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Mrs Hibbet had plenty of jobs to attend to, and so offered no objection Once the housekeeper had left the room, Rose crouched down until eye level with the children

“I know nothing about being a governess and nothing of Mrs Booth’s schedule So we’ll literally rub the slate clean and begin again”

Alice tugged her brother’s coat sleeve and looked up at him all doe-eyed

Jacob sighed: an old man’s weary exhalation not that of a frustrated boy “On a Friday, Mrs Booth taughtand Latin in the afternoon”

“Mathematics and Latin in one day?” Rose said with a chuckle No wonder the woman woke to find toads in her bed It certainly see retribution

“I’o away to school next year”

As soon as the words left the boy’s lips, Alice clutched his arh the wicked school the helpless child away

At seven, Rose had felt the sah he was much older and spent the ive anything to feel Oliver’s secure arms wrapped around her To hear his words of comfort

“Will it be Eton or Harrow? Do you intend to follow in your father’s footsteps?” In Rose’s opinion, a child of eight should receive tutoring at houe with tradition

Jacob shrugged “Mao to Eton”

His Mao At six, surely Jacob would have been too young for a ain, sos’ education at birth

“There are better ways to prepare a boy for school,” Rose said by way of a distraction as theaway made his lip tremble And better ways to prepare Alice for his departure “None of the at a desk for hours on end”

The boy appeared confused yet equally curious

Rose ventured over to theIf she stood on tiptoes, she could just see the tops of the trees standing still, ood day to take their lesson outside

“For our first task, we’ll need a few provisions” Rose swung around and clapped her hands together in excitement much to their surprise “Alice, you will need a jacket and a scarf of some sort One that is easy to tie”