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am that you scored so well on your exams.  As I’m sure you are aware,
your mother’s will left several provisions should you be accepted into the
college.”  Mia, who had never given the matter a moment’s thought until that instant,
kept her face politely blank.    
     
    He
pulled out a thick stack of parchment and handed it to Emma, and a thinner
stack was placed in Mia’s hands.  “All of your expenses books, dorm, fees and
so forth will be covered by the estate.  You will also receive a larger
quarterly allowance, and of course, certain privileges, like the use of the
stables and library at the estate for the next year and five months before you
can legally inherit.  You will be required to spend no less than eight hours a
month either at the manor or in this office learning estate management.”  Mr.
Smith smiled again, and his face crinkled in a reassuring way.  “Your mother
felt strongly that a person shouldn’t be given control of an estate without
some education in running one, though she did understand that a person
attending the college would have limited time.”
     
    He pulled
out a plain oak wand and pointed it at his desk.  The smooth wood parted.  An
old-fashioned iron safety box was revealed.   His brow contracted as he tapped
a rapid pattern on oddly raised shapes on the lid of the box.  It was black
with age, but it popped open with a sudden motion that startled Mia.  Mr. Smith
seemed totally unconcerned.  He took out a ledger and poured a great deal of
gold and silver coin into a pouch.  “This is your quarterly income.  Books and
other supplies come out of a second fund, and should be charged to this
account.”  He handed her a thick card with a number inscribed in gold.  “Clothing,
shoes, hats, and all that should also be paid out of this fund.  Notify me
immediately if you lose it.  Every shop in the City will charge goods to this
account.”  Mia clutched it in her hand, a bit dumbfounded.  The weight of the coin
in the bag as he handed it to her brought the reality of her situation home to
her as nothing else had.  It was difficult to really think of yourself
as an heiress when you slept in a little cottage and milked a goat twice a day. 
     
    “Please
call a carriage whenever you want to visit the City, Miss.  It isn’t done for
young wanded ladies to be seen walking around town.”  He hesitated for a second
and then added.  “It isn’t a bad thing when you’re accompanied by your
guardian, but you shouldn’t go anywhere in the City on foot alone.”  She didn’t
see the need to reiterate, but Mia assured him that she didn’t have any
intention of roving the City streets and promised that she would call a cab if
she had the urge to go anywhere.  There were so many new rules!   Mr. Smith
walked them out of the office and hailed a cab for them.  “If there’s any
assistance I can offer, don’t hesitate to ask.  I will send a note ‘round when
the estate is ready for a visit.”
     
    The
afternoon was spent at a dressmaker, picked at random from the six or seven on
Taylor’s Row simply because it was the first one they came to that had a
display of College uniforms in the window.  The seamstress seemed irritated
when they walked in.  She quickly put together a pile of uniforms for Mia to
try and hustled her to the back room to change.  She was muttering to herself
about deadlines as she oversaw seven needles flying around a dress form while
two pair of scissors flew around patterns. 
     
    Three
hours later, Mia twirled around in front of the chipped mirror.  The uniforms
were not in the latest mode.  The skirt was a bit too wide, not all like the
popular tulip skirts that had come out last fall.  Apparently the college staff
didn’t read City Couture.  But it could have been much worse.  The uniform
could have been orange or had a hoop skirt.  Objectively speaking, this wasn’t
a bad design.  The dark grey material was nice with