Romancing Olive by Holly Bush

to gather the courage to lash out so at Jacob. He stood; holding Luke in his arms and went to the porch. He watched their faces turn to him and he took a deep breath.
    “Miss Wilkins?”
    “Yes, Mr. Butler?”
    Jacob looked out over the horizon and back to the huddled group. Without meeting an eye, he whispered, “You can keep the clothes, children.”
    “What did you say, Mr. Butler? We can’t hear you,” Miss Wilkins said.
    Jacob’s shoulders rose and lowered slowly and he sucked air through his front teeth. This dag blamed woman wasn’t going to make this easy, he saw.
    “The children can keep the clothes.”
    Peg’s face lit up and she started to her father but Miss Wilkins’s hand stilled her. “Do you have anything else to say, Mr. Butler?”
    “Alright, I was wrong, Miss Wilkins. And . . . well thank you.”
    “Apology accepted, Mr. Butler.” She sent the children to clean up and held her head stiffly, staring at him. She broke the gaze and walked primly past him. “Wash up for dinner, Mr. Butler. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.”
    Jacob scowled, kicked the dirt and mocked her words back to her. The old biddy, he thought.

Chapter Three
    “Mary, please do not begin eating until the prayer is complete. John, please use your fork,” Miss Wilkins said.
    Jacob looked up at her as he released his children’s hands from prayer and watched her evenly repeat her instructions. Her voice did not raise, nor did her eyes as she quietly reminded the children of their manners. The meal was hot and filling and Jacob watched Miss Wilkins neatly dab her mouth.
    “Mr. Butler, I would like to begin instructing John and Mary and I hope you will allow me to include your children. Have they had any formal education?” she asked.
    Jacob clenched the metal of his fork between his teeth as she inquired after his children’s schooling. He evenly met her gaze and slowly pulled the utensil from his mouth.
    “Their mother taught them.”
    “Fine. Good. We will have a starting place then. Mary, what grade are you in?” Miss Wilkins asked and smiled at her niece.
    “Hardly went to school,” the girl said.
    “Why?” Miss Wilkins asked as she lay down her utensils.
    Mary sopped bean drippings with her biscuit. “Ma said it was too far to haul me every day.”
    “What did your father say?”
    “He took me a couple a times but then I had to walk home. I told Ma I didn’t want to go back,” she added.
    “You walked from town?” Miss Wilkins asked.
    Mary nodded and stared at her plate. “Pa taught me some though.”
    * * *
    Olive regarded Mary and wondered if it would ever sound natural to hear her brother James referred to as ‘Pa’. It was hard as well to hear that her brother had done little to educate his children. “Your father was quite the scholar when he was young. I’m sure you’ll pick up your studies quickly. John,” Olive said and turned to the boy, “Would you like to know how to write your name?”
    The child’s eyes widened and the hair Olive promised herself to wash, hung in his face. His head slowly swung from side to side. She wondered about her brother’s youngest child. He had yet to speak and although clearly frightened at the bank when the cowboy had spoken to him, he seemed happy when in Jacob’s home. He followed Luke as if attached by an invisible thread to the boy. Otherwise John was glued to his sister’s side. But Olive had not heard a word uttered. She vowed to speak to Mary and find out what the girl knew of her brother’s silence. Olive’s hand went slowly to her temple as she contemplated all the problems she faced in order to get these children back to her home in Philadelphia.
    “Mr. Butler? Do you have a bath tub?” Olive asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Good. Mary will you begin doing the dishes? I have water boiling and I would like to start with some haircuts before you take your baths, children.” Olive said.
    * * *
    Jacob had watched the worry grow on Olive Wilkins’s