Owen's Daughter by Jo-Ann Mapson

Author:Jo-Ann Mapson
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2014-05-27T16:00:00+00:00

“Drop me out front,” Sara told her mom at the next etiquette lesson. She waved, watched her mom drive away, and then went to the atrium of the hotel, where she sat for forty-five minutes looking at a tree that looked as if it would rather live in Hawaii. Did trees get lonely? Then she pulled out her Pocket Dictionary of Horses library book and read for the remaining hour of class. When it was over, she trailed behind the girls who had attended. It worked for two lessons, but then her mom tricked her, arriving early to watch the end of the class. When Sara emerged from the atrium and came to the lobby, her mother grabbed her by the arm. “I spent good money on these lessons,” she hissed. “You are going to attend those classes if I have to drag you myself.”

The remaining classes went by in a blur. Sara learned how to offer her hand so a gentleman would shake it, and about situations where she shouldn’t offer it. She learned to make a lopsided swan out of a cloth napkin, to cross her legs at the ankles, to lift a teacup with the all-important outstretched pinky. Then they started walking lessons, the reason her mother cursed her to this circle of hell in the first place.

“Sara, suck in your tummy,” Mrs. Wadsworth scolded her.

“But it hurts,” Sara said.

Mrs. Wadsworth put her hands on her hips, which she did whenever she was appalled by a girl’s major faux pas. “That’s the way of the world as far as women are concerned, so you’d best learn to live with it.” Then she turned to the other girls, the ones who weren’t infested with cooties. “Girls, remember to tell your mothers to bring their checkbooks next week. We’ll be starting part two of our program.”

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