A pang of homesickness waved over her, but she pushed it away. She had a task to complete, and complete it she would. “Why don’t you tell me of your interests? Surely there is something that sparks your curiosity?”
Iris met her gaze, measuring her with her green eyes, as if trying to determine Miranda’s character. “I enjoy traveling. My parents, before they passed, were avid explorers, and I went everywhere with them.”
“That sounds like quite the adventurous life. Where are some of the places you traveled?” Miranda asked.
“Egypt, India, the West Indies . . . to name a few.” Iris shrugged, as if traveling half the world wasn’t of any consequence.
Miranda took another sip of her broth, hiding her reaction. Exposure to the world didn’t necessarily mean an understanding of it. Yet she suspected in Iris’s case, it did. And if so, her pupil was of a vastly different caliber than she’d expected.
“Have you traveled?” Iris asked, pulling Miranda from her thoughts.
“Some,” Miranda answered, not wanting to give away the fact that the only other country she’d visited was the one in which she was currently in residence.
“I already miss it. Meeting new people, studying different cultures. It’s quite fascinating, you know,” Iris said.
“Indeed. Please tell me of your education. What subjects have you studied?” Miranda asked.
Iris watched as a footman removed her almost-empty soup bowl. “Arithmetic, I’ve read most of Shakespeare, and I can speak a few languages. My father taught me to read and write Greek, which isn’t my favorite, but I can do tolerably well. Botany is something I do truly enjoy, but I don’t think I’ll find much to study around here; it seems pretty common to most of the continent. It was a better subject of study in India. I’ve studied Egyptian history, and my father made sure I understood how to navigate by sea as well—it was quite fun to work with the captain when we sailed to the Indies.”
Miranda schooled her expression, trying to keep from showing either shock or a feeling of inadequacy. “You’ve quite the education, Iris.”
“Thank you. So, you can see why I’m curious as to your necessity. But as you said, it would be nice to have companionship.” She lifted a fork to taste the pheasant just placed before them.
Miranda swallowed back the feeling that her assistance was indeed utterly unnecessary. Yet, as she thought over Iris’s words, she noted a few missing elements.
“Iris, you spoke beautifully of your father. What of your mother’s contribution to your education? I’m sure you’re just as accomplished in other areas as well, perhaps things your mother taught you?” Miranda asked, taking a small bite of pheasant. The gentle flavor filled her with delight.
“Well, I mentioned my father, but he and my mother did most things in tandem. So everything I learned from my father should give credit to my mother as well. It was my misspeaking that didn’t include her. For that I apologize. My mother thought it important that I be able to do all that a man could do, so she gave a far greater weight to my father’s education of me, versus the more ladylike aspects.”
Miranda nodded, inwardly affirming her suspicions. To confirm, she continued to ask several questions. “Have you studied the pianoforte?”
Iris glanced to the side. “No, and before you ask, I can’t embroider and have no desire to learn either.”
Miranda nodded. “Both are worthy venues of education, but if you’re not interested, have you learned how to dance? Surely you have some delightful experience in other cultures’ expressions of dance?”
Iris toyed with her pheasant. “No. My mother wasn’t much of a dancer and my father had no rhythm.”
Miranda’s feelings of inadequacy fled like the darkness at daybreak. Not only was she more than adequately educated, she was utterly necessary if Iris were to appear on the marriage mart next year.
“Have you any social experience? Have you been to parties, a ball or two?” She highly doubted it. Iris hadn’t had a come-out, but she asked regardless.
“In India we attended a wedding,” Iris replied, her tone hopeful.
“I’m sure that was delightful,” Miranda replied, noting that the first area of her education needed to be of the social variety. And that was going to be a challenge in Scotland, especially because she didn’t know the area well. Certainly Mrs. Keyes would be willing to provide the necessary information.
“Iris, I’m going to be quite frank, because you seem to appreciate forthright conversation.” Miranda set down her fork and regarded her pupil. Iris nodded, though suspicion was evident in her gaze.
“Your education has been exceptional, and you do not need my assistance in furthering the basics of reading, writing, or arithmetic, as I’m sure you are aware.” Miranda paused, watching as Iris nodded once.
“But you do need my assistance in the more feminine pursuits. For example, if we were at a dinner party, who would be sitting in your place?”
Iris blinked, then studied the table, then turned back to Miranda. “A countess,” she answered confidently.
Miranda called her bluff. “That’s indeed true, if . . .”
Iris confident façade fractured a little. “If a duke was sitting over there?” She pointed to a chair.
Triumph washed over Miranda. “No, and there aren’t a great many dukes who attend dinner parties.” She would know; her father was a duke after all, she added to herself. “At a dinner party, the host will sit at the head of the table, then from there you’ll have assigned seating to benefit the flow of conversation. The highest-ranking men and women will usually be seated toward the head of the table by the host, but in some circumstances, they will not. We will learn all this, and much more.”
