One of Jenny’s early morning tasks—even before she started baking—was to go to the market and hunt for fruit for her pies as the vendors arrived from the countryside to set up their stalls.

She quite enjoyed this, as the morning was fresh and the air clear. There was little activity yet in the village, and she would wander with her pushcart to where the market set up and go from farmer to farmer enquiring about what they had to offer that day. She knew all the farmers and their wives by their first names, and they bantered and joked before she finally purchased what she wanted. She was very picky about what she purchased, and the vendors always saved the very best selections for her viewing before they offered them to anyone else. She was everyone’s favorite.

One of her favorite vendors was Steven and Betsy Drake. They were playful and joked freely with Jenny—but they also had some of the finest summer berries in the market. She always made a point of stopping by where they were setting up early in her visit.

“What have you got for me today, Betsy?” Jenny asked as she approached their wagon even before they had set up their stall.

“O-o-o some lovely strawberries—and the blackberries are just coming in. I have a few pails of those. But only a few. Pricy, they are today… but I guess we could give you a break on the price,” Betsy said with a wry smile.

“You better had. I am your very favorite customer, am I not?”

“You would be if you would ever pass some of your day-old biscuits along to us.”

Jenny laughed. “I guess you do not know our bakery then… We always sell out. We have never had any day-old anything… not ever. But I might manage to save a few treats for you for tomorrow morning… if I get all the berries you can spare me this morning.”

“Oh, you drive a hard bargain,” Betsy said, already loading all her berries into the bowls on Jenny’s cart.

“Mother, you missed the gooseberries,” a young man said, coming over with a pail full of the luscious green berries.

“Oh, gooseberry pie is one of my favorites,” Jenny cooed. “I will certainly take those as well.”

The young man emptied the pale into one of Jenny’s buckets and, when he was finished, gave her a happy and welcoming smile.

“You know our boy, Evan, do you not? He’s been apprenticing in Bristol these past few years.”

Jenny was surprised at the handsome boy. He could not have been more than eighteen or so and she tried to remember if she had seen him before, then said, “Evan! Oh my, you have grown into a man. I only remember a scrawny little ragamuffin.”

“And you have grown into a fine young woman,” he replied. “If you do not mind me saying.”

They both laughed as they sized each other up.

“I mind not what you say,” she said with a grin. “As long as I get your best fruit.”

“Not for me to say,” he said. “But I would not mind a walk around the square with you some afternoon after the market. I would like to hear about these pies you make.”

Jenny gave him a saucy look and said, “Tellin’ does not do justice to my pies. You have to try ‘em. Then you will know.”

“Save me your favorite for this afternoon, and I will come by and use my pocket money for such a treat.”

“You like custard? I make the best tarts ever. I will save you a dozen. Four o’clock. That’s when we close.”

“Then we have a deal.”

Evan arrived promptly at four and put his pocket change on the counter as Jenny came out from the back.

“Take what you need from this, let me have my tarts, and come with me for a promenade around the square.”

She wrapped the tarts expertly, handed him the package, and took her price from the change. “Let me hang up my apron and I will meet you outside.”

Evan stood in the street with his package and waited. Jenny came right out and said, “My sister Claudia will be accompanying us.”

“Hello, Miss Claudia, I am Evan,” he said, shaking her hand.

“Mr. Evan,” Claudia said nodding.

Jenny said to Evan, “Tell your mama and papa the berry pies all sold out first thing. And to please save me whatever they have for tomorrow.”

Jenny linked her arm with Evan’s, and they began to walk the square—Claudia walking discreetly behind. They stopped at a stall for a cup of tea. There were a few tables set up in front of the stall, and they sat.

“I understand these are quite special. Might I offer you one?” Evan said unwrapping the tarts and offering Jenny and Claudia one.”

“I make these every day, and I should be sick of them by now, but I never am,” Jenny said taking a bite.

The first thing Jenny had noticed about Evan was his nice smile, and then how polite he was. As she ate her tart, she kept her eyes on him but realized her mind kept drifting back to her encounter with the Duke. As nice as this young man was, he did not have the same stature as Thomas Haddington. And she involuntarily shivered as she thought about Thomas’s hands on her waist.

“Are you cold, Miss Jenny?” Evan asked, reaching out and taking her hand.

She smiled but withdrew her hand. “Not at all. But Evan, your mother said you had been apprenticed in Bristol. What is it you are leaning to do?”

His eyes lit up. “I am apprenticing to be a printer. I am just now learning typesetting. I make mistakes, but I am getting better all the time.

“A printer? That is a noble profession. Are you thinking of opening a newspaper here in Chatsworth?”

“Do you think our citizens would purchase a newspaper? Everybody seems to already know everything that there is to know about each other and all that is going on through all the town gossips.”

Jenny and Claudia laughed.

“I see you know our village very well,” Jenny said.

“Shall we walk a little more,” he asked, standing and offering her his hand.

Claudia leaned in to Jenny as they were standing and whispered, “He is a very handsome young man. Is he to be your beau?”

