Page 43 of Hearts of Locke Hill

Violet wanted to argue but had to agree. “No, you are right. We would lose applicants left and right if parents learned we were allowing pugilism directly after botany class.”

“But before lunch,” Cyril said.

“Naturally.” She narrowed her eyes at him, and he returned the expression. They were not supposed to be getting on. She turned her attention to her father.

“Father, it’s not as if we’ll each be teaching all of these classes and overseeing each and every activity,” she said. “This is merely the dividing up of responsibility. I already have leads for instructors in athletics.”

“I might have some suggestions as well,” Cyril said.

Father clapped his hands together once. “I propose we divide athletics into two parts.”

“Let me guess,” Violet said brightly. “You shall give me lawnbowling andbadminton, and Mr. Burke everything else.” She dropped her smile.

Cyril cleared his throat. “I believe I’ve already established my skill atbadminton.”

Violet refrained from growling. Just barely.

“No, no, we shall not be dividing up athletics,” Mama said, quite sensibly.

Violet nodded her approval, then lifted her chin ever so slightly in Cyril’s direction.

“You shall share it.”

Mama had lost all her senses.

“Whyever for?” Violet asked.

“Because I believe in this area, two heads may be better than one.”

“You do not need two heads to oversee an athletic curriculum,” Violet argued.

“Nevertheless, with the skills each of you possess, we might have the finest athletic curriculum for girls in all of Britain.”

“I didn’t realize that was an aim of yours, Anne,” Father said.

“Why shouldn’t it be?”

“I didn’t say it shouldn’t be. I just didn’t know it was. It’s … admirable.”

Mama looked at Father with an unreadable expression for several moments. Then she blinked, shuffled some papers on the desk. “Anyhow,” she said, “it’s settled. We’ve finalized professors for the business courses, mechanics, botany, dance, French, and German. I shall be overseeing domestications for the time being. We have several more applicants to interview this week and next. I expect your choices of classes under your own instruction, along with a brief plan for each, no later than Monday. That gives youthe weekend. Any more questions about the division of responsibilities?”

The others made ready to quit the meeting.

“I have one,” Violet said.

Everyone settled back to their previous positions. Violet ignored the collective sigh.

“If Mr. Burke has his portion over here, and I have my portion over here, how will you judge how we would do running the school in its entirety? Or how well Mr. Burke would do running my half or I his?”

“Miss Whittemore,” Cyril said, “I have complete confidence that your parents will be able to gauge our administrative styles by midterm.”

“I wish to be thorough, Mr. Burke. As thorough as I would be as headmistress of this school.”

“As do I, Miss Whittemore, as if I were headmaster.”

“How would I know to trust you with the arts? Music?”

“Come now, Violet,” Mama said. “All of us here know you took violin instruction from the same man who taught Mr. Burke.” Violin lessons had not been kept a secret from Father. “He is an accomplished musician in his own right.”