“There’s a basket in the kitchen near the backdoor,” Jane said as she turned away. “And thank you.” Jane exited the room quickly, and Tom watched her with a frown.

“Emily, while you see what the girls left for us, I’ll show Tuck to the room you’ll be sleeping in.”

“We’re really perfectly happy in the barn, sir. We have sleeping—”

“Nonsense. I said that before I spent a few minutes with you. You’ve given us invaluable information and you’re obviously good folks. We have a guest room and I insist.”

I met Emily’s eyes as she stood, hers flaring slightly with something I couldn’t read. Discomfort, perhaps, and I could only assume it was because we’d have to figure out a sleeping arrangement. I didn’t mind taking the floor though. In fact, I’d been sleeping on the floor by choice since getting out of prison. And after bedding down on the hard ground, a portion of carpet would be a luxury.

Emily headed toward the kitchen where Tom pointed her, and then he helped me bring our backpacks and gear up the narrow set of steps. The room was small and cozy, a handsewn quilt covering the double bed, and a few more carefully folded over a quilt stand next to the dresser. “I’ll get you a few candles and a lighter,” Tom said. “There’s a bathroom in the hall and water in the bathtub, but the plumbing obviously isn’t working, and our water stopped running days ago. I hate to ask you to use the woods out back but—”

“Sir, we’ve been using the woods for a week. We’re grateful for the bed, and the roof over our heads.”

Tom nodded. “It’s going to get bad, isn’t it?”

He was looking at me man-to-man, a father with a family to protect and a community of neighbors he cared for. “Yes,” I said honestly. “It’s likely going to get very bad.”

* * *

I spent a few minutes arranging our stuff and setting up an area near the end of the bed where I’d sleep. Then I went downstairs and, finding the house empty, walked through the kitchen toward the back door to look for Emily and help her gather eggs if she needed it.