*all ages

Author’s Note: Trixie Belden and related characters are the properly of Golden Publishing, and I am receiving no compensation for writing this story. The new characters introduced here are a product of my overactive imagination. Special thanks to Yankee Girl for editing my very rough draft!

 

Second Chances

by Lissa

 

Chapter 1

The sturdy four-year old sat on the back of the pony and was totally engrossed in following the directions of the man walking beside her. The sunlight glinted off the man’s brilliant hair and the soft, sandy waves of the child’s. How much alike they were, father and daughter, thought the young woman watching them.

Noticing her mother, the child suddenly waved. She the slender girl pushed her dark hair out of her eyes and apprehensively waved back. "Keep your mind on your riding, Darcy!" she called across the paddock.

Hearing her voice the man looked for her. She waved again and he led the pony to the fence. The man kissed his lovely wife.

"She is too young," the woman said stubbornly.

"She will be just fine, Leda," he replied, quietly.

"Take care of her. I won’t ever forgive you if something happens…"

The handsome man silenced her with a kiss. "Shh.. Now I have to finish the lesson before the boss’ kids get up. And you have to study."

Leda turned to go back inside their small apartment above the garage, but stopped when she heard the frightened whiney of Belle, one of the mares in the second paddock, and saw the startled horse begin dance about excitedly.

She started to walk over the paddock holding the mare when she realized what ever had startled Belle had frightened Misty. She turned just in time to see Misty rear and the inexperienced little rider tossed from the pony’s back. Terrified, Leda raced to the paddock and climbed over the fence with as much ease as when she was fifteen. The man grabbed the pony’s reins and quickly quieted him before turning to look at his wife who was cradling the small child.

She looked at him with tears streaming down her face. "I’ll never forgive you…"

With a sob Leda awakened. She reached over to touch the pillow next to her and realized that she was alone in a narrow bed in her dorm. She brushed the tears from her face and slowly walked over to the window and looked out at the lovely May dawn. She had awakened every morning of the last two years totally alone. She had counted the number of days. Seven hundred eighty-five lonely days since she had hurt him that last time. Seven hundred eighty-five lonely days that she had awakened to the same nightmare.

The twentieth of May dawned clear and bright as Leda pulled her suitcase from the closet and began packing. While carefully folding her meager wardrobe and placing the garments in her suitcase, she paused to study a bright pink cashmere sweater. It was a Christmas present from her mother eight years before when she was fifteen. At least it had been bright pink. Now it was thin and faded almost beyond recognition. "If it had looked like this when I was fifteen, I wouldn’t have be caught dead in it," she reflected. "But, it would have never have looked like this, because I would have thrown it away years before." Then she had had so much then that fine, beautiful things were thrown away on a whim. Everything she owned was worn out except for the black dress she had bought for interviews. She had gone without lunch for a month to buy that. She packed all of her clothes except for the new dress. Soon it and her graduation gown hung alone in her closet.

"I will have to buy new clothes as soon as I find a decent job," she thought. Unfortunately teaching jobs had been scarce for the past few years and she would probably be working at the bookstore and scraping by on whatever she could make tutoring for at least a few more months.

Suddenly, clothing forgotten, she laughed and grabbed her locket from her bedside table and kissed the tiny photo inside. "I did it, honey! I did it!" She sat the picture of the little girl down and grabbed the teddy bear sitting beside it and danced a few steps across the room.

"Leda, what are you doing?" her best friend asked.

"Don’t you ever knock?" She asked, too embarrassed to look at her friend.

"Don’t you ever lock your door?" Bets countered. "You should know better. But I guess after all those years of doormen for your fancy penthouse and living in the country…"

"That was a long time ago!" Leda snapped. Elizabeth Drew was the only person at NYU that knew her secrets.

Leda had poured her heart out to her friend a year ago after she was fired from her job at a dry cleaner and was placed on academic probation because her grades had slipped. That night she broke down and explained to her friend why she wanted to finish college so quickly and couldn’t lose her scholarship. Drained by the long hours of studying and exhausting work, she had felt relieved to talk to someone. But she had earned her degree and when she was able to earn enough money she could leave New York and go west or anywhere far away from her parents.

Bets had helped her get a job at one of her father’s bookstores and had offered to let her share her new apartment until she had money to strike out on her own. Leda had hesitantly agreed, and the girls were planning on moving into the spacious apartment after graduation that afternoon.

"Are you wearing that to the graduation party?" Bets asked pointing to the sedate black sheath. While sweet, Bets was not always tactful.

