It might have just been Abilene's relief to finally arrive, but when she looked up at the Appletons' home, she thought it looked quite welcoming. Staring up at the house, she climbed out of the wagon, shawl still wrapped tightly around her shoulders and chest. At the question as to if 'Abi' would do, she nodded, willing to go by whatever name would ensure her employment here. She didn't much like how Mr. Appleton ordered his wife around like that, but she wasn't about to voice this opinion. "Thank you," she said softly as Mrs. Appleton led her inside, her tone sincere, a stark contrast to the neutral but nearly sharp tint of Mrs. Appleton's voice.

Entering the home, Abilene's first thought was not, as one might expect from a middle-class-raised girl, 'Oh, how humble', it was 'Oh, how lovely'. She liked the eclectic interior, it felt more homely than anywhere she'd ever lived, and she shifted on her feet as another person entered the room. It was a girl, and Abilene immediately thought of Linnie. A sense of sisterly protection swept over her and she resolved to be whatever sort of friend this girl wanted and/or needed during her employment here. Jenny was the girl's name, according to Mrs. Appleton, and Abilene offered her a warm smile and curtsied at the introduction. "Lovely to meet you. You can call me Abilene, or Abi, if you'd like."