“And what are your duties?” He could recall well enough the advertisement with his wife’s notes about Miss Delmonte’s suitability along with character references, though he could not locate them among the mess. Silas felt like growling. It was never difficult to find his things aboard a ship; there were only so many places something could go, but when he dug through the records at his disposal, he couldn’t find the few bits of parchment he needed.
“Primarily, I serve as Helen’s governess, though all the children are under my care. Nurse Johnson sees to the children’s needs, and she reports directly to me. I have begun to teach Griffith his letters, though I do not spend much time with him in the classroom as he is a tad young for formal instruction,” she said with an efficiency of words that did her credit, though it would do more if she didn’t look so pinched while delivering them.
Abandoning his fruitless search, Silas turned his gaze to the lady before him. “And what do Helen’s lessons consist of?”
Miss Delmonte sat there, straight-back and silent for a moment as she considered that. There was no hint to her thoughts or feelings at that moment; a blank mask of civility was all that met him, and Silas wondered what she found so perplexing about such a simple question.
“Of course, I am educating her on various womanly subjects—needlepoint, art, music, dancing, etiquette, and the like—as well as arithmetic, literature, geography, and French.” Mrs. Delmonte paused for a moment before continuing. “And we are exploring some more scholarly subjects, such as naturalism, astronomy, and Latin.”
Silas blinked at that, though he did not give in to the urge to scoff. There were many aspects of his wife that had been a mystery to him, but Deborah would never authorize such an unladylike curriculum. Considering the lady before him and the answer she’d given, Silas was forced to reconsider his assumptions of her.
Miss Delmonte sat there with all the prim perfection one expected of a lady, yet something about her bespoke of a heart that was not so insipid. She must have spirit, or she wouldn’t be so bold as to mislead her employer within the first five minutes of speaking to him, even if she did it with a subservient air.
How intriguing.
“That is a hearty course of study.” Silas did not allow his skepticism to show in his tone, though he couldn’t leave the governess’s assertions uncontested. Some perverse part of him wanted to see what she would do when prodded.
Miss Delmonte nodded. “But we do not delve too deeply into many of them as of yet. Helen is still young, and I am introducing her to a variety of subjects and accomplishments to determine where her skills lie. As it becomes clearer where she excels, we will focus our studies.”
“And Mrs. Byrnes thought naturalism, astronomy, and Latin were a fitting education for her daughter?” Again, he kept his tone nonchalant, tossing out the question as though it was of little importance.
She considered him for a brief moment, and though she gave no hint as to her thoughts, Silas heard them churning in her head. Miss Delmonte calculated the possibilities, weighing her options, though the whole moment passed in less than a heartbeat before she answered.
“Mrs. Byrnes voiced no objections.”
Silas almost laughed aloud at that brilliant maneuver. A truth while hiding a lie, for Silas did not doubt that Mrs. Byrnes had thoroughly scrutinized Miss Delmonte’s lessons and approved of them at one time, though it had been some months since anyone would’ve noticed the shift in the curriculum; Silas doubted his sister-in-law had anticipated the governess straying into such rigorous subjects.
Perhaps he ought to have some misgivings about having a deceitful lady caring for his children, but Silas couldn’t fault her for deviating from Deborah’s narrow view. Too few valued proper education for their daughters, though he could not fathom why. Even if one believed a young lady’s education should only touch on subjects befitting a future wife and mother, that encapsulated far more than music, art, and needlepoint. A man of sense wants intelligent wives; anything else would bore him to tears. And surely, an educated woman was a far better partner for her husband and guide to her children.
It would be different if Miss Delmonte were giving Helen less education or were dishonest with the schoolroom funds and supplies, but as the lady’s deception was giving Helen more than what Deborah had wanted, Silas couldn’t fault the governess. Though he would keep watch over it.
“If Mrs. Byrnes voiced no objection, I see no reason to alter the curriculum,” said Silas with a hint of a smile, and he wondered if the governess ever displayed the spirit and heart she kept hidden away. He would much rather his children—Helen in particular—have a warm example of womanhood to emulate and soften the hard edge Deborah had given her.
Miss Delmonte nodded, the tension in her shoulders easing a touch. It was faint, but Silas noticed it and found himself hiding the responding smile.
“I wish to be apprised of the situation in the nursery often,” he said.
“I had a standing appointment with Mrs. Byrnes on Monday mornings to discuss the children and any concerns she had.”
Silas’s brows rose, and he considered that. “With my schedule, I shan’t be available in the morning, but I see no reason we shouldn’t continue that tradition in the evening. And I require you to maintain a flexible schedule for the children.”
Mrs. Delmonte sat for a silent moment before saying, “The children require consistency.”
Giving her a narrowed look, Silas thought through his reply. As the master of the household and father of the children in question, he needed no permission from their governess to do as he pleased. However, a haughty retort and quick demand rarely produced good results. Or rather, one may receive what was required, even if it wasn’t the best option. Silas had seen too many lieutenants and captains who gave orders without soliciting the knowledge and understanding of the experts beneath them in the naval hierarchy.
“What precisely does ‘consistency’ entail?” he asked.
Miss Delmonte blinked at him as though she had expected an entirely different response. After a silent moment of reflection, she replied, “Children are adaptable creatures, but they need stability. Your children have already suffered a lot of upheaval of late, and they need a proper schedule. The most important of which is their bed and mealtimes. Helen’s schooling ought not to suffer, either.”
“Grown men do not fare well when tired and hungry, either, so I concede the point, but I wish to know my children better, Miss Delmonte, and that requires some flexibility.”
Something in her expression shifted. A fleeting little movement that was here and gone before Silas could identify it.
“What is it?” he asked.
But the lady shook her head. “Nothing, sir.”
“You look as though you have something important to say.”
