Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Edmund was a six-year-old boy—nearly seven, with his birthday only a few months away in January—but he had the stamina and energy of a racehorse, the curiosity of a red squirrel, and the attention span of a gnat. These things culminated to present a great many difficulties in the classroom for Aurelia. They were a week into their lessons, and she was already uncertain how to keep him engaged for longer than a quarter-hour on one subject alone. He was forever asking to visit his father's new mare or to walk in the wood in search of the little red squirrel gathering acorns and storing them away in the giant oak tree for winter.

Aurelia didn't mind the excursions outside. She hadn't been lying when she told Edmund during their first meeting that she made a regular study of finding rooms with good sunlight. Outside was superior to them all, weather permitting. But she only had two months to prove to the earl she was the best person for the governess position, which meant showing a marked improvement in his son's education.

One week in, and she wasn't certain Edmund had learned much of anything.

Which was why she currently stood at the window of the schoolroom on the top floor of the aged manor, looking outside and counting to five with the hope that the time and focus would grant her an additional measure of patience. Edmund did not struggle with a particular subject as much as he had difficulty remaining in any subject for very long. He was bright and quick and lacked patience immensely.

She spun back to face him and bit back a laugh at the mutinous expression on his brow. "You have done an excellent job with these letters, Edmund, but you must complete the page before we can move on to anything else."

"But I do not want to move on to anything else," he said. "I want to find the red squirrel."

"A squirrel will not help you learn Latin or study Britain's history."

"Why must I learn Latin?"

She inhaled patience. This was the third time he'd posed the question, and the third time she would answer it. "You need a foundation of knowledge in a variety of subjects to prepare you for university. Latin and Greek are important to those foundations." Though even she could admit that the concept was not going to find purchase in the mind of a six-year-old boy. He couldn't see the grander scope of things and understand the necessity of regular schooling and building a base knowledge of the classic languages now while his brain was receptive to it. There was so much to learn and only ten years to do it.

Ten years. Would she remain in this house for so long? If she proved her worth to the earl and he did not marry someone with adverse opinions about Edmund's education, she saw no reason why she could not find a way to make Tilton her home. Her mind conjured an image of Lord Ryland, the pained expression that had crossed his face when she'd mentioned his wife. Was he still grieving? Perhaps he would never remarry.

Edmund frowned. "I would rather see the squirrel."

Of course he would. In truth, Aurelia would prefer a brisk walk outside in the crisp autumn sun to this stuffy, dusty schoolroom as well. Perhaps…

She glanced sidelong at him. "Shall we make a deal?"

"What sort of deal?"

"A compromise. We will go in search of your squirrel, but we must continue our lessons while we do so." She paused for added emphasis. "We shall take the classroom outside."

Edmund's blue eyes dropped to the table, a furrow forming between his blond brows.

Aurelia could not help the surge of tenderness that swept through her for this sweet boy. "Not in the literal sense, Edmund. I mean figuratively."

His nose scrunched further. "Is that more Latin?"

She bit back a smile. "No. It means we will not actually take the schoolroom outside, but we will make nature our schoolroom for the afternoon."

The poor child only seemed further confused, his blue eyes squinting until they nearly disappeared.

Aurelia clapped her hands together. "Come. I will show you what I mean. Bring a pencil and your sketchbook."

The energy in the room shifted as he hurried to retrieve the necessary items and followed Aurelia out of the schoolroom. She did her best to model appropriate behaviors at all times, to ensure she was proper in every way. She didn't know if the servants were watching her and reporting back to the earl or if he was keeping an eye on her himself, but she imagined her behavior would play a role in whether he deemed her worthy of remaining at Tilton. Also because one of the best ways of teaching, Mrs. Hoskins had said, was by example.

Aurelia vowed to be the most proper governess Lord Ryland could dream of employing. She would not give him any reason to find her less than adequate.

A high, feminine voice filtered down the corridor, chased by a deep laugh. Their nearness startled her. Perhaps Lord Ryland was not grieving his wife as deeply as she'd imagined. Aurelia ignored the sounds. If the earl was to entertain women in the middle of the day, Aurelia would do her best to keep Edmund from seeing them.

She tugged on his hand, pulling him in the opposite direction. "Shall we pass through the kitchen on our way outside and see if Cook has a sweet?"

Edmund's eyes glowed. She could sense his approval of outdoor school time already. In truth, she was feeling lighter from the change in scenery herself, and they hadn't yet made it outside. She had spent most of her first week in the manor cleaning the dust from the schoolroom and taking an inventory of the supplies, so her outdoor time had been nearly nonexistent.

They had turned down the corridor toward the kitchen stairs when the sound of laughter and chatter began to follow them. In the week since Aurelia had arrived at Tilton, she had only seen the earl in passing, and on only a few occasions. Tilly, the housemaid, fetched Edmund for his father when needed. They certainly spent time together. Aurelia remained in the schoolroom teaching, preparing lessons, organizing the space to better serve her needs, and hiding.

