Continued from HERE @robbiemyboi
With Abraham gone again, Mary knew she should not have allowed Robert to stay with Thomas and her at the house. The neighbors would surely start talking about how a handsome, unmarried man had stayed overnight while her own husband was not at home…. Of course, Abraham gave the neighbors enough reason to talk as it was. There was little she could do that would worsen the situation, and she had already survived the whispers about herself and Ensign Baker. After all, the fine young officer had been more attentive to the needs of her family then Abraham had been for a time there. It was only natural that some talk would emerge. Now, if the neighbors found out that Robert was still in the house, it would start all over again. Still, she cannot bring herself to ask him to leave…not when he was so comfortably arranged in the rocking chair and Thomas had fallen asleep too. It was a sweet sight and one she had not intended to disturb. The room was growing chilly though, despite the fire, and her attempts to settle a blanket around the duo stirred Robert from his sleep. He moved his head enough that he could see her, and she smiled in response. "Is it past midnight yet?”
“Near enough.” She whispered. “But I wasn’t trying to wake you. There seems little point in making a large fuss over the changing of a year anyways. I doubt little else will change with it. You should keep resting—you can start the journey back in the morning once it is light enough to see.”
