These are interesting questions! I mean, I don't actually know if there was any Bob/Buck/Caroline in this verse--I'm kind of inclined to think that there was Bob/Caroline + Buck/Caroline and Bob & Buck friendship and partnership, though I'm not sure. I will think more on this! Although yeah, I was fond of that phrase, "closing the ranks". And I think Benton was a large part of Caroline keeping at it after Bob died--she couldn't just let go, because she had to take care of him.