"Do I have any other choice?" Leda asked sweetly.

"You could borrow something of mine. I think my grandmother had a dress like this…"

"I bought it for interviews. I don’t have enough money for frivolous clothes. I don’t even have enough money for decent jeans," Leda said brushing a thin hand over the torn knees of her only pair.

"Why don’t you take some of my things? I will never use half of what I have," Leda offered generously.

"No," Leda said patiently, "for the five hundredth time, no. My parents don’t think I can do this on my own, but I will. Including paying you for rent as soon as I have a job. Nobody’s ever believed in me. No one has ever thought that I was anything but a stupid teenager who could get pregnant by a kid responsible for cleaning out the stables and run off and get her own baby killed. I’m going to do this on my own."

"He believed in you…"

"Bets, that was a long time ago. I don’t even know where he went. I said something stupid to him because I was hurt and that’s that."

Bets quickly changed the subject. "Oh, I forgot. We have to get you dressed up tonight. Stella’s brother is coming to the party.

"No thanks," Leda said.

"He thinks you are gorgeous."

"I think he’s obnoxious. And besides, I’m still a married woman."

"Why don’t you do something about that? You could start over. You’re my age Leda! You are only twenty two and…"

"And I don’t want to get married again," Leda finished for her.

Bets pointed to the narrow engraved band on Leda’s slender finger. "Why don’t you at least put that on your other hand so people don’t ask you about your husband all the time. You would get hit on more often, but would probably…"

"Bets…" Leda warned.

Bets changed the subject again. "Well, you do have to get dressed up for Mrs. Lynch."

"Who?" Leda asked politely.

"Katherine Lynch," Bets repeated. "Her husband and my dad went to school together in Sleepyside. They are richer than your parents and are looking for a governess to take care of their twins. Two sets."

"You know I want to teach…"

"But Leda, think about it. Quiet little Sleepyside – no traffic, no crooks, no crowds. A nice quiet town where nothing ever happens, and all you have to do is help take care of some cute little kids…"

"Probably about the age my little angel would have been. That would be easy! Bets that sweet but I want to teach high school. It would hurt too much to be around children right now."

"At least think about it. Getting out of the city wouldn’t exactly hurt your health, you know. You have worked far too hard this semester and…"

"I’ll think about it," Leda interrupted.

"Good. Let’s see if I have any thing that will fit your tiny body."

"No thanks. If I’m considering becoming a governess, I might as well go looking like plain, sensible little Jane Eyre, and Mrs. Lynch can hire me or not!"

 

Chapter 2

As it turned out, Leda had to borrow one of Bet’s dresses. She caught hers on a folding chair and tore it before the graduation ceremony. She felt tears welling up in her eyes as she saw the bad tear in the only thing she owned that was not in rags.

Walking into the Drews’ house that evening, Leda looked like a princess in Bet’s soft rose colored silk dress.

 

"You look lovely dear," Lynn Drew said after congratulating the new graduate. Lynn was as sweet as her daughter and had opened up her home and heart to her daughter’s friend.

"Mumsy," said Bets in her best cajoling little-girl tone, "Tell Leda how wonderful the Lynches are. Besides she can’t teach high school. Everyone will confuse her with the students!"

"The Lynch family is charming. But you need to make up your own mind. For now, please play the piano or sing for us, dear," begged Mrs. Drew placing her arm around Leda’s slim shoulders. "My string quartet is late and I will have guests arriving any moment."

Leda turned toward the piano just as Mr. and Mrs. Lynch arrived. "Dear, come meet Katherine first."

She complied and exchanged pleasantries with both of them. "We will have to talk seriously after the party," Katherine Lynch, said to Leda. "Lynn has told me a great deal about you and I would like for you to spend sometime with us. The girls need more attention than I can give them. And if that doesn’t work out, I’m sure something can be arranged at Sleepyside High."

"Thank you," she said sincerely. After promising to discuss the offer later, she turned toward the baby grand in the corner of the huge living room.

Leda sat down and the grand piano and began to lightly touch the keys. Her fingers quickly acquired confidence and she sweetly sang.

I’ll never smile again, until I smile at you.
I’ll never laugh again, what good would it do?
For tears would fill my eyes, my heart would realize
That our romance is through.

I’ll never love again. I’m so in love with you.
I’ll never thrill again to somebody new.
Within my heart I know I’ll never start
To smile again, until I smile at you!

"How can she possibly be related to Olivia and Bill Kendell?" asked Katherine Lynch. "She seems like an angel."

