Sisters of Pine Haven

Chapter 3

"Oh mother," Emmy said to her mother at the same time as Ethan and Laurel were parting ways. "What are we to do? I am convinced they are not engaged."

"Do not worry my sweet girl. I have a plan. Your Aunt Iris wrote yesterday inviting you girls to visit her in Boston this fall. Won't that be perfect, Laurel can go to Boston and see Mr. Findlay."

"The fall is so far away. Laurel will close her heart again by then. Lately, she has been open, and I fear if she is not around Mr. Findlay she will close back up, it will all be lost."

"Don't lose faith, Emmy. If it is right, it will all work out. Remember your father had to follow me all through Europe and we got married."

No scheme that Emmy and Fiona could think of kept Ethan from leaving and soon the mother and daughter heard his automobile drive away from the house. He was gone, and no one knew when he would be back. Although, everyone involved told themselves he would be back within a fortnight with a ring to give to Laurel. This did not happen.

The next guests to come were a brother and sister a Miss Kathryn Jacobs and her brother Brandon Jacobs. To tell the story of these visitors one must go back to the Christmas party that the Pratt's, close family friends of the Danfords were throwing in Boston. That was the night Nicholas met Miss Jacobs of Hartford, Connecticut but after the Christmas season would be attending Cameron's School for girls on Clarendon street but tonight she was asked to the party as a dear friend and niece of Mr. and Mrs. Elliot.

She was breathtaking to be sure, and Nicholas noticed right away she had sparkling sapphire eyes and the perfect shade of dark chocolate hair with a flawless, beautiful curl to it. Julia saw the perfection in her walk and her beautiful taffeta emeraldt dress in the Art Nouveau style that showed off her petite form. Nicholas and Miss Jacobs were introduced, but at first, she didn't care two straws for him. She had heard tales of the infamous Nicholas Danford and was hardly impressed or attracted to such a man his characters. Luck was on Nicholas' side because he sat next to her at dinner. He tried small talk and charm on her but nothing work.

"Did I do something, Miss Jacobs, to offend you?" he asked quietly enough that no one but she could hear.

"Do not try to be nice to me. I have heard of your reputation Mr. Danford, and it does not delight me."

"My reputation?"

"Yes, I have heard you have flirted with every girl in Boston society."

"Not every girl, just the pretty ones and I would not dare flirt with a girl so stuck up as you."

"Stuck up?"

"Yes. I was only polite. I was going to ask you where you are from though I know the answer is Hartford, I had already asked your aunt. Who told me you were visiting for the Christmas holiday before you got settled into school, Miss Cameron's school for girls. A nice school but not as good as Miss Dobson's so I was left wondering why you didn't go there?"

"I didn't want to. I wanted to be close to my aunt and uncle."

"That might be the answer you tell your friends, but I hardly doubt it. I believe you didn't get in. It has a high reputation, and not every girl can get in."

Kathryn was shocked; no one ever talked like that to her. She was a Jacobs one of the most respected families in Hartford and more than that her mother was an Elliot a name of dignified prosperity as old as America itself.

"As I have already offended you with my reputation, we are not likely to be friends you can tell me the truth you didn't get accepted into Miss Dobson's school."