"Ms. Jemima, I didn't mean to speak so harshly. I just want to find her. And I don't want to go dragging anyone else out there that don't have ta be. I've seen my fair share of blood shed and gore ..." because of the war... "and it ain't something you can un-see. I don't want no one to have to through that, that don't have to."
Arabella gave a little cough, the boys were still present during this gloomy monolog.
Then quickly he realized that perhaps what he had said could elude that there may be blood shed and gore to be seen at the hands of Addy and anyone else that had been with her. "Not that I'm expectin' there ta be any for those that are rescued....but I do hate ta see what's going to happen to those Indians!" Because he knew had he been there and got his hands on any of those Indians that had gotten a hold of Addy .... well it wouldn't be pretty!
"Wonder how that pie's doing?" asked Arabella, half-heartedly trying to change the subject. Isiah was clearly worried, Jemima was in a mood, the boys were probably worried, too. Arabella was certainly worried about Caroline, even more so now after Mr Chappel's speech: before then she had almost been able to pretend to herself it wasn't happening, that they were all just here for some fun sleepover. Now she sat with her chin on her steepled fingers, as depressed as everybody else.
Isiah had no appetite but he could tell everyone was hungry. "Why don't ya'll eat and then maybe Weedy and I, and whoever else wants, can go into town and see if anyone there's gotten any news?"
Jemima was about to point out that there was no point in doing that, her brother would come with news as soon as there was any, but, well, why deny the man the salve to his conscience? She nodded in sombre agreement instead. She opened her mouth to offer to take Isiah to the telegraph office, but remembering her previous rejection, closed it shut again, so that she resembled big ugly goldfish, opening and closing its mouth as it swam around its bowl.