Rose thought about this logic for a long moment, then sighed dramatically. Okay. But I want the flower soap. Deal. Ruthie stared at Lena with something like wonder.
How did you She never agrees that easily. Lena smiled. I had practice with stubborn children a long time ago. She didn't elaborate, and Ruthie didn't press. Instead, the girl showed Lena where everything was kept, the soap, the towels, the clean clothes for Rose.
Then she disappeared with the other children, leaving Lena to manage the bathtime battle alone. Except it wasn't a battle. Rose, true to her word, submitted to the bath with minimal fussing. Lena heated water, filled the small tub, and gently scrubbed away layers of dirt while Rose played with a wooden duck and talked nonsense about her imaginary friend who lived in the barn. His name is Mr.
Whiskers, but he's not a cat, Rose explained seriously. He's a horse, a very small horse. I see. And does Mr. Whiskers like living in the barn?
Yes, but he gets lonely sometimes. That's why I visit him. Lena's throat tightened. This little girl who'd lost her mother so young had created a friend to keep her company in her loneliness. It was heartbreaking and resilient all at once.
Well, I'm sure Mr. Whiskers is very grateful for your visits, Lena said softly. After the bath, Lena dressed Rose in clean clothes and braided her damp hair. The little girl submitted to this with surprising patience, occasionally reaching up to touch the braid taking shape. You do it different than Ruthie, Rose observed.
Different bad or different good? Just different. Rose paused. I like it. Something warm bloomed in Lena's chest.
Such a small thing, a child's approval, but it felt enormous. They checked on the chickens next. Rose held Lena's hand tightly as they approached the coop, her earlier bravado wavering. But Lena showed her how to scatter the feed, how to speak softly so as not to startle the birds, how to check for eggs in the nesting boxes. Look.
Rose held up an egg with both hands, her face glowing. I found one. You did. Very good. Let's see if there are more.
They found six eggs total, which Rose insisted on carrying back to the house herself, walking with exaggerated care so as not to break them. Ruthie met them at the door, Eliza balanced on her hip. How did it go? Rose was very brave with the chickens, Lena reported. And we found six eggs.
Rose beamed with pride. That's wonderful. Ruthie shifted Eliza higher. Esther and Jacob are supposed to be reading their lessons, but I think they're actually building something with blocks. Would you mind checking on them while I get Eliza down for her nap?