The Deceptive Lady Darby (Lost Ladies of London 2)

Mrs Hibbet had plenty of jobs to attend to, and so offered no objection. Once the housekeeper had left the room, Rose crouched down until eye level with the children.

“I know nothing about being a governess and nothing of Mrs Booth’s schedule. So we’ll literally rub the slate clean and begin again.”

Alice tugged her brother’s coat sleeve and looked up at him all doe-eyed.

Jacob sighed: an old man’s weary exhalation not that of a frustrated boy. “On a Friday, Mrs Booth taught me mathematics in the morning and Latin in the afternoon.”

“Mathematics and Latin in one day?” Rose said with a chuckle. No wonder the woman woke to find toads in her bed. It certainly seemed a fitting retribution.

“I’m to go away to school next year.”

As soon as the words left the boy’s lips, Alice clutched his arm as though the wicked schoolmaster was liable to burst into the room any minute and drag the helpless child away.

At seven, Rose had felt the same unbreakable connection to her brother, even though he was much older and spent the majority of his time at school. Indeed, she would give anything to feel Oliver’s secure arms wrapped around her. To hear his words of comfort.

“Will it be Eton or Harrow? Do you intend to follow in your father’s footsteps?” In Rose’s opinion, a child of eight should receive tutoring at home but who was she to argue with tradition.

Jacob shrugged. “Mama said I’m to go to Eton.”

His Mama? According to Mrs Hibbet, Lady Farleigh died two years ago. At six, surely Jacob would have been too young for a mature conversation. Then again, some mothers planned their offsprings’ education at birth.

“There are better ways to prepare a boy for school,” Rose said by way of a distraction as the mere mention of going away made his lip tremble. And better ways to prepare Alice for his departure. “None of them require sitting at a desk for hours on end.”

The boy appeared confused yet equally curious.

Rose ventured over to the window. If she stood on tiptoes, she could just see the tops of the trees standing still, motionless. With the sky absent of clouds, it was a good day to take their lesson outside.

“For our first task, we’ll need a few provisions.” Rose swung around and clapped her hands together in excitement much to their surprise. “Alice, you will need a jacket and a scarf of some sort. One that is easy to tie.”

“You’re taking us outside?” Jacob’s expression grew grave. He pursed his lips and frowned. “We’re only allowed to walk on the path.”

“Our lesson today will take place on the lawn.”

No doubt the boy’s anxiety stemmed from a fear of becoming ill.

“If you wrap up warm, you’ll not catch a chill.” Rose’s words of reassurance failed to appease him. “You cannot contract a fever from breathing fresh air.”

“We were sick once before,” Alice said in the sweet melodic tone that couldn’t help but raise a smile. “Papa sat by our beds and told us stories.”

Most children suffered from colds and sniffles. Such things passed from person to person. It was an inevitable part of growing up.

“Was it the same illness that struck down the entire household?” Rose knew nothing about medicine or the nature of disease. Still, the sudden heaviness in the pit of her stomach warned her something was amiss. “Did you both contract the fever?”

The children nodded.

When kept a prisoner at Morton Manor, Rose had suffered from a similar illness. Mrs Gripes refused to send for the doctor and insisted the sweating and delirium would pass. The servants argued for hours. Stokes took the cart to Holdgate, some ten miles south, and returned with fresh provisions. Had Nicole not tended to her day and night, she might not have recovered.

“Dr Taylor cured us.” Jacob’s comment broke Rose’s reverie. “And the reverend helped care for us so Papa could rest.”

“Did the reverend tell you stories, too?” After hearing Mrs Hibbet’s words of caution, the man struck Rose as someone who used every available opportunity to lecture his flock, purely as a means to repent for his sinful deeds.

“He told me about Lazarus while Alice slept. I couldn’t keep my eyes open, so he tidied the room.”

Tidied the room? How odd.

“No doubt Mrs Hibbet had a fit of apoplexy when she discovered the reverend working as a maid.”

“He only organised the cupboards and straightened the clothes in the drawers,” Jacob said.