Chapter 45
Christmas Recess, 1898
Truth is a virtue more palpable and less shadowy than we think. ~Mrs. John Sherwood
Concordia waited anxiously in the library at her mother’s house for Capshaw to bring word of Margaret Banning. David and her mother waited with her.
During her formative years, the family library was one of Concordia’s favorite rooms. She had always loved the smell—redolent of old paper, crumbling spines, and faded ink. A hint of pipe tobacco lingered in the comfortably worn leather chairs. She had spent many happy hours in this room, poring over Papa’s illustrated Greek mythologies.
But Concordia felt no peace in this room today. As she paced, Mrs. Wells sat with her knitting, and David perused the shelves.
After a time, her mother looked up. “Concordia, dear, you wi
