A sharp voice drew Anna from her reverie and she noted the way Mary's hackles rose slightly. A woman, with a face like thunder, stood in the opened front doors with her hands clasped tightly in front of her. The black dress she wore hung to her like the fabric had simply given up on living but matched the woman's mat of brown-red hair, restrained like a prisoner behind her head in a bun almost as severe as her expression.

"We weren't expecting you so soon Mrs. Crawley."

"I'm sure you weren't Ms. O'Brien." Mary stepped to the side to give Anna the floor, "This is Anna Smith, the English literature instructor."

"She's also the history instructor and Assistant Matron if I'm not mistaken."

"Yes," Anna moved her handbag to her left hand, extending her right, "A pleasure to meet you Ms. O'Brien."

O'Brien sniffed at Anna's hand, not taking it. "We'll see what kind of pleasure it actually turns out to be when classes begin tomorrow, won't we?"

She walked away and Anna dropped her hand in time with her jaw. Gaping a moment Anna turned to Mary, struggling for words.

Mary nodded, "That's Headmistress O'Brien, brief and tart as unnecessarily usual."

"I don't think I've ever had someone that abrupt with me on my first day." Anna thought about it a moment, "Or ever."

"As I said, she's fair to all so we keep her as our headmistress. Anyone else would bow and scrape to the girls whose parents will give them titles and money when they grow up and forget the necessity of serving the girls who might be a little less blessed in their future lives."

"Am I supposed to bow and scrape to them?"

"You're supposed to do your job." Mary pointed up the stairs, "This way."

Anna caressed the bannister as they walked, smiling to herself as her fingers tripped over the familiar wood. "I always loved this bannister."

"I always wanted to slide down it."

"You did once." Both heads turned and Anna broke into a wide smile at the sight of the woman walking toward them. "It was two weeks before I caught both of you sneaking back in after you attended a dance in the village."

"We were none the worse for wear, Mrs. Hughes." Mary folded her arms over her chest, "And we performed well enough in our studies the next day."

"You were drunk, Lady Mary, there's no two ways about that." Mrs. Hughes chided and then opened her arms for Anna to hug her. "You could've knocked me over with a feather when Lady Mary told me she'd convinced you back over the pond to teach here."

"I thought it time for a change." Anna grinned, "And how are you?"

"I'm still Matron here so I guess very few things have changed for me."

"But this has." Anna caught Mrs. Hughes's hand, directing her attention to the ring. "And this ring is on a not-so-insignificant finger."

"Well," Mrs. Hughes blushed, "Mr. Carson and I tied the knot some time ago and I hadn't thought to write anyone about it since we didn't make a fuss."

"I would've made a fuss." Anna examined the ring, "It's gorgeous."

"It's plain."

"It's perfect," Anna insisted, "And since you're still Matron at least I know I have a friend and ally in this place."

"There are many friends and allies to be had here, Anna. Or," Mrs. Hughes covered her mouth, "Should I address you as 'Ms. Smith' now?"

"I'm sure I won't mind if you call me 'Anna' since I'm still calling you 'Mrs. Hughes'."

"But I don't want any of the girls to call you 'Anna'." Mrs. Hughes clapped her hands together, "If you don't mind I can take you to your room and show you where you'll be teaching."

"That'd be lovely." Anna turned to Mary. "I guess this is where we say goodbye for now?"

"Until the Autumn Ball." Mary pulled Anna in close for an embrace. "Before then Matthew and I should I have you for dinner."

"If either of us can spare the time." Anna released, "But I'm on a steep learning curve already."

"Then I won't hold you up." Mary nodded her head at Mrs. Hughes, "It's always a pleasure Mrs. Hughes."

"Yes it is Lady Mary." Mrs. Hughes waited for Mary to walk down the stairs before turning to Anna again. "I couldn't get you your old room, since it's a dorm for one of girls now, but I did get you one of our nicer ones."

"Any room is a room Mrs. Hughes." Anna paused, "Could I see my old room a moment?"

Mrs. Hughes smiled, "Of course. I'll just wait here."

Anna set her bag down, walking down the hall toward the girl's dorms, and knocked on the door. When no one answered she turned the knob, walking into the room. For a moment she stayed in the doorway, trapped there by her memories before she stepped into the room.

The smell was different but the bed sat in the same spot. Anna walked over to it, sitting on the edge, and breathed out. She closed her eyes and a memory replaced the walls before her. The sounds of the room filled her ears and Anna was back in her school years for a moment.

"Hello?" Anna opened her eyes, standing quickly. "I'm sorry are you the new girl this term?"

"In a way." Anna smoothed her skirt down, "I'm the new English literature and history instructor this term, Ms. Smith."

"Oh," The girl blushed, "I'm sorry for being rude."

"It's not rude." Anna waved a hand to hold off the girl's insistence. "I'm the one who was rude. Barging into your room without permission."

"No one was here." The girl entered, pulling her brown braid over her shoulder and stroking it like an unconscious, nervous habit. "I was excited, for a moment, I thought you might be someone to share the room with me but it seems I'll go another term alone."

"You've never had someone share the room with you?"

