Chapter 240

• Tightening the cord, she checked the tension of the furs. “We’ll be warm this year, Thera.” Leah glanced at the leopard laying on the platform. She lifted her head an inch, looked back at her, and then lay back in the sunlight. “At least you don’t try to eat them now.” Going over, she bent down and rubbed her hand along the animal’s soft coat. “Aunt Tillie would be so happy you’ve settled down.” Blowing out a breath, she got back up. Her head was aching, the constant pressure that made it feel like something was squeezing it, but that was nothing new. If she managed to get all the potatoes dug up, maybe she’d go have a short nap. There wasn’t much free time in the fall for taking long breaks.
• She stopped halfway to the garden and rubbed the center of her forehead. “I’m fine. I need to do this before winter hits.” Blowing out a breath, she concentrated on staying focused and here. There was so much to do before the cold weather hit. Leah looked around at the leaves, without Papa Low, she could only guess when that would be, she didn’t have his intuition about the weather. Her mouth quirked with a smile, Nana Pearl would have laughed at that and said it wasn’t intuition, but arthritis that told him when the cold was moving in.
• Pausing beside the shed, she opened it to get out a pail and shovel. The potatoes were the last to come out, she’d gotten the other root vegetables stored for winter in the last few weeks. Brushing her hair back from her face, she watched Thera pace back and forth outside the garden area. If it weren’t for her, she would be so lonely, so lost.