Prescott made his official statements about the county retaining general oversight and the periodic nature of welfare checks going forward. And when Prescott was done, she looked at Calder with an expression that was not quite an apology and not quite anything else with a clean name. Mr. Boon, she said, Miss Hollowell. The placement is, I want to say for the record that the outcome here is, she stopped, tried again.