"No, I am fine," she said and looked away, "All this talk of marriage, though..." She took another drink of cider and then moved things aside so she could lay back on the quilt to look up at the sky. She took a handful of grapes and began to nibble them off the vine. Between grapes, she said, "I think I might be spoiled for dinner." Her stomach was mostly full, but the food was so good that she would probably pick at it here and there before the end of the picnic. She would have to share the chicken with papa, he'd be surprised and proud that she actually did the work.

"I talked to the priest in town not long ago about all of this and he thinks I should become a nurse. I haven't talked to papa about it yet because I am not sure if that is what I want. I know only a little about herbs and such. He suggested too that I should read to children... I think I might like that better. I do own quite the library of books."