A Painted House

While working in the garden, Luke notices that part of the side of the house has been painted. He tells his mother, who reasons that Trot must be doing it while everyone else is working in the fields. Luke’s mother takes him to the Latchers’ for another food delivery. When they get there, they discover that Libby is in labor. Mrs. Latcher begs Luke’s mother for help, so Luke and his mother return home to fetch Gran. Gran and Luke’s mother leave Luke at home and go to help with the delivery.

Later that evening, while waiting for his mother and grandmother to return, Luke runs into Tally. Tally persuades him to tell her what he knows about Libby Latcher, and Tally is intrigued by the idea of seeing the birth. She convinces Luke to accompany her in spying on the Latcher household. Staying at the edge of the forest, they listen and watch Libby’s difficult labor. The labor takes long enough that Luke falls asleep. When he wakes, Libby is starting to deliver the child. They overhear that it is a boy, and Luke, desperate not to get caught, flees home before his mother and grandmother can return.