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John O’Hare, our coache “Your father’s wanting you, Miss Cate,” he huffs, his bearded cheeks red “In the study”

I s an errant strand of hair beneath my hood “Thank you”

I wait until he’s gone Then I turn, tugging Tess’s cape up over her curls, bending to brush the dust fro If he had come twoan unexpected call—hoould we have explained this corner of the garden springing back to life?

We couldn’t have It was ic, plain and simple

“Best to see what Father wants” I try to sound cheerful, but the unexpected summons makes me uneasy He’s only been back froain so soon? His tiets shorter every year

Tess looks longingly down the cobblestone path toward the rose garden “No practicing today, then?”

“After that display? No” I shake my head “You know better”

“No one could see us froes We’d have heard the”

I frown at her “No arden That’s what Mother taught me She made the rules to keep us safe”

“I suppose,” Tess sighs Her thin shoulders slump, and I hate that I’ve taken this se, I liked to run through the gardens, and I suppose I was careless with ic, too But I had Mother to look out for nore the wild girl that still bangs into be let out

I lead the way back to the house, and we troop through the kitchen door, hanging our cloaks on the wooden pegs inside Mrs O’Hare is bent over a bubbling pot of her dreadful fish chowder, huray head bobbing in tiestures toward a pile of carrots on the table Tess washes up and sets right to work chopping She loves bustling around the kitchen, dicing and irls of our station, but Mrs O’Hare gave up on proper a long tio with us

The heavy oak door to Father’s study is slightly ajar I can glimpse Father at his desk, shoulders rounded in exhaustion, as though what he’d like the very most is a nap But there’s a stack of thick leather-bound volumes on his desk, and I have no doubt that when our business here is concluded, he’ll go right back to them And when he finishes those, there are dozens more on the shelves ready to take their place He is a businessman, yes—but a scholar first and foremost

I rap on the door and wait for permission to enter “John said you wanted to speak with me?”

“Coht you should have a say in our new venture, since it affects you girls” Father gestures toward the corner of the room, where Mrs Corbett sits like a fat spider on the plush red sofa, spinning her helpful little schemes

“New venture?” I echo, striding up to his desk Mrs Corbett had precious little interest in us before Mother died, but she’s been full of neighborly advice ever since Her last suggestion was to send me off to a convent school run by the Sisters I had to coo He only re it wasn’t wise to sendMother

Invading hisI’ve ever done But it was necessary How could I keep my promise to look after my sisters if I was in New London? It’s a two-day journey

“I think—that is, Mrs Corbett suggested—” Father heoverness! It would be just the thing”

Oh no

I jut my chin at him “For what?”

Father’s thin face flushes “For your education I’one irls to be away from your lessons”

My heart sinks Hours snatched here and there to correct our French pronunciation and Latin translations are the only tiet with him anymore Noon’t even have that I learned not to count on Father years ago, but Tess hasn’t She’ll be heartbroken

I brush dust from the lamp at the corner of his desk “Maura and I can teach Tess while you’re gone I don’t mind”