"You wouldn’t say that if you had seen her returned to her parents by the police," said Lynn. "When she was fourteen, she sneaked out of her their apartment during a dinner party. A few hours later, the police showed up at their door. She and some friends had been caught shoplifting from a five and ten. And that isn’t the worst of it. Her parents alternately spoiled and ignored her and then expected her to magically turn into a model citizen. She was a nightmare to deal with until she went off to school that last time."

"And that was where…"

"Yes," Lynn interrupted with a sad shake of her head. "I didn’t know what had happened to her since then until Bets brought her home a while back. She didn’t remember me though, and I hardly recognized her. I never thought a person could change that completely."

When the quartet came in and was ready to start, Lynn stood up slowly. She rested her hand on the piano to steady herself but felt the room tilt anyway. Every voice in the room became very distance and slowly her world turned black as she slipped to the floor.

"Exhaustion and malnutrition," a voice was saying quietly. And according to your daughter she has been under a lot of emotional strain.

Leda opened her eyes and looked around Bet’s lovely and familiar violet room. Katherine was seated beside her on the wide bed, and Lynn and Bets were talking to the Doctor in quiet whispers. She started to get up, but Mrs. Lynch, gently pressed on her shoulder and told her to just lie still for a few moments.

"I don’t want to be any trouble," Leda protested.

The doctor walked over to her and took her hand. "Young lady, if you don’t start taking better care of your self, you aren’t going to be troubling anyone very long. You need rest and exercise and three square meals a day."

"I can’t. I have to work and…"

"Shh. You are coming home with me," Katherine said. "Lynn has more than she can handle with her charities and Bets alone…" She shook her head sadly.

"That’s a full time job!" laughed Leda with a glance at her pretty friend.

"You remind me of my own Diana, and I know two other girls who would love to have you around. And when you get better, you can work for us for a while if you want to pay your way. And besides my husband and Mr. Drew and your father went to high school together and your…"

"Then you know about me?" Leda interrupted.

"We all make mistakes."

"Yes and I have made several." Leda agreed.

 

Chapter 3

"That should hold it," Trixie Belden said as she pushed the last thumbtack in to the bright "Welcome Leda" banner. The petite but curvy fifteen-year old climbed down from the ladder and pushed her short blond curls out of her face. "I hope your mother won’t mind the holes from the tacks, Di," she said to the beautiful girl who was busy arranging bouquets of flowers.

"She said she wanted to make Leda feel like we need her," she said with a toss of her shoulder length black hair. "I doubt she is going to care about a few marks."

The Bob-Whites of the Glen had heard about Leda’s impending arrival from Diana Lynch, one of their members. Diana was looking forward to having another young woman in the house, and they had prepared a small celebration to properly greet her.

Diana and her best friends Trixie Belden and Honey Wheeler were hanging crepe streamers and balloons on the Lynches’ spacious sun porch. Brian and Mart Belden and Jim Frayne, Honey’s adopted brother, were preparing to grill burgers and hotdogs to go with the delicious potato salad and coleslaw made by the Lynches’ cook. Dan Mangan, the newest member of the small club, turned the crank on an ice cream churn. When the Mrs. Lynch’s sedan pulled into the driveway the group was ready to welcome her.

While Dan helped Mrs. Lynch from the driver’s seat, Mart, Brian, and Jim playfully pushed and shoved for the honor of opening the passenger door for Leda. The girls threw venomous looks at the boys and would have given the same glare to Leda had they not turned in unison to look at her lovely face glowing with a mixture of embarrassment and delight. After her initial surprise had passed, her face paled and Trixie and the other girls noted how very fragile she looked.

Leda was tiny, standing about Trixie’s height. "She’s thinner than Honey was when she came here," Trixie said to herself as she looked at the girl’s slight frame. She had an oval face with a small pointed chin, straight nose, and tiny mouth. Her short, silky, dark brown hair, trimmed that morning by Mrs. Lynch’s own hairdresser, shown with red highlights in the late afternoon sun. Her skin was pale and perfect as cream except for a few pale freckles scattered over her nose and arms. Her eyes were slightly slanted and fringed heavily with dark lashes and were a soft gray blue. Looking out from under well-arched brows they were truly captivating. She was dressed simply in a full pale gray skirt and white blouse and wore little jewelry.

"I’m delighted to meet all of you she exclaimed!" as the girls stepped forward to meet her. "Let’s see. You are Trixie, Honey, Diana, Brian, Mart, and Jim," she said pointing to the appropriate Bob-White as she spoke. "And you must be Dan," she said looking at the handsome, dark-haired young man as he walked around the car to join his friends.

