The Family Greene by Ann Rinaldi Read Free Book Online Page A

been reading military tactics for how long now in the bookstore of Henry Knox in Boston. Do you think they do not know this? Because you were the head of a hundred workers at the forge.
    My husband had gone from being a private to being a brigadier general in a few weeks.
    ***
    I KNEW WITHIN days of his leaving that I could not bear to stay in our house in Coventry with Jacob and Peggy. Jacob was all right, but he spent all his time overseeing the running of Nathanael's forge next door, something Nathanael would be doing if he were home. It was Peggy who was the sister-in-law from hell.
    She took over the household the first day she was there.
    "Here, let me do that for you—why don't you sit down and rest" became her battle cry.
    I did not want to sit down and rest. It was my house. I knew what time the dogs should be fed, that the cats didn't eat what they brought in but only caught it and left their catch to be admired and praised, then must be fed, too, how much the chickens should be given to eat, and yes, that we let the chickens roam free ... so that I was the only one who knew where they were likely to lay their eggs. Nathanael had shown me.
    Peggy thought we were two children playing at house. She quickly "straightened things out."
    Within two weeks, the chickens stopped laying their eggs. The dogs stopped eating. The cats stopped bringing in mice.
    "What chaos," Peggy said. "How can you run a farm like this?"
    Amanda, the cook, quit, and instead of being horrified, Peggy seemed pleased.
    "Now," she said with smug satisfaction, "I can teach you to make all the dishes your husband and mine like best."
    I had no intention of learning. There was nothing I would hate worse, I knew, than having bossy Peggy standing over me telling me the right way to slice carrots to put in Nathanael's possum stew. Besides, I hated possum stew. I would suffer it if Nathanael were here, but otherwise I'd likely throw up making it.
    At home, Aunt Catharine never had time to teach me anything to do with the domestic arts. I led the life of a lady, and the most I'd had to do was learn to stitch a pillowcase or embroider a sampler to be framed and put on the wall.
    Besides, in his last letter to me, sensing my unhappiness, Nathanael had written:
I have recommended you to their care, unless they should so far forget their affection for me as to request anything unworthy of you to comply with. In that case, maintain your independence until I return, and if Providence allows I will see justice done you.
    Independence, it seemed, was Nathanael's middle name. I knew he had an excellent rapport with Amanda and loved her cooking. I was sure he would be less than pleased with Peggy to learn that Amanda had quit because of Peggy's troublesome ways.
    I decided to make a shopping trip to Providence to settle my mind about things. Mayhap all I needed was a day away from this place, the sights and sounds of different people and scenes. The hustle and bustle of Providence to make me feel part of something again.
    I had great sport that day buying dresses that would cover my growing middle. And then, at midafternoon, who did I run into in front of the Cake 'n' Chat, the ladies' tearoom, but Charlotte Varnum, wife of Colonel James Varnum, he who had been captain of the Kentish Guards and friend of Nathanael's and was presently a colonel in the army. He, too, was now in Cambridge.
    "Caty Greene!" she cried out on seeing me.
    "Charlotte Varnum!" We hugged warmly.
    "What in the name of Caesar's ghost are you doing alone on the streets of Providence?" She looked down at my figure. "Why, you're expecting!"
    "I had to get away from home," I blurted out. "Nathanael's sister-in-law is driving me mad. Nathanael left her and his brother Jacob in charge. Today she wanted to teach me how to make possum stew!"
    "Oh, that's right, my husband wrote me. Nathanael is at Cambridge with the newly formed army. My dear"—she put a hand to her mouth to shield her