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As it turned out, it wasn’t as easy to accomplish as Soo Ho had expected.  For one thing, he was called before the king later that morning.  But still very early in the day.  Soo Ho didn’t even get to see Jung Sook before he had to head to the palace.

She awoke with a headache.  And leaned back against the luxurious bed upon which she’d slept the whole night soundly.  The events of yesterday evening came flooding back into her consciousness, and she sat straight up.  Bo A was her first thought.

She sprang from the bed and headed for the hallway.  She wasn’t sure where Soo Yeon’s room was, but she did know how to find the sitting room, so she walked that way.  She met Lady Bit Na in that sunny room.

“Good morning, dear,” the woman greeted her kindly.  “Did you sleep well?”

Jung Sook began to nod but ended up wincing instead.

Lady Bit Na’s face crumpled in concern.  “Does your head ache?”

“It does,” Jung Sook responded as she rubbed her forehead.  “Where is Bo A?”

“She’s still asleep.  In Soo Yeon’s room.  She spent the night with her.  My daughter refused to leave her side.  She even left a lamp burning so the child would not be scared if she awoke in the night.”

Jung Sook smiled at the girl’s thoughtfulness.  “You have a wonderful family, my lady.”

“Thank you.  I think so too.”

“Is Soo Ho up yet?”

“Oh, my dear!  He left already.”

“He did?”  The teacher’s face fell in disappointment as she seated herself in a chair. 

She really wanted to see him.  His eyes lighting up with joy at her simple presence.  She longed to hear his soothing voice breathing into her ear.  And she yearned to feel his comforting arms around her again. 

But then another thought crossed her mind as her eyes studied the blue sky outside the window.

“Oh!”  She leaned forward.  “I need to get to the school.”

“No, dear, you don’t.  I’ve already sent a servant to post a notice dismissing classes today.  You need to rest.  And Bo A will need you soon.”

Jung Sook melted against the back of the chair she was sitting in.  “Oh, thank you!” she uttered with heartfelt gratitude.  “I cannot imagine trying to deal with those girls today.”

“I imagine they’re quite the handful, aren’t they?” murmured Lady Bit Na cheekily.  “I know all of those girls.  My admiration for your courage isn’t limited to your dealings of last night, my dear.  But also to those committed in the daylight.  I know very few women who would brave an entire day spent locked in a room with those girls.  Let alone every day for months.”

“Well, I do get the occasional holiday,” Jung Sook muttered with a grin teasing the corners of her lips.

And Soo Ho’s mother chuckled delightedly.  “Oh, my dear, I just adore you!” she gasped.

And surprise stunned Jung Sook’s countenance.

But before she had to think of a reply to that amazing statement, a tiny voice spoke behind her, “Unnie Jung Sook, can I see my eomma?”

The young teacher turned to face the now fatherless girl and recalled when such a circumstance had befallen herself.  Of course, she’d been years older than Bo A when her own appa had died.  At least, Bo A’s cruel father couldn’t force his daughter into a violent marriage.  And maybe, just maybe, her mother would allow Jung Sook to continue to work with her, affording her advantages that might save her from a disastrous future of her own.

“Absolutely.  Would you like to go see her now?”

“My dear, may I make a suggestion?” Lady Bit Na’s quiet voice sounded.

Jung Sook glanced up into her compassionate gaze.  And nodded her head.

“Let me send a servant to invite them to visit you both here.”

“Here?”

“Yes.  Neutral ground, as it were.”

Seeing the woman’s wisdom, Jung Sook nodded her head.  “Thank you.”

“I shall invite them all for breakfast.” 

And a few moments later, a servant was running to see that the deed was done.

––

Jung Sook gasped and looked up at Soo Ho’s mother.  “I just remembered!  Bo A’s mother works for you!”

The other woman smiled and bobbed her head.  “Indeed.  She does.  I hired her to be our maid.  About a month ago now.  Though, I imagine that in the days ahead, I might be adding to her responsibilities.”  She glanced down at the child sitting quietly on Jung Sook’s lap.  “Bo A, would you like a job as a maid too?”

Lady Bit Na caught the alarm that flew across the young teacher’s face in response to her question.  So she was quick to add to her discussion with the little girl.  “Of course, you couldn’t do any work for me until you’d completed your schooling each day.  Unnie Jung Sook can bring you home with her at the end of school each day, and you can begin helping our cook with dinner.  As soon as you walk through the door.”

Bo A’s smile stretched wide.  “You would pay me to help cook dinner?  So I could help Eomma?”  The awe in her voice drew a tear to both women’s eyes.

But it was something else in the older woman’s words that had drawn Jung Sook’s attention.  After Lady Bit Na assured the child that she would pay her a fair wage, the teacher queried, “Home?”

Soo Ho’s mother met her gaze.  “Mm-hmm.  I cannot imagine that you wish to return to your house.”  She shuddered.  “For the foreseeable future, you may keep your rooms here.  I think that cherry blossoms suit you.”

Frozen in her seat, Jung Sook simply stared at the incredibly wonderful woman.  “Are you related to Lady Ae Ji?” she asked suddenly.

“Lady Kang Ae Ji?”

Jung Sook bobbed her head up and down.

“I am not related to that esteemed lady.  But I do know her.  She and my mother were friends.  Oh, how I miss Lady Ae Ji!  Such a compassionate soul!”

“As are you, my lady.”  Jung Sook wasn’t sure what else to say. 

She knew that most of the time Soo Ho wasn’t living here anymore.  Still, wouldn’t living with his family be awkward?  She and he had yet to come to any kind of understanding.  She hadn’t even had a chance to tell him the truth yet.  A fact with which she was becoming more uncomfortable with every passing moment.  And…was it truly possible that his father would agree to an alliance between them?

