Gracie Cobb, you take that off your head and sit still. That‘s good food you’re playing with … well, it’s food anyways. Now you got soup in your hair, and … no, don’t start rubbing it in …

Tell you, this is the last time I get shot and end up being the gorram babysitter. And it was only a little wound, not enough for your Uncle Simon to get all gnarled up about. Not like I nearly died or anything. Well, not much.

And don’t you go telling your Ma I said gorram. She might be small, but she could make it real uncomfortable for me to sit down, I’ll tell you.

Okay, that’s better. Now just sit there and relax. No, I don’t wanna play with your doll. Gracie, that ain’t … I am captain, you know. Okay, okay. She can sit here with us. No, not on my … And you oughtta know by now that making those puppy-dog eyes at me don’t work. I’m a mean old man, and … Not the lip. Please, don’t do the … fine. On my lap’s fine. Yeah, she’s real pretty. Yeah, you are too.

Ain’t you in the least bit sleepy? You must be wanting a nap by now. I mean, you’re fed - though most of it did seem to go elsewhere, and I ain’t never gonna get that spot out of my favourite shirt - and you’re warm. You must be sleepy. The boys were always sleepy after lunch, when they were your age. Just ‘cause my beautiful wife took it into her head to take ‘em both off to go clothes shopping don’t mean they’re being allowed to play merry hell like you are. No, hell is not a place you can go. And I’d take it as a kindness if you never did. Not for the likes of you. Gracie, take your hair outta your mouth. Yeah, thanks for the offer, but I don’t really feel like eating it either. Your Ma should tie it back more. Shows off your face. Cao , but you look like her.

No, I’d rather you didn’t tell her I said that either.

You sure you ain’t sleepy? What? A story? I don’t know any, least none suitable for little girl ears. No, not gonna tell you the one about Reavers. And I already had words with my sons about that, sca