“Miss Susan, is that you?”

Susan was startled by the voice calling to her as she was leaving Haverford House—she was so deeply in thought about Aunt Clarissa’s proposal. She swirled around to see John at the library door.

“Oh, John…”

“I’m sorry if I surprised you,” he said, stepping forward to greet her. “I didn’t know you were calling here today. Was it to see me?”

“No. Your aunt invited me to visit with her. I had no intention of disturbing you, as I’m sure you must be very busy.”

“Not right now. There’s always a lot to do in running an estate of this size, but I’m having a quiet moment right now.”

Susan didn’t know how to respond. Did he want something from her? Then she realized she needed to establish an important fact, even though she had no idea how he’d take it.

“John, during the course of the afternoon with your aunt, I had the occasion to meet your sweet daughter, Elizabeth.”

John didn’t respond immediately. “Did you?” he said coolly.

Susan could tell this displeased him, but she also knew that if she and Aunt Clarissa were to put forward their proposal to him, she would need to be strong, resolute, and clear in her own thinking.

“You must be very proud of her. She’s very beautiful.”

Again, John hesitated but said finally. “She takes after her mother.”

That gave Susan an insight into John’s feelings. If Elizabeth resembled his lost wife, then it made it clearer why he was pushing her aside.

“She must have been a very beautiful woman.”

“Yes, she was.” John lowered his head.

It pained Susan to see this man suffering the loss of his wife so deeply—still after all these years. He must have loved her very much. She didn’t want to prolong his pain and thought it best if she left.

“Sir, I should go. It was nice seeing you again. Good afternoon.”

“Must you rush off? I’d like to show you something.”

This surprised her. “I’m not in a great hurry.”

“Come.” He took a step backward and invited her into the library.

Susan stepped inside. She had not been in this room before. It was most impressive—with grand views of the park from large windows. It was also filled with rows and rows of book shelves. And over the fireplace was a portrait of a woman.

Susan was drawn to it and studied her beautiful face.

“That is my wife,” John said in a tone of reverence.

Susan noticed he said “is” my wife, not “was” my wife. It was clear he had not yet let her go.

“Stunning. Absolutely stunning. Was she a local woman?”

“No. And strangely enough it was a marriage arranged by my family. She was the daughter of the Earl of Pembrook. I resisted such a marriage, but in the end, I didn’t regret it.”

Looking over at the Duke, Susan could see the adoration in his eyes. And it made her feel even sadder that it was so difficult for him to come to terms with her death. She turned away from the portrait and examined the library.

“What a lovely room. Haverford House is really a lovely place to live. And I so much admire the beautiful park. It must give you a great deal of pleasure.”

This seemed to distract the Duke from his wife for the moment.

“It was my great grandfather who built the house and my grandfather who designed and constructed the park. I’m proud of both.”

Susan felt it was time to leave.

“Sir, I must get home. Now that my sister is no longer living at home it’s just my mother and me who keep the household running, and I’ll need to assist her in preparing supper for this evening.”

“Then I shan’t keep you. Good day, Miss Susan.”

* * *

It was the first day at the beginning of the school year. Susan had a class of girls in the morning and a class of boys in the afternoon. Each class consisted of children of all ages. It was not that easy designing a curriculum to serve the range of ages, without shortchanging one age group or another. Susan had struggled with this fact her entire teaching career, and she had ideas about how to solve this problem, but the school officials were deaf to her suggestions and didn’t allow her to make any changes to the established ways of teaching.

As expected, the class of girls was easier to teach. All the girl’s parents wanted was for them to be taught how to read, and write—along with a healthy dose of deportment thrown in for good measure. The idea was to let them be serviceable, but not truly educated.

But the boys were another matter, altogether. First, they tended not to respect a female teacher. They were rowdy and rambunctious and difficult to control. And while it was desirable to have the boys taught more, it was also more difficult to get them to learn. Susan had had to learn to be tough with them to get them to respect her.

“Billy Clark, if you don’t pay attention, you are going to be in the most hideous trouble. Turn around in your desk and stop bothering Georgie. Right now, you hear me? I swear I’m not above using a switch on your tender behind.”

The class roared with laughter.

“Yes, Miss Wilton,” Billy said, turning around and blushing red.

“Right. Now then, multiplication tables.”

The class began reciting. “One times one is one. Two times two is four. Three times three is nine.”

