she said. ‘Pupils do not do well in the heat of summer when classrooms are stuffy and the sun calls to them. Those that have nowhere else to go spend their time having picnics by the river or walking in the woods and visiting the lady of the well…the wishing well…’ The words dried in her throat as she saw his right eyebrow arch.
‘Tell me of this wishing well please?’
‘It is merely nonsense, nothing that would interest you, sir.’
‘Will you not call me Brough or Robert? I do not like to be reminded of my title always and sir is so formal. Please, tell me. My curiosity is aroused. Where is this well?’
‘In my woods but really…it is nonsense…’
‘Samantha,’ he chided amusement in his eyes. ‘Is this the response of a friend? I beg you to tell me the story you tell to your girls.’
‘It is only that sometimes the lady may grant a wish if you ask at the right time…just nonsense, as I said.’
‘Please, will you not tell me the whole?’
‘If you visit the well at midnight, throw a coin into the well, then sometimes the lady will grant you a wish. It is my belief that your wish should be for someone else.’
‘A pleasant notion,’ he murmured, a smile on his lips. ‘I must try her sometime.’
‘Remember that the wish must be for someone else.’ Samantha smiled. ‘She does not always grant your wish, but if she is minded to you will know…’ She shook her head. ‘No, I shall not tell you for it is a secret. Only a few have their wish granted, for she does not always respond – and the wish she grants is not always the one you ask in words. It is the wish of your heart, because she knows what is truly in our hearts.’
‘No wonder your pupils believe you have magic,’ Robert said. ‘Eleanor told me that you tell stories that draw your listeners into a magic circle and transport them to another place. I almost believe in your lady of the well.’
Samantha laughed. ‘No, do not humour me. I dare say you think I am foolish or that I deliberately deceive…that I am a wicked woman who seeks to corrupt the minds of young girls.’
‘I may have thought that once, but Eleanor clearly loves you. You may be a little wicked, Miss Merlin, but also rather wonderful.’
Samantha’s heart caught. She could see that he was teasing her now and when he laughed, she saw a man she liked very well indeed. In a temper he could be a tyrant but she admitted that he’d had good cause to be angry. Now, he seemed softer, younger, and his smile made her heart dance.
‘You have a silver tongue, Brough,’ she said. ‘Very well, I shall come to Bath with you for a few weeks, but then I must return and prepare for the next term. There are schedules to be planned and reports for the parents – though of course some of the work may be done at Bath, when we are not out or entertaining.’
‘You would be sad to give up your school I imagine?’
‘It has been my life since my parents died and left me the house but very little money. My father was in the habit of lending money to his friends, which they never repaid. I had to do something and I was asked to help a young lady prepare for her debut into society, which I did to her mother’s satisfaction…and then it became a school.’
‘A school with a difference I think,’ he said, looking thoughtful. ‘Without you it would be much like any other school I suppose?’
‘I have teachers, capable good women who have devoted themselves to the pupils…and then there is Jeanne…’
‘Jeanne?’ he asked, eyebrow arched. ‘Is she a teacher?’
‘At the moment she is a pupil-teacher,’ Samantha said, a sad expression in her eyes. ‘Jeanne’s parents died, as mine did in an accident. She was left a small inheritance, which would enable her to live independently until she married, but she says that she does not wish to marry. Her ambition is to remain at the school and
‘Tell me of this wishing well please?’
‘It is merely nonsense, nothing that would interest you, sir.’
‘Will you not call me Brough or Robert? I do not like to be reminded of my title always and sir is so formal. Please, tell me. My curiosity is aroused. Where is this well?’
‘In my woods but really…it is nonsense…’
‘Samantha,’ he chided amusement in his eyes. ‘Is this the response of a friend? I beg you to tell me the story you tell to your girls.’
‘It is only that sometimes the lady may grant a wish if you ask at the right time…just nonsense, as I said.’
‘Please, will you not tell me the whole?’
‘If you visit the well at midnight, throw a coin into the well, then sometimes the lady will grant you a wish. It is my belief that your wish should be for someone else.’
‘A pleasant notion,’ he murmured, a smile on his lips. ‘I must try her sometime.’
‘Remember that the wish must be for someone else.’ Samantha smiled. ‘She does not always grant your wish, but if she is minded to you will know…’ She shook her head. ‘No, I shall not tell you for it is a secret. Only a few have their wish granted, for she does not always respond – and the wish she grants is not always the one you ask in words. It is the wish of your heart, because she knows what is truly in our hearts.’
‘No wonder your pupils believe you have magic,’ Robert said. ‘Eleanor told me that you tell stories that draw your listeners into a magic circle and transport them to another place. I almost believe in your lady of the well.’
Samantha laughed. ‘No, do not humour me. I dare say you think I am foolish or that I deliberately deceive…that I am a wicked woman who seeks to corrupt the minds of young girls.’
‘I may have thought that once, but Eleanor clearly loves you. You may be a little wicked, Miss Merlin, but also rather wonderful.’
Samantha’s heart caught. She could see that he was teasing her now and when he laughed, she saw a man she liked very well indeed. In a temper he could be a tyrant but she admitted that he’d had good cause to be angry. Now, he seemed softer, younger, and his smile made her heart dance.
‘You have a silver tongue, Brough,’ she said. ‘Very well, I shall come to Bath with you for a few weeks, but then I must return and prepare for the next term. There are schedules to be planned and reports for the parents – though of course some of the work may be done at Bath, when we are not out or entertaining.’
‘You would be sad to give up your school I imagine?’
‘It has been my life since my parents died and left me the house but very little money. My father was in the habit of lending money to his friends, which they never repaid. I had to do something and I was asked to help a young lady prepare for her debut into society, which I did to her mother’s satisfaction…and then it became a school.’
‘A school with a difference I think,’ he said, looking thoughtful. ‘Without you it would be much like any other school I suppose?’
‘I have teachers, capable good women who have devoted themselves to the pupils…and then there is Jeanne…’
‘Jeanne?’ he asked, eyebrow arched. ‘Is she a teacher?’
‘At the moment she is a pupil-teacher,’ Samantha said, a sad expression in her eyes. ‘Jeanne’s parents died, as mine did in an accident. She was left a small inheritance, which would enable her to live independently until she married, but she says that she does not wish to marry. Her ambition is to remain at the school and
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