As Polaris walked up the narrow street Pleasant looked up at the surrounding trees. They were beginning to lose their golden glow. Autumn had blown its trumpet and the new monarch was arriving to reign. The changing season made her think of the additions that would be added on to the schoolhouse. She tried not to think about it with the pain it caused. Even if a different teacher was enjoying it at least the students would benefit. But oh how should have loved to have seen the art room.

"You are dead to that place," she reminded herself only to receive a snort from Polaris. "What? It is not as though we can go back." Riding him around the house she dismounted and led him into the stables. "Dr. Geiger, you're back," she said in surprise when she found the doctor in the stables putting his horse away.

"Good afternoon, Miss Day," he said. "How is Polaris?"

"He is very well," Pleasant was happy to say.

Picking up his bags the doctor approached her. "Where is Florence?"

"She was watering the houseplants when I went out," Pleasant said.

"Well let's hope she is still distracted," Dr. Geiger said. "Meet me in the library once you get Polaris put away."

Pleasant nodded her head as she turned to remove Polaris' tack. Once she had him put away she sought out the doctor in the library. He stood behind the old desk with one of his luggage bags still with him.

"Close the door," he whispered as she came in.

Closing the door behind her Pleasant made her way over to the desk.

"I have a surprise for Florence," Dr. Geiger said. He opened the bag and took out a small bag of cookies, violin strings, a ticket and alas a package wrapped in cloth. Looking at the door he gently unwrapped it. "It's honey from the comb."

Pleasant took the jar and held it up to the window. The thick liquid shone like sweet gold. Inside the jar she could see the comb.

"Florence is particular about honey," Dr. Geiger went on to say. "She likes it best from our home state of good ol' down home 'bama."

Pleasant laughed. "Dixie," she sighed.

"There is just something special about it no?"

"Indeed."

The doctor took the jar and put it back in the bag with the other items intending to give it to Florence at dinner. "You did a good job in here," he said looking around. "You even polished the desk. This thing has been in the family for as long as I can remember. I used to hide in it when I was small." He opened the cabinet. "I remember my father seeking me out. To be honest that's the only thing I truly remember about the scoundrel."

Pleasant was happy then that the memories of her father were good ones. She couldn't imagine hating one's parent.

/

That night she sat in her room listening to Dr. Geiger play his violin downstairs. As she sat on the bed she picked up the clothespin doll Mamie had given her and touched the soft hair pasted on its head. She had added a ribbon to make the poor doll livelier but thinking of Mamie and what she may have suffered pulled her heart low. At the sound of a knock she turned to the bedroom door.

"Come in."

Florence entered the room in her nightgown and joined Pleasant on the bed. "Don't you just love it when he plays?" she sighed.

"It is beautiful," Pleasant said. "You have both been so generous..."

Florence laughed. "It's the least we could do," she said. "I've often warned Addison that we are too poor to be philanthropist."

Pleasant laughed. "Come," she said. "It's not about money. As far as I am concerned you are right up there with Rockefeller and Vanderbilt."

Florence laughed. "I would be ill were I that rich," she said then looked down at the items on the bed. "What is this?" she asked picking up the doll. "She's rather homely."

Pleasant felt herself smile. "She was given to me by one of my students," she said. "She used her own hair."

"She must have been fond of you to give you something so intimate."

"Mamie was...special," Pleasant said. "She's one of the things I do miss."

Florence set the doll back on the bed. "Why don't you go back?"

Pleasant shrugged. "It won't do anyone any good...going back," she said. "Mamie...I don't even know if she is well." She looked up. "She had no family and it took all she had to come to school. Once she didn't bring a lunch so I gave her mine. She was too shy to eat with the other girls she we'd sometimes have little picnics together. She loved Polaris and hearing about the stars. She was my darling. She liked to imagine that she was Culumba."

"Star talk?"

"Yes," Pleasant said. "Culumba is the dove; though I imagined her more at Lepus the hare."

Florence smiled. "You are very fond of this child."

Pleasant looked into the flickering lamp light. "There were times I thought to make her my own," she said. "But I then felt I had no business imaging such grand things. What sort of teacher raises a child alone?"

Florence shrugged. "But I think she would have liked it," she said. "Perhaps it was just too much for her to say so."

Pleasant looked down at her hands as she thought of Mamie. Anything could have happened to the poor child. She was glad when Florence changed the subject to her childhood. She took the doll gently in her hands, imaging that Mamie was indeed a dove and somewhere far away.

