This is the place.”“Thank you.”Fanny flashed a wan smile at the teamster who’d given her a ride for the last few miles of her lengthy journey. She was so hungry and exhausted that she barely managed the climb to the ground. As her feet hit the bricks of the driveway, she stumbled and braced herself against the box of the wagon.“Are you certain about this, Miss?” The teamster eyed her nervously as he studied the huge mansion nestled beyond the trees. “I hate to leave you. I can wait if you’d like.”“No, no. You go on home—to your family and your supper.”“It’s getting dark. It’s not safe for you to be out here by yourself.”She peered up at the sky. The late summer day was swiftly waning, stars beginning to twinkle. A cool breeze whipped at her worn shawl, hinting that autumn was just around the corner. She shuddered and tugged at the tattered garment.“You’re kind to worry,” she said, “but I’ll be fine.”“If you’re sure, Miss...”“I am. You go on.”He hesitated, then lowered her portmanteau, and she caught it and dropped it at her feet.
