Page 39 of Dubious about the Duke (Second Sons of London 5)

He leaned against the doorframe and watched the magic unfold.

Sera never raised her voice. She never sounded like a governess. Instead, she asked the boys about themselves and told them about herself. Soon, the three were laughing like old friends. None of her habitual shyness was evident. Win supposed that only occurred around other adults.

As he listened to their conversation, he learned a great deal about Freddie and Charlie—and felt ashamed that he had not taken the time to get to know anything personal about them. He had stuffed them with meat pies and told them to stop bouncing about his carriage on the journey from London. It hadn’t occurred to him to treat them as people.

But that is exactly what Sera did.

Besides learning about the boys, he found out a great deal about her, as well. She loved to read and told them about the books she would share with them. When Charlie pointed out that neither he nor Freddie could read but a few words and the last governess had told them they were too stupid to learn, Sera hadn’t said a bad word about the woman and her unprofessional behavior. She mere told the pair she had a special way of teaching reading and sums and that she could already tell they would be splendid at both.

Sera told them they would spend a good deal of their time outdoors, learning to garden.

“That sounds like work we won’t get paid for,” Freddie said, his displeasure obvious.

“Digging in the dirt is great fun,” she replied. “Yes, we will get dirty. There is such satisfaction, though, when you’ve planted something and watered it. We’ll watch it grow.”

Sera told them they would visit the tenants on the estate and learn all about the animals.

“Can we ride a horse?” Charlie asked, hope in his eyes.

“Of course, we will all ride. You will become very good at it. I know these things.”

“You know a lot, Miss Nicholls,” Freddie said, worship in his eyes.

“I do—but I will teach you what I can and then you will know a lot.”

The orphans giggled, the first time Win had heard that. It warmed his heart.

“We will also fish. I am quite the fisherman.”

“But you’re not a man, Miss Nicholls,” Charlie pointed out. “You’d be... a fisherwoman!” he cried.

“I suppose I am,” she agreed, her laughter tinkling, filling the schoolroom with light.

Win fell in love with Sera at that moment.

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