"Make way! Make way!"
Elaine moved to the side of the trace just before the carriage rolled past, mud splattering from the wheels across her wool overcoat. She continued to watch for a moment, the carriage slipping in the deep, thick mud while the pair of horses pulled on.
Once the carriage was out of sight she stepped back into the muddy road, the choice between struggling through the thick underbrush and brambles or wading through the mud having made itself. She grimaced at the feel of the cold mud squishing between her toes and began to slog on, the only shoes and two pair of stockings she owned safely in the carpet bag she carried in one hand, her breaches pulled up safely above her knees beneath the coat and tied with lengths of linen cord.
The day was gray and overcast, the misting rain making her black overcoat sparkle where it wasn't covered in mud and dew drops drip from the brim of her bonnet. A deer stepped between the oak and maple into the trace ahead of her and paused to gaze back until the harsh caw of a crow sent it leaping away.
Elaine struggled on, every step sinking almost up to her knee in the thick mud with her feet frozen lumps that she could barely feel until finally reaching a split rail fence along the northern side of the road. The land beyond was cleared for grazing and Elaine ducked beneath a rail to walk on the firm sod of the pasture and only having to step aside for the occasional horse apple.
After another quarter mile a manor house came into view through the trees, a white washed two story home with columns adorning the wide front porch, several outbuildings and a barn clustered along a gravel path that led to the mud trace.
She gazed at the house for a moment, her eyes drawn to the black paint outlining the windows and red shutters then stepped over to an oak. She leaned against the rough bark for a moment and then began to dig through her carpetbag for stockings and her shows as well as a rag to try to clean herself as best she could.
She had just managed to finish with her left leg and slip on her stockings and half boot when the sound of a horse galloping towards her caused her to look up.
"Here now! What are you about!" an older man with gray hair braided to hang behind an old fashioned tricorn yelled when he pulled back on the reigns.
Elaine saw his eyes glance down and she hurriedly arranged her overcoat to conceal her bare right leg and foot before looking back up at him with her face flushed in embarrassment.
"My name is Elaine Tobiason," Elaine replied and pushed herself a way from the oak so that she could stand, "I am to be the tutor for Mr and Mrs Marsh."
"And do tutors go about showing a bit of ankle where you're from, Ms Tobiason?" the man asked while his horse tossed its head and cantered sideways.
"W... I..." Elaine began, her face again heating in embarrassment.
Elaine watched his eyes travel down to the hem of her coat and she glanced down to ensure that she was properly covered.
"You were expected day before yesterday," the man added harshly, "No matter.
"Finish what you're about, I'll ride on and inform Mrs Marsh you've finally strolled your way to our stoop."
Without waiting for an answer the man sawed at the reigns, the horse backing and nearly falling before spinning towards the house. The man gave a whoop and dug his heels into the animal's sides, the horse surging away towards the house.
Elaine watched him go, her face still red but more in anger than in embarrassment.
"Oaf," Elaine said under her breath, but glanced carefully around to ensure she was alone before exposing her right leg to finish cleaning as much mud away as she could before slipping on her stocking.
After finishing lacing her half boots and untying her breaches to properly cover her knees she continued on to the manor house, the door opening the moment she stepped foot onto the wide porch.
"Ms Tobiason?" a woman much the same age as Elaine asked with three young children standing obediently next to her, "Andrew informed of us your... prompt arrival."
"I am," Elaine replied and gave a curtsy, "And I apologize, I only arrived in New Haven yesterday, the ship I was embarked upon being delayed at sea."
The woman stared at Elaine for a moment before giving a small not and a sympathetic smile.
"No man holds the vagaries of the sea in his hand, I am Jane Marsh and these," Jane said and swept her hand towards her children, "Are Catherine, Jacob, and Melissa."
The girls bobbled curtsies when introduced while the young man gave a slight bow.
"They shall be your preferably apt," Jane said and gave the children a glare, "Pupils in the weeks to come, but perhaps you'd prefer to freshen up from your walk from New Haven?"
Elaine smiled at the children and then looked at Jane with a nod of appreciation.
"I very much would appreciate a moment," Elaine replied with a smile, "I fear I've brought along a good portion of the road clinging to my coat!"
Jane smiled and then made shoeing gesture towards the children, "Off with you!
"I expect you all to have clean clothes and clean fingernails for dinner since we have a guest tonight!"
"Yes ma'am!" the children called out before scattering.
"I'll show you to the room that is to be yours," Jane replied after watching the children disappear, "Then, if you would like, there is hot water for a bath after your journey."
"Oh!" Elaine said, truly surprised, "I would enjoy that very much, thank you!
"Umm, is Mr Marsh here as well?"
Jane led the way inside, Elaine glancing around the spacious entry curiously.
"My husband, Donald is away on business," Jane replied evenly.
For the next thirty minutes Elaine was led from room to room until finally arriving at a space barely larger than a closest that barely fit a narrow bed, a small window letting in a bit of the gray, overcast light, Elaine quite unsure as to how she had even arrived at the plain door.
"This is to be yours while you are our guest," Jane said evenly, her expression never having changed throughout the entire tour.
"Thank you, ma'am," Elaine replied and sat her bag down on the narrow bed.
Jane glanced at the small window for a moment and looked at Elaine, her eyes seeming to take her measure before nodding back the way they had come.
"Come along," Jane said and turned to walk away.
