back away. It would be unseemly for a teacher to show such advances to a student. Especially when that teacher was living under the roof of his benefactor.
He walked past Hannah to Louise. He was always astonished by her works. She was painting a still life of a vase filled with roses, and the petals that had drifted to the tabletop looked real.
"Very good, Louise," he said.
Louise looked up. Since living in Margaret Mason's house, she had been observing Mr. Rousseau at home. She knew he wasn't always truthful.
"Thanks," she said.
He continued on to the next student while Louise watched him. She knew he liked Hannah, but Louise never told her. John Liberty had broken Hannah's heart and Louise felt very protective toward her friend. She didn't trust Mr. Rousseau and if he tried to get too close to Hannah, Louise would tell Mrs. Mason.
Sometimes he would ignore the other students and stand by Hannah. Louise could sense his presence behind her. She wished she was behind Hannah so she could watch him. But then she wouldn't be near Sam Jones, the boy she liked.
Sam had asked Louise to the senior ball and Louise had said yes. It was the first time she'd been asked to a social event, but with Mrs. Mason's help, her looks had improved and Sam had noticed. His attentions had given her the confidence to accept his invitation. Hannah was so happy for her, but Louise felt guilty that her friend didn't have an escort for the ball. She was still trying to find an escort worthy of Hannah.
Hannah wasn't thinking about the ball. She was thinking about Colorado. It seemed like a foreign land to her. The rough country and open plains worried her, but she kept her fears to herself. She didn't want her mother to worry. Besides, her uncle had lived there all his life and was building a home just for them. He'd never been assaulted by an Indian, so why was she so concerned?
Pierre stood by his desk and clapped his hands.
"Put your tools away. Clean your brushes. Class is over."
Hannah and Louise took their brushes to the sink and rinsed them clean, then they placed them in a mason jar to dry. They took off their smocks, hung them on a hook next to the sink, and nodded as they passed Pierre.
"He's an attractive man," Hannah remarked.
"He's too old for you," Louise said.
"Oh, Louise, I wasn't thinking about that." Hannah laughed. "I just think he's nice looking."
"I think Tom Carney is nice," Louise said. "Maybe he'll ask you to the ball."
"I don't want to go to the ball."
"But you have to come. I wanted us to be there together."
"Everyone will look at me. They'll all feel pity because they know John married someone else. I don't want to go."
"But if Tom asks you, then they can't pity you."
"I don't know if I'd feel comfortable with Tom. He's too tall for me."
"That's a silly reason not to go with him."
"You talk as if he's already asked to escort me."
"Well, I still say I want you to come."
Louise had talked to Tom Carney about Hannah. He didn't seem opposed to the idea of asking her, but he hadn't done anything yet. Now Louise was concerned that if he did ask, Hannah would say no.
"If Tom asks you, will you go?" Louise asked.
"I don't know. I hadn't planned to go."
"But wouldn't it be fun if we were there together?"
"Yes, it would be fun."
"Then you'll say yes if he asks you?"
"I might."
Louise smiled. They had been walking to their next class and were standing in front of the door.
"I'm going to miss this school," Hannah said.
"I won't," Louise replied.
Chapter 19
Sam Carney did ask Hannah to the ball and she accepted his invitation. He arrived at her home at six o'clock and Marian watched as he escorted her to his father's carriage. Hannah's dress had come from Mrs. Weis's Temple of Fashion and had cost a pretty penny, but it was worth it for she looked like a princess. Her waist was cinched a little too tightly for Marian's comfort,
He walked past Hannah to Louise. He was always astonished by her works. She was painting a still life of a vase filled with roses, and the petals that had drifted to the tabletop looked real.
"Very good, Louise," he said.
Louise looked up. Since living in Margaret Mason's house, she had been observing Mr. Rousseau at home. She knew he wasn't always truthful.
"Thanks," she said.
He continued on to the next student while Louise watched him. She knew he liked Hannah, but Louise never told her. John Liberty had broken Hannah's heart and Louise felt very protective toward her friend. She didn't trust Mr. Rousseau and if he tried to get too close to Hannah, Louise would tell Mrs. Mason.
Sometimes he would ignore the other students and stand by Hannah. Louise could sense his presence behind her. She wished she was behind Hannah so she could watch him. But then she wouldn't be near Sam Jones, the boy she liked.
Sam had asked Louise to the senior ball and Louise had said yes. It was the first time she'd been asked to a social event, but with Mrs. Mason's help, her looks had improved and Sam had noticed. His attentions had given her the confidence to accept his invitation. Hannah was so happy for her, but Louise felt guilty that her friend didn't have an escort for the ball. She was still trying to find an escort worthy of Hannah.
Hannah wasn't thinking about the ball. She was thinking about Colorado. It seemed like a foreign land to her. The rough country and open plains worried her, but she kept her fears to herself. She didn't want her mother to worry. Besides, her uncle had lived there all his life and was building a home just for them. He'd never been assaulted by an Indian, so why was she so concerned?
Pierre stood by his desk and clapped his hands.
"Put your tools away. Clean your brushes. Class is over."
Hannah and Louise took their brushes to the sink and rinsed them clean, then they placed them in a mason jar to dry. They took off their smocks, hung them on a hook next to the sink, and nodded as they passed Pierre.
"He's an attractive man," Hannah remarked.
"He's too old for you," Louise said.
"Oh, Louise, I wasn't thinking about that." Hannah laughed. "I just think he's nice looking."
"I think Tom Carney is nice," Louise said. "Maybe he'll ask you to the ball."
"I don't want to go to the ball."
"But you have to come. I wanted us to be there together."
"Everyone will look at me. They'll all feel pity because they know John married someone else. I don't want to go."
"But if Tom asks you, then they can't pity you."
"I don't know if I'd feel comfortable with Tom. He's too tall for me."
"That's a silly reason not to go with him."
"You talk as if he's already asked to escort me."
"Well, I still say I want you to come."
Louise had talked to Tom Carney about Hannah. He didn't seem opposed to the idea of asking her, but he hadn't done anything yet. Now Louise was concerned that if he did ask, Hannah would say no.
"If Tom asks you, will you go?" Louise asked.
"I don't know. I hadn't planned to go."
"But wouldn't it be fun if we were there together?"
"Yes, it would be fun."
"Then you'll say yes if he asks you?"
"I might."
Louise smiled. They had been walking to their next class and were standing in front of the door.
"I'm going to miss this school," Hannah said.
"I won't," Louise replied.
Chapter 19
Sam Carney did ask Hannah to the ball and she accepted his invitation. He arrived at her home at six o'clock and Marian watched as he escorted her to his father's carriage. Hannah's dress had come from Mrs. Weis's Temple of Fashion and had cost a pretty penny, but it was worth it for she looked like a princess. Her waist was cinched a little too tightly for Marian's comfort,
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