The Prize Read Online Free PDF Page B

apart from
the moment you arrived and we allowed that, being respectful of your grief. I
know why you held your head so high, my dear, but the others, why, they think
you prideful and vain! It is time for you to make amends—and friends. I expect
you to make friends, Virginia. And I expect you to excel in your studies, as
well."
    Virginia hugged
herself. Had the others really thought her too proud and vain? She didn't
believe it. They all despised her because she was from the country, because she
was so different.
    "You are so
clever, Virginia. You could do so well here if you bothered to try." Mrs.
Towne smiled at her.
    Virginia swallowed
hard. "I can't stay here. And they don't like me because I am different!
I'm not fancy and coy and I don't faint at the sight of a handsome man!"
    "You have chosen
to be different, but you are a beautiful girl from a good family, and in truth,
that makes you no different at all. You must cease being so independent,
Virginia, and you will be very happy here, I promise you." Mrs. Towne
walked over to her and clasped her thin shoulder. "I am sure of this,
Virginia. I want nothing more than for you to become a successful graduate of
this school—and a very happy young lady."
    Virginia forced a
brittle smile. There was nothing more to say. She was not going to stay at the
school, and she was not going to let her uncle the earl choose a husband for
her—and that was that.
    Mrs. Towne smiled at
her warmly. "Do give up your rebellious nature, my dear. The rewards will
be great if you do."
    Virginia managed to
nod. A moment later, the interview was over and she fled. As soon as she was
alone on her cot in the dormitory, Virginia began to plan her escape.
    Two days later,
Virginia performed her morning ablutions as slowly as she could. The other
young ladies were filing out of the dormitory while she continued to wash her
hands. Early morning light was filtering through the dormitory's skylights.
From the corner of her eye, Virginia watched the last of the young ladies
leaving the long, rectangular room. Miss Fern paused at the door. "Miss
Hughes? Are you unwell?"
    Virginia managed a
weak smile. "I'm sorry, Miss Fern, but I am so dizzy and light-headed
today." She hung on to the bureau beside the washstand.
    Miss Fern returned to
her, touching her forehead lightly. "Well, you do not have a fever. But I
suppose you should go to Dr. Mills directly."
    "I think you are
right. I must be coming down with influenza. I need a moment, please,"
Virginia said, sitting down on the edge of her narrow bed.
    "Take a moment,
then." Miss Fern smiled, walked down the aisle between the twenty beds and
finally left the room.
    Virginia waited,
silently counting, "One-two-three," then she leapt to her feet. She
hurried across the aisle to the fourth bed. She went right to the bureau there
and began rummaging through contents that did not belong to her. Guilt
assailed her, but she ignored it.
    Sarah Lewis always
had pin money, and Virginia quickly found twelve dollars and
thirty-five cents. She took every penny, leaving an unsigned note instead. In
it, she explained that she would pay the sum back as soon as possible. Still,
it felt terrible being reduced to thievery and she could almost feel her
mother's disapproval as she watched over her daughter from heaven.
    "I will pay
Sarah back, Mama, every darned penny," she whispered guiltily. But there
was just no choice. She needed fare for a coach and an inn. As brave as she
was, she didn't think she could walk the entire eighty miles to Sweet Briar
without several nights' rest and a few good meals.
    Virginia then reached under her bunk. In
her cloak—despite the spring weather, the nights remained cool—she had wrapped
her few precious personal belongings: her mother's cameo necklace, her father's
pipe and a horsehair bracelet Tillie had made for her when she was eight. She
also had an extra shirtwaist, gloves and bonnet. The entire cloak was bundled
up and tied with