“Lord Seton,” Priscilla said, puzzled. She had to try to get through to him. “Something is wrong, isn’t it? You can tell me.”
Lord Seton stopped what he was doing and looked up at her.
“I am fine, really. I just wish I didn’t have to be in the classroom, today.”
“Oh? Where would you like to be, instead?”
“Outside.”
Priscilla smiled. “Then let’s go outside.”
* * *
Oliver was walking from the manor over to the distillery. Though the distillery was on his property, he generally only spent the day there once each week. It took approximately ten minutes to walk from his office to the distillery, so typically, he asked one of this staff members to accompany him, as he felt like this was a good time to discuss matters of the manor or his work. Today, he was accompanied by Wright, and they were talking about Jamie.
“He was not himself last night, Wright,” Oliver said as he walked. “He seemed quiet, withdrawn, and almost angry about something.”
“Yes, Your Grace. I, too, noticed his strange behavior.”
“I thought that he would love to sit in the dining room while we had a guest. But, what I saw from him was the opposite of that.”
“It is, indeed, strange. He isn’t usually a morose lad, so something must have happened.”
“Did Miss Slade mention anything about him?” Oliver asked as they walked.
“No, Your Grace. But, if you like, I would be more than happy to enquire about that.”
“Yes, please.”
The two walked in silence for a moment, and then Oliver said, “Wright, may I ask you something? I would like for it to stay between the two of us.”
“Of course, Your Grace. You can always ask me anything.”
“When Darnerton was here yesterday, we were talking about Jamie. He said something that I thought was odd at the time, but now, I wonder if, perhaps, it is relevant to his behavior.”
“Oh? What was it?”
“He asked if Jamie was getting enough attention. I was asking him if he thought Jamie’s behavior was typical for a young gentleman of ten, and he said his own son enjoyed pranks, too, but that he thought Jamie’s behavior was atypical.”
“Are you asking if I agree that Lord Seton’s behavior is odd?”
“No. I am asking if you think that Jamie gets enough attention.”
“Oh. I do, Your Grace. He is well-liked by the staff, Miss Slade is with him most of the day, and when she’s not there, he is in his lessons.”
“That’s what I thought, of course. I know I am very focused with my work, but I know that the staff is typically with him.”
“Yes. I rarely see Lord Seton alone. I can’t imagine that’s the reason for his mood.”
The pair were almost to the distillery, and Oliver could see the workmen moving barrels.
“Your Grace,” Wright said. “Speaking of Lord Seton, he and Miss Ainsley are over there.” Wright was pointing behind him.
Oliver turned, and he saw his son and the governess walking slowly. They seemed to be engaged in a conversation about something.
At first, Oliver was a bit taken aback. He wasn’t sure what they were doing when Jamie was supposed to be in his lessons. However, as he watched them, it almost seemed as if she was giving him some type of lesson at that moment.
“I think I will walk over there and see what they are talking about, Wright,” Oliver said. “You can wait for me at the distillery. I will only be a minute.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Wright replied.
Oliver began walking towards Jamie and Miss Ainsley. As he got closer, he saw Miss Ainsley look up. She waved at him, and he was surprised by himself when he waved back and smiled.
Oliver said, “Hello!”
“Hello, Your Grace,” Miss Ainsley said. She looked quite beautiful, and he couldn’t help but smile.
“Hello, Father,” Jamie said, but Oliver kept looking at Miss Ainsley.
“Are you doing lessons out here today?” he asked, in an attempt to make conversation. He was always a little awkward with ladies he didn’t know well, and it also seemed that he was awkward when speaking with ladies he found to be attractive.
Miss Ainsley smiled. “Yes, Your Grace. Lord Seton felt a bit cooped up in the school room today, so we thought it was best to come out here. We are learning about history, today, and discussing Hadrian’s Wall. I have been using your own manor and the way it was built to explain to Lord Seton how the wall was built.”
Oliver was impressed. “That’s a very intelligent thing to do, Miss Ainsley.” Finally, he turned to Jamie. “Are you finding the lesson interesting?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Jamie replied. He had a slight smile on his face, which Oliver took as a good sign. Perhaps spending time with Miss Ainsley was a very good thing for him. She, at least, seemed to be having a good influence on him.
"Wonderful, Jamie. I am very pleased to hear that. Hadrian’s Wall is an important part of our country’s history.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Speaking of lessons, Your Grace,” Miss Ainsley said. Oliver turned his attention back to her.
“Yes?” Oliver replied.
“Lord Seton and I were talking. We think it would be beneficial to go into town for a day, soon. There is much that I can teach him there, I believe.”
Oliver didn’t quite understand. “Like what?”
