Page 52 of The Earl Next Door
“I had Miss Peat and Miss Hinson take them to the workroom.”
“Good. Let’s stand over here by the window where Fanny and Mathilda can’t hear us talk.” The woman followed her to the other side of the large room and Adeline asked, “Have you been thinking about what might be a fitting punishment for these two?”
“Oh, we must send them home,” she said without hesitation. “They’re a hindrance to all the girls.”
Adeline was sure that would be her answer but she still didn’t want to do it. “Do they disrupt the class in any way?”
“No. They participate in everything. Quite good at all they do, but as soon as my back is turned they’re off to look at something. And it’s not like they haven’t been warned not to do it again. Mrs. Lawton said they were found on the earl’s property. That’s unpardonable as far as I’m concerned.”
Was it? Adeline pursed her lips and studied over that. It had been her first reaction for their disobedience, too. If she did that, they would have few recourse for their futures. Helping the girls had been her only goal when she started the school. Not doing so would mean she’d failed and they had taken control away from her. That thought stiffened Adeline’s back. She wasn’t going to let the ten-year-olds win this battle.
Mrs. Tallon had been right when she said Fanny would start engaging the others with her mischief. Mathilda was her first quarry. Adeline intended to make sure she was also the last.
“If I don’t agree to dismiss them, what other punishment would you suggest?”
The woman looked at Adeline as if she’d lost her mind. “What else is there, my lady? We’ve already tried extra work. Fanny didn’t seem to mind that at all. You told me not to use my cane. Not to even bring it to the school with me. I don’t know what else we can do.”
Lyon had mentioned just the threat of the cane might bring about change in their behavior, and she knew it was a common practice in boys’ schools. Adeline didn’t even want to consider it but she must. Desperate measures were needed if she was going to keep the girls at the school.
Adeline rubbed the back of her neck, and memories of Lyon massaging her nape invaded her thoughts. She closed her eyes for a moment and allowed the memory of his gentle strength, the warmth of his touch, and the taste of his kisses wash over her. For a few minutes he’d made her forget she had to make a difficult judgment on the problem before her.
Her eyes popped open. Suddenly she was clear on what she needed to say. “Fanny and Mathilda will not be allowed to play with the other children for a full month. When you take them to the park, those two are to take writing and number lessons with them and work the entire time the others are there enjoying themselves. That is their punishment.”
Mrs. Tallon’s back bowed but she remained silent. The headmistress didn’t know Adeline wasn’t finished.
“That is their punishment for leaving the school. For their recompense to the earl for trespassing on hisproperty, while the other girls are enjoying their time of singing, have Miss Peat keep Fanny and Mathilda in the workroom. They are to learn how to make a neckcloth—more than one design would probably be good. Once their quality of stitch has been perfected, and it has been inspected and accepted by you as flawless, they will then make the earl a dozen neckcloths. Each one to be perfectly stitched, washed, pressed, and ready for wearing. That should keep them too busy to wander off.”
A victory smile eased across the older woman’s face. “That sounds adequate to me, my lady. Though, it may take a while. I’ve not even started teaching them how to cut a linen cloth or to make a fine stitch.”
“I don’t think you need to be in a hurry. Take all the time you need. When all is finished, we’ll set a day for you to bring the neckcloths and the girls to me, and I’ll see to it they deliver them to the earl bearing their written and verbal apologies, too.”
“I’ll see it’s all done to your satisfaction.”
“Thank you.” Adeline then strode over to stand between Fanny and Mathilda. She glanced from one to the other, hoping guilt and sorrow over what they’d done would show in their expressions. All she saw was girlish innocence in their faces. Sick to her stomach and denying her innate reluctance to be harsh, she squared her shoulders and said, “I don’t know the reasons for your misbehavior today, but your offense justifies being dismissed from school and sent home.”
Fanny’s mouth opened in shock before she quickly said, “Don’t send Mathilda home. She didn’t want togo into his house. I made her go with me because I didn’t want to go alone.”
Adeline wasn’t expecting either of them to say anything, but she turned to Mathilda and said, “You are more than a head taller than Fanny. Did she force you to do anything you didn’t want to do?”
Mathilda rolled her big eyes toward Fanny and slowly shook her head. “I wanted to see inside the house, too.”
“I thought as much. Fanny, do you want to go home and be able to read to your mother?”
The little girl looked down at her feet for a moment and then back to Adeline and said, “Yes, my lady.”
“That’s what I want, too, and because of that I won’t send either of you home today. You will remain here. Your families sent you to this school to become a seamstress, to be able to write, add numbers and to read. I will not fail them because of your selfish behavior or because of a rebellious spirit or even girlish inquisitiveness. But as of right nowyouwill start obeying the rules—all of them or I will have Mrs. Tallon bring her cane to the school and give her permission to use it on your backsides if you disobey her.” Adeline looked directly at Fanny. “Do I make myself clear?”
Fanny nodded and so did Mathilda.
“Mrs. Tallon. Please place your cane in one of the corners of the classroom.”
“Of course, Lady Wake.”
Adeline held her breath and strode across the room and out of the school without saying anything else. She couldn’t. As soon as she shut the door behind her sheswallowed down a sob. And then another. And another. Almost choking herself to keep from making a sound until she was far enough away from the school that the girls couldn’t hear her.
She couldn’t stop the tears rolling down her face.
She would never allow Mrs. Tallon to do such a harsh thing to any of the girls. It had been wrenching to say it. She’d had no choice. Fanny had to be frightened and believe Adeline would do it, or she’d continue on her unruly path. Adeline hoped Lyon was right and just the fear of the cane would work wonders in making one comply.
