Lord Preston's Secret Governess

Chapter 19: Like a Tempest

 
“You were a soldier, so I assume you’re reasonably coordinated. Alright, let’s begin. Left foot first. One-two-three, one-two… Ow!” Jacqueline winced. Windsor had just kicked her shin.

How is it even possible to kick someone’s shin while dancing? She looked at him incredulously. Windsor, noticing her gaze, frowned slightly. “My apologies.”
“It’s alright. It’s your first time. Shall we try again?” Jacqueline smiled encouragingly. She was a patient teacher, not easily discouraged.
“Relax your shoulders. One-two-three, one-two…Oof!” This time, Windsor bumped into her with his shoulder, sending her stumbling backwards. He quickly caught her.

Jacqueline straightened, forcing a smile as she looked up at him.
“…” He stared at her, his silence heavy with unspoken apology. “I apologize again, Miss Somerset.”
“Haa… It’s fine.” Jacqueline took a deep breath. Every student had potential, and a teacher’s role was to nurture that potential. Recalling her noble calling, she smiled again.

“You’re too stiff, Lord Preston. Try to move more fluidly. Left foot first. That’s it. One-two-three, one-… Ow!” Windsor’s elbow connected with her temple. This time, she didn’t even have the breath to cry out. It simply hurt too much.
Windsor’s expression turned genuinely apologetic.
“How… How did your elbow even…? Do you think I’m a pirate, not a lady? We’re dancing, not fighting, Lord Preston.”

“Hmm. My sincerest apologies.”
“…Right.” Jacqueline released his hand.
Windsor’s gaze fell upon his empty hand. She had taken his hand without hesitation, and now she released it just as readily.

He clenched his fist, then lowered his arm and clasped his hands behind his back, looking at her.
She was smiling, but her eyes weren’t. Even he could tell she was angry.
“Perhaps dancing at the ball is too ambitious a goal.” She raised her hands in surrender.

“I told you I didn’t need to learn.”
“We just need more time, Lord Preston. Don’t give up so easily. Let’s aim for the next ball, not this one.” Jacqueline curtseyed. “I’ll end the lesson here. It’s time for Benjamin’s afternoon lessons. Please excuse me.”
She turned and left the study without a backward glance. Only after the door closed did she stop and exhale, a long, shaky breath.

She looked down at her hands. They were burning, trembling slightly.
A sudden thirst, a deep, burning thirst that tea couldn’t quench, overwhelmed her. She pressed her hand against her flushed cheek and slowly walked away.
“…” Windsor, who had been listening to her retreating footsteps, slowly turned his gaze towards the table. Only the cold tea remained, its warmth long gone, along with the woman who had just moments ago filled the room with her chatter and instructions.
“Like a tempest.” Yes, she was like the wind.

For a sailor, the wind was a formidable foe. It tossed ships about, throwing sailors into chaos.
Tempests arrived without warning. Towering waves crashed against the ships, threatening to swallow them whole, then subsided just as quickly. The relief of surviving such a near-death experience, the tranquility of the calm sea bathed in golden sunlight, was a luxury only those who returned could appreciate.
Predicting the capricious wind was beyond human ability. Defying it was equally futile. All a mere mortal could do was yield to the forces of nature.

Jacqueline Somerset was equally unpredictable. Windsor returned to his desk, his gaze lingering on the closed study door.
She had disrupted his carefully ordered life, creating ripples in its calm surface. The circular waves spread outwards, reaching unexpected places at unexpected times.
“Regrettable.” He murmured softly, his words unheard, and returned his attention to his work, picking up his pen. The familiar weight in his hand offered a small comfort.

* * *
 

The sky was blue, the breeze gentle, the sunlight soft. Another day began, heralded by the rising sun.
“Colin.” Jacqueline squeezed the teddy bear’s cheeks. Its plump face squished inwards, its lips puckering into a comical pout.
Pooh.

