My cot was pushed into a corner between shelves so crammed with vegetable tins and canning jars that I had to keep my belongings in an old crate under my bed. We’d tucked a wicker fold-up screen in there by the clawfoot tub if need be, though Margaret made me leave the room when one of the girls was using it. We didn’t have electric lights. We got our water from a well outside the kitchen door. Day or night, summer and winter, we had to traipse to the outhouse behind the stable to do our business. Some things don’t change much.
By the time Anne came back, I’d slept a little. I still ached all over, but most of the bleeding had stopped and I had on clean clothes, so I felt better. Anne didn’t keep her word. She was back well after six o’clock and she brought Jimmy with her too. If Miss Lil
