To Walk in the Sun (Wiggons' School for Elegant Young Ladies - Book 1) by Jane Charles Page B

asset
to the community and it would be a shame to lose it.”
    “Your generosity will not go unrewarded,” she
assured him.
    Vincent had to wonder at exactly what type of
reward, but he suspected it was one of a more eternal kind. So,
that made one other person present who did not believe the rumors.
Unless Mrs. Wiggons thought a vampire could make his way into
heaven. He fought not to chuckle.
    “I understand there is something you would
like the students to do in return?” Miss Crawford asked.
    He turned and focused on her pewter eyes. He
had never seen the likes and wondered if they were more silver in
the sunlight, not that he would ever know. She also had the
thickest, blackest lashes he had ever seen on a female. Sultry and
beautiful.
    Vincent turned away and decided to focus on
the quiet group at the back. They at least didn’t distract him and
he could not understand why Miss Crawford did. He cleared his
throat when he noticed the expectant eyes on him, waiting for him
to answer the question. “Well, most of my staff is at your school,
but I have matters that need to be addressed here, before winter
sets in.”
    “Go on.” Miss Pritchard sat forward. Clearly
she had recovered from her earlier nerves.
    “I was hoping to have their assistance in
cleaning up the debris from the yard. Nothing too strenuous, of
course, but small limbs, sticks and such.”
    “What of your gardens?” Miss Pritchard
asked.
    “My gardens?” He hadn’t thought about them at
all. Though, perhaps he should have. Eventually, the neighbors may
get tired of him stealing the flowers for his wife’s grave from
their yards.
    “I mean no disrespect,” Miss Pritchard
continued, “but I did note they have not been well maintained.”
    “No, they have not.” Where was she going with
this?
    A smile broke on her face. “If you don’t
mind, I would love to bring it back to life, or at least have it
prepared for the winter.”
    “To what purpose?” Why should it matter and
what use could it be to her?
    “For our botany lessons, of course.”
    “Botany?” Since when did young ladies study
botany? What kind of school was Mrs. Wiggons running?
    “I have never heard of such studies for young
ladies.” It did boggle his mind.
    All of the teachers, even Mrs. Wiggons,
straightened as if a rod had been shoved down each of their spines. Good Lord, now what?
    “We do not adhere to the teachings that a
young lady need only know how to paint, play an instrument, sing,
and run a household,” Miss Crawford insisted.
    “Apparently not,” he offered in a dry tone.
“What subjects do you feel are appropriate?” Did he really want to
know?
    “I teach math and finances,” announced one of
the older ones from the back. He could no longer remember her
name.
    “I understand math, for household accounts,
at times, and pen money, and such. Why finances?”
    The woman pursed her lips and inhaled threw
her nose. For a moment he thought she would not answer. The
question had clearly insulted her. But, finances and women were not
topics that usually coexisted. “At one point in her life a lady may
find herself alone, without a gentleman to take care of her.
She should always be aware of the opportunities available, and to
be on guard if a guardian takes advantage of her wealth.”
    Vincent had a sneaking suspicion the same had
happened to the woman, but he did not ask.
    “I teach biology and astronomy,” the oldest
one, next to the first, said. At least he assumed she was older
given her white hair and severely lined face. Of course, looks
could be deceiving. “I assume you don’t believe young ladies need
this knowledge at all?”
    He sat back, not sure how to answer.
    She rapped her fan on the table. “The world
is no longer flat, Lord Atwood, and it would be best if gentlemen
quit treating young ladies as if it were, or should believe it
is.”
    Oh dear, he had underestimated the quiet,
older ones. He was almost afraid to ask what the last