Her Kilt-Clad Rogue by Julie Moffett Page A

his short visit ruining all that had been accomplished between her and Ewan this morning. Her irritation at Connor grew as did her pity for the child.
    She pretended not to notice Ewan’s glare and instead picked up his reader and shut it. “I think we’ve done enough for this morning. Would it be acceptable to you if we adjourn until after the midday meal?”
    She saw surprise and then suspicion cross his face and she realized he’d probably never been consulted on how or when he wanted to do his lessons. “Ye mean I’m done?”
    Genevieve nodded. “You finished the first reading lesson more quickly than I expected. We’ll resume with math problems after the meal. Then, since it is such a lovely day, perhaps we’ll take a visit to the bog to examine some of the herbs growing there.”
    He stared at her a moment longer, not certain what to say or do. Finally he just turned on his heel and walked out of the schoolroom without a word.
    Genevieve sighed, picking up the rest of the primers and stacking them neatly on the table. She certainly hoped she knew what she was doing.
    She ate her midday meal alone in her room then returned to the schoolroom to await Ewan. She wasn’t terribly surprised when the boy did not appear.
    Making a conscious decision not to be angry, she wandered downstairs and outside, thinking she had the best chance of finding Ewan there. She walked past the stables, but the stable master told her he hadn’t seen the boy. She decided to take a stroll through the garden and admire the colorful buttercups and poppies. Bushes were also in full bloom and she stopped along the way to smell the fresh, pungent scents. For a moment she closed her eyes, imagining herself back in England surrounded by her own beloved garden.
    A thorough examination of the gardens indicated Ewan was nowhere around. Resigned, she decided to follow the sound of barking dogs. Soon she came upon a large pen surrounded by a low fence made of rough-hewn logs roped together. Inside the fence, a man ran around with a pack of dogs, presumably the hounds that would hunt the fox. To her surprise, she spotted Ewan not far away, sitting under a tree and watching the handler work the dogs. Ewan hadn’t seen her yet, so she stood quietly, catching the boy in an unguarded moment. He looked very young and dejected, his knees pulled to his chest. There was something inherently sad about him and it tugged at her heart.
    Taking a deep breath, she hitched up her skirts and walked toward him, being certain to make noise. He lifted his head and narrowed his eyes when he saw her, but he didn’t move away. Silently she sat down beside him on the grass.
    “I’m no’ coming back for lessons.”
    “Actually, I thought we might work a bit outside. Not all of life’s lessons are learned in the schoolroom.”
    “Why dinna ye just give up, English? ’Twould save us both a lot o’ trouble, ye know.”
    “Why don’t you give up? And then we’d have a lot more time for pleasurable activities.”
    “I dinna want to do pleasant things wi’ ye.”
    “Well that’s too bad. Because I simply do not subscribe to the theory that schoolwork has to be hard and boring.”
    He curled his lips in distaste. “Ye are an odd duck. And it isna going to work if ye think this approach will make me like ye.”
    “I am quite aware of the fact that I can’t make you like me no matter what I do. What I can do is make learning interesting.”
    He snorted in disgust. “Have ye ever been a governess before?”
    “No, I’m afraid you’re the first,” she admitted.
    “Ye have a lot to learn about bairns.”
    “I suppose I do. Perhaps we’ll end up teaching each other something.”
    He rolled his eyes and resumed staring at the hounds. Genevieve followed his gaze to where the man was being chased about by several of the dogs. They barked and growled until she noticed the trainer held a fox pelt in his hand. She shivered.
    “What’s the real reason your father