She was quite aware that the less she saw Lord Ryland, the easier it would be to remain in his household. Though she had not lied to the man, she was keeping her relationship to Nathaniel a secret. After hearing his bold statement that Edmund would never attend school, Aurelia had a feeling it would do her no favors to be recognized as Nathaniel's sister.

The voices grew louder, following directly behind them. The earl and his female caller—the sound of her laughter was far too open and free to belong to a servant—were gaining on them.

Urgency bit at her heels, but Aurelia maintained her pace. If they were not through the door before the sounds reached them?—

"Edmund?"

Drat. They'd been spotted.

Edmund twisted around and his face lit up. "Aunt Ruth! Did you bring Tom?"

His aunt. Ah, was this Lord Ryland's sister? The tightness in Aurelia's stomach eased. So long as the earl did not actively seek a wife and he agreed to keep her on at the end of the month, her position felt safe.

"Not today," Ruth said, coming toward them, Lord Ryland just behind her. She did not look like the earl in the least. Her brown hair was a pure tone, so different from his auburn hue. Her eyes were bright blue, round and large and curious. She had a smattering of freckles over her porcelain nose and a flash in her eyes that promised mischief. She appeared like the sort of young lady who could be one's fiercest ally or one's greatest adversary.

Aurelia did not wish to find herself on the wrong side of Ryland's sister. She wanted Ruth to approve of her remaining as Edmund's governess. If Ruth held any sway with her brother, it was important to have her support.

There were only seven weeks left to secure her place, after all.

"Will you take me to Grandmother's house with you?" Edmund asked, his sweet voice nearly pleading.

Aurelia fought her disappointment. Good heavens, were lessons with her so painful?

"We do not wish to disrupt your schedule, Edmund," Lord Ryland said, his gaze flicking from his son to Aurelia. "Your schooling is important."

Edmund sighed. "I have no wish to learn Latin or Greek, Papa. I have no use for it."

"Latin?" he asked, his gaze lifting to Aurelia. "Greek?"

Had she started the languages too young? Was Lord Ryland opposed to them? Latin was at the root of most English words, an important foundational subject and a requirement if he wished to attend university. Besides, according to Mrs. Hoskins, most boys began learning their Latin letters at five and Greek shortly after. Edmund was nearly seven. "We are working on Latin and the Greek alphabet."

"Latin," he repeated, nodding. He appraised her, then swung his gaze to Ruth, who was watching her with interest. "Did you learn Latin from Mrs. Hoskins?"

"Yes, and Greek," she replied, not taking her gaze from Aurelia. Then she cleared her throat with emphasis.

"Oh, forgive me. Ruth, this is Miss Beswick, Edmund's governess." Lord Ryland looked at Aurelia. "Please allow me to introduce my sister, Miss Ruth Wycliffe. You are already acquainted with her father."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Aurelia said, doing her best to pattern perfect behavior for Edmund. "We were just going outside to continue our lesson."

"Miss Beswick is showing me how to build a classroom outside."

"Is she?" Lord Ryland asked, appraising her once again.

Her cheeks warmed. She hoped the lighting in the corridor was dim enough to hide her blush, but given how easily she could see Ruth's freckles, she doubted it. "We needed a momentary change in scenery. I believe I said we could take the classroom outside, and Edmund mistook my meaning."

"Much clearer," Lord Ryland said. He looked at his sister. "We shall leave you to it. Samuel is on his way here, and?—"

"Is he?" Ruth asked, taking a small step away from her brother. "You didn't mention it when I arrived."

"You did not warn me you were coming," he returned.

"Why is Samuel coming here now?" Ruth asked. "Is Oliver joining as well?"

Aurelia had yet to meet Samuel, but she recognized Oliver's name from the night she'd arrived. These must be the earl's friends.

"No. They do not do everything together," Lord Ryland replied. "We are fencing. You need not run every time he visits. Samuel might be a flirt, but he will not attempt to force you into marriage."

"I would rather not be subjected to such strong attention from any man, regardless of how harmless you believe it to be. I shall build an outdoor classroom with my nephew and leave you to it." Ruth clapped her hands together and faced Aurelia. "Mind if I join you?"

What could Aurelia say? She looked at Ruth's fine riding habit and perfectly styled hair. "We will be sitting on the ground."

"I am not averse to a little nature." Ruth's smile grew.

"Then please join us." Only now, Aurelia wished she hadn't tried to impress Lord Ryland with the Latin and Greek alphabets when her current intent was to let Edmund draw squirrels.

Blast her pride.

Ruth faced her brother. "I will join you again when you're safe and alone. Send for me when Samuel leaves."

Lord Ryland looked ready to argue but quickly bit his tongue.

"Shall we go through the kitchen?" Ruth asked Edmund. "I hope Cook has a treat prepared."

Edmund's wide eyes shot to his aunt. "Miss Beswick had the very same idea!"

Ruth glanced at Aurelia, a look of interest in her eyes. "She must be a very intelligent lady. Shall we?"

