The Sun and Moon and Stars

Chapter XXII

"Absolutely not," Mr. Barrett said, crossing his arms.

Mrs. Barrett's brow was crinkled. "Frances, do you think it's really a good idea?"

Frances looked down at her folded hands. "I wish I was asking you for permission, but I'm not. I'm telling you: I'm going back to Malborrow Creek."

"Take a moment to think, Frances," her mother urged. "If the last trip there affected you so much, it will probably be worse to return."

"This isn't for me, Mother." Frances shook her head. "If I was going to do something for myself, I'd just leave this state, maybe even the country. Perhaps go visit Aunt May in England. I would most definitely not be going back to Malborrow Creek."

"Then why are you returning?"

"Because I have to. Because Mrs. Fellowes was abandoned, and I'm not going to let Julian be as well."

Mr. Barrett stood up, his mustache quivering. "I don't like this, Frances. Not one bit. It's unseemly for a young woman to be alone with man in his home. It wouldn't be proper."

"I love him, Father. And we will be married."

He guffawed. "What? Married? He's a carpenter!"

Frances couldn't help a little smile from curving her lips. "He may be a carpenter father, but he is so much more than that. He is a loving father, a caring husband, a weaver of stories...and he has my heart. All of it."

Her father sighed. "Has he even asked for your hand?"

"No. But he doesn't have to."

Mr. Barrett pushed his glasses up his nose and took his seat. He paused for a few moments before resting his eyes on his daughter. "Frances, I forbid you from going."

"William!" Mrs. Barrett cried. "You can't do that!"

"I can and I will."

Frances calmly stood up and walked up to face her parents. She pulled out the letter from her pocket and handed it to her mother. "Perhaps this will change your mind."

Her mother bit her lip but took the letter. She unfolded it and held it up for both her and her husband to read.

Frances sat back down and waited.

When Mrs. Barrett looked back up, tears brimmed in her eyes.

Mr. Barrett cleared his throat. "Frances, I apologize. You may go."

Frances let out her breath and smiled through her own tears. She took the letter and tucked it back into her pocket. "Thank you...Thank you so much..."

***

Frances' fingers curled around her carpetbag's handle and her hand gripped the railing as she walked down the metal steps Smoke whistled out from beneath the train and billowed around the hem of her skirt. She stepped onto the wooden platform.

The first time she had been there, she had been nervous and excited. Now she both dreaded and couldn't wait to return to the farm.

This time, she didn't wait around for someone, but walked straight out of the station and into the town.

She spotted them from the other side of town: a little figure skipping along beside a woman and a little bundle in her arms.

Frances didn't stop for a single breath and she strode as fast as she could towards the, desperate to not lose them.

"Jem!" she called as she got close enough. The child's head snapped her way. A smile broke out on his face.

"Ansi!" He yanked his hand away from the woman and rushed towards Frances.