/

It was drizzling at the train station as the small search party prepared to depart. Holding her ever growing stomach Margaret stood under the station roof as the men had their things loaded on. They would be taking two horses and a small wagon. Each would only bring a small bag of a change of clothing and things needed in the event of an emergency.

Espen had come to see his brothers off. He wouldn't miss the opportunity to see them go against Baldwin though Havelock swore they were doing no such thing. He joined her under the awning and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Are you sure you should travel?"

Margaret sucked her teeth as she watched her husband and Havelock bring the wagon around. "Since when did you care about the condition of women like me?"

Espen shrugged. "I'm just offering caution."

"Someone should have cautioned your cousin before he put his hands on Pleasant," Margaret said. "Now I'll have to kill him."

"Easy," Espen said. "I'm on your side in all of this."

"But are you on hers?" Margaret asked. "That's the difference, Espen."

"Have you considered that perhaps she doesn't want to be found?" Espen asked. "That's probably why she ran away."

"She didn't simply run away," Margaret said. "Your brother took everything from her...and your cousin took more."

Espen looked away from the hurt in her eyes. He had been cold to the school teacher. He had cursed the wind unaware that it was moving a powerful storm. "What can I do to help?"

"Knock some sense into your brother," Margaret said. "Expose your cousin for the monster that he is!"

Espen shook his head unwillingly.

"If you won't then I will," Margaret said. "This is me catching fire, Espen. I shall burn down to smoldering ashes and I'll be tacking Crowninshield with me." She turned to Henry as he came through the rain and helped her onto the train.

Espen stepped from under the roof and let the cold bullets hit his hair and shoulders. He watched the foursome board feeling suddenly stuck between two worlds.

"Espen?"

Espen turned around to see Baldwin tying his horse before starting his way. "Baldwin?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I was just...picking up a shipment for the store. It's been late. You?"

"I'm sending out a telegram for a replacement teacher," Baldwin said studying his brother for a faint mocking reaction. "Have you seen Asmund?"

"I don't keep track of him," Espen said, remembering that he had always been cold with this particular brother. It came in hand now for Baldwin lost interest and went inside to send his telegram. Letting out his breath he leaned against the post and watched the cold rain fall.

/

As the rain came down, Susanna sat by May's bedside holding the young woman's hand. She tucked the plush turtle close to her under the blankets hoping with all her heart that they would find Pleasant and things would turn out good. Even with the other servants the house seemed alone and quite.

Patting May's hand she got up and went into her own bedroom to get her knitting. With all the chaos she wasn't even sure what she had been making anymore. As she collected the yarn a sound outside got her attention and she went over to the window. Peering through the wet glass she watched two deer bound across the yard and into the trees. She waited to see what had been chasing them but no dogs our troublemakers appeared.

The first day since Mr. and Mrs. Blanche left passed quickly. Susanna took charge of much of the duties and thought herself rather good at it. As another maid looked after May she made her way into town to pick up a pound of brown sugar.

Walking into the general store she waved to Espen behind the counter when he greeted her then went over to the shelf to get the sugar. With her purchase she approached the counter.

"Will that be all?"

"Yes, please," Susanna said.

"How is May?"

"She sleeps a lot," Susanna said. "I worry about her."

"I find it funny that everyone seems to hate Baldwin now," Espen said. "That goes to show you that no one should think they are perfect.

Susanna's blue eyes narrowed. "It isn't funny that May is ill," she said.

"I didn't suggest it was," Espen said.

Susanna bit her lip but couldn't hold her tongue. "Your brothers have gone to look for Miss Day with Margaret," Susanna said. "To you this is them going against Baldwin but the only reason they have gone is to bring the sisters together. There isn't anything funny about it. Besides, no one hates Mr. Monhollen. He made a mistake but none of us hates him." She looked down. "I still believe he is a good man... I have always thought so."

Espen suppressed a smirk. Perhaps the little Irish maid didn't think a woman of her station was worth Baldwin's time. "Will this be on the Blanche tab?"

"Yes, sir," Susanna said with her eyes still down. She watched Espen make his notes then took the bag from the counter. "Thank you," she said and hurried away. She went out the door so quickly that she had to spin to avoid bumping into a woman.

Espen drummed his fingers on the counter top. Guilt once again hung over him. He hadn't played a part in what transpired between his brother and the cousins and for this he didn't see a reason to get involved. However, Margaret's words at the station and then the words of the maid made him feel as though he was sitting back watching someone drown.