His twin brother was identical to him, save for the mustache and the glasses.
Ian noticed Madam Scargill’s features tighten at the announcement of the new schoolmasters. She had always been in charge of teaching the children lessons, so this must have been a most unwelcome surprise to her. The earl might have sensed this, because he turned directly to her and said, “But I want to acknowledge the exemplary job Madam Scargill has done of instructing you all thus far. This change will allow my dear friend a much-deserved rest.”
Ian watched Madam Scargill blush and bow her head to the earl. Her feelings might be bruised but at least all her hard work hadn’t gone unnoticed. “Thank you, my lord,” she said with a small curtsy.
“And this,” he said, turning to the young lad fidgeting by his side, “is Carl Lawson. I’ve rescued him from an overly crowded orphanage in Plymouth to join us here at the keep. Please welcome Carl to his new home, children.”
“Welcome, Carl!” all the children said obediently. Ian watched the boy drop his chin shyly, his complexion turning bright red.
The earl gave him an encouraging pat on the back, then said, “Now let’s go inside so that we can all get to know your new schoolmasters, shall we?”
Ian dashed to his door and was out in the hallway just as he heard the front door open again. He bent double and crept back to his hiding place under the table to peer out. He allowed himself a wicked smile as he took up his post, when he thought about how Searle had no such vantage points from his side of the keep and would surely miss out on all the action unfolding below.
The earl was the first to sweep into the keep, followed by his two new schoolmasters, then the headmistresses, and lastly the children. The large group filed into the parlor, and Ian watched the new boy standing shyly in the front hallway right below him, waiting for the other children to settle into the parlor before joining them.
Ian smiled as he caught Theo noting the poor lad and—being the outgoing girl that she was—walking over to him.
“Hello,” she said with a smile.
“Hello,” said Carl, shuffling his feet.
“My name is Theo,” she continued. “I’ve been here since I was two. My older brother, Ian, is upstairs. He’s been here since he was just a few days old.”
Carl gave her a shy nod.
“I believe you two might be about the same age,” Theo added, and Ian had to agree. “Ian’s just turned thirteen.”
“I’m twelve,” said Carl. “I’ll turn thirteen in December.”
Theo’s smile widened and Ian knew what she was thinking. The only other boy close to Ian’s age was Searle, so she was no doubt very happy to hear that Ian and Carl had something in common. “I expect you two will get along very nicely,” she said with a knowing glance up to the top of the stairs, where Ian was crouched under the table. How she knew he was there he could never figure out, but he barely resisted the urge to laugh when she winked in his direction.
Meanwhile, Carl gave another small nod and shuffled his feet again. “Come along, then,” said Theo, taking his hand. “You’ll sit next to me.”
Ian watched as Theo led Carl to a spot near the fireplace. After all the children had settled down on the floor, the earl took a moment to look around at their eager faces, smiling at a few individuals, including Theo. Then he began his introductions. “Masters Goodwyn come to us from Cambridge, from which they both recently graduated. Schoolmaster Thatcher will be teaching you the finer points of language, history, and the arts, while Schoolmaster Perry will be instructing you in the arenas of mathematics and science.”
“I was also quite the fencer at Cambridge,” said Perry proudly from his seat on the chaise longue beside the earl. “If any of the children are interested in starting a fencing club, I shall have a sign-up sheet the first day of class.” Ian made a mental note to sign
Ian noticed Madam Scargill’s features tighten at the announcement of the new schoolmasters. She had always been in charge of teaching the children lessons, so this must have been a most unwelcome surprise to her. The earl might have sensed this, because he turned directly to her and said, “But I want to acknowledge the exemplary job Madam Scargill has done of instructing you all thus far. This change will allow my dear friend a much-deserved rest.”
Ian watched Madam Scargill blush and bow her head to the earl. Her feelings might be bruised but at least all her hard work hadn’t gone unnoticed. “Thank you, my lord,” she said with a small curtsy.
“And this,” he said, turning to the young lad fidgeting by his side, “is Carl Lawson. I’ve rescued him from an overly crowded orphanage in Plymouth to join us here at the keep. Please welcome Carl to his new home, children.”
“Welcome, Carl!” all the children said obediently. Ian watched the boy drop his chin shyly, his complexion turning bright red.
The earl gave him an encouraging pat on the back, then said, “Now let’s go inside so that we can all get to know your new schoolmasters, shall we?”
Ian dashed to his door and was out in the hallway just as he heard the front door open again. He bent double and crept back to his hiding place under the table to peer out. He allowed himself a wicked smile as he took up his post, when he thought about how Searle had no such vantage points from his side of the keep and would surely miss out on all the action unfolding below.
The earl was the first to sweep into the keep, followed by his two new schoolmasters, then the headmistresses, and lastly the children. The large group filed into the parlor, and Ian watched the new boy standing shyly in the front hallway right below him, waiting for the other children to settle into the parlor before joining them.
Ian smiled as he caught Theo noting the poor lad and—being the outgoing girl that she was—walking over to him.
“Hello,” she said with a smile.
“Hello,” said Carl, shuffling his feet.
“My name is Theo,” she continued. “I’ve been here since I was two. My older brother, Ian, is upstairs. He’s been here since he was just a few days old.”
Carl gave her a shy nod.
“I believe you two might be about the same age,” Theo added, and Ian had to agree. “Ian’s just turned thirteen.”
“I’m twelve,” said Carl. “I’ll turn thirteen in December.”
Theo’s smile widened and Ian knew what she was thinking. The only other boy close to Ian’s age was Searle, so she was no doubt very happy to hear that Ian and Carl had something in common. “I expect you two will get along very nicely,” she said with a knowing glance up to the top of the stairs, where Ian was crouched under the table. How she knew he was there he could never figure out, but he barely resisted the urge to laugh when she winked in his direction.
Meanwhile, Carl gave another small nod and shuffled his feet again. “Come along, then,” said Theo, taking his hand. “You’ll sit next to me.”
Ian watched as Theo led Carl to a spot near the fireplace. After all the children had settled down on the floor, the earl took a moment to look around at their eager faces, smiling at a few individuals, including Theo. Then he began his introductions. “Masters Goodwyn come to us from Cambridge, from which they both recently graduated. Schoolmaster Thatcher will be teaching you the finer points of language, history, and the arts, while Schoolmaster Perry will be instructing you in the arenas of mathematics and science.”
“I was also quite the fencer at Cambridge,” said Perry proudly from his seat on the chaise longue beside the earl. “If any of the children are interested in starting a fencing club, I shall have a sign-up sheet the first day of class.” Ian made a mental note to sign
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