And once again the limitations of this method were becoming clear, as the older boys already knew all these tables, and were bored and restless. But she was restrained by the school’s lesson plan as to what she could teach and when.

This, Susan realized, was a strong motivation to accept Aunt Clarissa’s offer. But she couldn’t help but wonder how the Duke would react to her unconventional teaching methods if she chose to implement them. And as the recitation droned on, she decided she would need to commit her ideas to writing. She would draw up a strong argument for her teaching methods to present to the Duke.

But she still had reservations about caring for Elizabeth. Not her actual care, exactly, but rather the fact that she would need to reside at Haverford House. It would mean leaving her family with no one to assist her mother and father except for their single domestic, Julie. She would definitely need to consider that fact and discuss it with them.

* * *

When Susan returned from school that afternoon her first letter from Daniel was waiting for her. Mamma was all atwitter, and anxious for Susan to open and read it as soon as she entered the house. But Susan did not want to share the letter until she had read it alone.

“Thank you, Mamma, but I’d like to make a cup of tea and read it in my room—if you don’t mind.”

Mother pursed her lips and shook out her apron. “If you must,” she grumped and turned away to ignore her.

She was anticipating reading the letter, as she made the tea, and took her time to enjoy the anticipation. When she was finished, she went up to her room and curled up in the window seat and opened the letter, setting the cup of tea on the window sill beside her.

My Dearest Miss Susan,

(Forgive the Miss—we must be beyond that now, yes?)

Tomorrow is my first port of call and I promised you a letter. I am so sorry I was unable to write you when I left for sea, but I was pushed for time, as I needed to check out the Resolute before we sailed, and had to pass on my good-byes through my family’s letter.

Land ho, the Bos’n just cried. We had a fair wind and port is at hand, so I must hurry this letter along.

Our first port is Genoa so you at least know I am in the Mediterranean.

Susan, know that I think of you often. Even though our recent acquaintance has been short, I savor and treasure the moments we shared in our short week together. I think of our dancing together and the warmth of your smile. These keep me going through long nights alone.

And I want you to know that I made some inquiries about what we discussed during our last meeting together. And I have inquired about the availability of naval postings at English ports. There are openings, but it would mean a land job. My days of sailing would be over. And the possibility of advancement would be limited. That is a very difficult decision for me to make, but I am not averse to considering it.

I have also inquired about shorter sea voyages, and that is being investigated, but I have no answer for you about that, as yet either.

And my question for you is… how attached are you to your teaching? If relocation were a possibility is it something you could consider? Perhaps I could be stationed in Portsmouth, Plymouth or such. Think about it and let me know your thoughts. Of course, it is far too early to make any decisions, but these are issues for us to discuss.

My warrant officer is calling and I must prepare to bring the Resolute into port.

So I must say farewell for now. I hope you are well and relatively happy (relatively because I am not with you).

Ever your devoted servant,

Daniel

Susan put the letter on her lap and took another sip of tea as she gazed out the window. The afternoon shadows were lengthening and the sun was peeking in and out between the scuttling clouds. Might a storm be coming on?

Whatever her decision was to be about taking the post at Haverford House, she realized she must keep Captain Daniel in mind. It was clear he was serious about her. And she had to admit, she did have feelings for him.

Aside from the difficulties presented by him being a sea captain, he was proving to be an honorable and trustworthy suitor. And he was handsome. She leaned back against the window seat frame and closed her eyes, trying to imagine his face. It was pleasing, indeed. But when he had touched her, she did not get that sharp surge of energy that she felt when John touched her. She sighed.

* * *

“So finally,” Susan said, “he asked you?”

“And how is it you are the only one of us not married or engaged?” Katherine asked.

“I guess the fairest is to be the last,” Susan teased.

“Has Daniel written you?”

Susan nodded. “He did. I got his letter just the other day. From Genoa.”

“Well, we didn’t get one,” Katherine complained.

“They were early into port and he had to dash my letter off at the last minute.”

“How is he?”

“He seems fine. He’s not been gone that long. I was surprised to get a letter so soon, actually. But enough about me. Tell me about your engagement. Have you picked a wedding date yet?”

Katherine was ironing and put the iron back on the stove top to heat up again. She tucked a wisp of her hair back into the pile of rust colored hair atop her head. She leaned back against a kitchen cupboard.

