"Let us finish the books and then we'll do a lesson," Catherine suggested. "It will be very important to improve your reading. You must be diligent about it. Any lost minute in the shop, you must spend improving it." Catherine doubted that Ellie had any real accomplishments to speak of and given how little time the girl had on her hands and how late she was to start her education, it would be hard for her to acquire any. The best she could do was to fix her obvious defects. An illiterate girl could never pass for a fine young lady.

Catherine picked up the last book. The cover read Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. She handed it to her pupil. "This book is about a horse who has many masters during his life. Some people treat him kindly, but some are cruel. I do so love horses and I can't stand it when people are cruel to them."