Chapter 1

Ann’s Point of View

Growing up in a wealthy family in Virginia wasn’t always easy. I should have been grateful for all the comforts I possessed, but there was a thought in the back of my mind that something was missing. I didn’t know what that something could possibly be nor did it occur to me to seek it out. I simply went about my life in the routine that all young ladies were expected to follow.

All of my dresses were modestly cut. They started at my neck and stopped at my ankles. They had puffy sleeves and swirling skirts. I especially liked pinks and purples, though blues and greens were close behind as far as my favorite colors were concerned. I thought the pinks and purples went better with my light brown eyes. I liked the flowery decorations that the seamstress would sew into the expensive fabric. The dresses were meant for show and entertaining. There was nothing practical about them, and I had to wear a corset and seven or eight petticoats with them.

I spent most of my free time talking to my friends. Agnes Brothers was my closest friend, though she was a year younger than me. She was a lot of fun to be around with her good heart. If she ever had a bad day, I didn’t know about it. She could talk for hours without taking a breath, which I didn’t mind because she had a way of telling stories that caught everyone’s attention.

Since our parents were good friends, I got to see her a lot. More often than not, we would go to the Brothers’ house. The Brothers had seven children. The oldest, Todd, was the only boy. He was my age, so I had many classes in school with him. I didn’t know him very well because he spent so much time with Creepy Alex Dawson.

Sometimes, Alex would go to the dinners, though his parents opted to stay at their home, probably to get away from him. He was a terror with his insistent need to pull pranks on people. But once in awhile, Todd’s other friends, Jack or Simon would be there, and they were decent boys who I considered a good influence on him. It was difficult to separate Creepy Alex from Todd, though Todd was always nicer to the girls than Alex was. I figured since Todd had sisters, he was automatically more respectful toward girls.

One Sunday after church in the middle of

September, my parents accepted an invitation from the Brothers to attend lunch at their house. Unfortunately, Creepy Alex was there too.

I had just turned seventeen, and I was beginning to feel the pressure to start courting so I could get married when I finished my last year of school. I contemplated my newfound pressure while I ate the steak and mashed potatoes on my plate. My mother sat to my left while my father sat to my right. We sat near Mr. Brothers who sat at the head of the table. Across from me were Agnes and Abigail who were the girls closest to my age. Agnes was just about to turn sixteen. Abigail was fourteen. Lucy was twelve and sat next to Todd who sat next to Alex. Then Mrs. Brothers headed the other side of the table. Across from Alex, Todd and Lucy were ten year old Miranda, seven year old Colleen, and four year old Judy. That meant I was far from Alex. Thank goodness for that!

“How is your job?” my father asked Mr. Brothers.

“Good. Business is doing better than ever,” Mr. Brothers replied. “Todd will be starting out in the loan processing department in October. We’re proud of him.”

“He is turning into a fine young man,” he agreed.

“I’m sure he will do well.”

Agnes pretended to yawn.

I giggled. She thought these conversations were just as boring as I did. I crossed my eyes.

She suppressed her own laughter.

“Ann, remember your manners,” my mother whispered. “You are not a child anymore. You must act like a young lady. No man wants to marry a woman who acts rudely at the dinner table.”

Her words sobered my mood. Marriage. It was the big expectation that hovered over me like an impending storm. I did want to marry, but I didn’t know anyone I could get excited about. As Mr. Brothers talked about his other children, my mind wandered to what my future was going to be like. Dinner parties, social luncheons, and dances. That wasn’t so bad but the pressure to find a husband was overwhelming at times. Sometimes I couldn’t decide which was worse, marrying a man who wouldn’t treat me as well as my father treated my mother or being confined to doing what others expected me to do. I felt guilty for complaining about my life. I had it a lot better than other young ladies who weren’t fortunate enough to be adopted by such loving people.

A shriek from Colleen interrupted my thoughts.

My eyes narrowed at Creepy Alex who was trying not to laugh. I glanced at Colleen and saw what had caused her distress. He had slipped a bug in her soup.

“Alex, I thought we discussed this,” Mrs. Brothers admonished. She didn’t seem as upset as I felt. In fact, I thought she was hiding her smile. “You can’t do this at the table. Pranks and meals do not mix.”

I rolled my eyes in disgust. Was I the only person who found his actions incredibly annoying?

“Relax, Ann. Mrs. Brothers is taking care of it,” my mother whispered.

“I didn’t say anything,” I whispered back.

“Your expression speaks volumes, dear.” She patted my hand sympathetically. “Men will notice such things.”

“I have no one to impress in this room, so I should be allowed to show my displeasure.”

“Todd is here.”

“So?”

Thankfully, everyone was so busy laughing over Alex’s prank that they didn’t notice my conversation with my mother.

After the lunch, I joined Agnes and her sisters in the parlor where a servant watched us to make sure we didn’t break anything valuable. Ever since Alex nailed the rug to the floor, he was banned from the room, so I knew I was safe from him. At least, I was for the moment.

While Agnes’ sisters played a board game on the floor, I turned to Agnes who sat next to me on the couch.

“Do you ever feel trapped?” I asked her.

“How do you mean?”

I sighed. “I don’t know exactly. I just keep thinking there’s more to life than entertaining guests and getting married. There should be something adventurous out there.”

“I think we have plenty adventures whenever Alex is around.”

I gagged. “That’s not the good kind of adventure.”

“It’s better than being bored all the time.”

“Why don’t his pranks bother you?”

She shrugged. “Maybe it’s because he’s Todd’s friend. I’m used to seeing him pull something on me and my sisters.”

“Is Todd ever behind any of it?”

