Fourth Entry, April 19

"You'll never guess what I found out today. I was poking about in the library, and I found an old picture of sensei stuck in between the pages of a book about a type of Xingese medical alchemy. He's sitting beside a really pretty woman holding a baby, and on the back, they are listed as his wife and daughter.

Miss Riza Hawkeye is Hawkeye-sensei's daughter.

I'd never have guessed it. Miss Hawkeye doesn't look a thing like her father, except maybe for the blonde hair. And even that's not exactly a unique trait! To judge from the photo I found, though, she looks an awful lot like her mom—same eye color and shape, same nose, same lips… the only difference (well, besides age, obviously) is that Mrs. Hawkeye wore her hair long and loose, in big, soft curls.

Anyway, I'm really glad I figured this out before I actually asked one of them and made a complete fool of myself. Maybe you girls spotted it long ago and are laughing and saying I really ought to have known…but how could I? Hawkeye-sensei didn't even introduce her as his daughter when we met. (Oh, and according to this photograph, Riza is her full first name—her mother's was Tereza. Just something else I'd been wondering about.) Hawkeye-sensei never calls her any nicknames or terms of endearment, nor does anything about his behavior distinguish her as his only child.

I suppose he's not that kind of man. Not the sentimental type, I mean. But it still seems odd to me that Miss Hawkeye's own father treats her with the same cool cordiality as he might be expected to show a distant relation. And she's the same way. She acts almost as though she's a servant in her own home, never speaking unless spoken to, keeping her eyes downcast, and going about her business without disturbing the master of the house. I don't see or hear them talking to each other at all, really, although I'm sure they must.

Also, according to the date on the photo, Miss Hawkeye is a whole three years younger than I am. From the way she carries herself (her "bearing," as Elinor would call it,) I'd assumed she was my age or even a bit older. I suppose she had to grow up fast, since it seems like she's had to look after herself and her dad since her mom died. Sensei is far too immersed in his research into flame alchemy to pay attention to anything else. I wonder whether he'd slowly starve to death if she wasn't here to make sure he ate.

Since I don't have much else to do, I explored some of the property behind the house this afternoon after studying all morning. Lucy and Claire would love it. It's a bit overgrown and wild, true, but it's actually really pretty that way. There are some amazing roses growing along one side of the house, and I can't believe how many different colors and sizes there are. The grass has grown really tall in the front of the house, and there are a lot of wildflowers scattered in the mix too. Around the back there's even an old barn, but it doesn't look like any livestock has been kept there in ages. I found an old doll in the hay loft, so Miss Hawkeye probably played there when she was younger. It's pretty dirty in there, though, more like a junk heap than anything else. The wood is rotten in places, just like some parts of the porch around the house. I don't think sensei even notices the state of the outside of the house, to be honest, and Miss Hawkeye can't possibly handle it all on her own.

I can almost hear Veronica saying "sexist!" and getting all indignant, but don't misunderstand me: I'm not saying that a girl isn't capable of doing groundskeeper's work or repairs. Miss Hawkeye certainly is slender and delicate, so it definitely wouldn't be an easy job for her. But she already has the whole inside of this great big house to manage all on her own. Dealing with the upkeep of the property on top of the housework and the cooking, plus school? That's just expecting too much of any one person. Maybe I should see if there is anything out there that I can help with…checking for holes in the roof or something. It will give me something to do between lessons, and I guess it would be good exercise while I'm at it.

Anyway, there's a lot more to the property that I haven't seen yet. I can't wait to spend some time in those old woods!"

In a rare display of uncertainty, Chris Mustang chewed on her plump lower lip as she re-read her nephew's latest letter for the third time. She caught herself after a moment and quickly pulled out a hand mirror to check her lipstick.

Funny, wasn't it? That he'd sent this one letter independent of the others? His "weekly" packet had arrived only the day before; the girls were squabbling over it downstairs even now. So why send them a single letter, and so soon? Why not send it with the next weekly packet?

Perhaps it wasn't really that strange. Knowing Roy, his little 'discovery' had so surprised him that he'd just had to share it as soon as possible with his girls. Whom he very obviously missed, more than either he or his aunt had anticipated.

"A little loneliness is probably good for him," Chris thought, absently reapplying her blood red lipstick. "It'll build his character, I should think. With all these girls constantly fawning over him here, he's in some danger of developing an inflated sense of his own importance, if we're not careful."

She rose slowly, and moved to her window to gaze out over the rooftops. "This young Miss Hawkeye sounds like a sensible sort of girl, quiet though she may be. Knows better than to trust a person on sight, at least," she mused.

Then she smiled suddenly, and all the traces of uncertainly cleared from her face. "I hope she makes him work for it. Trust and friendship should be earned, after all. He should know what it's like to have to want something that doesn't come easy, for a change. To have to really work at it. Yes, she'll be good for him." Downstairs, raised voices and bright laughter announced the arrival of Violet and Ada. Chris glanced at the letter one last time before locking it in her desk drawer.

"Daughter, hm? Grumman, you sly old fox," she whispered. Her smile turned slightly feral as she locked her office door behind her.

It was time to get back to work.

A.N. I meant to post this one yesterday, but my laptop had other ideas. My kingdom for a PC that doesn't turn suicidal at the three year mark. I guess that's why everyone keeps telling me to get a Mac...Ah, first world problems.

Anyway. Thanks again for the reviews/favorites/follows, folks! I can't tell you how they brighten my day :)

xoxo Janie