Page 43 of Once Upon a Midnight Dream

Though to be fair, with the other teachers and servants present, it was not likely the boys and girls would get into much mischief. Unless Miles, George, and Joseph began lobbing apples at each other in an imitation of the Battle of Waterloo.

“I have to leave, Lil.” Charles rubbed the back of his neck. “I just received a message that Mrs. Tillman is about to give birth to her eighth child, though the deed will likely be done before I arrive. It nearly was the last time. I shall probably have a goose or a couple of fat chickens for supper later in the week.”

Mr. Tillman was a poulterer.

Lilly glanced around to take stock of the children, mentally counting them as had become a force of habit. She narrowed her eyes at a group of small girls, clustered together. “I shall have Mrs. B keep your supper warm. Or if you are not back tonight, have her lay out a tray of cold foods in the kitchen for when you return.”

“Thank you.” Charles patted her shoulder before hurrying away, but not, however, before he cast a swift, yearning glance at Miss McKenzie.

Did Miss McKenzie have any idea Charles held a tendre for her?

It was not Lilly’s place to interfere.

Besides, a relationship between the two was forbidden as long as Charlene worked at Kelston Hall, which was probably why she never glanced twice in Charles’s direction. Like many women alone in the world, the only thing between Charlene McKenzie and the street was her position. She would not risk losing it—not even for a chance at love.

Lilly knew that feeling.

Suppressing a sigh, she returned her attention to the little girls.

What were they up to?

“Miss Wobblecroft?” she said.

No response.

Slightly exasperated, Lilly repeated, a trifle louder and firmer, “Miss. Wobblecroft?”

Miss Wobblecroft dragged her infatuated regard from Zander and blinked several times at Lilly as if she could not quite focus.

Zander met Lilly’s gaze over Miss Wobblecroft’s head.

Hilarity glimmered in his eye.

“Mmm? Yes?” Miss Wobblecroft slid Zander a sideways glance. “Did you need something, Miss Granger?”

Obviously.

“Please see what has captured the youngest girls’ fascination.” Lilly directed her attention to a circle of six squatting girls, including Nellie Picket, staring at something between them. Nellie possessed an insatiable curiosity and a penchant for unintentionally getting into mischief. “Wasps are gorging themselves on the fallen fruit. We do not want anyone to get stung.”

“Oh, indeed. We cannot have that.” Miss Wobblecroft plopped her bonnet on her head and, with one last libidinous glance at Zander’s chest, made haste toward the captivated girls.

“Gir-rls? Gir-rls?” she called, in a sing-song voice, breaking the word into two syllables. She quickened her pace, causing her hat to bounce like a toy boat upon a pond. “Nellie, Marsha, Annie, Flora, Alice, Cora! Away from there this instant.”

She made shooing motions with her hands as she huffed and puffed her way toward the fascinated girls.

“Thank you.” Amusement creased the corner of Zander’s good eye and twisted his firm mouth upward.

Deciding to pretend ignorance, Lilly raised her nose. “Whatever for?”

He chuckled and swiped a hand across his moist forehead.

“Come now, Lilly. You have always been straightforward with me.” He jerked his chin toward Miss Wobblecroft’s departing form. “You saved me from Miss Wobblecroft’s clumsy attempts at flirting.”

It did not help that he had rolled his shirtsleeves to his elbows, exposing sable-covered forearms, or that he had forgone a neckcloth and a delightful vee of manly throat and curly jet-black chest hair peeked from his shirt every time he moved. And it was positively indecent the way his too-small trousers showed off his muscular legs.

“Yes, well, I intend to have a word with all the female staff. Decorum must prevail.” Lilly pressed her lips together. “I shall remind them what happened to Miss Sanders for failing to adhere to the conduct codes she signed. Just because we have an attractive man in our midst does not mean they can throw discretion to the wind.”

“Attractive man?” A pleased grin split his face.