Moreau said.
The twinkle vanished. He stared at her, and a slight blush infused his cheeks. "Charity," he muttered. He half turned to Tommy, standing by the sideboard, and I got the feeling he wanted to say something to his old friend, but refrained in the company of our guests. They might be kind, but they were nobility and speaking informally to the footman wasn't something people of their class did.
"How did she say she knew me?"
I could see Jack was apprehensive about the answer, but I doubted anyone else noticed. I understood his concern. Just as I didn't want them to know that I'd been kept in an attic, he probably didn't want them to know he'd lived in the alleys of London until the age of fourteen.
"She didn't say," Mrs. Beaufort said. "It only came up because I received your message about the demon when I was visiting the school. Jacob sought me out when it arrived due to its urgent nature. I happened to mention that it was from a Mr. Langley of Frakingham House to Cara who was with me at the time, and Miss Charity overheard."
"She said she used to know you," Miss Moreau said. "The message was from the elder Mr. Langley, but she wasn't to know that."
"I haven't seen her in a year or so," Jack said wistfully. "How is she?"
"I would say she looks well," Mrs. Beaufort said. "She's quite the beauty."
"Indeed," Miss Moreau agreed. "She's very tall and has the loveliest golden hair."
Or course she did. I suppose she also had a sparkling wit, kind nature and no freckles. Jack's eyes had a faraway look in them and a small smile teased his lips. I wondered when he'd last seen her, and what their relationship had been. Certainly not one of mere friendship. He never grew dreamy when he thought of Tommy or any of the orphans he'd left behind when he moved to Frakingham.
"You called her Miss Charity," I said, looking down at my plate. I was afraid if I met her gaze she'd realize how important her answer was to me. "I take it she's not wed?"
"No," Mrs. Beaufort said.
"Any beaus?"
"Many, but none she encourages. She's quite married to her work."
"I can't imagine her being a teacher," Jack said, a small smile on his lips. "The Charity I remember was very, uh, spirited."
"She may one day become the headmaster if her devotion to the children and school continue."
"But she's a woman!" Mr. Culvert protested.
"So?"
"The very definition of headmaster is that the position must be held by a man."
"Good lord, George," Mrs. Beaufort huffed. "You can be so ancient in your thinking sometimes. Women are doing all sorts of marvelous things in positions once reserved only for men."
Mr. Beaufort chuckled. "Has being in the company of Adelaide and Emily over the last few years taught you nothing, my friend?"
Mr. Culvert held up his hands in surrender. "I apologize to the ladies present. I can be a little old-fashioned in my thinking at times."
"That's quite all right," I said. "I do agree with you on the point of headmaster. Perhaps she could be called headmistress instead."
We talked some more, thankfully not about Charity's numerous qualities, then adjourned back to the parlor to discuss demons.
"What is a demon exactly?" Samuel asked.
"It's an otherworldly creature," Mr. Culvert explained. "It has no true form here until it takes over the form of something from this realm."
"I don't understand," I said. "Jack could see it, and Tommy too. Samuel and I could not, nor any of the builders."
Mr. Culvert frowned. "You'd better explain. Tell me the sequence of events."
Jack told him about the hole in the trench, the death of the builder, and how he and Tommy had found the demon again in the woods.
"So Tommy wasn't with you when it first made its presence known?" Mr. Culvert asked.
"No," Jack said.
"Do you think if I had been I wouldn't have seen it either?" Tommy asked.
"Most likely not."
"But I could," Jack said. "Why?"
Mr. Culvert shrugged. "I don't know. All of my research tells me that when a demon comes into this
The twinkle vanished. He stared at her, and a slight blush infused his cheeks. "Charity," he muttered. He half turned to Tommy, standing by the sideboard, and I got the feeling he wanted to say something to his old friend, but refrained in the company of our guests. They might be kind, but they were nobility and speaking informally to the footman wasn't something people of their class did.
"How did she say she knew me?"
I could see Jack was apprehensive about the answer, but I doubted anyone else noticed. I understood his concern. Just as I didn't want them to know that I'd been kept in an attic, he probably didn't want them to know he'd lived in the alleys of London until the age of fourteen.
"She didn't say," Mrs. Beaufort said. "It only came up because I received your message about the demon when I was visiting the school. Jacob sought me out when it arrived due to its urgent nature. I happened to mention that it was from a Mr. Langley of Frakingham House to Cara who was with me at the time, and Miss Charity overheard."
"She said she used to know you," Miss Moreau said. "The message was from the elder Mr. Langley, but she wasn't to know that."
"I haven't seen her in a year or so," Jack said wistfully. "How is she?"
"I would say she looks well," Mrs. Beaufort said. "She's quite the beauty."
"Indeed," Miss Moreau agreed. "She's very tall and has the loveliest golden hair."
Or course she did. I suppose she also had a sparkling wit, kind nature and no freckles. Jack's eyes had a faraway look in them and a small smile teased his lips. I wondered when he'd last seen her, and what their relationship had been. Certainly not one of mere friendship. He never grew dreamy when he thought of Tommy or any of the orphans he'd left behind when he moved to Frakingham.
"You called her Miss Charity," I said, looking down at my plate. I was afraid if I met her gaze she'd realize how important her answer was to me. "I take it she's not wed?"
"No," Mrs. Beaufort said.
"Any beaus?"
"Many, but none she encourages. She's quite married to her work."
"I can't imagine her being a teacher," Jack said, a small smile on his lips. "The Charity I remember was very, uh, spirited."
"She may one day become the headmaster if her devotion to the children and school continue."
"But she's a woman!" Mr. Culvert protested.
"So?"
"The very definition of headmaster is that the position must be held by a man."
"Good lord, George," Mrs. Beaufort huffed. "You can be so ancient in your thinking sometimes. Women are doing all sorts of marvelous things in positions once reserved only for men."
Mr. Beaufort chuckled. "Has being in the company of Adelaide and Emily over the last few years taught you nothing, my friend?"
Mr. Culvert held up his hands in surrender. "I apologize to the ladies present. I can be a little old-fashioned in my thinking at times."
"That's quite all right," I said. "I do agree with you on the point of headmaster. Perhaps she could be called headmistress instead."
We talked some more, thankfully not about Charity's numerous qualities, then adjourned back to the parlor to discuss demons.
"What is a demon exactly?" Samuel asked.
"It's an otherworldly creature," Mr. Culvert explained. "It has no true form here until it takes over the form of something from this realm."
"I don't understand," I said. "Jack could see it, and Tommy too. Samuel and I could not, nor any of the builders."
Mr. Culvert frowned. "You'd better explain. Tell me the sequence of events."
Jack told him about the hole in the trench, the death of the builder, and how he and Tommy had found the demon again in the woods.
"So Tommy wasn't with you when it first made its presence known?" Mr. Culvert asked.
"No," Jack said.
"Do you think if I had been I wouldn't have seen it either?" Tommy asked.
"Most likely not."
"But I could," Jack said. "Why?"
Mr. Culvert shrugged. "I don't know. All of my research tells me that when a demon comes into this
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