Mary and Sawyer were off to school with Diana ever since fall quickly began to turn cold, and harvesting was all finished.
Bob was working with the village veterinarian, training to be the same someday soon. Will and Tom spent afternoons logging since Bella could drag the logs on the light dusting of snow we had. My father and Tom would herd the cattle each night with our new dog, Blue, to make sure they all were safe for the night, then would let them roam their paddocks during the day. I spent my days, inside, trying to teach Sawyer how to talk better. He was two now, and a fast mover. He was often upset that we didn't spend much time outside since my father and Tom both had concerns of me getting ill.
So I would sneak out to the barn and take my mare out for a ride with Sawyer. He adored the fresh air like I did, making it difficult for us to be cooped up for long. But, we had to ride very quickly before we would be caught.
Sawyer was sleeping already. It had been a long day and he was tired from learning how to say new things and helping me peel potatoes for dinner.
I sat at the kitchen table as the outside world had fallen dark. I had put out bowls and spoons for everyone on the table. The soup and rolls I had made would be cold soon.
Everyone was still outside, working past daylight hours.
I wrapped myself in my thick shall and pulled off my leather boots since they weren't doing me much good to keep warm. I went up to my room and found heavy socks. I pulled them on after taking off the thin, tall socks I had on under my dress.
I padded down the creaking wooden stairs on the farm house after checking on the small siblings, seeing how they all slept soundly.
I felt quite tired, but alone. I hated feeling all alone.
I made myself a few teas to stay awake, knowing neither my brothers or father would know where I had kept dinner to keep it from cooling.
They walked in about an hour later, when the moon hung in the sky now as I was sitting at the table, nearly asleep.
I got up as I heard them taking off their boots and jackets. I took the heavy lid off of the cast iron pot that sat on the wood stove and carried it to the kitchen table.
I began to fill the four bows with hot soup as they came into the kitchen.
When I noticed that Thomas was in the house too with them, I went and gathered a fifth bowl.
They sat around the table after I had covered the soup with the pot lid again to keep it warm and brought the rolls over.
They all were too hungry and tired to talk much. I felt the same.
"Your siblings sleeping?" Father asked me with a mouthful of roll.
I nodded as I sipped my soup.
"And why aren't you? It's nearly midnight." He asked me as if he was upset with me for making dinner for him and staying up to ensure they all would be fed.
I was taken back and spoke to my bowl. "Was worried one of you had been eaten by a wolf."
"There's no wolves in these woods." Bob told me.
"Why is it that you all were still working this late? Is something wrong?" I asked now.
Thomas spoke to me since he sat across from me. "A fence fell. Cattle got out and we had to find them."
My father nodded. "He's staying the night to get a few hours rest before we go out and fix it in the morning."
"At least there isn't much snow."
