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Dearest Lady Parker,
I wish you might view Bedford’s reading room. It has volumes upon volumes, even to far surpass your fine collection of books . . .
Esther stepped inside the college reading room and took a minute to breathe in the smell of books and ink while gazing in wonder at the wall of crammed shelves just waiting to be discovered. It was all she could do not to pinch herself or skip across the room in joy. Books! More than she might possibly read during the years she would study here. Had there ever been any sight so glorious as a library?
Unable to contain her smile, Esther hurried between the pillars and toward the shelves, taking only a second to detour and place her school bag on a table near one of the domed, stained-glass windows. Light shone through, causing colors to dance across the table. Esther’s smile broadened. Such a beautiful room, and mine to enjoy. Gone were the days of hiding a single, precious library book within a basket of sewing.
After a few minutes’ search, Esther located the book her chemistry professor had recommended. Esther had struggled with yesterday’s lab and had requested extra reading that might clarify the lesson for her. With the volume in hand, she returned to her seat to begin several hours of study. She’d already told Mrs. Lewis that she would not be taking her dinner in the dining room this evening. She’d eat in the kitchen alone later.
With the exception of one other student, the reading room was vacant this late on a Friday afternoon. After a long, intense week of study, most students were ready for a change of scenery, but Esther needed the weekend to catch up. It had become her habit to stay at the college as late as possible and after that resume her studies downstairs in the residence hall. For while Molly was a fine, friendly roommate, she was not the least inclined to silence—which Esther desperately needed to concentrate and embed in her memory all that she was trying to learn.
Saturdays Esther met with a private tutor for French, as the college offered no French class suitable for beginners. Her French would have to become at least passable if she hoped to ever work as a governess—something she wasn’t at all certain she favored.
Much like the idea of marriage, she didn’t find the prospect of teaching well-to-do, and likely spoiled, children enticing in the least. Instead, she wished to use her education to do something meaningful, to educate those who needed it most. Those like her, who faced threats like starvation and violence each day. The faces of those children called to her, beckoned her to return from whence she’d come and somehow make their world better.
Her mother had done that for her, giving her the gift of literacy. Could Esther not find a way to do the same for others?
“Woman cannot live on books alone.”
Esther looked up to find Mrs. Reid, Bedford’s founder, standing beside her.
“May I join you, Miss Sessions?”
“Of course.” Esther pushed some of her papers aside and checked the impulse to rise and pull out the woman’s chair and offer to fetch her tea. “It is good to see you again, Mrs. Reid.”
“Ah, you remember me, do you?” She lowered herself into the chair across from Esther. “I suppose you cannot help but remember a person so old.”
“That’s not it at all,” Esther protested. “I was much inspired by your speech the first day of classes.”
“Amazing that they still allow me to talk, isn’t it,” Mrs. Reid said in good humor.
“You founded the college, did you not?” Esther asked. “I should think you are allowed to do anything here that you wish.”
“Mostly.” Mrs. Reid chuckled. “Tell me, how are you finding chemistry?”
“Difficult,” Esther said without hesitation. “I have learned the states of matter but am somewhat confused on changes to those states. For instance, it seems improbable that the union of two gases creates water, yet that has been proved as truth. I find the periodic table is hard to memorize, and until I know the elements better, I am frequently lost during the labs. I’m afraid this is all new to me.”
“A few short months ago water was simply water, am I correct?”
Esther nodded. “There were two types, actually—dirty and clean. Lady Parker’s residence yielded the latter and mine quite often the former.”
Mrs. Reid’s expression grew contemplative, her smile somewhat wistful. “And yet, here you are, at the beginning of the finest education a woman can obtain—in the entirety of the world, I daresay. Few believe women capable of learning subjects like chemistry and calculus.”
“Let us hope that I am capable,” Esther said.
“According to your professors, you are.” Mrs. Reid glanced at the papers scattered about the table. “Professor Lind tells me you wrote the most brilliant essay he’s ever read in all his years of teaching.”
“He did?” A blush crept up Esther’s cheeks.
Mrs. Reid nodded. “Though you are not likely to hear it from him. He awards good marks but rarely praises students in class. He does not wish to make those who struggled with an assignment feel poorly, nor does he wish to see his star pupils grow pompous or overconfident.”
“Little worry of that.” Esther fanned her hand in front of the books on the table. “I’ve plenty of other subjects to keep me humble.” But for the moment chemistry was forgotten, and she allowed herself the pleasure of knowing she had pleased Professor Lind. Of all her classes, his was her favorite. But she had known it would be, from the first. Literature she could relate to. It was the only part of her education that wasn’t lacking. And while Professor Lind was no substitute for an evening spent sparring and debating with Lady Parker, Esther greatly enjoyed his lectures and insights into their readings.
“As I said earlier, one cannot live by books alone,” Mrs. Reid said. “I promised Lady Parker that I would check in on you from time to time. I’ve tried, but it seems the last three weeks you’ve scarce slept in your bed and have missed numerous meals with Mrs. Lewis and the other boarders.
“I’m not used to having three meals every day. And as you know, I’m not like the other boarders. What they learned years ago is largely new to me. I have to study if I am to succeed.”
“Oh, I have no doubt you’ll succeed.” Mrs. Reid rose from her chair. “But you need to live a little—outside of this room—as well. I’ll see about arranging a midterm outing for all. Much can be learned from exploring the world as well as reading about it.”