Location:The Millford road — the Halbrook holding; the stone barn; the lean-to
Date/Time:TC1858.03.25 – TC1858.03.26
Screaming, from the end of the barn, high and on and on, and Bett was on her feet before she knew she'd been awake.
She hadn't been asleep. She'd been lying on her back on the flags with her coat over her, counting forkfuls as she'd counted them every night since the good hay ran out, and she'd got to the second day and started again. Then the gray screamed, and she was up with the lamp in her hand and her boots on the stone, and the whole barn was up behind her.
The cows were on their feet at the north end, the heifer hauling at her halter rope on the hay rack. The bay had swung its head around at the door end and stood with its cut leg off the ground and its ears flat. Nissa was sitting up with Joss under one arm. Joss didn't stir. Sedge was already at the lean-to door, not barking, nose to the crack at the bottom.
