way he sat looking at her, his head cocked to the side, his expression concerned. He was such a friendly, genuine sort of person.
And they’d that link: both of them pursuing a passion of which their families didn’t necessarily approve.
“Apart from one disputed incident,” she found herself blurting out, “which I believe was concocted to serve as an excuse for my dismissal, everything was going well. The parents were happy, as were the teachers and the girls. I felt I was doing an outstanding job. All signs seemed to point in that direction.”
“You were, ” the doctor said.
A rush of heat went to her face. “What do you mean?”
He arched a brow. “Shall I really tell you?”
“Yes. Please .”
He flashed her a wry grin. “Ella McCloud’s quite jealous of you. She fears that Oak Hall, under your leadership, will become a rival to Greenwood and perhaps even surpass it as a model educational establishment.”
“You’re jesting.”
“No. She thinks it might take some years, but she’s worried with you at the helm. And I don’t mind revealing that information to you. A little bit of competition makes everyone better, don’t you agree? Even though now it appears to be a moot point, with your being … sent away.”
But at the moment, that didn’t matter. What mattered to Marcia was that Greenwood’s headmistress thought she’d excelled at her job. The knowledge boosted her confidence like nothing else. She hadn’t realized that she’d actually taken Lysandra’s critical remarks to heart.
“Thank you for sharing that with me.” She put a hand over Dr. Trimp’s. “I can’t thank you enough.”
He chuckled. “Oh, but it’s true. All I can think is that Lady Ennis must not want Oak Hall to improve, if she got rid of you.”
And it was as if he’d poured a bucket of cold water over her head, waking her up. She’d been so confused. She’d broken one rule. One . And Lysandra’s reaction to her breaking it had come a good six weeks after she had.
Lysandra’s other excuses seemed not to add up, either. Marcia’s choice of clothes wasn’t so bad. Nor did she believe for a minute that she’d made Oak Hall a wallflower among schools. Their school was different, yes, but in a refreshing way.
Perhaps there was another reason for her dismissal. Could it be that Lysandra really didn’t want Oak Hall to thrive?
“I can’t imagine why any benefactor wouldn’t want his or her own educational establishment to do well,” Marcia said. “It would mean an eventual shutdown of the school once word got out.”
Dr. Trimp had a face made for drama. Now his knowing expression said—
Oh, no . Marcia inhaled a breath. “You don’t think—”
Dr. Trimp gave a short laugh. “That she wants to close the school?”
“But Lady Ennis wouldn’t—”
“Perhaps she would,” the physician said, his eyes locked on hers.
They both sat without speaking a moment, digesting that wretched possibility, until Dr. Trimp sidled even closer. “She’s off to Cornwall soon, I understand.”
“Yes.” Marcia wouldn’t—couldn’t—cry. Not while Oak Hall was in jeopardy. “She leaves tomorrow, in fact. I think she’s already scouted out a potential new wealthy husband, Kitto Tremellyn, the Earl of Shaftsbury. He’s not quite as old as Lord Ennis was.”
Dr. Trimp made a moue of distaste. “I’ve heard of people letting others do their dirty work for them, but to be hiding in a brooding castle on a Cornish cliff while someone else arranges the closing of your school? That seems a bit witchy.”
“She wouldn’t do such a thing, surely.” But it did sound so like Lysandra.
The good doctor leaned close again. “Mayhap she’ll have a better chance at catching a Cornish lord with no encumbrances. Not many men want their wives’ attention drawn away from them, however noble the reason.”
“But one can’t believe the gossips.” Marcia was firm on this point.
“One can’t afford to
And they’d that link: both of them pursuing a passion of which their families didn’t necessarily approve.
“Apart from one disputed incident,” she found herself blurting out, “which I believe was concocted to serve as an excuse for my dismissal, everything was going well. The parents were happy, as were the teachers and the girls. I felt I was doing an outstanding job. All signs seemed to point in that direction.”
“You were, ” the doctor said.
A rush of heat went to her face. “What do you mean?”
He arched a brow. “Shall I really tell you?”
“Yes. Please .”
He flashed her a wry grin. “Ella McCloud’s quite jealous of you. She fears that Oak Hall, under your leadership, will become a rival to Greenwood and perhaps even surpass it as a model educational establishment.”
“You’re jesting.”
“No. She thinks it might take some years, but she’s worried with you at the helm. And I don’t mind revealing that information to you. A little bit of competition makes everyone better, don’t you agree? Even though now it appears to be a moot point, with your being … sent away.”
But at the moment, that didn’t matter. What mattered to Marcia was that Greenwood’s headmistress thought she’d excelled at her job. The knowledge boosted her confidence like nothing else. She hadn’t realized that she’d actually taken Lysandra’s critical remarks to heart.
“Thank you for sharing that with me.” She put a hand over Dr. Trimp’s. “I can’t thank you enough.”
He chuckled. “Oh, but it’s true. All I can think is that Lady Ennis must not want Oak Hall to improve, if she got rid of you.”
And it was as if he’d poured a bucket of cold water over her head, waking her up. She’d been so confused. She’d broken one rule. One . And Lysandra’s reaction to her breaking it had come a good six weeks after she had.
Lysandra’s other excuses seemed not to add up, either. Marcia’s choice of clothes wasn’t so bad. Nor did she believe for a minute that she’d made Oak Hall a wallflower among schools. Their school was different, yes, but in a refreshing way.
Perhaps there was another reason for her dismissal. Could it be that Lysandra really didn’t want Oak Hall to thrive?
“I can’t imagine why any benefactor wouldn’t want his or her own educational establishment to do well,” Marcia said. “It would mean an eventual shutdown of the school once word got out.”
Dr. Trimp had a face made for drama. Now his knowing expression said—
Oh, no . Marcia inhaled a breath. “You don’t think—”
Dr. Trimp gave a short laugh. “That she wants to close the school?”
“But Lady Ennis wouldn’t—”
“Perhaps she would,” the physician said, his eyes locked on hers.
They both sat without speaking a moment, digesting that wretched possibility, until Dr. Trimp sidled even closer. “She’s off to Cornwall soon, I understand.”
“Yes.” Marcia wouldn’t—couldn’t—cry. Not while Oak Hall was in jeopardy. “She leaves tomorrow, in fact. I think she’s already scouted out a potential new wealthy husband, Kitto Tremellyn, the Earl of Shaftsbury. He’s not quite as old as Lord Ennis was.”
Dr. Trimp made a moue of distaste. “I’ve heard of people letting others do their dirty work for them, but to be hiding in a brooding castle on a Cornish cliff while someone else arranges the closing of your school? That seems a bit witchy.”
“She wouldn’t do such a thing, surely.” But it did sound so like Lysandra.
The good doctor leaned close again. “Mayhap she’ll have a better chance at catching a Cornish lord with no encumbrances. Not many men want their wives’ attention drawn away from them, however noble the reason.”
“But one can’t believe the gossips.” Marcia was firm on this point.
“One can’t afford to
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