Which he did.

It took me much longer to follow him, though I was as tired as I’d ever been.

—

I woke the next morning to the sound of Samuel in the kitchen, asking why I was in his bed and what was wrong with my own bed and where was Esther.

“I don’t know why Ellie is in your bed,” my mother said. “We’ll ask her when she wakes up. And Esther is up on the top of the mountain with Miss Cate, helping to look after her for a bit. Now, sit down and eat your porridge.”

“Porridge? I’d rather eat a giant spider.”

“I traded Mrs. Lockhart a pair of slippers for some maple syrup to sweeten it up,” my mother said, “but if you’d rather eat a spider, you can do that.”

It sounded like a good morning. Better than most since my father’s accident. And I wanted to lie still and listen to it unfold before anything else came along to drag me away.

But then I remembered my father, who needed waking, too.

And Cate’s leg. And Esther, waiting.

“I think I’ll keep this bed for my own,” I called out, eager to be roused by my small, rumpled brother before I set out once again to make myself useful.

“That’s my bed!” Samuel cried, racing in to wrestle me out onto the floor. He shoved his legs under the covers and pulled them up to his chin.

“Then that’s my maple syrup,” I said, heading for the kitchen while he scrambled to beat me to the table.

“What’s for Maisie?” I said as I pulled on my boots.

“I’m stewing up the last of the venison, but I saved some for her.”

I dragged my jacket on over my nightdress. “Will you come with me this time?”

“To see Maisie?” She handed me an old, battered skillet that had lost its handle. “I added some gravy. But it’s time for her to be hunting again. Put her out after she eats. The puppies will be fine without her for a while.”

I stared at her. “Is that your way of telling me I’ll be fine on my own, too?”

She stared back at me. “Oh. You meant go with you up-mountain?”

“It won’t take long. It’s not so far.”

She turned back to the stove. “No, Ellie. Your father needs me here.”

“But you were ready to go last night when Captan came down with that doll.”

“I know. But your father could wake up again while we’re gone and I can’t very well leave Samuel alone with him. Besides, she has family of her own.”

“She has one boy only.”

“And you’re one girl, doing more for her than anyone. And now Esther, too. And you want me to get involved as well?”

“What about Larkin’s mother?”