Isabel: Taking Wing

Banished!

As punishment for coming back late all sopping wet, Isabel is forced to sit in her study alone for seven days. Aunt Elinor even tells her she can’t read her books. All Isabel can do is sit and do her embroidery and needlepoint. And even when her work is flawless, Aunt Elinor makes her unstitch it and do it all over again. When Alice comes in to give Isabel her midday meal, she explains that she knows that Meg was with her, and about the boat drowning. She lectures Isabel for risking Meg’s position—the only reason Meg isn’t fired is because Aunt Elinor doesn’t know Meg was with Isabel that night.

That afternoon, Isabel sneaks a piece of gingerbread to Meg. She apologizes to Meg for only thinking of herself and not of realizing the risk she was putting onto Meg. Meg accepts her apology, and they laugh at Joan’s singing together.

When Isabel’s father gets home, Isabel stays in the study waiting to be called for. Under normal circumstances, she would rush downstairs to greet Father, but not this time. She waits what feels like hours, until Sabine calls for her. Even though Isabel apologizes, she can tell it’s too late. Her father is very disappointed. When he asks her what she was doing, she doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t want to incriminate Meg.

Father tells Isabel that she’s to go live with Aunt de Vere in Northamptonshire, about seventy miles northwest of London. Isabel barely remembers Aunt de Vere, and is nervous… apparently Aunt de Vere is a religious widow. Isabel will never get another chance to have exciting adventures again.

That evening, as Isabel goes back to her chambers, she can hear Sabine sobbing into her bed—Isabel will miss Sabine’s wedding. Instead of going to her own bed, she goes into Hope’s room and crawls onto Hope’s tiny bed. Isabel sings her little sister to sleep, comforting herself just a little bit, too.