She held out her hand to Dan looked intently into his face. "Have me met before?" she asked looking confused. "You seem familiar."

"I don’t think so," he replied shaking his head and grinning. "I think I would have remembered you."

Leda shrugged and turned her attention to the rest of the group. "Mrs. Lynch did a wonderful job of describing all of you. I feel like I know you already."

She walked up to the house complimenting Mrs. Lynch on the lovely house and grounds. Trixie noted that her voice and manners were as beautiful as she was and couldn’t help but wonder at the girl’s working as a governess.

"What’s wrong," asked Honey knowing her friend had grown far too quiet.

"Nothing," Trixie said honestly. "She’s perfectly perfect. She just doesn’t seem like a governess somehow."

"No, not compared to Mrs. Lefferts, " Honey agreed with a laugh. "But Ms. Trask is lovely and well-mannered too. But I know what you mean. She doesn’t look any older than us, except for her eyes. They don’t seem young. And she looks very delicate."

"Her eyes look like they have seen too much. Like Dan when he’s thinking about before he came here…" Trixie was interrupted by Mrs. Lynch.

"Girls, why don’t you show Leda to her room?" Mrs. Lynch asked. "I thought Leda might like the blue guest room," she said indicating the room next to Di’s.

"That’s what we were thinking," said Di nodding to her mother and then turning to face the smaller girl. "We fixed it up for you this morning."

"Can we get the rest of your things?" asked Dan.

"That’s it," said Leda seeming embarrassed again as she indicated the one small bag Jim was carrying.

As the girls started up the curving staircase, Mrs. Lynch pulled Dan aside and whispered to him. Dan quietly slipped out the front door.

Diana opened the door of the huge baby blue painted room. "It’s not much, but we call it home," she joked as she caught Leda’s hand let the slender girl through the doorway.

The room was large and gracefully furnished with a huge white painted sleigh bed and a matching dresser. The large window overlooking the garden was draped with white organdy and the bed was covered by a white silk spread. An overstuffed mauve sofa and matching chairs sat on the priceless, pastel colored Aubusson rug in front of the windows and bowls of pink roses from the gardens had been placed on the dresser and coffee table. The girls had stocked the marble bath with perfume and bubble bath and Di had stacked a selection of new romance novels and best sellers on the nightstand.

Leda walked over to the rose marble-topped dresser and pretended to rearrange the crystal bowl of roses. Trixie watched as she turned away from the others and brushed tears from her eyes.

Just then Dan walked in the room followed by Mrs. Lynch. Both carried a stack of boxes.

"Girls, you better let Leda change before your cookout." Mrs. Lynch said as she opened a large box and removed a blue and while sundress.

"Mrs. Lynch, you’ve done to much…" Leda began.

"No I haven’t. I just picked out a couple of things while you were getting your hair done. Just think of them as part of your first month’s pay." And as Leda started to protest, she said, "We will talk about it later. I want you to spend a couple of weeks just resting. Now, get changed so the guest of honor doesn’t keep her hosts and hostesses waiting."

Leda smiled at the girls as Mrs. Lynch playfully pushed them out of the room and ten minutes later came down wearing the sundress with a white cardigan tied around her slim shoulders.

The rest of the evening passed pleasantly, with the Bob-Whites telling Leda about their club, homes, and school. Leda told her little audience about the university from which she had just graduated and which Brian and Jim would be attending the next fall.

Jim, hearing that Leda wanted to teach, told her about his plans for a boy’s school.

"That is wonderful!" she exclaimed in sincere admiration. "Maybe I can teach there someday. If I’m here then."

"We hope you stay a long time," said Diana and the others were quick to agree.

Tactful Honey tried to change the subject and said, "I love your locket. I bet someone special gave that to you?"

Leda smiled at her and said "Yes someone special gave that to me a long time ago."

"LKR - Are those your initials?" Honey asked. "What is your whole name?"

"Leda Ke…" her voice broke and she shook her cropped head sadly. "Just Leda for now. I don’t feel like the rest of the name belongs to me right now."

Sensing a change in the mood of the party, Diana suggested that the party break up so that her guest could get some rest. The Bob-Whites quickly said goodnight to their new friend.

 

Chapter 4

It was a beautiful spring morning on Sleepyside on the Hudson. At the Manor House owned by Honey’s and Jim’s father, Jim, Mart and Brian were helping Bill Regan, the Wheeler’s handsome young groom clean the stables. As they worked, the boys discussed the welcome party and the Lynches’ charming new employee.

