Page 32 of The Earl Next Door
It was maddening.
“Sorry to interrupt you, my lady.”
Adeline turned toward the doorway. “You know it’s not a problem, Mrs. Lawton. I am doing nothing other than wondering why I had that second slice of sweet cake after I ate the delicious pheasant soup you made for me tonight. It was very comforting and just what I needed after such a wet afternoon.”
The petite woman smiled appreciatively. “Thank you, my lady. It was my pleasure. I didn’t know if you wanted to receive anyone this late, but Mrs. Tallon is here and asking to speak with you.”
“Yes, of course.” Adeline laid the book aside and rose. “I’ll always speak to her no matter the hour. Ask her to come in and then you can retire for the evening. I’ll turn out the lamps when I’m ready to go up.”
Mrs. Lawton nodded and said, “Yes, my lady.”
Adeline made sure the lapels of her robe were secured and then bushed her hair away from her shoulders to her back. There was no time to make it more presentable. She’d left it down so it would dry before weaving it into her nighttime braid.
Mrs. Tallon walked in a moment or two later and stopped just inside the entrance. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Lady Wake. I didn’t realize you were ready to retire for the evening. I can come back tomorrow.”
“Nonsense. You’re here now. You know I’ve encouraged you to come to me if you thought I might be of assistance. What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to make you aware of something disturbing that’s been happening.” She hesitated.
A prickle of alarm came over Adeline as she walked around the chair she’d been sitting in and stood beforeMrs. Tallon. “Has the earl been back over again to complain about the girls’ giggles?”
“Oh, no, no, my lady.” Mrs. Tallon dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. “We’ve not seen or heard from him since that morn.”
“Good,” she said, her feelings of disquiet easing a little. “I’m glad. Please, feel free to speak your concerns.”
“I wanted to make you aware that one of the girls, Miss Fanny Watson, continues to disobey me and wanders away from the class and into other rooms. She’s gone outside the school building twice without permission.”
Adeline was more than a little surprised to hear that. She’d told Fanny that leaving the building without someone knowing was unacceptable and she must not do it again. “Did she wander away from the school grounds?”
“No. Both times I found her sitting on the front steps. But after the first time I found her doing so, I told her not to do it again. She disobeyed me and did it anyway. She’s very bright and articulate. She’s not disruptive in any way, but she’s—sly.”
Adeline blinked. That seemed a callous word for a ten-year-old, but she decided not to voice her opinion on that.
“Has she been mean toward any of the other girls? Has she pinched anyone or pulled their hair?”
“No. Most of the time her hands are behind her back.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“She’s not disrespectful at all. She finishes her workquickly and accurately. Most of the other girls need more help and attention than Fanny does. Some aren’t adjusting as well as others, which we talked about and expected. It’s natural, but when we get busy calming them, we’ll suddenly realize Fanny is gone.”
“Gone?”
“From the classroom. Sometimes she’s simply looking at the threads and fabrics in the workroom. She needs to stay where all the other girls are, no matter that she’s finished and they are not. I appreciate that you wanted me to be kind to them because of the unfortunate circumstances of their past, but I feel there must be a harsher punishment for Fanny because she continues to disobey me after verbal reprimands she clearly understands.”
After listening quietly to the woman, Adeline said, “Has she said why she doesn’t do as you asked?”
“Most of the time she only shrugs. She’s quiet. Even in the classroom she hardly speaks to anyone except Mathilda. Quite frankly, it’s much easier to deal with a child who talks too much because then, at least, you know what they’re thinking.”
Adeline remembered that Fanny had shrugged a few times the day she’d wandered into the garden, and she wasn’t very verbal at first. Still, once she’d started, she seemed to want to talk about her mother and father.
“Sitting on the front steps or looking around the workroom doesn’t seem an especially serious disobedience to me, but I do agree she should do as you instruct at all times.”
Mrs. Tallon pursed her lips and twisted her face into a stern frown. Her back stiffened.
Obviously, the headmistress didn’t think Adeline’s words were strong enough.
“To ensure everyone’s safety,” Mrs. Tallon said, “I must know where all the students are at all times. If every one of them wandered off any time they so pleased the school would be chaos and I’d have no control. As they become used to living here, I can give them more privileges, but it’s too soon for that. What kind of school would we have if they all did what they wanted when they wanted?”
