She snatched the shirt out of his hands and hung it on a bedpost. “What we are is none of your business.” She went to the chest that held the box with all the papers.
“Why don’t you just ask him to marry you?”
“A woman doesn’t do the asking.”
“No, maybe not, but I rather think she can lead a man into doing it especially when he should,” he said, stressing the last three words.
“I am not having this discussion with you.” She took out the box that held all their papers and held it out to him. “I think what you seek is in there.”
He shook his head as he opened the box and began to look over all the papers. “As your sole male relative I should do something about all this. Maybe I will just go down and punch him a few times.”
“You will do no such thing.”
He opened up one set of papers and carefully read them. “This is what I need.” He looked at her. “It is what any brother would do.”
“But not one who is so bright and understanding.”
Reid laughed heartily but it stopped abruptly when he spotted the blue quilt in the chest. “I recall when Mother finished that. She was so pleased until she realized it did not match anything else she had in the room.”
“Do you want it? I managed to save several and have only had to give away one, in trade for Rosie.”
He knelt down and smoothed his hand over the quilt. “Who is Rosie?”
“The goat. That is her new name.”
“Good one. Easy, and one she might learn to answer to, although with a goat you can never be sure.”
“Do you want it?” she asked quietly as she watched how he almost petted the quilt.
“Yeh, I believe I do. You sure you still have one for yourself?”
“I do.” She moved to the other chest and glanced at his feet. “Doubt these will fit any longer,” she said as she pulled out his old boots, “but I saved them. And this.” She held up his mouth organ. “I fear most everything else burned.”
“I know. Except for the things I kept hidden in the barn.”
“Why would you hide stuff in the barn?”
“You know how Mother hated Da’s old books?” When Abbie nodded, he continued. “Well, I hid some in the barn. Thought she would get over her hate and he would welcome them back. I think our mother was very upset when we left Pennsylvania and that anger never really left her. She was never really happy at the cabin.”
“She never spoke of it.”
“Of course she wouldn’t because it was Da who caused it and she would never criticize him, except about the books that reminded her of the life they used to have.”
“Oh. I never thought of that reason for her hatred of the books.”
“Because you were too fascinated with them all. He loved that you were interested and the two of you would spend hours going over some of the stuff.”
“Were you jealous of that?”
“No. just didn’t understand that. Never much liked the idea of becoming a doctor even though I knew Da would have been pleased. Unfortunately, women rarely get near doctoring. There are a few but they have a real struggle and mostly care for women and children. You have Da’s gift, that keen understanding of people and their ailments.”
“I have got some practice in since this war began.” She closed the chest and stood up.
With his papers and quilt in one arm, he took Abbie by the hand with the other. “So am I going to have to call Noahnephew?”
“I fear so,” she said, and laughed at his sigh.
“That puppy of his is never going to be a big dog, you know.”
