Nat had done the chores that morning and mainly did okay.  She had needed to ask about some things and the supplies, but she had worked hard before eating breakfast.  School had been about what she expected.  They were not sure what level to put her in as she began doing the basic skills showing she was quite advanced in reading and mathematics.  Her writing was very clearly read and neatly done.  They still wanted to do some quizzing on her Grammar and History, but it looked like she was in their highest level, if she was as good at those areas as she was in the ones they had already done. 

After a day of showing what she knew, she headed back to the farm.  There she went looking for Mr. Appleton to find out what she should do next.  She had been told what her morning chores would be, but not yet what her afternoon tasks would be. 

She again wore worn-out pants, shoes, a thick oversized buttoned-down shirt (with an undershirt under it and tight binding), her large jacket, and a now cleaner scarf around her neck.  She had explained to the other students when asked about it, that it was a kind of tie that some of the fancy gents wore in London.  Plus it helped when working, as she coughed a lot when around dust and hay.

Jimmy hadn't instructed Nat on what chores were needed that morning, but had let him look for Jenny to find out. He had shown his new fellow farmhand the school, but for some reason, some of the boys had picked on Nat, and someone had stolen his lunch. And then after school, Jimmy had disappeared, forcing Nat to find his own way back to the farm.

The courtyard between the house, stables and machinery shack was deserted safe for some chickens and a young lady who lay on a wicker chair with pillows to support her. She wore a simple crème gown, a blue woolen shawl over her shoulders, and a large straw hat. A red loose plait fell over her shoulder. She had been looking down at her empty hands, but when Nat approached, the rim of the hat moved up to reveal a pale and startled young face fringed with a few loose strands of hair. "Who are you? Yer trespassin'," she said sharply in a girlish voice.

It had not taken much to figure out why some of the boys at the school had given her a problem, but she knew how to handle herself should it become physical.  It had only been verbal though and a loss lunch.  She had gone hungry before, and the breakfast had been plenty to last till dinner later.  She was tough and it took more to get her down.  It did prove to her though that Jimmy was not to be depended on.  She had, like always, made sure to note landmarks on the way to school, so it had not been hard to find her way back.  Just a bit harder.  She didn't think having his company on the walk would have made it as pleasant anyway.

In the yard, she looked at the young woman with the hat.  "I'm Nat.  I'm Mr. Appleton's new help for the farm, ma'am."  She moved up closer wondering if this was the wife.

Green eyes moved over Nat's body and then rested on his face critically. "Ye're a funny lookin' lad," she concluded her inspection.

She shrugged.  Her baggy old clothing made her look even smaller than she actually was, on purpose.  "Just small.  Spent last few years on the street, so haven't eaten a lot."  She reasoned, honestly.  "Papa wasn't very tall, but I was small when he was killed so he always seemed tall to me."  Her mother had been short for a woman, but her father had been just a bit under average for a man.  Not short by any means.  Nat took more after her mother.

"I am supposed to start up on some chores, but I haven't been told what those are yet.  Would you happen to know where Mr. Appleton is?"

The girl looked at Nat glassily while she spoke and then when Nat asked her where Mr. Appleton was she shrugged. She lazily waved her arm in the direction of the fields behind the stables. "Out playing in the mud, I suppose."

That reply caused Nat's eyes wide.  Was this wife?  If so, she didn't seem thrilled about what Mr. Appleton did for a living.  "I suppose I should wait for him then, I suppose.  Is there something I could do to help you, ma'am?  Before I go looking for Jimmy."  She didn't want Mr. Appleton to think she was being lazy or something, and she just knew that Jimmy wouldn't tell her what she was to do next.

"Would ye fetch me a glass of water, please?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am."  She was relieved there was something she could do.  She headed to the kitchen door and went inside looking to see if Jenny was there.

Jenny was cutting vegetables at the table. "Oh hullo, Nat. 'ow was school?"