“I don’t think so. Whenever it’s just Todd, things are dull. He used to try to get us riled up but our parents put a stop to that early on, so now he just hangs out by himself or rides his horse unless Alex is around.”

“I suspected as much. I noticed the same thing, though he has been hanging around us lately. Don’t you think that’s strange?”

“He asks about your school work because you share many classes together. He usually leaves after that.”

“True.” I had suspected there was more to it than that, but Agnes was probably right.

“Why are you feeling so melancholy?”

“Can you keep a secret?”

Her eyes lit up. “For you? Of course, I can!”

I chuckled. She had a tough time holding back gossip for anyone but me. “My parents are making offers to other parents to attract suitors. They’re offering a pretty good sum of money in my dowry. They announced this when I was a child but it’s beginning to get attention now that I’m seventeen.”

“How much are they offering?”

I told her.

“That’s a lot of money.”

“I’m also their only child, so I suppose it’s easier for them to make that deal. I almost feel like I’m being put on display for the whole world to see. A thirty year old and forty-five year old stopped by to greet me yesterday. Then Jack’s parents visited with my parents about an arrangement. Thank goodness my parents insist that I make the choice.”

“Yuck. I can see why you’re disheartened. If it makes you feel any better, not everyone knows about your dowry. Todd doesn’t. I assume my parents know but they haven’t spoken a word about it. My father is more interested in Todd working at the bank than if he gets married. Todd turns eighteen in April, and you would think if anyone is feeling pressured, it would be him. But the rules are different for men. They can be forty and a bachelor and no one cares. It isn’t like that for us.”

“What will you do?”

“I don’t come with a big dowry like you, so I suspect it’ll be easier for me. I’m looking forward to being courted.”

“Just make sure you stay in public where at least one person can see you and the young man together at all times. It’s one of my rules. Ginny always makes sure I’m safe.”

“Don’t you trust any of the men in this town?”

“Your brother is the only one, but that’s because we’ve known each other all of our lives and I’ve seen how he is, even on his worst days.”

“He’s a good person. Very stable, patient and loyal. He’s kind of boring.”

Lucy and Abigail jumped up and screamed as a couple bugs fell into their hair. Since they were sitting by the slightly opened parlor doors, they were the logical choice for Creepy Alex’s next prank. I sourly noted the sound of footsteps as he ran off. He was probably looking for Todd so he could blame it on him, which only proved how much of a friend Alex really was.

“Get him!” I demanded as I stood up.

“Ewe! Get the bugs off of me,” they whined.

The other girls ran to help them.

I stared at them in disbelief. Were none of them going to get even with him? I stormed out of the room. I would make it so that he didn’t mess with them anymore, at least when I was around. I saw the closet door by the room and opened it. My eyes lit up when I saw the broom. It was time to show Alex he couldn’t engage in such rude behavior. I raced down the hall until I found him hiding in Todd’s room.

“This has to stop!” I ordered and started hitting him with the broom.

Todd burst out laughing.

“I didn’t do it. Todd did,” Alex protested, holding his hands over his head. “He wanted to see if you’d do anything.”

“Oh right. Like I believe that,” I retorted. “Everyone knows you’re the instigator. Leave my friends alone you creepy boy!” I continued my assault on him until someone grabbed me around the waist and pulled me out of the room.

“Ann Clara Statesman, stop this right now!” my father ordered as he held me up in the air.

My mother looked flustered as she pried the broom out of my hands. “What’s come over you?”

“Alex Dawson won’t leave my friends alone. He needs to be taught a lesson.”

“It wasn’t me,” Alex argued but no one believed him.

Todd couldn’t stop laughing.

“You creepy boy!” I yelled. “You better not go near any of my friends ever again.”

“That’s enough, Ann.” My father set me down and gave me one of his stern looks that immediately quieted me down.

“Apologize to Mr. Dawson.”

“But he threw bugs in Abigail and Lucy’s hair.”

“I don’t care. Apologize or you won’t be able to attend Agnes’ birthday party.”

I crossed my arms. “Sorry,” I muttered, not looking at Alex.

“Look at him and tell him nicely.”

I sighed and faced the little rat. “I’m sorry, Alex.”

“You can go to the party, but you won’t receive any guests for a month.”

“Really?” My face lit up. No suitors for a whole month?

He frowned. “I don’t know why but I think I just gave you a reward.”

“It will be nice to have a break from all the men coming over,” I admitted.

His expression softened. “Perhaps your mother and I have been somewhat pushy. I can see your point. But you won’t be able to receive female visitors either.”

“It’s worth it, though I will miss Agnes.”

“Alright. Go with your mother to the buggy. I’ll say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Brothers.”

Once my mother and I were in the horse-drawn buggy, she shook her head. “My dear, you know I love you, but you’ll never find a good man with the way you act in public.”

There it was again. The whole marriage discussion. I decided to keep quiet.

After a few tense moments, my father joined us and sat next to my mother.

George, one of the three servants in our household, clicked the reins on the horses so we could head home.

“Please help me with this, Dan.” She turned to my father. “We want her to be treated well by her future husband. If she keeps acting unladylike, who can she possibly attract without the help of her dowry?”

He paused for a moment as he considered her question. “She may be attracting the right kind of attention and we aren’t aware of it. Did you see the look on Todd’s face? He actually seemed to be impressed with her.”

I blanched. Todd? Sure, he was okay looking. He had a slender frame with broad shoulders. His dark blond hair turned lighter in the summer when the sun hit it. He did have nice blue eyes and an infectious smile. But he was Agnes’ brother.

Fortunately, they did not press the issue. We rode the rest of the way in silence. I was so relieved to be away from Alex, I didn’t mind missing the rest of the afternoon with Agnes.