The girl shook her head, sitting on the other bed as Anna retook her seat. "None of the other girls want to sit with me. They think I'm a bad omen."

"Bad omen?" Anna frowned, "What age do we live in, the Elizabethan?"

The girl laughed, "I guess." She paused, "So, if you're the new instructor, why are you in my room?"

"It's a little awkward, actually." Anna laughed, "This used to be my room, when I boarded here, and I wanted a moment to remember life then."

"You boarded here?"

Anna nodded, patting her hands on the bed beneath her. "In this bed, actually. Lady Mary Crawley was in the one where you're sitting right now."

"Lady Mary? The Lady Mary?"

"The very same." Anna sighed, looking around the room, "We shared so many secrets in this room. So many stories are sequestered in these walls."

The girl smiled and then her face fell a bit, "I wish I had someone to share a few secrets with. It's hard, being here all alone when you've no one to talk to."

"If you don't find me too forward," Anna put a hand out, covering the girl's. "You can always talk to me."

"I'd like that." She smiled, "I've not had a friend in a long time."

"No one here?"

She shook her head, "My grandmother lives in London so I visit her when we have half-term or at Christmas but otherwise I stay here."

"I did too." Anna took a deep breath, "I had an aunt, in the village, but she can't board me since she had a few children of her own."

"Where were your parents?"

"They lived in Whitby, raising a rare breed of sheep." Anna laughed, "What a thing for your parents to do yes?"

"My father's a sea captain so I don't see him very often."

"And your mother?"

She looked at the floor, "My mother died a few years ago."

"I'm so sorry." Anna put a hand to the girl's shoulder as she started to cry before moving to the girl's bed to hold her on her shoulder. "It's alright. You cry if you want."

"It's just been hard." She sniffed, wiping at her eyes under her glasses. "All the girls here think she died because of my father and they say I'm a bad omen because she died leaving me here."

"You had nothing to do with whatever accident took your mother." Anna pulled back enough to stroke a few of the girl's hairs out of her eyes. "And you're no one's bad omen."

"You don't even know me Ms. Smith. How can you say that?"

"Because no one is a bad omen." Anna rubbed the girl's arm. "I've a feeling you'll rise above all of this and be better than any of those other girls."

"Really?"

"Really." Anna stood up, "If I don't leave now Mrs. Hughes'll think I got lost in here or something."

"Thank you, Ms. Smith." The girl wiped her eyes again, "For listening."

"Thank you for letting me invade your room." Anna stopped at the door, "And I realized I'm rude again. I never asked your name."

"Emmaline." She held her hand out and Anna shook it. "Pleased to meet you Ms. Smith."

"And a pleasure to meet you Emmaline. I look forward to seeing you in class." Anna walked out of the room, returning to Mrs. Hughes in the hallway.

The older woman laughed, "You've got a look on your face like I just caught you doing something you shouldn't have been."

"I just ran into the girl who has my room now." Anna picked up her bag, "Do the other girls think she's a bad omen?"

"Oh, you're talking about Emmaline Bates." Mrs. Hughes shook her head, clicking her tongue against her teeth. "That poor girl is s dear and none of the other girls will give her a chance."

"Why not?" Anna followed Mrs. Hughes up another set of stairs. "She mentioned her mother died leaving her here. What does that mean?"

"Her mother was related to most of the families of the girls here and made a bit of a scandal when she ran off and married a Naval man."

"She did say her father's a sea captain."

"Captain Bates is almost an Admiral in the Royal Navy." Mrs. Hughes gave a laugh, "That's a bit more than a sea captain."

"Why was the family disappointed?"

"They thought she could've married someone better and chose not to." Mrs. Hughes shook her head, "People don't understand that what draws two people together."

"What drew them together?"

"From what I saw? Youth and passion." Mrs. Hughes let out a breath. "You never saw a couple more at odds with one another than they were. It was like all the rage was left once they realized their passion was gone."

"And Emmaline was caught in the middle?"

"She was. Her father insisted she come here because he herd of the school's reputation through his friend, Lord Grantham."

"Mary's father?"

"The very same." Mrs. Hughes opened one of the doors. "Mrs. Bates disagreed, wanted her in London with her but Captain Bates thought she deserved to be away from them when they were having such difficulties."

"And the mother came to take her back?"

"She came to tell Emmaline she was leaving Emmaline's father. The dear girl cried in my office for an hour just to hear that her mother died in an accident when her motor skidded on the road trying to avoid a wagon."

Anna looked over her shoulder, as if she could see back to her old room. "That poor girl."

"It was one tragedy after the other when her grandmother got ill but she recovered. Comes up to visit on occasion, when Captain Bates comes to see Emmaline, since he can't make two trips to see both his mother and his daughter."

"Seems a devoted father."

"Every opportunity he gets he comes to see her." Mrs. Hughes sighed, pointing to the details of the room. "It's not much but it's bigger than what you had when you were here."

"It's more than enough." Anna set her bag down, taking a deep breath. "I guess we'll see if I'm enough tomorrow."

"If I knew that one of my students would come back to teach here, I would've chosen you, Anna." Mrs. Hughes put a hand on her shoulder, "You're more than enough for this challenge."

"We'll see."