In the Land of the Long White Cloud

age.
    She held out a friendly hand to Helen. “Hilda Godewind. So you’re Elizabeth’s teacher. She raves about you; did you know that? And about a certain Jamie O’Hara.” She winked.
    Helen returned the smile and the wink, and introduced herself by her full name. “Do I understand correctly? You’ll be taking Elizabeth into your service?” she inquired.
    Mrs. Godewind nodded. “If Elizabeth likes. I do not by any means want to tear her from here like those people just did with that littlegirl. That was reprehensible! I had somehow thought that the girls would be older.”
    Helen nodded. Now on the verge of tears, she would have loved to pour out her heart to this woman. Mrs. Godewind sized her up.
    “I can already tell that you’re not happy with this arrangement,” she remarked. “And you’re just as exhausted as the girls—did you come over the Bridle Path on foot? That is unacceptable! You should have had mules sent for you. And I, of course, should not have come until tomorrow. The girls would no doubt have preferred to stay together another night. But when I heard that they would be sleeping in the stables…”
    “I’m happy to come with you, Mrs. Godewind.” Elizabeth beamed. “And I can read
Oliver Twist
to you first thing tomorrow. Can you imagine, Miss Davenport, Mrs. Godewind doesn’t know
Oliver Twist
! I told her that we read it together on the trip.”
    Mrs. Godewind nodded amiably. “Then gather your things, child, and say good-bye to your friends. You like her too, don’t you, Jones?” She turned to her driver, who naturally nodded obligingly.
    Shortly thereafter, as Elizabeth made herself comfortable with her bundle next to Mrs. Godewind and the two fell once again into excited conversation, the driver took Helen aside.
    “Miss Davenport, the girl makes a good impression, but is she trustworthy? It would break my heart if Mrs. Godewind were disappointed. She’s been so looking forward to having a little English girl.”
    Helen assured him that they would not find a more clever or pleasant child anywhere.
    “So does she want the girl for company? I mean…one usually engages older and better-educated young women for that,” she said.
    The servant nodded. “True, but first you have to find them. And Mrs. Godewind can’t afford all that much; she only has a small pension. My wife and I take care of her household, but my wife is Maori, you know…she can do Mrs. Godewind’s hair, cook for her, and care for her, but she can’t read to her or tell her stories. That’s why we thought of an English girl. She’ll live with me and my wife and help around the house a bit, but most importantly, she’ll offer Mrs. Godewind company. You can rest assured; she won’t lack for anything.”
    Helen nodded, comforted. At least Elizabeth would be well taken care of. It was a little ray of light at the end of an awful day.
    “Do come the day after tomorrow for tea,” Mrs. Godewind said to Helen before the chaise rode away.
    Elizabeth waved happily.
    Helen no longer had the strength to return the stables to comfort Mary, nor did she manage to make further conversation at Reverend Baldwin’s table. She was still hungry, but she comforted herself with the thought that her uneaten leftovers would, with any luck, do the girls some good. She excused herself politely and then collapsed into bed. Tomorrow could hardly be any worse.

    The next morning the sun rose beaming over Christchurch and bathed everything in warm and gentle light. The window in Helen’s room offered a breathtaking view of the mountain chain that overlooked the Canterbury Plains, and the streets of the little town looked clean and inviting. The scent of fresh bread and tea drifted up from the Baldwins’ breakfast room. Helen’s mouth watered. She hoped this promising start to the day could be taken as a good omen. Surely she had only imagined yesterday that Mrs. Baldwin was unfriendly and coldhearted, her daughter mean and ill mannered, and Reverend Baldwin bigoted and wholly uninterested in the happiness of his parishioners. In the light of this new morning, she planned to judge the pastor and his family more favorably. First, however, she needed to check on the girls.
    In the stables, she found Vicar Chester trying to console Mary, who was still in tears, to no avail. The little girl cried, asking for her sister between sobs. She did not even take the pastry that the young pastor held out to her, as though a little