“As it hasn’t yet.  You’ve done an admirable job.”

“Anyone would.”

“That’s not entirely true.  I’ll tell you this, I’m grateful every day that I trusted my instincts.”

“So am I.”

Charlotte was at the door when Lenore spoke again.  “She was beautiful, Charlotte, and if Tobias hasn’t told you then I will.  You look just like her.”

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The sergeant granted permission for Charlotte to take Brewster out to the target practice range.  He stared enviously first at the Henry and then at the box of ammunition.

“Any time you’d want to spare that,” he said.  “Those rifles we got couldn’t hit a slow-moving mule from ten feet and you don’t get but about three chances at it anyway.”

Then Charlotte had to hurry Brewster off because the sergeant, who wasn’t all that old, had begun staring at her, trying to put together the pieces and not coming up with any explanation that worked.

“Here’s what I know,” she said.  “How to load it.”  She showed Brewster, but he already seemed very familiar with the concept.  “Then it has a kick that you’ve got to account for, but you probably know that too.”

She heard Chace’s voice.  It sights high.

“Shut up,” she said.

“What?’ Brewster said, confused.

“Not you.  Sorry.  I really am losing my mind.  Pay no attention.  It sights high, though.”

It didn’t take much work for Brewster to become accurate.

“This irritates me,” Charlotte said.  “That’s great at a hundred paces, you’re very good, but what squirrel sits at a hundred paces and waits for you to shoot him?  We’ll have to find a way to get you some live practice.”

“I love this rifle,” Brewster said.  She realized her thoughts were in some other place entirely.  She hugged him even though he squeezed his eyes shut and flinched.

“Good, I’m glad.  And it never kills anyone to be hugged.”

He waited.  “I’ve been having something on my mind.  I hope it’s okay to say.”

“It’s always okay.  You can say anything to me.”

“Well,” he said slowly.  “This is what I was thinking.  I didn’t want to talk to Ada about it.  I just thought I should ask you.  Are you going to…”

“Yes,” she said.  “And no, I’m not leaving, nothing’s changing, yes, I do not know how to have a baby.  Anything else you wanted to know?”

Brewster was completely flustered.  “I don’t think so.”

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Next she had to help Ada.  They sat in the schoolroom together, once more facing the mountain man, Jenkins McPherson.  They already knew most of his life story since he liked nothing better, he assured them frequently, than talking to two pretty young ladies.  Just keep reading, Charlotte thought.  That’s what we’re here for.