Friday August 15, 1862
I decide to ignore my impending marriage to Henry. I don’t even tell him about it, assuming he doesn’t know yet. Surely I can change Papa’s mind. If not, I’ll take Daisy and travel the fifteen miles to Devlin’s home and elope with him.
Henry’s attendance at tutoring becomes sporadic. And so I have no one around me except dumb Anna.
After a particularly dismal morning of lessons at which Henry is absent, I go upstairs and debate on whether to saddle up Daisy or wait to see if Henry comes over. I toss a scarf on the floor on purpose on the way to my balcony so Anna will have to pick it up. She does so without a word.
And then she says, “Have you read the book Missus wanted you to read?”
I stop opening my French doors half-way and turn in surprise. “What?” It’s the
