Something Good
"Ruth!"
The sound of a sharp voice shouting her name caused Ruth Evershed to drop the heavy book she was reading. It fell on her foot, eliciting a loud yelp from her, and clattered loudly on the floor. She scrambled to pick it up and stumbled out of her hiding place in her haste. "Yes, Sister?"
"You know you're not supposed to take the books out of the library, Ruth. You're going to get in trouble again!"
Ruth hung her head, knowing full well she'd broken the rules. Again. "I don't like reading in the library. The chapel is so full of light and color," she mumbled, staring down at her drab shoes on the marble floor of the cathedral.
The older nun sighed in resignation. There was a reason Ruth was still a postulant. "The Reverend Mother has summoned you."
"I'll go right now, thanks." Ruth went to rush off, but a hand on her arm stopped her.
"The book, Ruth."
A blush crept up her cheeks. "Oh. Right." She handed off her book and went on her way to see the Reverend Mother.
Ruth felt her nerves overtake her the closer she got to the Mother's office. That woman always intimidated her. Ever since Ruth had arrived at the abbey, she'd felt loved and guided and supported by all the nuns, but they terrified her. Most things terrified Ruth. Which was why she liked to stay within the abbey walls and read books in safety.
With a slight huff of determination, Ruth knocked lightly on the door. "You asked for me, Reverend Mother?"
"I did, Ruth, come in."
That voice, so harsh and cold, never failed to give her a twinge of anxiety. Her mouth started to run away with her. "If this is about the lamp, I wear I'll pay penance," she blurted, hoping she'd properly guessed why she was in trouble this time.
"I'm not going to scold you, Ruth, though I may need to. What lamp?" The Reverend Mother's dark hazel eyes narrowed and her thin lips formed their trademark scowl.
"N-nothing," Ruth stammered.
She sighed in exasperation. "Never mind that now. I'm going to send you out."
"Out?" Ruth repeated in confusion.
"Yes, out," the Reverend Mother snapped. "An old family friend is in need of a governess for his children and asked if I knew of one well-suited."
"Me? But I don't know anything about children!" Ruth exclaimed.
"You'll be fine. There's a boy and a girl. Sir Harry is a widower and can't be bothered to worry about his nightmarish offspring."
Ruth suddenly understood. "You're punishing me."
"Let's just say I'm hoping two wrongs will make a right. Or three rights will make a left. Something like that. Suffice it to say, Sir Harry Pearce is an old friend of my father's."
"Your father?"
"Sir Jocelyn Myers," the Mother replied with a dark expression.
"Oh." Ruth knew that name. Sir Jocelyn Myers had been imprisoned for treason.
"I was already a nun at the time. But Harry was very kind to my family. And he's asked for my help," she explained.
Ruth stared with wide, frightened eyes. "And you're going to send me?"
"Well, I've met his children," she replied with a wry smile. "He's expecting you for dinner. So change out of your habit and get going."