She stopped sweeping, bending to kiss him on the cheek. “Have fun, pumpkin,” she told him. “And put on your gloves.” He ignored her advice, running after Aaron and Rachel to get into Old Samuel’s buggy. Today Sam was going to be a guest at the school. He’d been thrilled to be treated like the other two children that morning. Catherine had handed him a silver lunch box and a glass bottle full of soup. Then she sent him off with a pat on the head. Once Sam was safely ensconced in the rig, Old Samuel nodded at a waving Meg, then snapped the reins. The horse set out at a slow trot. Meg resumed sweeping the front steps. As the week had passed, she had been assuming additional chores around the house. Typically, Barbara Lutz cleaned up the porch and front yard, making sure the grounds remained neat. When Meg’s soreness from the accident had almost completely dissipated, she insisted on taking over that job. She hadn’t expected to enjoy the early-morning quiet as much as she did, punctuated only by a dog’s bark or a brief commotion in the chicken house.
