After about two hours riding in that cart Mr. Houser took a hunk of bread from his knapsack and handed it back to me saying, “You should eat something.” He gave me a cup of cider to go along with the bread. Otherwise he was silent until dusk when we arrived at an inn which had a sign which read “The Galloping Pony.”

It was a converted house I could see an upstairs light come on as Mr, Houser tapped the door knocker and inside I could hear stairs creaking and then the floor boards as someone approached the door.

It opened and a large red-cheeked lady opened up and with a scowl said:

“It took you long enough. I had near gone to bed.”

She looked at me and quickly back to Mr. Houser finally saying “So this is her huh, I suppose.”

Mr. Houser nodded slowly.

“Well she is pretty enough to attract the devil’s own I expect," she said "and cause of it she landed in trouble expect as well."

“Well come in the both of you, you’ll catch your death."

Mrs. Windsor moved backward motioning us to follow as she turned around to get a better look at me the light.

“You expecting girl?” she said abruptly. I didn’t really understand at first. Then she said ‘hear me, I said "are you expecting to have a baby?”
I shook my head slowly but I also remembered the examination, and stammered "At least I don’t think so.”

Either you are or you aren’t," Mrs. Windsor said. "I expect we’ find out soon enough.”

She looked at Mr. Houser and turned saying, "I expect the both of you are hungry, so sit and I will warm up some soup.”

It was a big table with a woodstove cooking plate and a cutting board to the side. The table sat at least fifteen people and I realized Mrs. Windsor ran a boarding house although I did not hear any noises to tell me that she had any at the moment.

She got the fire started and came back to sit at the table to slice of bread for us silent; intent upon her work and without looking up said "So how have you been Howie?”

Mr, Houser picked up a piece of bread and was fishing for butter when Mrs. Windsor tapped his hand with her cutting knife saying “not yet, have to heat things up yet.”

Mr. Houser withdrew his hand and with a twinkle in his eye said “Well maybe later things will be more accommodating." With that he gave Mrs. Windsor a knowing smile and she harrumphed him and did not reply.

We had a quiet meal of bread, soup and some fresh apples and Mrs. Windsor and “Howie” exchanged the news of mutual friends, until Mrs. Windsor looked at me and said, do you know who is the father of the child?"

I starred at her blankly finally saying, "I am not, I mean I am sure; I am not, you know in that way."

"Well somebody thinks so," Mrs. Windsor said, "otherwise you wouldn’t be here, for sure."
I was stunned because I had not thought that I was in the motherly way at all, but Mrs. Windsor started to make me wonder if it might be true .

Could I be in the motherly way from a kiss from Hans?

I was stunned into silence.
But I was ever more stunned and humiliated when Mrs. Windsor said "Well child lets go upstairs, I'll be able to tell one way or another."

To be continued