Nana and Pop had never owned cows, but she'd heard many a milk cow bawling for the calf that had been separated from it at the farms outside of town. This might be the time to raise her question.
She tried to make her voice as cheery as she could as she addressed Jericho. "What would you think about bringing one of the mama cows up to the barn so we can milk her after the calf is weaned?"
Every eye swung to her, most widening. But the corners of Miles's crinkled as he flashed a grin. "That sounds like a fun time."
Dinah offered a rueful smile. "I know teaching her to milk might not be easy, but once we accomplished it, we'd have milk for the household, and we could even make butter and cheese."
She turned her gaze back to Jericho. He would be the one to decide, no doubt.
His expression was hard to read. At last, he said, "We'll see."
Maybe he needed to think on how such a feat could be undertaken. Or debate the risk to him and his brothers in trying to tame a wild cow. At least he was considering it.
She nodded. "Thank you."
He turned his gaze to his niece and nephew. "Did you look in your crates?"
Sean straightened. "You mean the dog wasn't all you brought us?"
“Nope.” A smile played at the corners of his mouth.
Sean leaped from his chair and skidded toward the front door, jerking it open and leaving it wide as he disappeared outside.
Lillian started to rise, but paused, looking from Dinah to Jericho as though for permission. Jericho gave her a nod, and the girl scrambled after her brother. "C'mon, Apple."
Dinah tried to meet Jericho's gaze as the rest of the men piled food in their mouths, but he'd already finished his meal and pushed back from the table. "Get a move on."
As the brothers rose and headed to the door, she stacked used dishes from the table and carried a load to the wash pot. She and Lillian could finish cleaning soon, but first, she needed to spend some time with her patient.
CHAPTER13
Jonah was awake when she entered his room, lying with his eyes open. She carried a cup of meat broth in one hand and a plate of Johnnycakes in the other. "You look like you're feeling better this morning."
He nodded, his eyes on the food. "Hungry."
"I'll have to start feeding you before the others then." She made sure Naomi received the first helping of each meal so she didn't have to lie in bed hungry, listening to the others eat. If Jonah's appetite had returned, he could have the same privilege.
While she fed Jonah, the sound of the outside door opening drifted in, and Lillian's voice called through the cabin. "Look, Dinah."
Dinah straightened. "In here."
The girl skipped in. "Look what Uncle Jericho brought." She held up a thickly-folded fabric, a cheery blue pinstripe.
"Oh my." Dinah rose and set the plate in her chair so she could examine the fabric. "This is lovely." Cloth this luxurious would be expensive, even back in Virginia. She could only imagine how much it cost after being hauled all the way out here to the Montana Territory.
"Do you think there's enough to make a dress?" Lillian sounded hopeful.
Dinah lifted one edge. "At least. Maybe an extra skirt too."
"Oh." The word came out nearly breathless, and the girl hugged the material to her chest.
Dinah couldn't help but smile. "Maybe you can start washing the morning dishes while I help your Uncle Jonah. After that, we'll ask Naomi to help us cut out the dress."
Lillian surely didn't know how to cut and sew a dress herself. Dinah could manage it if she had to, but Naomi had always been a much better seamstress. Much better at most household work. Dinah had spent every free hour with Pop in the clinic when she didn't have to focus on schoolwork.
The girls eyes lit and she spun. "I will. Thank you."
When Dinah took up her seat again, Jonah was watching her with a faint grin. "Jericho always brings a crate full of things for each of them. I think he must be ordering goods in now. What he brought these last few trips is a lot nicer than at first."
