Page 44 of Castle of Refuge

“Very well. May I ask what you plan to teach them?”

“I shall teach them reading and writing in English, and perhaps Latin as well.”

Engeram raised his brows. “Would it not be more practical to teach them embroidery and sewing?”

“I believe everyone should have the opportunity to learn toread, girls as well as boys.” Her gaze into the priest’s eyes was unwavering.

Engeram fidgeted and glanced away. “Oh, well... hmm,” he stammered.

“But I do have one more request. I would like to invite all the girls of the area to come to my lessons, even the ones whose parents are not free.” She looked him straight in the eye.

“What do you mean? The villeins’ girl children? You want to teach them to read?”

“Yes. It is my wish.” She smiled as if she did not know what she was asking was strange.

Engeram looked at Edwin. His eyes seemed to beg for help.

“I see no reason why she cannot teach the villeins’ children as well as the free men’s.”

Engeram stared at the floor, then took a long, deep breath and let it out. “Very well. If that is what you both wish.” He looked slightly bewildered.

Audrey’s smile was brighter than Edwin had ever seen it. “When may I start?”

***

Audrey hurried to the church and the room where her lessons would take place. Her walk took her down the lane from Dericott Castle, past a small forest, past fields and meadows, to the road that led to the village at the bottom of the hill.

She couldn’t stop thinking about Helena, the only person she had ever taught, now that she was going to be teaching moregirls. And how amazing that she would be getting to do what she had often imagined doing—teaching girls to read! And she had not even had to be married to someone powerful to do it. Lord Dericott and the priest, Engeram, had been God’s instruments in making it happen, for indeed it seemed like a miracle from heaven.

As she was entering the village, she turned to look back at Dericott Castle. The enormous castle was an imposing sight sitting at the top of the hill, the entire stone structure just visible from where she stood. She could see the seven defensive towers, some round and some square, of various sizes, with a ring of crenellations around the top of each. The large square keep in the middle, with the rest of the stone castle connected to it, was where her bedchamber was located, along with Lord Dericott’s, though she was not certain which chamber was his.

On her way through the village, the people she passed all stopped what they were doing to stare at her. Their stares made her pull at her hair to make sure it was covering her scars. Did they know about her scars? Were they staring because they’d heard about her? She should not assume the worst. Probably they were only staring because they were not accustomed to seeing strangers in their tiny village.

Still, they did not seem like other villagers she’d encountered on her way here. The Dericott people seemed happier, less fearful somehow. There was an air about them that conjured up one word—hope. Was it because, as she’d heard, Lord Dericott had given them a year of Jubilee from their obligations to their lord? Truly, it was a very generous thing he had done for the poorestof the poor. Was that not what Jesus had taught His disciples, to care for the poor? She felt as if, knowing Lord Dericott and seeing the fruit of his actions, she was witnessing something extraordinary, much like her miracle of getting the opportunity to teach.

She made it through the length of the village and came to the church, which stood down a lane a bit, away from the rest of the town.

She could hardly wait to meet her students. Engeram had only six boys who came consistently, but Audrey was hoping for more.

Engeram had been spreading the word about her lessons, offered to any girl seven and older, to learn reading and writing. Was this the fulfillment of her dream? Was this what would make her life a bright light in the world?

The children began arriving an hour early. Engeram tried to shoo them away, but Audrey protested. “Let them stay. It’s all right.”

Audrey gathered them in and played a game with them that Sybil had taught her when she was little.

There were ten of them, all wide-eyed and mostly quiet. The youngest was seven and the oldest fifteen. And when Audrey got them all seated and started teaching them the letters, she realized it would be a lot harder to teach ten children of such wide-ranging ages than it was to teach Helena alone, especially since Helena already knew some of the alphabet and how to read a few words.

No matter. They were all looking at her with respect andeagerness, or at least with openness, so she was certain she could teach them. It was only a matter of time.

But besides wanting to see them read, something else tugged at her heart yet more—were they being treated well at home? Was someone hugging them every day? Providing them with enough food?

Audrey wanted to get to know each one and to know just what each of them needed. They were her students, and she felt a responsibility for them that she’d never felt for anyone before. And she already loved them. It didn’t matter that she was just learning their names and knew very little about them; they were her students, they had come to her with humble hearts ready to learn, and she loved them on sight.

***

A few days later, Audrey and two of Lord Dericott’s male servants carried baskets through the village to the church. Audrey couldn’t help smiling as her students greeted her in front of the church door.

“What do you have for us, Mistress Audrey?” Lucinda, the youngest, was jumping up and down.