Page 2 of Papa's Rules
“Good news? What? Please, tell me!”
“Now, now, remember your manners, Camellia. Is that the way a proper young lady behaves? Particularly one ofmyyoung ladies?”
“Nooo,” Cammie said, chastened. “I am sorry, Miss Wickersham.”
Miss Wickersham put two biscuits and a slice of cake upon a plate and set it in front of Cammie. Her eyes went wide at the bounty of sweets. Usually Miss Wickersham kept her charges on a strict diet and only allowed sugar laden treats on Saturdays, though sometimes she relented and Cook served puddings for girls who had a birthday. Of course, few of the young ladies at Miss Wickersham’s actually knew the exact day on which they were born, but Miss Wickersham assigned each a birthdate, usually based upon the day they arrived in her care.
“If you please, Miss Wickersham, what is the good news you have to share with me?”
A satisfied smiled turned up Miss Wickersham’s lips as she set her cup in its saucer and placed both upon the linen covered table between them, all the while maintaining ramrod straight posture. “Thank you for asking in such a polite way, Camellia,” she said.
Cammie smiled, glad that she had made her teacher happy. Despite her stern demeanor, Cammie knew Miss Wickersham could also be warm and kind. Maybe even loving. All the girls in her care, though they could be mischievous at times, wanted to please Miss Wickersham. Cammie was no exception. She hated to imagine what might have become of her without the intervention of Miss Wickersham.
Every now and then, Cammie remembered what her life had been like before she came to be one of Miss Wickersham’s girls and a shiver of fear ran through her. Life had been unbearably hard and scary. Very scary. She and her brother were alone on the streets of London where kindness seemed not to exist at all, even for a couple of orphans. Her brother, Robert, had tried to care for her, but the task was Herculean and risk lurked around every corner. As she had gotten older, she had tried to help the situation by venturing out from the dark alley where they had a makeshift shelter, but a young girl alone on the streets attracted the wrong sort of attention and Robert had boxed her ears and taken her shoes to ensure she did not venture far from where he left her. She knew he hated to be so strict with her, but he was only a boy himself, trying to provide for the two of them with the few coins he could earn making deliveries for local merchants. Sadly, they were usually merchants from the mills and not grocers. Though Robert occasionally brought her a pretty scrap of fabric, she would have much preferred some bread or an apple.
There was never enough food. She always felt cold due to inadequate clothing, and her brother, though Cammie liked to believe he tried his best, he simply did not have the time or energy to give little Cammie the love she craved.
Sometimes, late at night, Cammie thought about Robert and where he might be now. She loved him, because he was her brother and he had done what he could for her. Even his attempt to hire her out had been well-intentioned. What else could a girl of her circumstances have expected or hoped for? But, she was wholeheartedly grateful to be at Talcott House where she was warm and fed and safe.
Her mind wandered, traveling back to a night from long ago when she was lying in bed awake and Miss Wickersham found her during her nightly bed check.
When Cammie looked up from her pillow and saw Miss Wickersham hovering over her, her stomach did a flip flop. Miss Wickersham did not like it when her little charges did not follow the rules. But, Cammie could not help it that sleep simply would not come that night.
Holding a finger to her lips to indicate the necessity of quiet, Miss Wickersham took Cammie’s hand and guided her from the room she shared with Hyacinth, Rosie and Daisy and down the hallway to Miss Wickersham’s study.
Miss Wickersham wrapped the chilled girl in a blanket and set her upon the sofa with strict instructions not to move, then left and returned a few minutes later with a mug of warm milk and two of Cook’s best biscuits.
While they nibbled on their treats, Miss Wickersham asked Cammie why a little girl who had played all day long and had even been out in the fresh air for a picnic with her friends was not able to sleep.
Cammie took her time chewing a tiny bit of biscuit and studied her teacher. She did not want to upset Miss Wickersham by mentioning her brother, but she also knew it was wrong to lie.
“There are times when I cannot sleep and I think about my brother. I worry that he will find me and make me go with him back to that awful house where I would have to be a servant.”
Miss Wickersham’s thin brows flickered upward as though she was surprised and just as quickly returned to their rightful place above her eyes. Miss Wickersham preferred everything to be in its rightful place.
Miss Wickersham cleared her throat. “I am sorry that you are unable to sleep. As you know, proper rest is an important part of a young lady’s upbringing. It helps her to grow and be healthy. Sleep encourages pretty skin and hair and bright eyes.”
Cammie tried not to laugh because Miss Wickersham harped on the value of sleep all the time. No wonder Cammie had been worried about punishment when Miss Wickersham had found her. “Yes, ma’am,” she said.
“Perhaps I need to explain things to you better than I did when you arrived. You are older now, so I expect you can understand if I tell you in a more grown up way. Shortly after you came to live with us here at Talcott House, I went to court to be declared your legal guardian. Your brother has no right, no matter what happens, to try to take you away. You are mine. Mine to care for until I find you a proper papa. A papa who will love and care for you for the rest of your life. You need never worry again about being cold or hungry or forced to work for cruel people. Do you understand?”
Mouth agape, realization washed over Cammie. Until then, she had never fully understood the impact of what it meant to be a resident of Talcott House and be one of Miss Wickersham’s girls. Never worry about being cold or hungry again. A papa to care for her all her days.
“Yes, Miss Wickersham,” she said when she was able to control her emotions sufficiently. “I think I do understand. Thank you.”
“I know how difficult your early years were, Cammie. That is why I have made it my mission for all my charges to be given the childhood they never had. Each girl will be cherished and adored for the rest of her life. Would you like that?”
“Oh, yes. Thank you, Miss Wickersham,” Cammie said and never had trouble sleeping again.
“Cammie,” Miss Wickersham used a stern tone that brought the girl out of her reverie. “Cammie, are you daydreaming again?”
“No, Miss Wickersham,” she replied, sitting up straight. “I was just remembering when you told me that I would live here until you found a papa for me and I never needed to worry about being cold or hungry or frightened ever again.”
“I remember that conversation,” Miss Wickersham said. “I hope you have been happy here at Talcott House.”
“Oh, yes, Miss Wickersham. I have been very happy. In fact, I could not imagine a better place on the whole earth,” she said spreading her arms wide.
“What about living in a big manor house with your very own papa to love and care for you and be your husband? You would like that, would you not?”
