Someone tolerable enough to join the family for several years, but not so essential that they would be devastated at her inevitable departure.
Someone kind, competent, and caring.
Someone he and his children definitely wouldn’t fall in love with.
“Knowledgeable,” he said at last. “Experienced.”
Désirée added these items to the page. “Knowledgeable in which subjects, specifically? How many years’ experience?”
Over the next quarter hour, they managed to flesh out a detailed profile, complete with expectations regarding education, rules, castigation, meals, schedules, free time, autonomy, milestones, salary, and more.
He leaned back. “Now what?”
“Now…” She tapped the edge of the pages against the desk to align them. “We take out an advertisement in all the papers.”
“An advert for what?” came a voice from the corridor.
Annie and Frederick stood in the doorway with sleep-lined faces and curious eyes.
“Your new governess,” Jack informed them.
“Yourrealgoverness,” Désirée corrected. “Someone who is practically perfect in every way.”
Frederick sent narrowed eyes toward his father. “Someone who will make us do long division?”
Jack widened his eyes. “Relentlessly.”
Annie crossed her arms. “I hate new people.”
Frederick copied his sister’s stance. “Me, too.”
“You both adore new people,” Jack reminded them. “You know everyone in town, and everything about every new tourist within minutes of their arrival.”
“They’re not governesses,” Annie informed him. “They’regossip.”
“You shouldn’t gossip,” Frederick whispered.
“You’re just jealous because you aren’t interesting enough to be gossiped about,” Annie shot back.
Jack reached for the freshly organized papers. “Would you like to hear our list of requirements?”
“No,” Annie said. “I despise her already.”
Frederick elbowed her in the ribs. “What if it’s Miss Quincy? She’s not a stranger and she likes to play with us.”
“It is not Miss Quincy.” Jack cast a beseeching gaze heavenward. “She married the Duke of Azureford. Governesses can’t be married.”
Annie wrinkled her nose. “Or what?”
“Or they go away,” Frederick answered. “We don’t want anybody who’s going to go away.”
“She’ll go away when we’re grown up,” Annie reminded him.
Frederick shook his head. “Not if she likes us. She’ll come over for tea from time to time, and we’ll laugh about how we used to put pins on her chair and toads under her pillow.”
Jack dropped his face into his hands.
Désirée rescued the list of requirements and addedPATIENCEat the top in capital letters.
He nodded in agreement. This wasn’t going to be easy.
