Living at the Samuel house was eye opening to say the least. Doctor Samuel ruled the roost and the rest of the weekend he spent his time directing his wife, his son or me to behave in the ways he felt were appropriate.

I was reeling from Leon’s abrupt news and feeling homesick. Trevor preferred his mother to me and even when I could amuse him, he kept looking around and asking for her. Doctor Samuel had her studying in his office to prevent interruptions.



At least I only had to work part of June, July and August. By September I would be in college full time back in my town and this would all just be job experience for my resume. But the environment was so disciplined and directed and critical I kept wishing for August to be here now.

Monday morning Doctor Samuel packed up his briefcase early and left to take the train into Boston where he was a partner in a large medical practice. I’m sure I heard Mrs. Samuel sigh in relief once the taxi pulled out of the driveway. I was taking Trevor out of his crib when she called up to me.

“Laura, get Trevor dressed quickly. We’re going to the Farmer’s Market in town.” Her voice sounded friendly and warm.



“Mama, mama,” said Trevor as soon as I set him down on the living room floor. She scooped him up and covered him in kisses.

“Does my darling was to go to the Market?” she asked, hugging him.

“Yes! Yes! Nanny see the ponies.”

Mrs. Samuel turned to me. “They have a man who gives pony rides at the Market. We can pick up coffee and some breakfast from one of the stalls and spend the morning shopping for fresh produce.”

“Okay,” I replied.

In a few minutes we were driving into one of the small country towns outside our city where they held a Market every Monday morning. Farmers and artisans would bring their wares and sell them in stalls in the large park.

“We don’t have market days in my town,” I confessed as she put Trevor in his pushchair/stroller.

“Right, you come from a big suburb. We have some good ones in Burlington.”

Mrs. Samuel sounded homesick.

“Well, let’s get a coffee and a few doughnuts. What flavor do you want, Trevor?”

“Chocolate!” he shouted with enthusiasm.

The market turned out to be fun and interesting. We arrived back home just after noon laden with fruit and vegetables. Trevor had lunch and fell asleep quickly for his nap.

After putting him in his crib, I went downstairs to help Mrs. Samuel put away the groceries. She looked sad and deflated again back in her lovely new kitchen.

“Let me do that, Mrs. Samuel,” I said, putting the tomatoes in a big bowl on the counter top.

“I wish..” she said, and then her voice trailed off.

“What?”

“I wish you could call me Betsy. I like being friendly, not formal. Richard’s the formal one but he’s been raised that way.”

I nodded. “My mother tried to raise me formally but I refused.”

“He used to be fun when we first met. He was so kind to me when I needed him.” She looked off into space. “But his family—they demanded so much.”

“Families do, sometimes,” I agreed.

“Do you like Cousin Arthur?” she asked me suddenly.

“Um, should I be honest?”

“Yes, do.”

“Not particularly.”

“Neither do I. You being our nanny for the summer—it was his idea. Not that I don’t like you, Laura. I do. Even though you just got here I think you’re a nice girl, and you are down to earth, and very good with the baby.

“I like you, too, Betsy.”



She smiled. “You mustn’t call me that in front of Richard. He’d have a fit. Anyhow, Cousin Arthur got it in his head if we had a nanny I could study harder for my Bar Exam and of course, the Cash family likes the idea of servants. It makes them feel grand."

Suddenly she looked at the clock as if in a panic.

“Well, it’s after 2 and Richard will be home by 6. I better go study! Laura, clean up the kitchen and then make sure Trevor is up by 4 from his nap. You can take him down to the park if the sun stays out. Remember I pointed it out on our way to the market?”

“Yes, Mrs. Samuel.”

"Thank you for coming with us today, Laura. Tomorrow I have a study group at the library in the City of Boston. So you'll have to mind Trevor all day until the afternoon. I'll be driving in with Richard but taking the train home."

"Okay," I replied.

"Well, I'll see you later." She sighed. She was acting robotically strict again. I suppose that was life when you were married to a Samuel of Boston.