means—’
‘You will no longer be able to teach, is that it? We shall all be very sorry.’
‘No, Reverend, it means that I must teach. And I must be paid for doing it.’
‘You know the village children cannot pay.’
‘Yes, I know that. But I must find pupils that can. And premises. The village children could be included later, when everything is up and running—’ She stopped, daunted by the task ahead of her.
‘I see.’
She knew he did see and was glad that she did not have to explain. ‘What I need to ask you is whether you know where I might find a house…?’
‘For a school?’
‘Yes, but also living quarters for me and my children and their governess.’
‘You surely have not been asked to leave Easterley Manor?’
‘No, but I do not wish to stay. Lord Hobart is a bachelor. It would not be fitting.’
‘No, I see it would not. But what about the uncle you spoke of? Would he not give you a home?’
‘I do not know. I have never even met him and how do I know I won’t be jumping from the frying pan into the fire? Besides, I love living at Parson’s End, my children were born here and they love it too. I do not want to leave the area.’
‘Then, my lady, you really do have a dilemma.’ He smiled suddenly and patted her hand. ‘You are welcome to stay at the Rectory until you have found somewhere. I am sure Mrs Fuller will raise no objections. But as for premises, we will have to put our thinking caps on because I do not want to lose you from the district and I am sure I am not alone in that sentiment.’
‘Thank you,’ she said quietly.
He rose and she knelt for his blessing. As they left the church she could hear the children arriving for their afternoon lessons. ‘Will you take your class today?’ he asked her.
‘Yes, of course. The children expect it and I want everything as normal as possible for Lizzie and Fanny.’
‘Then while you are with your pupils, I shall go up to the hall and pay my respects to his lordship.’
Charlotte managed a smile as she passed him to go into the schoolroom, wondering, as she did so, what kind of reception he would get.
The children were noisily chasing each other round the room, but quietened when they saw her. ‘Back to your seats, children,’ she said. ‘And out with your slates. Lizzie, you can help Josh with his sums and Fanny can amuse the little ones. I will hear your reading one by one.’
The quiet industry of the classroom soothed her a little, but the worry at the back of her mind would not go away. She could not take advantage of the Rector’s generosity; it would not be fair to him and his elderly wife. And though she had no qualms about being able to run a school, the problem was financing it and finding pupils. She would have to try and borrow the money against future income. If Mr Hardacre was still at the hall when she returned, she would try to see him privately and broach the matter with him. Not for the first time she wondered how he was faring with Lord Hobart.
‘Miss.’ She felt someone tug at her skirts and looked down to see Danny White looking up at her, anxiety writ large on his face. ‘Meg wants to go home. She’s got the bellyache.’
She looked at the lad’s tiny sister, only a toddler, certainly not old enough for school, but if she had not been allowed to come neither would Danny and he was a bright child and deserved whatever education she could give him. Soon he would be able to join the select few who took more advanced lessons from the Rector himself. Meg was holding her stomach and crying. Charlotte scooped her up in her arms to comfort her. Her forehead was hot and she was obviously in some pain. What should she do? She could not let the child go home alone, not even if she sent Danny with her, and she was reluctant to leave her class when the Reverend was absent.
There was nothing for it but to take them all. ‘Enough of lessons,’ she said, suddenly making up her
‘You will no longer be able to teach, is that it? We shall all be very sorry.’
‘No, Reverend, it means that I must teach. And I must be paid for doing it.’
‘You know the village children cannot pay.’
‘Yes, I know that. But I must find pupils that can. And premises. The village children could be included later, when everything is up and running—’ She stopped, daunted by the task ahead of her.
‘I see.’
She knew he did see and was glad that she did not have to explain. ‘What I need to ask you is whether you know where I might find a house…?’
‘For a school?’
‘Yes, but also living quarters for me and my children and their governess.’
‘You surely have not been asked to leave Easterley Manor?’
‘No, but I do not wish to stay. Lord Hobart is a bachelor. It would not be fitting.’
‘No, I see it would not. But what about the uncle you spoke of? Would he not give you a home?’
‘I do not know. I have never even met him and how do I know I won’t be jumping from the frying pan into the fire? Besides, I love living at Parson’s End, my children were born here and they love it too. I do not want to leave the area.’
‘Then, my lady, you really do have a dilemma.’ He smiled suddenly and patted her hand. ‘You are welcome to stay at the Rectory until you have found somewhere. I am sure Mrs Fuller will raise no objections. But as for premises, we will have to put our thinking caps on because I do not want to lose you from the district and I am sure I am not alone in that sentiment.’
‘Thank you,’ she said quietly.
He rose and she knelt for his blessing. As they left the church she could hear the children arriving for their afternoon lessons. ‘Will you take your class today?’ he asked her.
‘Yes, of course. The children expect it and I want everything as normal as possible for Lizzie and Fanny.’
‘Then while you are with your pupils, I shall go up to the hall and pay my respects to his lordship.’
Charlotte managed a smile as she passed him to go into the schoolroom, wondering, as she did so, what kind of reception he would get.
The children were noisily chasing each other round the room, but quietened when they saw her. ‘Back to your seats, children,’ she said. ‘And out with your slates. Lizzie, you can help Josh with his sums and Fanny can amuse the little ones. I will hear your reading one by one.’
The quiet industry of the classroom soothed her a little, but the worry at the back of her mind would not go away. She could not take advantage of the Rector’s generosity; it would not be fair to him and his elderly wife. And though she had no qualms about being able to run a school, the problem was financing it and finding pupils. She would have to try and borrow the money against future income. If Mr Hardacre was still at the hall when she returned, she would try to see him privately and broach the matter with him. Not for the first time she wondered how he was faring with Lord Hobart.
‘Miss.’ She felt someone tug at her skirts and looked down to see Danny White looking up at her, anxiety writ large on his face. ‘Meg wants to go home. She’s got the bellyache.’
She looked at the lad’s tiny sister, only a toddler, certainly not old enough for school, but if she had not been allowed to come neither would Danny and he was a bright child and deserved whatever education she could give him. Soon he would be able to join the select few who took more advanced lessons from the Rector himself. Meg was holding her stomach and crying. Charlotte scooped her up in her arms to comfort her. Her forehead was hot and she was obviously in some pain. What should she do? She could not let the child go home alone, not even if she sent Danny with her, and she was reluctant to leave her class when the Reverend was absent.
There was nothing for it but to take them all. ‘Enough of lessons,’ she said, suddenly making up her
Similar Books
