brother. Mr. Benton was leaning against the sink, watching the scene with some concern.
Elsie took out Minnie’s braid and then brushed her long, curly hair. Reaching into her pocket, she took out a blue ribbon, pulled Minnie’s hair back, and tied it off.
“There. Doesn’t it feel better to have your hair all brushed out? This is exactly how I do mine every night.”
Minnie heaved out a tired sigh.
“It’s been a long day, hasn’t it? Let’s go on up to your bedroom.” Elsie picked up on her trepidation right away. “Harry, you can come, too.”
“What about my work?”
“I can tell you have a good grasp on the arithmetic. Tomorrow I’ll start you on the next section. But for now, it’s been a long day, so you should come along with us.”
Holding out her hand to him, she caught the sidelong look he sent to his uncle. Poor Harry. One day soon she would make sure he could do things by himself without worrying about his sister. First, though, she had to make Minnie feel safe and loved.
“Do as Miss Mitchell asks, Harry,” Will urged him. Looking at her, he asked, “Do you need me to help?”
“No. We’ll be fine.”
The children dutifully went with her up the staircase. When they made it to the second floor, the children quickly veered off to the room on the right. “No. Your room is over here.” Nodding to the room on the other side of the hallway, she started to lead them there.
“We slept in here last night with Uncle Will.”
“I’m sure that was special because it was your first night in a new place. But your uncle needs his own room, and he’ll be right there if you need him. I’ll be sleeping downstairs in my quarters. You and Minnie are lucky to have this nice room right here.”
Silence filled the narrow hallway. With sagging shoulders, Harry stepped ahead of her into the bedroom. Minnie let out another tired yawn.
“I promise you if you need anything, your uncle or I will be right here.” Mustering up a tired smile, she said, “Now let’s get you settled for the night.”
Elsie knew it would be crucial to get them used to sleeping on their own. Judging from the way Mr. Benton looked this morning, sharing a bed with the youngsters meant he’d given up a good night’s sleep. Best to get everyone into a proper routine right away.
After locating their nightclothes inside the trunk at the foot of the bed, she helped them get ready for the night. Once they were tucked securely between the sheets, two woolen blankets, and a patchwork quilt, she had them say their nightly prayers.
Minnie folded her hands neatly under her chin while Harry said their prayers. “Thank you, Lord, for a good day. Thank you for bringing Miss Mitchell here to take care of us. Amen.”
“That was very nice, Harry.” After dropping a kiss on their foreheads, she started to blow out the bedside lamp.
“Wait! Can you keep the lamp burning? And don’t shut the door.”
Instead of blowing out the lamp, she turned it as low as the flame would go. Then she blew them a final good-night kiss and stepped into the dark hallway.
The tension of the long day settled against her shoulders. She knew her day had not come to an end just yet. There were still lessons to prepare for tomorrow and today’s papers to grade. She waited to be sure the children had settled for the night.
When a few minutes passed with no sound other than that of the night peepers outside the house, Elsie knew it was safe to go back downstairs. Taking hold of the railing, she stepped down the first stair tread. Suddenly, light filled the lower floor.
“I thought you could use some light to find your way.” Mr. Benton stood at the bottom of the staircase, holding the kitchen lantern out in front of him. He held his hand out.
Grateful for his thoughtfulness, Elsie placed her hand in his, stepping down into the parlor. “Thank you.”
“Do you think they’ll stay settled?” he asked, following her into the kitchen.
“I hope
Elsie took out Minnie’s braid and then brushed her long, curly hair. Reaching into her pocket, she took out a blue ribbon, pulled Minnie’s hair back, and tied it off.
“There. Doesn’t it feel better to have your hair all brushed out? This is exactly how I do mine every night.”
Minnie heaved out a tired sigh.
“It’s been a long day, hasn’t it? Let’s go on up to your bedroom.” Elsie picked up on her trepidation right away. “Harry, you can come, too.”
“What about my work?”
“I can tell you have a good grasp on the arithmetic. Tomorrow I’ll start you on the next section. But for now, it’s been a long day, so you should come along with us.”
Holding out her hand to him, she caught the sidelong look he sent to his uncle. Poor Harry. One day soon she would make sure he could do things by himself without worrying about his sister. First, though, she had to make Minnie feel safe and loved.
“Do as Miss Mitchell asks, Harry,” Will urged him. Looking at her, he asked, “Do you need me to help?”
“No. We’ll be fine.”
The children dutifully went with her up the staircase. When they made it to the second floor, the children quickly veered off to the room on the right. “No. Your room is over here.” Nodding to the room on the other side of the hallway, she started to lead them there.
“We slept in here last night with Uncle Will.”
“I’m sure that was special because it was your first night in a new place. But your uncle needs his own room, and he’ll be right there if you need him. I’ll be sleeping downstairs in my quarters. You and Minnie are lucky to have this nice room right here.”
Silence filled the narrow hallway. With sagging shoulders, Harry stepped ahead of her into the bedroom. Minnie let out another tired yawn.
“I promise you if you need anything, your uncle or I will be right here.” Mustering up a tired smile, she said, “Now let’s get you settled for the night.”
Elsie knew it would be crucial to get them used to sleeping on their own. Judging from the way Mr. Benton looked this morning, sharing a bed with the youngsters meant he’d given up a good night’s sleep. Best to get everyone into a proper routine right away.
After locating their nightclothes inside the trunk at the foot of the bed, she helped them get ready for the night. Once they were tucked securely between the sheets, two woolen blankets, and a patchwork quilt, she had them say their nightly prayers.
Minnie folded her hands neatly under her chin while Harry said their prayers. “Thank you, Lord, for a good day. Thank you for bringing Miss Mitchell here to take care of us. Amen.”
“That was very nice, Harry.” After dropping a kiss on their foreheads, she started to blow out the bedside lamp.
“Wait! Can you keep the lamp burning? And don’t shut the door.”
Instead of blowing out the lamp, she turned it as low as the flame would go. Then she blew them a final good-night kiss and stepped into the dark hallway.
The tension of the long day settled against her shoulders. She knew her day had not come to an end just yet. There were still lessons to prepare for tomorrow and today’s papers to grade. She waited to be sure the children had settled for the night.
When a few minutes passed with no sound other than that of the night peepers outside the house, Elsie knew it was safe to go back downstairs. Taking hold of the railing, she stepped down the first stair tread. Suddenly, light filled the lower floor.
“I thought you could use some light to find your way.” Mr. Benton stood at the bottom of the staircase, holding the kitchen lantern out in front of him. He held his hand out.
Grateful for his thoughtfulness, Elsie placed her hand in his, stepping down into the parlor. “Thank you.”
“Do you think they’ll stay settled?” he asked, following her into the kitchen.
“I hope
Similar Books
