The morning cold came as a shock to Pleasant as she stepped off the train. She carried her small parcel of important things and stood by while a porter helped Margaret-Gay with her cases.

"Will you get us a coach, Pleasant," her cousin called to her. "There is still two hours to Natt Fristad."

Pleasant didn't need the reminder. What more there would be no time to rest for tomorrow was a school day. With the Monhollen sons securing the coaches Pleasant waited with Margaret and her things along with Mrs. Monhollen.

"Oh I just can't wait to get home and show Susanna my new hat!" Margaret said. "I brought her back a set of gloves for church though she always says she can't accept my gifts. I eventually get her to take them."

"You behave as though you have been away for months, Miss Singer," Mrs. Monhollen said.

"Tis Margaret," Pleasant said casually as she watched people going by.

"Well who do you have to rush home to, Pleasant? Your horse?" Margaret sniped. "I have a gentleman waiting for me."

Pleasant breathed into her gloved hands. Henry Blanche came from a decent family. Pleasant had been invited to dinner that night her proposed to Margaret-Gay. He hadn't approved of her profession and wanted to introduce her to his brother which fortunately never happened. Margaret had gone through great lengths to avoid marrying Daniel Purefoy. Pleasant had to admit that her cousin was clever but could never accept the way she openly flirted with other men when she belonged to another.

Finally Minas approached and everyone was loaded up and the journey began to Natt Fristad. Pleasant tried to drown out Margaret-Gay's chatter by watching the snow fly. It so resembled ash. Her mind drifted to Collect Lake where they ice-skated in the winter. It had been something to keep her mind off of home until she was old enough to attend Fisk. A smile came to her face. She didn't care what Margaret said. At the end of the day her cousin was dear to her but she was wrong for thinking it was a disappointment to be going home to only a horse. The lake. She closed her eyes. She hadn't set foot on it since the day she fell through.

The coach dropped Pleasant off first before making its way deeper into the hills to the Monhollen and Singer residences. She waved goodbye to them then made her way up the snowed over path to the cottage on the same property as the school. Snow dusted the tops of the buildings and the bell hung cold in the belfry. She gathered five logs from beside the porch and carried them inside. Setting them by the fireplace she used some already brought in to get the fire going before doing the same to the stove.

Going into her bedroom she retrieved her blankets and hung them just close enough to the open flame to get them warm. The hotel had been a lavish affair but she was glad to be back among her humble comforts.

After adding another log to the fire she returned outside to visit her horse. When he heard her boots in the snow he poked his head out of his stall and greeted her. "I know," Pleasant said. "I've been gone for far too long." She kissed his snout and stroked his curved ears. She examined his midnight black coat and nodded in approval. "The girls took good care of you for me." She said giving his fleece lined blanket a tug. Seeing that the bedding was dry and that he had been fed she placed another kiss on his star. "Perhaps we can go for a ride tomorrow," she said. "I know, I know. But I'm much too tired today and I need my rest." She gave his chin a scratch. "You keep warm now."

"Miss. Day!"

Pleasant turned to the road as a sleigh rode by carrying Mary and Hattie her sibling students. "Good morning girls," she said going to the picket fence as the draft horse was slowed. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Meeks."

"Good morning, Miss. Day," Mrs. Meeks said. "It's good to have you back. I told the girls one day missed of school wouldn't hurt them but they were ever so eager to see you."

Pleasant smiled. "I feel mutually I assure you," she said.

"Did you make time for the lake this year, Miss Day?" the whiskered Mr. Meeks asked.

"Afraid not," Pleasant said.

"We're going to ride out to Moon Thread Hill and play," Hattie said. "Would you like to come with us, Miss. Day?"

"Hattie, Miss. Day has much to prepare," Mrs. Meeks said. "Perhaps another time."

"Your mother is right," Pleasant said. "Though it was only three days I already feel so far behind."

"Well we won't keep you from it," Mr. Meeks said. "Take care." He flipped the reins and the family rushed away waving.

Pleasant waved then lifting her wet skirt and double petticoat set back for the cottage.

/

On Tuesday the class started reading Little Women which Pleasant found much more entertaining than Canterbury Tales. After they had finished a chapter Pleasant asked each girl who their favorite character was and none of the answers surprised her.

"I like Amy March," Annie Deering said.

"Amy is too sassy," Anna Matthews said. "I like Joe."

"I like the eldest, Meg," said Ivy Wood.

"Well I like Amy as well," said Tabitha.

"Me too," said Mary Mohrman.

"Beth is the sweetest," Naomi Wise put in.

"I like Laurie," Mary Phagen said. "Laurie is funny."

"Laurie is a boy," Melissa Fultz argued.

"I like him as well," from Josie Langmaid.

Pleasant laughed. "All right, all right," she said. "I'm glad everyone has a favorite character."

"We should have started this book a long time ago," Sarah Alexander said.

"Right you are," Pleasant said. "But I as required to introduce you to Canterbury Tales. I'll be certain to write Mr. Monhollen and let him know that Little Women is far more appropriate."

The girls grew giddy. They loved it when she threatened to write Mr. Monhollen.

"Mamie," Pleasant said, as the girl came through the door. "How nice of you to join us. We are starting a new book this week."

"Can we please read another chapter?" Mary Phagen asked, clasping her hands together.