“For instance,” Miss Ainsley said, “Lord Seton will one day take over the distillery, but he doesn’t have a concept of things like monetary transactions. By going into town, and actually seeing how currency works, I think it would give him an understanding of the economy at a level that he can understand.”
“Hmm, I see. I don’t think that would be a problem. Assuming that Jamie wants to do this?” Oliver turned to his son.
“Oh yes, Father,” Jamie said. “I really want to go.”
Oliver smiled at Jamie, and then looked back up to Miss Ainsley. “Then I give you permission. Just make sure to take a guard. I want to make sure you are safe.”
* * *
Later that afternoon, Lord Seton and Priscilla were back in the classroom. After their successful lesson outdoors, and seeing how excited he had been, Priscilla had already decided that she was going to plan more lessons that could be done on the grounds.
Currently, she was watching Lord Seton work on his math assignment. She had explained an easy way to understand percentages, which he was struggling with, but it was a useful thing for him to know as he would be in the distilling business someday, and percentages were a part of that.
She had created a series of mathematics problems on a slate board, given him a piece of chalk, and was watching as he went down the row of equations. His brow was furrowed, and his tongue was sticking out of the side of his mouth.
“Are you understanding this new method, My Lord?” Priscilla asked.
Lord Seton looked up and nodded. “I think it is easier now. I still don’t like it, but it’s easier.”
Priscilla smiled at him. He certainly was a nice young gentleman, and even though he had that mischievous streak in him, he was quite charming. She still didn’t believe that he fully trusted her, but after the morning outdoors, she couldn’t help but feel their relationship had been strengthened a bit.
However, now that she had seen him in action, she knew that she would have to keep a close eye on him. He seemed to know exactly when to take an opportunity to prank someone.
What he didn’t know, though, was that she had been quite the prankster herself when she was a girl, and she felt confident that she could out prank him at any time. Eventually, she would fill him in on her background, but for now, she wanted to continue building up his trust with her.
“Let me check your work, My Lord,” she said to him, walking over to his side. Priscilla picked up the slate and began checking the calculations.
“This looks very good. I agree that you seem to understand it
better.”
She glanced down at Lord Seton, and he was beaming. It seemed to her that he really responded to praise, which was important to remember as they moved on with their lessons.
“Are we almost done with our lessons today?” Lord Seton asked her.
“Well, I was thinking perhaps a short globes lesson, but since you have done so well with your arithmetic today, I think that we could stop for now.”
“Great!” Lord Seton said. “I was hoping you would say that.”
“We can stop on one condition. Tomorrow, you must teach me something.”
“What? What can I teach you?”
“That’s for you to decide. But it has to be something that I don’t know…and it can’t be a lie like your tale about the War of the Roses.” She smiled at him, and he smirked back.
“Fine. I will think of something, and I’ll be sure that you don’t know anything about it.”
“Splendid,” Priscilla said, beaming at him. “Then you are dismissed for the day.
Chapter 8
Oliver was lost in thought. He was sitting in his office, ready to finish work before dinner, but he was having trouble concentrating.
Seeing the governess with his son earlier in the day had affected him in some way. His son actually seemed happy and like he was enjoying his lessons. Oliver had not seen him like that with any other governess.
However, Oliver also knew Jamie well, and he couldn’t help but think that perhaps he was planning some sort of elaborate prank and using Miss Ainsley as a pawn. If that was going to happen, it would probably be just a matter of time before she would be gone, too.
That would really be a pity, because even though she had only been working here for a couple of days, she already seemed to have made an impact. Even Wright has been impressed with her, which is unusual, as he was quite serious and difficult to impress.
Oliver glanced over at the pile of orders that seemed to get bigger by the day. He then looked at the clock, and he noted that he would have to start getting dressed for dinner within the hour.
He turned to the footman who was standing near the door, and said, “Please fetch Lord Seton. He should be done with his lessons. I would like to speak with him in private. You can bring him here.”
“Very well, Your Grace.”
Oliver leaned back in his chair and sighed. He wanted to talk to Jamie to see how he was settling in with Miss Ainsley, and to see if he had any type of prank planned that involved her.
He gathered all of his pencils and placed them in a drawer, and then neatened the pile of orders, making sure they were ready for him tomorrow.
Oliver heard a knock on the door.
“Enter.”
Jamie entered the room and Oliver said, “Please, sit down,” and joined him at the table. He stared at Jamie for just a brief moment, trying to gauge what was going through the young Lord’s mind.
“Jamie, did you have a good day with Miss Ainsley, today? It seemed like you were enjoying yourself during your lessons.”
