what’s all this about a new tutor?” She glowered at Olympia. “Are ye going to blight the hopes and dreams of yet another poor soul who believes he can instruct those little monsters?”
“My nephews are not monsters.” Olympia gave the older woman a disapproving frown. “Mrs. Bird, this isMr. Chillhurst. Uncle Artemis sent him to me and I believe he is going to prove extremely helpful. Mr. Chillhurst, this is Mrs. Bird, my housekeeper.”
There was nothing about Mrs. Bird that put one in mind of a delicate, winged creature of the air, Jared thought. She was a robust woman with a heavy face and a large nose who looked as if she had spent her entire life with both feet flat on the ground. There was a look of wary suspicion in her faded eyes.
“Well, well, well.” Mrs. Bird set the tray down on the desk with a clatter. She peered at Jared as she poured the tea. “So those three hellions upstairs were right. Ye look more like a bloodthirsty pirate than a tutor, Mr. Chillhurst.”
“Do I, indeed?” Jared’s brows rose at the housekeeper’s familiar manner but he noticed that Olympia apparently considered nothing amiss. He accepted the cup and saucer with cool politeness.
“No matter.” Mrs. Bird gave him a considering look. “It’ll take someone who can handle a cutlass and a pistol to keep them rascals in line. Nigh broke the last three men o’ learning that Miss Olympia hired, they did.”
Olympia glanced quickly at Jared. Her eyes filled with anxious alarm. “Really, Mrs. Bird, you mustn’t give Mr. Chillhurst a bad impression.”
“Why not?” Mrs. Bird snorted. “Hell find out the truth soon enough. Be interestin’ to see how long he lasts. Going to put him up in the old gamekeeper’s cottage like ye did the others?”
Olympia smiled at Jared. “Mrs. Bird is speaking of the little cottage at the foot of the lane. Perhaps you noticed it when you arrived?”
“I did. It will do nicely.”
“Excellent.” Olympia looked relieved. “Let’s see now. What else do we need to discuss? Oh, yes. You’rewelcome to join us for meals. There is a room on the floor above which functions very nicely as a schoolroom. And of course you’re free to make use of my library.” She paused, apparently trying to recall anything she might have overlooked. “You may begin your duties in the morning.”
Mrs. Bird rolled her eyes. “What about his wages?” She cast a sidelong glance of warning at Jared. “Ye’ll have to get used to the fact that Miss Olympia ain’t much good at keepin’ accounts. Ye’ll probably have to remind her about yer wages and such. Don’t be shy about it.”
Olympia glared at her. “That is quite enough, Mrs. Bird. You make me sound like a featherbrained idiot. As it happens, Mr. Chillhurst’s wages have been paid in advance by Uncle Artemis. Is that not correct, Mr. Chillhurst?”
“There is no need to concern yourself with my wages, Miss Wingfield,” Jared said gently.
Olympia shot a triumphant look at her housekeeper. “There, you see, Mrs. Bird?”
Mrs. Bird snorted loudly. She did not look entirely convinced but she let the matter drop. “If ye’ll be joinin’ the family at dinner, ye might like to know there’s some claret and sherry in the cellar.”
“Thank you,” Jared said.
“Miss Sophy and Miss Ida always had a sip or two of one or t’other before dinner and a swallow of brandy afore they went to bed. Good for the digestion, y’know. Miss Olympia has carried on the tradition.”
“Especially since my nephews arrived,” Olympia muttered.
“Thank you, Mrs. Bird.” Jared smiled fleetingly at Olympia. “I could do with a glass or two of claret before dinner tonight. It’s been a long trip.”
“I reckon.” Mrs. Bird walked heavily toward the door. “Wonder how long ye’ll last?”
“Long enough,” Jared said. “By the way, Mrs. Bird, what time is dinner served in this household?”
“How should I know? Depends on when Miss Olympia
“My nephews are not monsters.” Olympia gave the older woman a disapproving frown. “Mrs. Bird, this isMr. Chillhurst. Uncle Artemis sent him to me and I believe he is going to prove extremely helpful. Mr. Chillhurst, this is Mrs. Bird, my housekeeper.”
There was nothing about Mrs. Bird that put one in mind of a delicate, winged creature of the air, Jared thought. She was a robust woman with a heavy face and a large nose who looked as if she had spent her entire life with both feet flat on the ground. There was a look of wary suspicion in her faded eyes.
“Well, well, well.” Mrs. Bird set the tray down on the desk with a clatter. She peered at Jared as she poured the tea. “So those three hellions upstairs were right. Ye look more like a bloodthirsty pirate than a tutor, Mr. Chillhurst.”
“Do I, indeed?” Jared’s brows rose at the housekeeper’s familiar manner but he noticed that Olympia apparently considered nothing amiss. He accepted the cup and saucer with cool politeness.
“No matter.” Mrs. Bird gave him a considering look. “It’ll take someone who can handle a cutlass and a pistol to keep them rascals in line. Nigh broke the last three men o’ learning that Miss Olympia hired, they did.”
Olympia glanced quickly at Jared. Her eyes filled with anxious alarm. “Really, Mrs. Bird, you mustn’t give Mr. Chillhurst a bad impression.”
“Why not?” Mrs. Bird snorted. “Hell find out the truth soon enough. Be interestin’ to see how long he lasts. Going to put him up in the old gamekeeper’s cottage like ye did the others?”
Olympia smiled at Jared. “Mrs. Bird is speaking of the little cottage at the foot of the lane. Perhaps you noticed it when you arrived?”
“I did. It will do nicely.”
“Excellent.” Olympia looked relieved. “Let’s see now. What else do we need to discuss? Oh, yes. You’rewelcome to join us for meals. There is a room on the floor above which functions very nicely as a schoolroom. And of course you’re free to make use of my library.” She paused, apparently trying to recall anything she might have overlooked. “You may begin your duties in the morning.”
Mrs. Bird rolled her eyes. “What about his wages?” She cast a sidelong glance of warning at Jared. “Ye’ll have to get used to the fact that Miss Olympia ain’t much good at keepin’ accounts. Ye’ll probably have to remind her about yer wages and such. Don’t be shy about it.”
Olympia glared at her. “That is quite enough, Mrs. Bird. You make me sound like a featherbrained idiot. As it happens, Mr. Chillhurst’s wages have been paid in advance by Uncle Artemis. Is that not correct, Mr. Chillhurst?”
“There is no need to concern yourself with my wages, Miss Wingfield,” Jared said gently.
Olympia shot a triumphant look at her housekeeper. “There, you see, Mrs. Bird?”
Mrs. Bird snorted loudly. She did not look entirely convinced but she let the matter drop. “If ye’ll be joinin’ the family at dinner, ye might like to know there’s some claret and sherry in the cellar.”
“Thank you,” Jared said.
“Miss Sophy and Miss Ida always had a sip or two of one or t’other before dinner and a swallow of brandy afore they went to bed. Good for the digestion, y’know. Miss Olympia has carried on the tradition.”
“Especially since my nephews arrived,” Olympia muttered.
“Thank you, Mrs. Bird.” Jared smiled fleetingly at Olympia. “I could do with a glass or two of claret before dinner tonight. It’s been a long trip.”
“I reckon.” Mrs. Bird walked heavily toward the door. “Wonder how long ye’ll last?”
“Long enough,” Jared said. “By the way, Mrs. Bird, what time is dinner served in this household?”
“How should I know? Depends on when Miss Olympia
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