Her stomach was churning as she contemplated all the situations that she had yet to face today.  She wanted to get the upcoming confrontation with Bo A’s mother over with as soon as possible.  She was still very worried that the woman must hate her now.

But a little while later, that grieving widow arrived with three boys in tow.  And Jung Sook had to agree that the older two, at least, did appear to be young men already.  All of them were clearly still in shock over their father’s death. 

A servant ushered them into the sitting room, and Jung Sook sprang to her feet and bowed deeply to Bo A’s mother.  Waiting tensely for that woman to march across the room and slap her across the cheek.

But she didn’t even look at Jung Sook.  The young mother had eyes only for her daughter.  She even forgot to bow to Lady Bit Na.  She flew across the room and engulfed Bo A in a hug. 

“Oh, baby, I am so sorry!” she sobbed against her daughter’s hair.

“I’m sorry, Eomma!  If I’d just stayed at home, Appa wouldn’t be dead,” the child mourned into her mother’s torso.

“No, Bo A!  This is not your fault!  Your appa was a…very troubled man.  You didn’t do anything wrong, baby,” she whispered as she squatted down in front of the child to make eye contact with her.  “Your appa made his own choices.  And he paid for them too.” 

She stood up and speared her three sons with a steely stare.  “Let this be a lesson to you.  How you treat women matters.  I know you’ve seen one thing at home.  But your appa paid a bitter price for his hatred of women.”

Jung Sook was shocked by the woman’s words.  She had not recognized such boldness in Bo A’s mother the first time that they’d met.  Perhaps being finally freed from her husband’s hold over her had given her the courage to speak the truth.  Just then, she turned her eyes on the teacher.

“I have come to beg your forgiveness, Miss Gwan.”  She bowed to her. 

“My forgiveness?” Jung Sook echoed.  Confused.  “For what?  You have not wronged me, ma’am.”

“My husband did you the greatest wrong a man can do a woman,” she began.

“Well, he tried, but he failed.” 

Thanks to Soo Ho.

Ga Hee held her gaze.  “Still, I am so sorry that he put you through that.  And after everything you did to help our daughter.”  She glanced at Bo A.

Jung Sook instantly responded, “I’m all right.  My concern is for your daughter, ma’am.  Not only did she pass through a dreadful trauma last night, but I’m concerned about her future.  Will you still allow me to teach her?  To prepare her for the future?”

“Before you answer that question,” Lady Bit Na intervened, “please know that I offered your daughter a position as a maid in my house.  She has accepted.  She will be a kitchen-maid.  And her job will start after school each day.”

The young mother’s face melted with relief.  “You’re going to hire my baby too?  Both of us?”

Lady Bit Na replied, “That’s the other thing.  I find that I have greater need of your services than I first anticipated.  You completed your first month with us the other day.  And I have been very pleased with your work ethic.  I would like to extend your hours.  And increase your pay, of course. 

“And if you need a place to live, we have room in our servants’ quarters.  In fact, we have an empty house out back.  It’s small, but you could fit your whole family into it.  Of course, my daughter has taken a liking to your daughter, and she might just fight for the right to share her rooms with Bo A.”  Lady Bit Na smiled sweetly at the shocked woman.

“That won’t be necessary, milady,” she bowed to Soo Yeon’s mother.  “I would never expect a noble lady to share her bedroom with my daughter.  But I will accept the offer of the house out back.  Gratefully.  Thank you, milady!  And I will, of course, work whatever hours you see fit.”  Relieved tears slid down the poor woman’s face.

Jung Sook sneaked a peek at the woman’s three sons and wondered what would become of them.  But she should have known that Lady Bit Na was already assessing their situation too. 

“I just so happen to know of several apprenticeships coming open.  I might be able to put a word in for each of your sons with the interested parties.  Unless…my husband said that your eldest might be taking over his father’s forge.”

“Indeed.  He’s been training the boy for the past year.  Bo Sun is skilled enough now to take it over.  Aren’t you, son?” she asked gently.

The quiet boy nodded his head.  As he stepped forward, Jung Sook inhaled sharply.  For she had just caught sight of the yellowing bruises lining his throat.  She closed her eyes as she wondered whom in this family the father had not hurt.  Perhaps his death was a relief to them all.

What a very sad epitaph for a man’s life.

“Very good, young man,” Lady Bit Na remarked.  She turned to glance at his mother again.  “Would you like for me to arrange apprenticeships for your other two sons?”

The young mother’s head bobbed up and down.  “Oh, yes, milady!  Thank you.”  More silent tears followed the first.

She hugged her daughter close again.

“So,” Jung Sook prompted her, “will you allow me to continue to teach Bo A?”

The woman nodded.  Enthusiastically.  “Oh, yes, ma’am.  Thank you, ma’am!”

“I will, of course, escort her to and from school each day,” Jung Sook offered generously.

“From my house,” Lady Bit Na interjected.

Seeing the confusion on the mother’s face, Jung Sook explained, “It seems that I’m to be living here for a while.  So, you see, it will be easy for her to walk with me.”

“Oh!”  If she was still perplexed, the woman hid it well.  “Thank you.  To you both.”

Lady Bit Na smiled.  “I am just happy that we could find some small way in which to help you.  Now…who’s hungry?  Chef has prepared a beautiful breakfast for us all!  Why don’t we head into the dining room?”

Jung Sook hung back as the family followed Lady Bit Na into the other room.  She was feeling a little overwhelmed.  The shock of last night was still reverberating throughout her soul.  And she longed for Soo Ho.  And his comforting arms.