"What if I have found my prince, but he isn't the conventional prince? One who likes my independence and that I would rather be equal to a man than be beneath. Mother doesn't understand it, but I will be much happier this way. Ugh, to think I went through all that balancing of books on my head." She laughed softly and stood, taking the doll back when the time came and then set her in her favorite chair like always. "So you think I am doing the right thing?" she asked softly, then looked at her brother with those big brown eyes that none of the boys could say no to much if at all, not that it was her way of getting what she wanted...

"Betsy is my best friend and always will be," she grinned. "And can you believe our sister bought most of my jewelry with her allowance? I never thought to see her buy my things. She wants me gone. Betsy never wanted me gone." She laughed a lot at that.