The Rakehell Regency(263)

He gave her a list of helpers, and her roster of pupils. She was pleased to see how many of the local gentry had volunteered to help, and that the list included Jonathan and Sarah.



"It's good of you to give up your time."



"It's the least I can do," Jonathan replied with a shrug.



"Not really, when you already do so much."



"Ah well, I need to lead by example. I hope that others in the parish will help out as and when they can, if not with teaching, then with useful items such as books or money."



"I'm sure they shall."



He smiled at her. "It will be a sure thing if you only keep at it long enough, so that people may see how useful it is."



She picked up one of the books. "Well, everyone should be able to read the Bible themselves, should they not?"



"Yes, of course, and to read a newspaper, and do sums."



She shook her head, having assumed that she would be teaching reading only. "Oh dear. I had not thought of that at all, Mr. Deveril. Even I find it a struggle to do sums."



"I shall teach you some tricks of the memory which will help you recall your multiplication tables, and that will make it easier," he offered.



"I would like that," she said sincerely. "I'm sorry to sound so foolish. I was always much better at literature, history and languages. I'm not nearly so much of a dolt as you think me."



He smiled at her almost tenderly. "Never a dolt, Miss Ashton."



"But I shall wager anything you like that you were never bad at anything at school."



He laughed heartily at that. "Ah, you would lose that wager. I was an irrepressible wag. I might have been superb at academic subjects, but I was a rather outspoken and boisterous chap."



Sarah giggled. "Indeed. Quite a harum-scarum lad. Our older sisters were terrified he might scare off their beaux, he was so fiercely intelligent and rather sarcastic."



"Ah, but every decent brother in the world is duty-bound to protect his sisters," Pamela said with a smile. "They ought to believe that few men are good enough for them."



Sarah and Jonathan suddenly stopped laughing.



Pamela looked at the pair in alarm.



The vicar's face was almost white. He swallowed hard, and his grin became a grimace. "However, it's not always easy to protect one's flock of charges. A shepherd may have to go to another field to mind his business there, and it is at just such moments that a ravening wolf may strike."



Sarah's eyes began to glitter, and her voice came out as a hoarse croak. "But our sisters have married well, and are happy. And as you have always preached, women are not mere sheep, but have the capacity to reason and defend themselves."



"Just so," he said in clipped tones.



Sarah stroked his shoulder tenderly. "You needn't worry about me, Brother. I have no inclination to wed. But if I were to, such a decision would be made upon the knowledge of the head as well as the heart. And I would never creep around behind your back or that of the rest of the world. I love and respect my family, and as such could never do any less than be completely candid with all of my loved ones."



"No, my dear, you never would," Jonathan said tightly. "Nor should any woman, no matter how tyrannical she feels her family to be. And thus endeth another lesson," he added with an airy wave, and tried hard to smile again.



Pamela was still staring at them in consternation. "I agree with you both. Acting dishonestly with one's family is the height of folly. Elopement may seem terribly romantic. Yet from my limited experience it can cause untold misery for all parties.



"Romeo and Juliet are said to be amongst the world's greatest lovers, but they let their passions rage out of control, and it all ended most tragically. It ruined the whole family, and even their friends' lives."



Jonathan stared at her. "Yes, just so." He visibly shook as he reached out for her. His grip was almost crushing on her wrist for a moment.



Pamela's eyes widened in alarm. She was so frozen with shock it took her some time before she attempted to pull away, by which time his grasp had eased, and he stroked her wrist absently. She decided it must have been a miscalculation on his part, her sleeve not being as thick as he had assumed.



"But come, my dears, the Stones will be expecting us, and I will need to go slowly in the carriage with my two precious burdens."



Sarah gave him a warm kiss on the cheek.



They closed up the hall and walked the short distance to the waiting vehicle, Pamela wondering all the while just what on earth had happened to make their demeanors alter so. The conversation had had so many layers of hidden meaning for the siblings, she felt completely at a loss.