Page 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1

Surrey, England August 1815

Four plus six plus eight plus seven plus one plus one plus one, ht, carry the two

Elizabeth Hotchkiss added up the column of numbers for the fourth time, came up with the saroaned

When she looked up, three soer siblings

"What is it, Lizzie?" nine-year-old Jane asked

Elizabeth s to put away enough e that winter "We, ah we haven't much in the way of funds, I'e to Elizabeth, frowned "Are you absolutely certain? WeWhen Papa was alive ays--"

Elizabeth silenced her with an urgent stare There were a lot of things they'd had when Papa was alive, but he'd left the aside fro but memories And those-- at least the ones Elizabeth carried with her--weren't the sort that wars are different now," she said fir to put an end to the subject "You can't corinned "We can use theaway in his toy soldier box"

Lucas, the only boy in the Hotchkiss clan, yelped "What were you doing in ht have been terht-year-old "Is there no privacy in this household?"

"Apparently not," Elizabeth said absently, staring down at the numbers before her She made a few marks with her pencil as she tried to devise newexcessively put out "I aer "Can't we shuffle so to stretch it a bit further?"

"There's nothing to stretch Thank goodness the rent on the cottage is paid, or we'd be out on our ears"

"Is it really as bad as that?" Susan whispered

Elizabeth nodded "We've enough to last the rest of the es from Lady Danbury, but then " Her words trailed off, and she looked away, not wanting Jane and Lucas to see the tears pricking her eyes She'd been caring for these three for five years, ever since she'd been eighteen They depended on her for food, shelter, and, ed Lucas, and then, when he didn't respond, jabbed him in the soft spot between his shoulder and collarbone

"What?" he snapped "That hurt"

" 'What' is impolite," Elizabeth said automatically " 'Pardon' is preferable"

Lucas's little e "It wasn't polite of her to pokeher pardon"