I reached for a rag on the shelf by the kitchen door and was about to crouch down to wipe the floor when Mrs. Adams suddenly shouted, “Hey!” rushing over to snatch the rag from my hand.
“This isn’t for wiping the floor, it’s for wiping the table! How could you use this like that?”
As she scolded me, she turned and grabbed another rag from the bathroom, tossing it to the floor by my feet.
“Use this one.”
I looked blankly at Sarah; the impatience and protectiveness in her eyes chilled me more than any insult from David.
Seeing me speechless, her eyes shifted to the tied chicken and goose at my feet, her tone softening slightly.
“If you want to take the vegetables back, go ahead. We don’t need them. Keep the chicken and goose; country poultry tastes good. I’ll make soup for Henry tomorrow to help him recover.”
As she spoke, she reached out to take the straw rope from my hand.
I instinctively stepped back, avoiding her hand.
“Since you don’t want these vegetables, fine, don’t take any. I’ll bring all of them back.” David sneered even deeper.
“Sure, take everything. They’re just a few scruffy chickens and geese. Who even needs that cheap stuff?”
Sarah frowned, her voice sinking.