Children of the Wolves by Jessica Starre Page A

and turned her attention back to Caterina.
    The little girl had something clutched in her hand. She shoved the object towards Jelena.
    â€œWhat is it, Cat?” Jelena asked, taking the piece of cloth and smoothing it out.
    â€œA pillow for Mama!” the little girl said excitedly, then glanced around in fear that perhaps her mother had overheard her. “My birthday is in two weeks and I wanted to give her something special.”
    Jelena bent down to admire the handiwork. She spread it across her hand — not pointing out that the scrap of fabric would make a very small pillow — and said gently, “Tell me about it, Cat.”
    â€œLook,” Cat said, pointing to a green abstract design. “There’s the forest. And here’s our cabin.” That was a brown splotch. “And here is Mama.” A rainbow of color. “And there’s the moon and the stars.” Arrows of silver thread. “You know how Mama loves the moon and the stars.”
    â€œYes, darling. It’s beautiful.” Cat’s mother Sarah had the river blindness and found it easier to work at night, when the glare of the sun didn’t bother her so much. Jelena supposed that to Cat that qualified as loving the moon and the stars. Sarah wove for the community, never seeing the bright abstract designs she created.
    â€œWill she like it?” Cat asked, anxiety etching her smooth young face.
    â€œShe’ll love it,” Jelena said. “You can take her hand and let her feel the stitches and tell her all about it, just the way you told me. Every time she touches the pillow, she’ll think of you. That’s nice, isn’t it?”
    â€œI thought of her when I made it,” Cat said proudly.
    â€œThat’s best, isn’t it? You think of someone when you make their gift and they think of you when they receive it. Now, put it away and wash up, it’s time for meal.”
    Caterina made a face but ran off anyway. Jelena was not reassured that the child would actually wash up, but at least she’d tried. When she glanced around, she saw that Michael was lounging against the wall, talking lazily with Colin, his eyes never leaving Jelena’s face. Was it true, that he’d been with Danielle, and got her with child? No. If he had, he would have told her, and he would have partnered with Danielle before now. A niggle of doubt. Whatever will they do about you? Teresa had asked.
    Jelena set her jaw and nodded a greeting to Colin, then moved into the dining hall proper to take her seat at table. Behind her, she heard Michael take his leave of Colin and follow her in. A moment later, he found his usual seat beside her on the bench.
    The others had already begun serving themselves from the steaming soup tureens spaced along the center of the tables. Jelena took a sniff and said, “I wonder what I did to irritate Bertha today?”
    Michael ladled soup onto his plate. Seeing the chunks of lamb in the broth, he said, “I see what you mean.” He reached over and handed her the loaf of bread resting next to the tureen. She tore off a hunk, shook her head in defeat and started chewing. “What about a fresh vegetable?” she asked. “I cry out for a fresh vegetable.”
    â€œYou know Bertha doesn’t hold with such nonsense notions as eating fruits and vegetables,” Michael teased.
    â€œI don’t understand it,” Jelena said sadly, tearing off another hunk of bread. “We live in an orchard! We’re surrounded by plums and currants and melons and corn and beans. You’d think we might have, oh, apples on the table now and then.”
    â€œApples aren’t until fall,” Michael pointed out.
    â€œI know. I’m just making a point.”
    â€œThe fence on the south side of the western paddock needs repair,” Rufus said, sitting down across from them.
    Jelena’s smile faded at the interruption, which ended her