“I did, Father. Miss Ainsley is quite nice.”
“I think she’s nice, too, Jamie.” Oliver scratched at his chin trying to find the right words to ask his son if he were planning a prank without seeming accusatory. “You aren’t planning on pranking her, right?”
“No, Father,” Jamie said quickly, lowering his head. This looks suspicious.
“Jamie,” Oliver said while shaking his head. “Miss Ainsley has done nothing wrong. In fact, I would daresay that she is the best governess we have had in this house. I cannot believe that you would ever think of pranking her after she has been so good to you thus far.”
Jamie’s head sank even further. Oliver could see his son blushing.
“You are not to prank Miss Ainsley. Is that understood, Jamie?”
Jamie nodded, but didn’t say a word.
“I would prefer that you don’t prank anyone, of course, but especially not Miss Ainsley.”
“I understand, Father.”
“You are dismissed. I will see you at dinner.”
Jamie left the office, and Oliver leaned back in his chair. He certainly didn’t want to lose Miss Ainsley, and he was afraid that if Jamie started pranking her, that she would go.
I will just have to hope for the best.
* * *
“Lord Seton, I think we should go to town today.”
Priscilla immediately saw a change in her student’s disposition. He had only been in the schoolroom for a few minutes, but he seemed quite down and despondent.
“Really?”
Priscilla nodded. “Really. We just have to get word to your father that today is the day we will go.”
“But wasn’t I supposed to teach you something today?” He asked with a confused expression on his face.
“Yes,” Priscilla replied. She had almost forgotten. “You can do it the following day. Will that work?”
“Oh yes,” Lord Seton said, with excitement in his voice.
“Perfect. Then let’s go talk to your father.”
“I will tell him!” Lord Seton said excitedly as he jumped up out of his chair. The change in his attitude was remarkable to Priscilla. She hadn’t ever seen so much excitement out of him since she had begun working for the family.
“Lord Seton,” Priscilla said quickly before he could leave the room. “I think it’s best if we go together. This way, we can answer any questions that your father might have about my lesson plans.”
“Yes, I can understand that. I wasn’t thinking. I was simply so excited to go to town today.
Priscilla laughed. “I am too, My Lord.”
* * *
Oliver was getting more frustrated by the moment. Another barrel was broken this morning due to carelessness, and that could equate to up to a four-hundred-bottle loss just this week, alone.
“Wright,” Oliver said in a huff, “I don’t care how you do it, but you must find out who is responsible for this. I can’t keep bleeding whisky out of this distillery. There must be consequences!”
“I agree, Your Grace.”
“Four hundred bottles,” Oliver said shaking his head. “That is a significant loss for us.”
Wright nodded and stood. “Yes, Your Grace. I will start questioning the staff. I assure you that I will get to the bottom of this.”
“I appreciate it, Wright.”
Wright walked to the door and opened it, and Oliver heard him gasp.
“My Lord,” Oliver said, patting his chest. “You frightened me.”
Oliver saw Jamie standing in the doorway, and right behind him, Miss Ainsley.
“I’m sorry,” Jamie said. “I was just about ready to knock when you opened the door.”
“Well, My Lord,” Wright said with a laugh. “You certainly keep me on my toes. Now, if you and Miss Ainsley will excuse me, I have an urgent task to take care of.”
“Please come in.” Oliver didn’t know what it was, but as soon as he saw Miss Ainsley, he felt a sense of calm.
“Now, what brings you here during your typical lesson time?” Oliver asked, as he once again began shuffling papers around his desk.
“Father, Miss Ainsley and I wish to go to town today for my lessons.”
Oliver could hear the excitement in his son’s voice as he spoke. He turned towards Miss Ainsley. “Do you have a plan for his lessons whilst in town?”
She nodded. “I do, Your Grace. I want to show him some of the shops, the post, and the newspaper office. I think all of those are important places for him to see in order to prepare for his future.”
Oliver thought about this for a moment. “I give you permission to go today, but please take a guard, as I said before.” He then turned to the footman who was standing in the corner of his office. “Please ready a carriage and find Mr. Wright. Ask him to send a rider along with them.”
He then turned to his son and raised his eyebrows. “I hope you have a good time today and that you behave for Miss Ainsley. No pranks, Ja
mie.”
“Yes, Father,” Jamie replied with a cheeky grin. “I promise.”
* * *
“Miss Ainsley. Here, let me help you.”
Priscilla took the hand of the footman, and then stepped into the carriage. The seats were lush and made of red velvet, and her body seemed to sink into the fabric as she sat down next to Lord Seton.
The Devious Seduction 0f A Wayward Duke (Steamy Historical Romance) Page 7
