Somewhat of Polly

"Mother didn't understand that you children knew," said Kate.

"Sometimes I thought there were a lot of things Mother didn't
understand," said Nancy Ellen, "and sometimes I thought she
understood so much more than any of the rest of us, that all of us
would have had a big surprise if we could have seen her brain."

"Yes, I believe we would," said Kate. "Do you mind telling me how
the boys and girls feel about this?"

Nancy Ellen laughed shortly. "Well, the boys feel that you
negotiated such a fine settlement of Father's affairs for them,
that they owe this to you. The girls were pretty sore at first,
and some of them are nursing their wrath yet; but there wasn't a
thing on earth they could do. All of them were perfectly willing
that you should have something -- after the fire -- of course,
most of them thought Mother went too far."

"I think so myself," said Kate. "But she never came near me, or
wrote me, or sent me even one word, until the day she came after
me. I had nothing to do with it --"

"All of us know that, Kate," said Nancy Ellen. "You needn't
worry. We're all used to it, and we're all at the place where we
have nothing to say."

To escape grieving for her mother, Kate worked that summer as
never before. Adam was growing big enough and strong enough to be
a real help. He was interested in all they did, always after the
reason, and trying to think of a better way. Kate secured the
best agricultural paper for him and they read it nights together.
They kept an account book, and set down all they spent, and
balanced against it all they earned, putting the difference, which
was often more than they hoped for, in the bank.