It seemed Aurelia was without options. She allowed Ruth to precede them to the door leading down to the kitchens, Edmund skipping ahead. Lord Ryland stood in the corridor, watching them leave. She fought the impulse to explain herself and defend the choices she was making in regard to Edmund's education. There would be a time for that over the next month while he made his decision.

For now, she could only do her best to improve Edmund's learning in the two months she had and hope for the best.

"My brother knew a Beswick once," Ruth said, swinging her bonnet by the ribbons and nibbling on the shortbread they'd pilfered from the kitchen. "They were at Eton together. Ghastly boy. Maybe you know him?"

Know him? Aurelia shared his blood. She took a bite of her shortbread and watched Edmund run ahead. She'd warned him not to approach the squirrel's tree too closely or he would scare it off and wouldn't be able to complete the assignment she had in mind. Now she wished he was closer so she could speak to him instead of needing to find a way to answer Ruth's question. It was straightforward, leaving Aurelia with two options: come clean or lie.

She could not lie again.

Ruth looked at her. "Isn't it fate that someone is bound to ask a question the moment you take a bite?"

Aurelia swallowed. "Indeed." She watched Edmund run along the grass, his steps slowing well before he reached the tall oak tree behind the garden. The women's feet crunched on the gravel path, nearing the end of the garden and the beginning of the wide expanse of green grass. "I am likely related to anyone who carries my surname in some form or another."

"True." Ruth sighed. "Better not mention it again. You have an unfortunate name, though. Ryland had a difficult time at school because of that Beswick." She seemed lost to thought for a moment. "He broke Ryland's nose."

Aurelia cringed. She recalled that particular fight. It had gotten Nathaniel sent home for the remainder of the term. He'd arrived in London with a bruised eye and his arm in a sling, but Eton had made it clear he had instigated the conflict. That was when Aurelia had overheard Nathaniel bragging about his antics to the footmen. He never did like men of title. Aurelia was certain he was jealous of them, but never knew precisely why.

She hoped the conversation would move away from Lord Ryland entirely, and pasted a smile on her face. "I was told you and I shared a governess." Aurelia nibbled another bite of shortbread.

Ruth made a delighted sound. "Mrs. Hoskins was so charming when she was not forcing recitations of Katherina's monologue."

" The Taming of the Shrew ," Aurelia said around a smile, the memory of that recitation fresh as though it was yesterday. "I think Mrs. Hoskins had a favorite of Shakespeare's comedies."

"Fie, fie!" Ruth said, coming to a stop on the grass beside Edmund. They'd reached the tree. "I still know every word."

Aurelia grinned. "We could recite it together."

"Someday, perhaps." Ruth glanced from Edmund back to the house. "Do not let my behavior taint your opinion of Samuel Harding, Miss Beswick. He is perfectly lovely. We have been friends all our lives."

Which did not explain why she'd all but run when she had learned the man was arriving. Aurelia watched Edmund chew on the end of his pencil. "I have yet to meet him," she said.

"You will like him. I used to as well, but lately he has been relentless in his pursuit, regardless of how frank I've been in my disinterest." Ruth shrugged. "I choose to avoid him when I can."

"Oh, I see."

Ruth finished her shortbread. "He truly is a lovely friend when he is not constantly trying to marry you."

Aurelia could not help but smile—not only because none of the earl's friends would attempt to marry her, so there was no real threat for her, but also because Ruth was sweet enough to forget how different their stations were. "I will remember that. I had an aggressive suitor a few years ago. He did not accept my rejection until the second time he asked for my hand and I was forced to be overly blunt. It was extremely unpleasant."

Ruth eyed her. "Was he an ogre?"

"He played a lot of cards," she said, looking back at the tree. She had never been attracted to the sort who gambled excessively—all the while never knowing that her own father and brother fit with that set. "And I did not love him."

Ruth nodded once in full understanding.

They stood side by side before the large oak tree, the branches spread out and concealed beneath a carpet of green leaves.

Edmund climbed a small boulder and looked down at the women. "Where is my table meant to be?"

"The grass, Edmund. Come down here and I will explain."

He scrambled back down and found his sketchbook and pencil where he'd discarded them. Aurelia ignored the fact that Ruth was observing her and hoped this would not make her seem unfit for her position. She leaned down until she was level with Edmund's striking blue eyes. "We are going to sit in the grass, observe the squirrel's behavior, and sketch our findings."

He drew in a quick, eager breath. "We are going to watch the squirrel?"

"We are. We must be very quiet and still so we do not impede the squirrel's habits. Then we can make an accurate study of the animal." She straightened, finding Ruth's raised eyebrow.

"This is a lesson?" Ruth asked, amused. "I missed this segment with Mrs. Hoskins."

"It's a new lesson." Aurelia smiled, grateful for the telling twinkle in Ruth's eyes. " Science ."

"I like science," Edmund said, making himself comfortable in the grass.

Aurelia held her breath.

Ruth surprised her by taking a seat on the lawn beside her nephew and smiling. "I like science, too."