On May 13, 1832, Susanna and John attended the wedding of Catharine and Thomas at St. Margaret Church in the village of Reydon. The whole family was in attendance, despite the fact that Mrs. Strickland didn’t approve of Thomas, and neither did Agnes or Jane, who were bridesmaids. They saw only a tall, balding, impoverished widower, nine years older than their beautiful kind Catharine. But Susanna saw Thomas differently. As she watched him gently slip the gold band onto Catharine’s finger, she sensed that he truly loved her sister, and that alone was what mattered.

      And Susanna had another reason to rejoice in the wedding. Catharine and Thomas had decided to emigrate to Canada. Thomas had attended the lectures by William Cattermole along with John and had been convinced of the benefits of leaving England as soon as possible. Susanna wouldn’t be separated from her favourite sister after all.

      As Agnes and Jane stood by Catharine’s side at the altar, they couldn’t understand how she, like Susanna, could choose to go to a far-off colony where there were no theatres or libraries and where their homes would be made of crude materials.

4 The Crossing