Jacqueline’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “I like Preston Manor. What do you think?”
Colin remained silent, a steadfast confidant, privy to her secrets and occasional complaints about others. He had played a significant role in her surviving the rigors of the Bristol Boarding School.
“I think you’ll like Benjamin, too. He’s a very sweet boy.”

Pooh. Colin remained silent, his button eyes staring at her, his lips still puckered.
“William, Mrs. Ritz, Betty, Emma… they all seem stern on the surface, but they’re good people. And, well…” A smile touched her lips.
“Lord Preston is a good student, too. Although his dancing is atrocious.” She chuckled softly.

Pooh. Colin, ever the loyal friend, remained silent, pretending not to hear her criticism.
“But he’s a better person than I thought.”
Pooh.

“Alright. Let’s start the day with a smile. I’ll be back soon, Colin. See you later.”
Pooh.
Jacqueline took one last look in the mirror, waved at Colin, and left the room.

“!” A small figure darted out from the shadows. Jacqueline, startled, gasped, her heart skipping a beat.
“Good morning, Miss Somerset.”
Recognizing Benjamin’s voice, she placed a hand over her heart and smiled reflexively. “Good morning, Benja…min?”

Her smile slowly faded as she took in his attire. She blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering.
He was wearing shorts and suspenders, and a straw hat that fit perfectly on his head.
“Hmm?” A puzzled sound escaped her lips. Benjamin looked up at her, his eyes shining.

“You said we could explore the other garden this morning, so I was waiting.”
“Ah…!” Jacqueline’s expression turned blank. She knelt down, suddenly speechless, a lump forming in her throat. Meeting Benjamin’s gaze, she forced out the words, her voice thick with emotion.
“You waited outside my door?”

“Yes.”
“Since when?”
“Since an hour ago.”

Good heavens. Jacqueline glanced at the window. The world, which had been dim just moments ago, was now bathed in sunlight. It was still before breakfast.
Benjamin, noticing her surprised expression, mumbled, “Um… did I come too early? You said this morning, but I didn’t know when morning started.”
Jacqueline smiled gently. “No. You must have been bored waiting. Why didn’t you knock?”

“Uncle said I shouldn’t disturb a lady’s morning.”
Jacqueline’s eyes widened in surprise. Then, she nodded. It was a very Windsor-like thing to say. He was more considerate than he appeared.
“Alright, we have some time before breakfast. Shall we begin our exploration?”

“Yes, Miss Somerset!” Benjamin nodded resolutely. They set off down the hallway, their steps in perfect sync, like soldiers on a mission.
“Good morning, Miss Somerset.”
Windsor, emerging from the morning room, greeted her. Jacqueline, who had been walking briskly, immediately adopted a more graceful demeanor, nodding politely.

“Good morning, Lord Preston.”
“Benjamin has been waiting outside your door for an hour.”
“So I’ve heard. He could have knocked.” Jacqueline looked down at Benjamin with a fond smile. He fidgeted, eager for their conversation to end.

“He woke the maids with his early morning preparations.”
Benjamin flinched, his eyes darting back and forth as he listened to his uncle’s subtle reprimand.
“Perhaps it would be wise to be more specific with your appointments in the future. Wouldn’t you agree, Miss Somerset, that ambiguity only leads to unnecessary complications?”

“Are you always this punctual, Lord Preston?” A hint of sharpness entered Jacqueline’s voice, but Windsor didn’t seem to notice. He nodded calmly as Benjamin averted his gaze.
“Yes, I am.”
“Ah, yes. How… convenient for you.” Jacqueline, thinking of all the things she would have to tell Colin later, strode off down the hallway.

“Let’s go, Benjamin.”
“Benjamin,” Windsor’s voice called out from behind them.
“Yes, I haven’t forgotten that he’s the future Marquess of Preston. And I have no intention of forgetting,” Jacqueline replied without turning around. She opened the front door and stepped outside.

Windsor raised an eyebrow and headed towards his room. He couldn’t understand her sudden shift in mood.
But then again, tempests weren’t meant to be understood. And they couldn’t be avoided. He simply had to adapt.