The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

I repeated the question. “You said you were living off the sale of Becky’s
hunters,” I said. I knew about selling things. There was a pawn shop down our
lane, and when work at the docks was slow, women took things there.
“Hunters are an expensive type of horse,” she said. “Becky had two of
them.”
“We could eat less,” I said. “Jamie and me. We’re used to it.”
Miss Smith’s gaze sharpened. “Of course not,” she said. Her voice took on
an edge that made me swallow. “You aren’t to worry about that. I’ll handle it,
or Lady Thorton will. You’ll be looked after.”
“It’s just—”
“You’re not to worry,” she said. “It’s a beautiful day. Wouldn’t you like to
play outside?”
Jamie was already out there. I nodded, took my crutches, and went. Butter
grazed far across the field. “Butter!” I called, sliding over the pasture wall. He
raised his head, but didn’t come to me.
I lay down. The field was fascinating. Grass, dirt, flowers. Little flying
bugs. I rolled onto my stomach and stroked the grass, sniffed it, pulled it out
of the dirt. Scooted forward to examine a white flower.
Eventually I felt a whoosh of breath against my neck. I rolled over,
laughing, expecting Jamie, but it was Butter. He sniffed my head, then
stepped aside, grazing. I watched his feet and how he moved them, and how
his long yellow tail swished flies away.
The sun was high and then it was lower, and the air grew chilly. “Supper!”
Miss Smith shouted from the house. When we came in she gave me an eye
and said, “Have you been rolling in mud?”
I didn’t know what she meant.
“Never mind,” she said. “Don’t look so stricken. You’ll wash.”
Jamie shouted, “Another BATH?”
“Sit and eat,” Miss Smith said. “Yes, a bath. You can plan on having a bath
every night while you’re here.”
“Every night?” Mud or not, I felt cleaner than I’d ever been.
“I don’t mind you getting dirty,” Miss Smith said, “but I won’t have mud
on my sheets.”
Jamie and I looked around. There were lots of things whose names we
didn’t know. And clearly she did mind our getting dirty, at least a little.