A Simple Shaker Murder by Deborah Woodworth

older ones watching the younger ones.”
    â€œDon’t blame yourself,” Rose said. “It looked as if one of the local boys was teasing Mairin, and she became frightened.”
    â€œDid he hurt her? Oh dear, Wilhelm will insist we teach the boys and girls separately again, and we have no one else to help.”
    â€œDon’t worry yourself now,” Gilbert said. “It looked to me like the normal sort of nonsense little boys get into when theyhaven’t been trained in the proper environment.” He seemed oblivious to the sharp stares Rose and Charlotte aimed at him. “He needs civilizing, but he did no actual harm. And Mairin is a bit over-sensitive.”
    â€œDid it occur to you she might have been hurt in the past and is easily frightened because of it?” Rose asked, not masking the irritation in her voice. She, too, knelt near Mairin and lightly stroked her hair. Mairin jumped as she felt the touch. Rose was troubled by the girl’s trembling, which was severe enough to seem almost like a seizure.
    â€œWe know very little of Mairin’s experiences before she came to us. I’m sure you noticed she isn’t very communicative,” Gilbert said, ignoring the fact that Mairin could hear him. “No doubt she was treated roughly on the streets, but now she has been well cared for these past two years, with the very best environment, so I’m afraid what we are witnessing is an innate weakness in her. She may never achieve a fully civilized state, though I believe she can be made better.”
    Rose sat back on her heels and stopped stroking Mairin, for fear the sizzling anger she felt would charge through her veins and into the child’s awareness. Nor could she chance a look at Charlotte, whose rage, she knew, would be at least equal to her own.
    â€œPerhaps, Mr. Griffiths, you would be good enough to leave us alone with Mairin for a spell. Although she knows and surely trusts you, the company of women might be more soothing to her just now.” She forced herself to smile.
    Far from taking offense, Gilbert seemed relieved. “Of course, I’ll leave her with you two.” He backed away too quickly and tripped on one of the stored desks, but managed to right himself without damage.
    â€œBefore you leave, I have one other suggestion,” Rose said. “If you would be willing to let me, I would like to try my hand at—civilizing, you said?—civilizing Mairin for the remainder of your visit. She has seemed to respond well to me, and I would like to know her better. It would free you to spendyour time most productively learning what you hope to about living together in a community. Would you and Celia be agreeable?”
    The storeroom was dim, but Rose thought Gilbert’s eyes lit up. “Well, we are quite fond of Mairin, of course, but if you’d like to try your hand with her, I’m sure Celia would not object. I’ll talk to her right away. We’ll want to know how she’s doing, of course.”
    â€œOf course.”
    Gilbert left so fast that Rose laughed out loud.
    â€œI’m sure he hopes Mairin will be redeemed—especially if someone else does it for him,” Charlotte murmured, as she stood and brushed off her long skirt. “I’d really better go out and check on the children. Will you two be all right?”
    â€œYea, go on ahead.”
    Mairin had stopped trembling and fastened her bright eyes on Rose, who leaned toward her and reached out a hand. “Can you stand up?”
    Mairin slipped her hand into Rose’s and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.
    â€œHave you been hurt?” Rose asked.
    Mairin shook her head.
    â€œIs it all right with you if you stay in my care for a bit?”
    The girl nodded.
    â€œGood. We’ll go to the kitchen and have a treat soon. But first, would you tell me what that little boy said to you? I promise you’ll feel much better if