Jenny smiled but would only say. “We shall see.”

The three continued walking the square.

As they approached the mercantile, Claudia spoke up. “Do you mind waiting a moment, please? I need to make a quick purchase.”

“Not at all. We will wait here,” Jenny said.

Evan took this opportunity to take Jenny’s hand again and asked, “Miss Jenny, I will only be here for a short time longer before I need to go back to Bristol. I hope I might be able to see you again before I leave.”

“I do not see why not,” she said. She had to admit, she did find this young man attractive, polite, and he seemed to have some sense about him.

“Do you think you might be able to care for me?” he asked. “I know we barely know one another, but you have already stolen my heart, Jenny Barnett.”

Jenny blushed. “Oh, Evan… It is so early on… And with us so far apart, what might you be thinking?”

Evan now took both of her hands in his. “I am thinking I must have you in my life. And whatever it takes to achieve that, I shall do. If it means me coming back here to make my living, I shall. I would be so honored if you might choose to take my hand in marriage one day. We could live anywhere. Printers are always in great demand. We could open a shop and perhaps you could run the business while I do the printing. There is always a demand—invitations, announcements, pamphlets and even a newspaper. Could you entertain such a notion, Miss Jenny?”

Claudia came out of the shop.

“What do you say?” Evan asked quietly.

“I will think about it, Evan. But it is far too early for me to contemplate such an offer. And I have to say I too have a dream.”

“What is it? Maybe I can help you accomplish it.”

“This is not the time,” she said as Claudia approached.

“I understand. But you will save a space in your heart for me?”

She smiled. “Perhaps.”

“Oh, my…” Mother said as she held up the dress the Duke had given Jenny. “This is just about the most beautiful dress I have ever seen.” She looked askance at Jenny. “And why did he give this to you? I do not understand.”

“Mother… I have explained this half a dozen times,” Jenny said exasperated.

“Then tell your old mother again so she can understand.

“I got caught in the rain. His Grace rescued me and took me to Pemberton Hall to dry out. The chambermaid gave me this to wear until my clothes dried, and then the Duke offered it to me as it was left behind by a guest, and no one had any use for it. There. Simple. Explanation over.”

Jenny sat on her bed and crossed her arms. “And I told you Helena was with us the entire time at tea.”

“Your Helena knows the Duke?” Mother asked as she put the dress in the armoire.

“They are old friends.”

“She knows the Duke? I would have thought…”

“Mother, her father is Lord Comerford. Of course, they know each other,” she said rolling her eyes.

Claudia burst into the room and stopped. “Oh… hello Mother.”

“Have you seen Jenny’s new dress?” Mother asked.

“Yes, ma’am. Very pretty is it not?”

“Well…” Mother continued to be uncertain about this dress.

Claudia scooted over and sat on the bed next to her sister and took her hand. She leaned in and whispered, “Now.”

Jenny looked at her, uncertain what she was referring to. Claudia nodded, as though she expected Jenny to understand. But Jenny did not.

“Jeremiah,” she whispered again. “Dinner.”

Then Jenny got it, turned to her mother, and said, “Mama, Claudia wishes to ask you something.” She turned to Claudia who looked terrified, and Jenny poked her with her elbow.

Claudia stammered, “Ah… I ah… You know Jeremiah Wisdom… The Vicar’s son…”

“Of course, I do. What of it?” Mother asked.

Claudia glanced at Jenny for support.

“Claudia wants to ask him to dinner. It seems they have an interest in each other, and she wants him to meet the family,” Jenny said to get the agony over with.

Mother looked stunned. “Jeremiah?” Then she thought about it a moment and wagged her head. “He seems like a nice lad. And with his father being the vicar… Well, I do not see why not. But I shall have to speak to your father first. After all…”

Claudia smiled. “Oh, thank you. When can I say he might come over?”

“As I said, let me speak to your father first.” Mother threw her hands in the air. “I do not know. Daughters? Why do I have so many daughters? Boys are never this much trouble.” Then she left the room.

“Oh, thank you, dear sister. I never understand how you can be so brave. I never thought she would agree,” Claudia said holding Jenny’s hand.

“Oh, my dear, it was nothing. It is just a dinner invitation, not the Spanish Armada.”

“But, just the same…” Claudia then asked, “Tell me about your Evan? He seems ever so nice. How did you meet?”

“His parents sell fruit at the market. I always buy from them, and he is visiting, so we spoke.”

“How romantic,” Claudia sighed.

Jenny could not admit to that as of yet and said, “We shall see. He lives far away, and we have only spoken a few times.”

“But he is so handsome… and such a gentleman.”

“My darling sister, there is more to a marriage than that.”

“You can be very cold-hearted, Jenny Barnett,” Claudia said with a pout.

Jenny laughed and patted Claudia’s hand. “But you are only seventeen.”

Claudia sighed. “You say that like it is a problem.”

“Not a problem, but believe me, as you grow older, things will look differently to you than they do now.”

Claudia stood. “Oh, I hope I never become cynical like you.” And she flounced out the room.