Arrival

Josephine didn't notice she was holding her breath until Grant told her for the fourth time to keep up. They were walking to the main entrance of the new school she was supposed to attend. Jo was almost willing herself to faint so Grant might reconsider and they'd be swept back home by gallant horses, frothing and giddy.

They reached Miss Porter's office and entered the open door. The secretary had her back turned and she was filing a folder bulging with papers. Grant and Jo were so quiet, she kept her back to them.

"Pardon me, ma'am, we're here to see Miss Porter," Grant began. The woman whirled about in her long skirt and seemed startled.

"Oh, goodness, you gave me a fright, I didn't hear you dear!" Miss Hendricks smiled after a couple gasps of calming air, "You must be Josephine, and this is your brother, yes?"

"Yes, ma'am," they said in unison.

"Oh, please, you can call me Miss Hendricks, the ma'am bit makes me feel a little too old." Miss Hendricks was a kindly woman, with greying hair pinned neatly in a chignon at her neck, she had warm amber eyes and smiled with very white teeth. Grant and Josephine relaxed a little, and looked at each other with hope.

"You can wait here for the moment, Miss Porter should be back shortly,I'll send for one of the girls to have her come right away," she said, leaving the room to Grant and Josephine.

"See, you'll be okay here, Miss Hendricks seems nice," Grant tried to sound optimistic.

"Yes, but I don't think I'll be having classes with her, or be rooming with her..." Josephine sounded wistful.

"Well, if she's any indication, you won't have much to worry about, except when mama sends you cookies," Grant teased softly, and Josephine smiled.

She hoped her brother was right. And this place didn't look so awful, there was a fresh breeze with a slight hint of the brine Jo remembered from a trip to the coast one summer long ago. It reminded her of Mitchell and how they had all played in the surf, even though the water was bitingly cold.