All is Fair in Love and War

Chapter 3

Seline and her two younger sisters finished their bread and jam and headed off to meet with Mr. Glassman. He was fairly young for a tutor, only 19. He came from a wealthy family himself, but when his mother, sister and older brother died of influenza last year his father went insane with grief and sold their property and just left. He never even told his only living son he sold it he just left. Mr Glassman found out when the new owners showed up at their new home and kicked him out.

Mr. Glassman had rented out the stable hand berth in the barn of the farm a couple of miles up the road. He made his money from tutoring Seline and her sisters in the morning, and Will and his youngest brother in the afternoon. In the evenings he tutored the farmer’s children where he stayed. He traded the farmer the only thing he could to get lodging, and that was his mind. He was exceptionally smart, but without a home and a family all that was forgotten and he would have to find a way to make money to eat and keep a roof over his head. Tutoring seemed like a good fit, and by bartering with the farmer to teach his children, the money that he makes tutoring in the morning and the afternoon, he can buy his food, clothes and even save a little. He hopes to be able to buy a small piece of land of his own to start his own home. He knows that he is running out of time as he has his eye on making a match with Seline’s sister Alene. She is now 15 and only has another year before her father will be making a match for her. Mr. Glassman hopes to be able to have a home to offer her by then.

Seline wished with all her heart that her father would allow the match as it is what her sister Alene wants too. She also knows that there are many other matches out there that would make father much more money, and after all father would not like being given his betrothal gift in money that he had paid in the first place or in trade for tutoring when his girls will not need it for much longer.

The rest of Seline’s Day flew by. When supper time came and the family gathered at the table, everyone was quiet. They all hoped that father would announce who Seline would be betrothed to the next day. Father, however,was unusually quiet. He did not say a word. He ate quickly and then left the table abruptly, which was not like father. He normally liked to take time over a meal. “To have the time to savor your food was a luxury only the rich could afford.” He would say.

Mother too seemed on edge. In truth she did not touch a thing on her plate. She too had not said a word, and it left the conversation up to her two older sisters who prattled incessantly on about their up coming marriages. They gave many suggestions for Seline when it was her turn. Seeing her parents this nervous made Seline worried. Was there something wrong? Was her father not able to make an advantageous match? Did all the suitors that father bragged to his friends about, turn him down? The thought bothered Seline. The day before her two older sisters’ announcements, her parents were so excited they were bursting and Papa was so proud that he gave the secret away prematurely.

Seline’s mother got up from the table and excused herself saying that she had a headache and needed to lie down. The Seline’s four sisters sitting at the table with her all looked at her expectantly. Finally little Alice asked “Seline what is wrong? I expected Papa to be giddy as a school boy this evening. Instead he and Mama look like they are getting ready for a funeral. Did they tell you anything about who your match will be?” Alice was small and petite and looked like a china doll. As such she had been able to get away with saying things that others dare not say out loud for years.

Seline leaned across the table conspiratorially. She waited a moment until all her sisters leaned in to hear her, and then announced with a giggle “I don’t know a thing. They have not said a word.”

Heather threw her napkin across the table at her with a grin. Alice and Alene looked very disappointed. Rose on the other hand looked concerned and guilty. Heather and Seline picked up on this at once and the two together began to hound her for what she knew.

Rose’s cheeks turned red and she said “All right, All right. Keep your voices down. I don’t want Papa to know. I was out picking flowers from the small garden along the edge of the house under Papa’s study window. I saw a messenger boy come in and bring him a note and leave. Papa read it and then threw it on his desk and cursed. He called for Henni to fetch Mama, and when she came in he had her read it too. She broke down in tears and just kept asking what do we do? He told her that he would do the only thing that they could do and that was that. He then told Mama that he would need to go out to make new arrangements for your engagement announcement. He left this morning in his carriage and came back shortly before supper. That is all I know.”

Seline stared. That could only mean that her betrothal has been changed at the last minute, but why? Henni walked in just then and began to clear the supper dishes. Seline and her sisters all got up from the table and started to head toward the ladies study where they would work on their needle craft. “Miss Seline. Your father would like a word with you in his study.” Henni picked up the pile of bowls she was holding and headed into the kitchen.