“Good-morning,” began Jane briskly, to hide her nervousness. “Is Hattie home today?”
The old man looked questioningly at his son.
“Have you seen her since breakfast, Tom?” he inquired.
“Yeah,” replied the young man. “She’s still in the kitchen, or else upstairs with Rebecca.... Well, I’ll be movin’ on, Dad. I’ll be away all afternoon—the hired man’ll have to look after things.”
“Where you goin’?”
“Four Corners.”
“What for?”
Tom shrugged his shoulders: he wasn’t going to tell his business in front of strangers, Mary Louise decided. Then he shuffled off.
“See that you get back in time for the milkin’,” was his father’s command. “And stop around at the back now and call to Hattie. Tell her she’s got visitors.”
Mary Louise and Jane sat down on the step and waited.