She picked up her teacup and swallowed more tea, her gaze flitting from right to left and back.
“What are you thinking?” He was anxious to hear the many ideas that were obviously running through her sharp mind.
She set down her cup. “I could use my aunt’s estate that she left me. It is in the country, but no women would want to attend during the season anyway.”
“Fair point. From what I’ve seen, there is only one goal for them during the season. Find a husband.” He grimaced.
She raised her brows. “Is that not why you came, to find one of those ladies to take to wife?”
He gave her a curt nod acceding the point, but the need to play devil’s advocate spurred him on. “True. But what if they wish to continue their studies during the season?”
She rose. “That’s doubtful.”
“But if they are not out yet or if they are already married, they may enjoy the company of like-minded individuals.”
She strolled around the settee she’d sat upon and faced him, gripping the back of it. “I could set up teas at Craymore Hall and various outings to the Royal Institution for lectures.”
“Or the Museum of Mechanical Curiosities?”
She nodded, her eyes glowing with excitement once again. “There are many museums, productions, and events that would have educational value.”
Now he too gripped the back of his chair. “And what about at the school itself? How will you determine what to teach? Will you have required classes in each area of study? Will you allow them to study what interests them most?”
She started pacing again, this time behind the settee. “I would prefer that my students learn what they wish to learn. Perhaps I could have required sessions on each subject so they could best determine what they wished to learn more of. Is that how they do it at Oxford?”
He snorted. “Hardly.”
“Really? So they prefer to teach all men all the same subjects.”
He shrugged. “Generally speaking, though there is time for following one’s interests.”
She stopped walking. “Would you be willing to make a list of everything you studied there?”
He backed away from the chair and leaned his ass against the piano. Crossing his arms, he frowned. “I don’t know. That sounds like releasing vital information to the enemy.”
“What?”
He winked, his lips lifting. “I can make a list for you, but I don’t guarantee I’ll remember every course.”
She relaxed at his teasing. “Thank you.” She walked forward and took another swallow of her tea. “I will need teachers, as I’m not an expert on everything. I could use the Socratic method, but with numbers that doesn’t work as well.” She flopped down on the settee. “This is a significant undertaking.” Her brows puckered in doubt. “There are an overwhelming number of tasks to be accomplished.” She clasped her hands, studying them.
He pushed away from the pianoforte and sat down across from her. “Start small and start slow. There is no rush to change the world.” He chuckled. “Not even London.”
She nodded, but still appeared doubtful. “To have young minds molded by what is taught inmyschool is a momentous responsibility. What if I’m wrong. Not about the school, but in what I teach?”
He leaned back, crossing his legs and smirked. “Compared to what they know now? How much damage could you actually do?”
She snapped her head up. “This is no laughing matter.”
“I’m not laughing. I’m absolutely serious.” He also was absolutely confident that anything she taught would be correct, but she wasn’t willing to listen to that at the moment.
“If you’re so sure this school I may or may not open is the right solution to the problem I presented to you, tell me, would you allow Lady Elsbeth to attend?”
He turned his head slightly. The answer was obvious, at least to him. “I would, if she wished to attend.”
She froze as if stunned by his support. It was obvious, she didn’t realize her own assets. She blinked before she sat straighter, her lips forming a confident smile. “So I may have one student. I will need to recruit a few more.”
Pleasantly surprised that his support meant so much to her, he was anxious to do what he could. “How many students?”