"Well since it is my first day back I don't see a reason why not," Pleasant said opening the book again. The circle of girls grew closer around her as she began to read the adventures of the March sisters.

The day seemed to fly by and soon Pleasant was dismissing the class. "Make your manners to your parents when you get home," she told them as they put on their coats and gloves. "And remember your spelling test tomorrow; the Rs, of education will take you places."

"Good bye, Miss Day!" The Meeks girls shouted as they ran out into the snow.

Pleasant waved to the students then turned to Mamie as she approached her desk. "Yes?"

The girl held out her hand and slowly opened it revealing a clothes pin that had been decorated to look like a girl. "I made this for you," Mamie said passing the doll to her teacher. "Her dress is made from an old clothe and her hair is my own."

Pleasant took the little doll and cradled it in her hands. "She's so precious," she said. "I'll cherish it always. Thank you, Mamie."

"I won't be in class tomorrow," Mamie said. "One of the Berry babies is sick and I have to help care for him."

"I understand," Pleasant said. She opened a drawer on her desk and pulled out a list of words. "When you have time I want you to put these in sentences."

Mamie nodded and took the paper. Making her manners she then hurried from the classroom so she wouldn't have to walk home alone.

Pleasant set to tidying up the room. She turned the books the proper way on the shelves and took inventory of chalk, coal, and slate boards in the closet. No one could say that she didn't run a tidy ship.

She spent the next hour grading papers and going over the lesson plan for the next day before closing the school. At home she changed from her school clothes and put on a simple gingham dress. When her cousin Margaret-Gay visited she often chided Pleasant for her clothes. Pleasant had to explain to her every time that teachers were required to dress simple. They also did not attend social gatherings or speak fondly with men. Hearing from Alice how all these things worked Pleasant didn't miss any of it.

Putting on her coat and gloves, she saddled Polaris and mounted up. It had taken her some time to learn to ride properly but ever since she was a girl she was determined to ride with dignity. Her lady's saddle was old and used but a slight adjusting of the skirt hid the wear and tear to the leather.

It was a bitter cold March in New Hampshire. The pot bellied stove at the school worked over time to keep the girls warm. She allowed a little time at the end of each class for the girls to practice their personal crafts. Idle hands did the Devil's work so she determined to keep them busy.

As she rode through town she checked her list. She needed feed for her chickens and fabric to replace a blouse that had become ruined with ink. At the general store she tied Polaris to a post and went inside.

"Good afternoon, Miss Day what can I assist you with?" Minas Monhollen said from behind the counter.

Pleasant was pleased she'd be dealing with him rather than his older brother Espen who wore his temper on his sleeves.

"I was only looking for fabric," she said.

"Well we have a new shipment that just came in," Minas said. "Any particular pattern?"

"Not really," Pleasant said. "I think green gingham will do."

Minas went over to the shelf and selected a few rolls of fabric up high and laid them on the table so she could better see them "Did I mention Asmund is practicing law now?"

"I have heard," Pleasant said. "You must miss him so much after so long. I'll take six yards of the green and four yards of the cream."

"Good choice," Minas said.

Pleasant smiled. "I really need to come see Alice," she said.

"She'd like that," Minas said. He measured out the needed fabric then using a yard stick he cut it evenly with a pair of scissors.

As Minas prepared the fabric Pleasant turned her attention to the cookies and jams on display. She seldom had time to do any baking of her own but money was too tight for such luxuries. She glanced back as Minas measuring and cutting the fabric then went over to the feed section and selected a small bag for her three chickens.

"Will that be all, Miss. Day?"

Pleasant approached the counter with the feed and added it to the purchase. "That will do thank you," she said. Minas gave her the total and Pleasant quickly handed over the money.

Two women strolled in talking gaily to each other. They were dressed in fine coats and white stoles of ermine. That was the way Pleasant imagined her mother originally thought she'd look. It was the way her aunt and cousin went about but not so with the school teacher. They continued through the shop, pulling their hands out of their muffs and gloves to touch the fabrics.

Pleasant looked down at her recent purchase of plain fabrics. How tempting pink and yellow were, accented in lace with a flowered hat to match... She felt ashamed to think such vain things and a little like a hypocrite too for she always chided Margaret for being so.

"Did you know, Miss Day that the daisy is also a flower?" Minas said.

"Of course," Pleasant said. Not really paying him any mind. She gathered her things from the counter.

"Have a nice afternoon," Minas called after her.

"Thank you, Mr. Monhollen," Pleasant said from the door. "Give my regards to Alice and the doctor." Outside she loaded up Polaris then climbed into the saddle. "Who needs to be one of those women anyways?" she asked to the horse who turned his ears back. "They need help with everything. Even when they don't need help they feign it just to make men feel better about themselves. And look at us, Polaris, living out on our own. Don't they wish they could be as we are?"

Polaris snorted and Pleasant laughed.

When the belfry came into view she knew she was almost home. Soon the red schoolhouse rolled out from the hills followed by the white cottage. After blanketing Polaris for the night she set about to preparing her own dinner, bringing in extra firewood for the stove. She lit the fireplace first and hung her bed sheets by it then set to mashing potatoes and boiling filleted fish a student had brought her that morning.

When her meal was cooked she set the table for one and said thanks for it. It wasn't her mother's cooking and she could certainly turn out a better dish but it would stick to her and help keep her warm. After dinner she slipped off to bed so she could get an early start tomorrow.