Mrs. Rochester invited Maud to the Bible Study that was beginning in the manse in the New Year. “We need someone with your talents,” she said.
After waiting patiently for everyone to leave, Will came up to Maud and asked if she was going with them to the train station. Now that the train was coming through Prince Albert, a popular evening activity among the young people was watching it come in. Because of her duties at home, Maud had yet to be allowed to go.
“I’ll have to ask my father,” Maud said. She hadn’t been able to get to him because people kept stopping her to talk and offer congratulations.
“Will!” A tall man who was an older version of her friend called to him.
“My father,” Will said to Maud, before turning to face him.
“How do you do, Mr. Pritchard?” she said.
“Will,” he puffed. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”
“Yes, Father,” Will said. “I was finishing up my conversation with Maud. Didn’t she perform her reading wonderfully?”
Without acknowledging her in the slightest, Mr. Pritchard looked over Maud’s head and said to Will, “When I call you, you must come. Your mother was looking for you. I believe she wants you to drive her and your brother and sisters home.”
Will and Laura’s five other siblings lived at Laurel Hill with their parents. “Aren’t you going home, Father?”
“I have people to speak with,” he said. “Be sure to take her and your siblings home.”
And then he was gone.
Maud realized she was deeply disappointed that Will wouldn’t be at the train station—not that Father would let her go anyway.
“I guess I’d better go,” he mumbled and walked away.
Maud had drifted across the room, moving closer to her own father, when Laura came up and kissed her. “Will has to take Mother and the brood home, but you’ll come, won’t you?”
“Go where?” Mrs. Montgomery said. “You have to put Katie to bed tonight.”
Katie was looking rather tired; the little blue bow Maud had fought so hard to tie earlier in the day was halfway out of her hair. “I guess I have responsibilities,” Maud said to Laura.
“There you are, Maudie—Maud.” Father hugged her. “I’m so proud of you.”
For the first time in a while, Maud saw that old spark in his cobalt-blue eyes. The fact that she had caused it was all Maud needed to make it the perfect night.
“I was telling Maud that Katie needed to go home,” Mrs. Montgomery said.
Katie yawned widely and laid her head against Maud’s skirt, pulling it a little. Maud lifted her sister up and let her rest her head on her shoulder.
“You might have told me, Hugh, that you had such a talented daughter,” Mr. McTaggart said. “People are asking about her.”
“Really,” Father said, and exchanged a glance with his father-in-law. “Yes, she is quite a marvel, isn’t she?”
Maud shifted Katie. Mrs. Montgomery had crossed her arms, as if refusing to take her own daughter.
“Mr. Montgomery,” Laura piped in. “Perhaps Maud would be allowed to join us at the train station after she puts Katie to bed? On a night such as this, we wanted to celebrate.”
What was her friend doing? Couldn’t she see that Mrs. Montgomery was not going to allow Maud to go out? Her role in this family was quite clear.
But then Father did the most extraordinary thing. “Laura, you are right. Maud can go with you.” He extended his arm to his daughter. “After I introduce her to some of my friends, that is.”
“What about Katie?” Maud said.
Father didn’t say anything as Mrs. Montgomery continued to stand with her arms crossed.
“Mary Ann,” Mr. McTaggart said. “You can see how important it is for Maud to say something to your husband’s possible voters.”
“It’s much too cold for either of us to be out,” she said, but there was no longer any power in it, and she took Katie from Maud. She didn’t even wish anyone good night as she left.
If she hadn’t so enjoyed being taken around on Father’s arm, Maud might have felt sorry for her.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Finally, they all left the church. It had started to snow, warming up the early evening air enough so that being outside was tolerable. As the group of performers walked up the hill toward the train station, reliving their successes and tragedies, Maud felt as though she might be able to make Prince Albert her home after all. With Laura and Annie, Alexena and Lottie—even Frank—it felt as though she was becoming part of a crowd again.
Maud was sorry that Will was missing it. He was as much part of the success as anyone else.
“Will he stay at Laurel Hill tonight?” Maud asked Laura as they rounded the corner.
“Most probably,” Laura said. “It will be too dark to come back.”
“It is too bad he couldn’t stay,” Maud said.
Laura was silent for a moment. “Mother needs help. She has so much to take care of on the ranch and with all of us. With me away, I know it is harder for her, but she wanted me to finish school this year.”
“She cares about your education,” Maud said.
“She was a teacher before she got married,” Laura said. “If it were up to Father, I would have left school last year. Particularly after my sister died. Mother was sick for a while.”
“I’m so sorry, Laura,” Maud said. “I didn’t know.”
Laura stopped walking and gazed out to the frozen river. “It was right before you got here. We don’t talk about it much.”
They were quiet for a few moments.
“Mother said she wanted me to enjoy my freedom while I could,” Laura said, after a while. “I’m so grateful I get to study art at the convent.”
“You are very talented,” Maud said. “I enjoyed those sketches you showed me when I was last at your aunt’s.”
“We’re going to have a show in June; you must come.”
June seemed so far away. By then her little brother or sister would have been born, and Maud would no longer be in school herself. “I hope to be there.”
Laura took her arm and the two walked on.
When the group arrived at the station, people began to pair off. While one of Laura’s suitors, George Weir, wanted her attention, it was Andrew Agnew who won out, taking her to a quiet corner near the ticket window. Frank was trying to get Alexena’s attention, but she would have none of it.
For once, Maud was happy to be watching without anyone really noticing her.
“Now, how come you are alone?” Maud jumped at the unexpected sound of Will’s low voice.
“I thought you were staying at Laurel Hill tonight?” she said, hoping her voice didn’t betray how excited she was to see him.
“Once I got everyone home, Mother said I had done such a fine job tonight that she wanted me to celebrate with my friends. Besides”—he grinned—“I’m used to traveling in the dark.”
“You must have ridden quickly,” Maud said.
He didn’t say anything, but his grin made it impossible not to blush.
“Will, you came after all,” Laura said, rushing over. “I was telling Maud that you probably wouldn’t be.”
“So you were talking about me,” Will said.