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Ilene pulled her across the threshold and shut the door “Just put it in the kitchen, ladies I’ll help Mrs Parker lay it out,” she instructed

Once again Millie faltered The maidens had set the table back at the cabin, and she’d never questioned it Frowning, she followed the others into the house and kitchen

“We won’t need those” Ilene gestured toward the tin plates Su-Ma set on the table “That will be all now Thank you”

Millie thanked the maidens as they piled the plates back in one of their crates and took their leave But her attention was on Ilene, who’d started lifting fine china dishes out of the cupboards

“Here, take these,” she said “I’ll show you horap the food so it stays warm until the major arrives”

Taking thedishes, Millie carried the as Ilene started to explain, “Now, in the winter, it’s easier to keep food hot with a fire in the stove During the summer months, I wrap the kettles with these miniature quilts I made them myself and they work quite well When thebowls” While wrapping the kettles the estured across the room “You’ll find the napkins in the drawer over there I e Seth wasn’t sure what your favorite color was, but I knew his was blue”

Millie found the napkins, beautiful cream-colored ones with a fancy P stitched in one corner “Blue is my favorite color, too,” she whispered, more to herself than the other woman The letters were the same deep blue as Seth’s eyes If she’d never had a favorite color before, she did now

“You know, dear, being a eneral—isn’t for everyone It’s hard work” Ilene took the napkins and set them beside the plates

Millie placed the silverware atop the how nice the table looked compared to the tin plates and cups they’d used back at the cabin

“I believe a proper wife kno to make a home presentable wherever that home may be located”

Pride had filled the woht settled on Millie’s shoulders

“It is part of taking care of our husbands,” Ilene continued “Another part of beinghis actions If they want to talk about things, we need to be good listeners, but we should never ask about what they’ve seen or had to do”

A hard knot for a wife”