Free Lily George by Healing the Soldier's Heart Page B

take all my troubles away. I have to earn my own bread through my own wits.”
    “Does that mean, then, that you can never fall in love?” Sophie eyed her expectantly.
    “It means that, though I may lose my heart just as anyone would, I may not allow myself the luxury of love. I’m far from an eligible match, so there is nothing to gain and much to lose should I put my heart at risk. I shouldn’t lose my temper or waste any more thoughts on my situation with the ensign. We were friends, and through my own stupidity, I lost his friendship.” Hateful words, they were. But it was better to be honest with oneself. There were no hearts and flowers in her future. “The only question is, what shall I do to occupy myself now that the ensign no longer wants my help?”
    “Well, there is always a lot of work to be done with the veterans’ group, even if the ensign is no longer attending meetings,” Sophie replied in a determinedly cheerful tone of voice. “I’ve got a bee in my bonnet about a sewing club for the widows. Bringing everyone together to sew clothes. I think it would do the women a world of good. Some of them have such threadbare dresses. Why not do something to teach the women or the children of the group? It would help immensely, and it might make you feel better, too.”
    Lucy’s heart warmed to the idea. The little children who darted in and out of the pews at Saint Swithin’s were so adorable. How delightful it would be to sit with them, and read to them and instruct them. It would be as close to her dream of her own school as she could get. And when Louisa made her debut, and Lucy had to search for a new position, having some experience with small children might make it easier to find a new job.
    “That’s a brilliant idea, Sophie.” She twirled a dark lock of hair around her forefinger. “I shall start making plans right now since we have the rest of the day off. And you? I suppose you’ll start packing for Brightgate. How I shall miss you when you are gone, my dear.”
    Sophie rose, giving Lucy a deeply dimpled smile. “I love being called brilliant,” she said with a laugh. “But don’t worry. I’ll be gone to Brightgate and home before you can say Jack Robinson. I am sure by then you’ll have taught all the small urchins of the veterans’ group their Latin declensions.”
    “Hardly.” Lucy smiled. “But you’ve given me a sense of purpose and direction, and for that I am so thankful.”
    “You are welcome.” Sophie started for the door, then paused, her hand on the latch. “Just promise me one thing, Lucy. Don’t give up on love altogether. It’s...wonderful.”
    Lucy gave a rueful grin. Sophie was such a romantic. She had no idea of the hard realities of life. ’Twould be a pity to squash her girlish dreams, even if they held no meaning for a spinster governess. “All right.” She sighed. “I promise.”
    After Sophie had gone, Lucy settled at her little white desk with a sheet of foolscap. Time to plan a bright future for the lads and lasses who clustered at the meetings on Thursdays. There was no need to waste another thought on Ensign Rowland. She’d made a dreadful blunder, but she’d apologized for it. If she lingered too long, she ran the risk of being one of those obsessive old spinsters who pined after a lost love for decades. She wasn’t like them. She was alive and full of purpose.
    She might get lonely at times. But that was to be expected. The only way to stop those feelings was to live a life devoted to others. That was her true purpose in life. She was a mere background character in other people’s lives.
    * * *
    “I want to go to the Assembly Rooms for our first outing,” Louisa announced calmly the next morning at breakfast.
    “The Assembly Rooms, Louisa? That’s hardly the educational outing I had thought of,” Lucy replied in her best governess tone of voice. And the Assembly Rooms were far too close to Felton’s shop. Though she had resolved never