“Not yet. It seems his sister is to be married at Christmas so he wants to wait until the spring or early summer for us.”

“Are you content with that?” Susan asked.

“No.” Katherine said emphatically but then whispered, “But I don’t mind really. Gives me more time to plan the wedding.”

Susan was leaning against the kitchen doorframe. “But, although I’m delighted with your news, I really came to ask for your advice.”

Katherine’s interest was piqued. “Oh? Spill it, sister.”

“Now, I’m telling you this in the strictest of confidences. And I mean it. No gossiping with your mother. Do you promise?”

Katherine crossed her heart and locked her lips with an imaginary key.

“Very well.”

And Susan told Katherine all about the proposal from Aunt Clarissa.

“Good heavens. Now that is a good gossip.”

Susan frowned.

“But I won’t. I won’t. I promise,” Katherine insisted raising her hands in the air.

“So what do you think I should do? It’s not an obvious or easy decision for me.”

“And why not,” Katherine asked. “It seems quite obvious to me. It’s a splendid opportunity. Why wouldn’t you snatch that up immediately?”

“But my parents? My teaching? And I won’t be as close to you anymore.”

“If you were married you would already be gone and your parents would have gotten used to it. And you’ll still be teaching, but the way you like. And as for me… I’m soon to be a married lady and won’t be as close either. Hey, life goes on. You need to seize the opportunity when it presents itself.”

“And what if Daniel and I become… serious?”

“As you told me, there are obstacles there. Cross that bridge when you come to it.”

“But I don’t want to become involved with the child and then abandon her when she begins to count on me.”

“Yes. That is a consideration. If you insert yourself into her life you will be creating an obligation. And that’s something you do need to consider.”

“Big help you are,” Susan teased.

* * *

Smoking his pipe, Papa stood with his back to the fireplace, even though there was no fire. It was his station in the sitting room during a family discussion.

Mamma was seated in her chair crocheting, her head bent as she listened to Susan’s presentation.

“I’m seriously considering this offer. What do either of you have to say?” Susan asked.

Neither parent spoke up right away. Papa emptied his pipe, tapping it against the side of the fireplace, then tamped more tobacco into the pipe and relit it.

Mamma worked her mouth in a way that Susan knew what she was thinking.

“Just so you know, I’m inclined to take the offer,” Susan added. “It’s a wonderful opportunity, but it means leaving home and I’m concerned about the two of you.”

“And what about the teaching job you have now? You can’t just walk away from that,” Mamma said as she looked up at Susan.

“Aye, lass. It would not be proper to just up and leave your students at the beginning of the term,” her father said.

Susan knew that. “Yes. I’m thinking right now about finding a replacement.”

“And how likely is that after the school year has already begun?” Mamma asked. “Won’t teachers already have their jobs by now?”

“There’s a young woman, Peggy Alexander, who you may remember I tutored some time back.” Mamma nodded. “She wants very much to teach, but she just missed being hired this school year as she was traveling. I feel quite certain she would love to take over my classes. I’ll go and see her as soon as I’ve accepted the new position.”

“Yes, I remember her,” Mamma said. “Very short—low brow—and had a squint, I seem to remember.”

“But she’ll make a good teacher, Mamma.”

“Hmm,” she replied.

“Now, what you’ve not told me is how the two of you feel about me leaving you alone. It’ll be just the two of you now. Julie will be able to help, but I won’t be here. Can you manage?”

“Louisa is just down the road and stops by almost every day,” Papa said. “I don’t see a problem. Less of us to deal with. Fewer mouths to feed.”

“And less help on the farm, as well,” Susan pointed out.

“Got Jacob for the heavy lifting. Naught else needed, I’d say.”

“And Mamma, what about you? You’ve always got sixpence worth of advice. How to you feel about me leaving?”

“I think it sounds like a fine opportunity. And can’t be bad to double what you’re making now, can it?”

“And what’s she like—this little tyke you’ll be tending to?” Papa asked.

“She’s adorable, but she’s also a challenge. Very withdrawn and in need of a lot of love and attention—and educating.”

“Must be nice to be living in a grand house--servants at your beck and call—posh dinners and gala balls.”

“Mamma, I’m an employee, not a family member or a guest. I’m part of the staff, and I doubt I shall be treated any differently than the rest of them.”

“I hope you’ll not forget us lass. Come by for a visit now and then, won’t you?”

“I shall, Papa.”