The River Between Us

What are the characters doing in chapter 5

River between us

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After Delphine and Calinda spend most of the morning unpacking, Mama allows Tilly to accompany Delphine into town to see the shops. Delphine spends very little time in the poorly supplied general store, crossing the street to the store that fronts the blacksmith's shop where Noah works. There, she interrupts an argument between Northern and Southern loyalists and orders some lamps, oil and matches from clerk Curry Marshall, noticing as she does so that Tilly is attracted to him. She then directs Tilly to take her up onto the Devil's Backbone, where Tilly is surprised to see that Cass is not in her usual place. Settling in to look at the view, Delphine chatters on about her successful, popular father (see "Quotes," p. 56), leading Tilly to contemplate her long-absent Paw. Much to Delphine's interest, Tilly also confesses that Cass has visions, and is surprised to learn from Delphine that Calinda does as well. When Tilly and Delphine return to the house, they discover that Calinda has been doing the cooking, with Cass's help. That night, Tilly and her family eat heartily, in spite of the people of the region having sworn never to have anything to do, in any way, with Southern lifestyles. After dinner, Delphine settles down with some mending and Calinda brings out a pack of playing cards. "How at home our visitors were, these light bringers," Tilly comments in narration. "How settled they seemed to be, not like birds of passage at all."