"Beautiful is not even the word," said Jim with a low wolf whistle.

"I hate to admit it, but she is at least as pretty as Di," said Mart, who was still amazed that anyone could compete with his girlfriend who was considered to be the prettiest girl in Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School.

"And what pin up are we admiring now?" asked Regan laughing.

"No pin up. Just the Lynches’ new governess," said Brian.

"Hey Regan, you know she is pretty close to your age and you don’t have a date for the Belden’s anniversary party yet," teased Jim.

The smile disappeared from Regan’s face and he said, "We will see," noncommittally.

"Does he ever date?" asked Brian. But Jim and Mart just shrugged.

Meanwhile Trixie, Honey and Diana were busy tidying up the clubhouse of their semi-secret club and discussing the object of the boys’ admiration.

"Jim can’t keep his eyes off of her," Trixie griped.

"Let’s admit that none of the boys can," said Di, who was not used to taking a back seat to any other female. "I would really dislike her if she wasn’t so sweet."

"Fortunately, she is a little too old for any of our guys," kind hearted Honey reminded them. "And according to Di’s mom, she hasn’t had the easiest time."

"The poor thing showed up with all her earthly possessions in one tiny suitcase," Di said. "A few threadbare pieces of clothing and a teddy bear. I haven’t seen her with any jewelry but her locket and the pretty engraved band she wears on her right hand."

"Well let’s do ourselves a favor and set her up with someone," said Trixie half seriously.

"I keep having the strangest feeling I know her from somewhere," pondered Honey. "Oh, look at the time. We have to meet the boys to go riding," Honey reminded her friends. "Run home and change and we will pick you and Sunny up over at your house, Di"

When Trixie and Honey got to the stables, the boys had all of the horse saddled and were waiting.

"Regan, do you have a date for Mom’s and Dad’s party yet?" Trixie inquired.

Regan glared at her and stalked back into the stables.

"Nice going, Sis," said Mart.

"What did I do?" Trixie asked truly bewildered by the reaction of the groom.

"We all appear to have hit on a touchy subject. Don’t worry, Trix," Brian consoled her.

When the Bob-Whites got to the Lynch mansion, Diana and Leda were outside deep in discussion

"Leda, why don’t you join us?" Honey asked.

 

"You can ride with me," Jim and Mart chorused. Trixie and Diana only glared at both of them.

Leda smiled at the boys, but shook her head. "Di has been trying to get me to join you, but I don’t ride." She turned and walked into the house without looking back.

"So much for that," sighed Trixie.

"What?" asked Honey.

"Really can you imagine Reagan with anyone who can’t ride?" Everyone laughed and with the tension broken rode away chattering happily.

The next evening, the weather was perfect for the Belden’s party. Jim and Regan finished grooming Jupiter and Strawberry from their afternoon ride, and by the time they had showered and changed, Honey and her parents had already left. Jim and Regan walked to the Belden’s together and by the time they arrived, the party was in full swing.

Trixie was busy talking to the Mr. Lynch so Jim scanned the room to see who was free. He let out a low whistle as he saw Leda. She was wearing an ice blue dress of Honey’s that Honey and Leda had altered and hemmed that afternoon. The only jewelry she was wearing was her usual gold band. Her short brunette curls looked rich and silky and her skin glowed like ivory.

Hearing Jim’s whistle, Regan glanced and Jim and looked in the direction of Jim’s attention. When he saw Leda, Regan’s face turned pale beneath its freckles.

"Are you ok?" asked Jim.

"Oh, fine," he lied. "I guess I’m a little tired. I’ll get something to eat and then say hello."

Regan found Mrs. Belden, apologized for leaving and returned to his apartment.

"Feeling better?" asked Jim the next morning as he entered the stables and saw Regan seated at his desk.

Regan dropped the object he had been studying in the box on his desk. "Oh just fine," he replied nonchalantly. "I suppose I missed a great party?"

"If was terrific. Did you say hello to Leda?"

"No, I didn’t," Regan, said shortly, shaking his head.

"She is stunning, isn’t she?"

When Regan did not answer him Jim turned away to leave.

"Jim," Regan called.

"Yeah."

"I can honestly say that Leda is incredible."

Jim grinned at his friend and started walking toward the house.

