Sitting across from Adam, Gabriel knew that it was a mistake to mention Lady Montague again. And yet, just as before, he could not stop himself from confiding in his mentor, the man he trusted more than anyone else.
“She is a far better student than her brother. Henry tries—he really does—but he is simply not as clever. Either that or we have just not yet discovered the subject which matters the most to him. I know that he enjoys sport a good deal, but his brother hired me to focus on the subjects of intellect as opposed to athletics,” Gabriel explained.
“So, you have spoken with his sister regarding the topics you are studying?” Adam asked.
Gabriel paused, taking a deep breath. He knew that this would require a good deal of explaining and that Adam was going to warn him again. He also knew that he deserved it, that this was the consequence of what he had chosen to do and the mistakes he had made in trying so hard to find time with her that he allowed her to sit in on their lessons when it was not wise to do so.
“Well, she has managed to listen to some of the lessons. I know that it is a very tricky thing, trying to navigate the fact that I have been hired only to teach her brother, but I cannot very well cast her out of the room. It is her own house,” Gabriel said.
“I see,” Adam replied. “And is Lord Courtshire aware of this? Have you not spoken with him about Lady Montague’s insistence on learning with her brother?”
“Lord Courtshire is currently out of London. He is away for another week and a half. Therefore, Lady Montague is insistent that she be allowed to join us, and I am not sure what to say in order to get her to leave us be,” Gabriel said.
“Have you reminded her that her brother will be furious with you if he should find out that you are teaching her? Has she been warned that she, as well, may get into trouble if she is so insistent upon it?” Adam asked.
“Indeed, I have told her that it would be unwise since her elder brother is away, but she has insisted that there is nothing wrong with it and that he never said she could not sit in. In truth, she is correct. Lord Courtshire never told me that I am forbidden from teaching her,” Gabriel reasoned.
“Yes, but I expect that he never gave his approval either and I am certain that you know, deep in your heart, that you would be in a good deal of trouble if he were to find out. You say he comes back in a week and a half? I suggest that in that time, you teach only the young man you have been hired to teach and leave his sister to learn on her own,” Adam warned.
Gabriel exhaled slowly, counting his breaths as he was always taught to do when he was young. If he got upset, his father would have him count, telling him that he needed to focus and think about the numbers and how they corresponded with the body. His father would use it as an opportunity to teach both anatomy and mathematics. Gabriel enjoyed both.
And now, he enjoyed teaching Henry and Lady Montague. Certainly, he enjoyed teaching her more than Henry, although he had seen much improvement with the boy and was glad for that. It had been only a little over a week that he had been teaching Henry, so it was intriguing that he had made so much improvement so quickly and it was evident to Gabriel that he was able to teach nearly anyone. He only needed someone willing to try new things.
“I simply want you to be careful. You never know. The younger brother may say something to the older. That would be detrimental to your career, Gabriel. These are things you must always consider. Especially now that your mother and your sister are dependent on you,” Adam said.
“But as I told you, Lord Courtshire never explicitly told me that I cannot teach her, so why would it be a problem? If anything, I am giving away my services for free, so I cannot imagine why he would be upset about that,” Gabriel said.
“You are in denial. I just want you to be cautious,” Adam said.
***
After Gabriel departed from the house, he made his way through town, looking for a coach that he might be able to take home before the rain set in too heavily. It had begun to sprinkle and, although he rarely spent money to catch the back of a coach with others, he knew it was time to take that chance.
As he searched the streets, he felt the weight of someone knocking into him, hard. Just then, his leather satchel with all of the materials and books he used for Henry’s lessons were lifted from him, so quickly that he barely knew what had happened.
“Stop! Thief!” Gabriel cried, seeing a figure in a clock running off with his things.
Gabriel tried to chase after the man, but he couldn’t reach him. He shot off on swift feet, making every effort to catch up, but the thief disappeared into a crowd of others who were trying to get out of the rain and, before long, the downpour was so strong that it nearly blinded Gabriel as he turned the corner and looked down a street that would have been an easy spot for the thief to get away.
The street was nearly empty. There were a few men and women walking, ducking under any shelter they could find or vanishing into shops to escape the rain.
But there was no cloaked figure. There was only Gabriel, standing there in the rain, wishing that he had not been so distracted. Wishing that he had not allowed that figure to take such valuable possessions.
Suddenly, everything seemed to be falling apart.