Chapter Eighteen
In the schoolroom,the quiet afternoon was disturbed, first by Herr Von Bremen, who, after greeting Jenny in the playful manner she’d come to loathe, pushed back his golden hair with a hand and sat down with William. He launched into a description of the white Lippiza horses and soon had the boy hanging on his every word.
Jenny drew Barbara into a quiet corner to read to her. The child curled up on Jenny’s lap on the rocking chair and immediately fell sleep.
“A charming scene,” Von Bremen said. “Your lap looks most inviting.”
Jenny glared at him while William chuckled.
They were interrupted again when Mr. Forsythe entered. “Miss Harrismith.” He nodded to Jenny and turned to the children. “High time I visited you two scallywags,” he said. “William, how do you go on? I remember the last time I was here, you had some splendid drawings of horses. Do you have any more?”
“Yes,” William jumped up. “I am going to draw some Spanish horses, like the ones Herr Von Bremen has been telling me about.”
Flushed with excitement at the two men displaying such an interest in him, William ran over to the bookshelves to fetch his sketchbook. He handed it proudly to Mr. Forsythe.
Jenny watched as Forsythe flicked through it, making random comments. He seemed kind, but she wasn’t prepared to trust him. “Jolly good work, William.” He gazed around. “Now where is this Carrot I’ve heard so much about?”
At the mention of the cat’s name, Barbara opened her eyes. “Carrot is in the stables with his family.”
Jenny had expected tears when they said goodbye to Carrot, but the little girl had accepted it without a qualm. “You will find Carrot with Misty and her newborn kittens, Mr. Forsythe,” Jenny explained.
He smiled. “There are kittens? Then I shall certainly visit them.”
The door which Jenny had barely shut, opened again, and the duke strolled in. He raised his eyebrows. “Quite a gathering. You’re here too, Ray.”
“Came to see the children,” Mr. Forsythe said.
He looked uncomfortable and Jenny wondered why.
“Father, Herr Von Bremen has been telling me about Lippiza horses,” William said.
The duke nodded. “There might be something on them in the library.”
“Could there be, Father?”
“Perhaps Miss Harrismith would search for it.”
“I’d be happy to,” Jenny said.
The duke opened the door. “Miss Harrismith? A word outside?”
“Of course, Your Grace.”
While attempting to decipher the critical glance Herr Von Bremen had cast her, Jenny settled Barbara down on the chair with a picture book.
His Grace had wandered a little way along the corridor, his arms behind his back. He paused in his stride for her to join him. “Are you managing the change in routine?”
“Yes, quite well. Lord William is enjoying his rides with Mr. Irvine. Apparently, the gentleman is showing him a few of the riding skills he learned during his time fighting Napoleon. And there are no longer any complaints about riding Lavender.”
“Good. Nothing has happened to concern you?”
“No,” she had begun to trust that they were at an end. “Is it possible that they were just random accidents?”
“I can’t afford to think that, Miss Harrismith. And neither can you. We must remain alert.”
“I plan to, of course.”
His gaze sought hers. “We must not let anything, or anyone, distract us from our vigilance.”