 

Chapter 5

As they were helping Mrs. Belden clean up after the party, Honey invited the tired Diana and Leda to spend the night at the Manor House. "It will be late when we finish and that way no one needs to take you home or come back for you." The girls quickly agreed, and Honey invited the rest of the Bob-Whites to join them for breakfast.

"We can eat on the porch and everyone can see how well Bobby is doing with his riding lessons," Mrs. Wheeler said to Celia, the Wheeler’s pretty maid early the next morning. Within minutes, Celia had set the table on the porch and told the group that breakfast was ready.

The group had started eating before Regan led Susie into the paddock. He helped six-year-old Bobby Belden mount the horse and watched as the small boy urged the gentle horse to a walk.

The group was watching Bobby when Leda as she gasped "Darcy!" Everyone turned to look at Leda and saw her frozen in shock staring at the scene. Regan called out instructions to the sandy headed little boy ridding the gentle mare.

Leda stood up not noticing that she had upset her tea. She walked to the porch railing and then down the steps toward the paddock like a woman in a trance.

"Leda, Leda dear," called Mrs. Wheeler, but Leda did not seem to hear her.

The startled group watched as she stood by the paddock fence for a moment and then slowly sank to the ground.

Regan did not notice her until she was standing by the fence. When he saw her fall, he quickly lifted Bobby from the saddle and raced out of the paddock. He picked her slight body up, carried her back to the house, and gently placed her on the sofa. After laying her down, Regan turned to Trixie and said, "There are enough people here without me crowding the room, so I’ll get back to Bobby’s lesson. Let me know when she comes around."

"Where is Will?" Leda asked groggily a few moments later.

"Who, dear?" asked Mrs. Wheeler.

"Oh you mean Bill Regan?" asked Trixie.

"Bill? Yes, I’ll have to remember to call him that," Leda said softly, and Trixie thought she seemed amused.

"Rest here for a while," said Mrs. Wheeler. "You still aren’t your old self."

"No I’m not," said Leda smiling at the older woman. She closed her eyes and let old memories drift back.

 

Fifteen-year old Leda had the dubious distinction of being kicked out of nearly every prestigious school in the northeast as well as several in the south. She had a bad temper, terrible disposition, and a penchant for getting into horrible trouble. As a last resort, her parents tried to bribe her to behave by buying her a long begged for horse.

For the first time Leda was able to channel her energy into something, and she began bringing home award after award. When the new school year started, she began going to Briar Hall, a boarding school with an impressive reputation and even more impressive list of graduates.

There she met a seventeen-year-old groom who shared her love of horses.

"Hey stranger," she said to a tall handsome redhead. "You new around here?"

"I just started last week, Miss."

"Don’t call me miss. I actually started a few weeks ago myself. Leda is the name." She held out her hand.

"Bill, Bill Regan," he replied taking her hand. "Everyone around here just calls me Bill."

"Ooh!" groaned Leda, wrinkling up her pretty nose. "My dad’s name is Bill. Can I call you Will? Or how about William?"

"Will’s fine," he said staring at the lovely brunette.

"His mother calls him William and his Father calls him Will, the girls all call him Billy and the boys all call him Bill, chanted Leda impishly, looking at Will. "What does your mother call you?"

"My Mom’s dead," he said neutrally but Leda saw a flicker of pain in the boy’s eyes.

"I’m sorry," said Leda, meaning it for the first time in her life.

Leda began spending more and more of her free time at the stables and for the first time knew what it was like to care about someone else. Before Christmas Leda was totally in love. Unfortunately she was also pregnant.

After the holidays, Leda and Will ran away together, married and settled in Virginia where Will worked as a groom on a large estate and Leda finished high school. When she had left that her parent’s spacious New York apartment that cold December night, Leda had carried only a knapsack of clothes and her grandmother’s jewelry. The jewelry had seen her through the first years of a small community college and had helped her get back on her feet after…

Getting up from the comfortable sofa, Leda stopped thinking about the past and tiptoed up the staircase to Honey’s room.

 

Chapter 6

After Mrs. Wheeler asked the Bob-Whites to let Leda rest for a while, the girls quietly went upstairs to Honey’s room and the boys started outside to help the gardener with the Manor House’s huge green lawns.

Once the door of the beautiful bedroom was shut, Honey turned to her two friends and said, "I think I know who Leda is." Realizing she had her friends’ full attention, Honey continued speaking as she removed a yearbook from her bookcase. "I was cleaning out some of my stuff from school the other night, and I remembered something that happened when I was in elementary school. Remember how I went to boarding schools?"

The End

Trixie Belden Homepage