Chapter 13 #2
While he should have agreed with Thalia and Caspian’s assessment, Evander was careful to hold back his praise. He did not want to appear as if he favored the woman, or as if he had any thoughts on her at all, outside of her ability to educate his son. He needed to be cautious…
“Taming my son of his rebellious tendencies is exactly what I hired her to do,” he said. “Not encourage them.”
“Oh, she is hardly doing that,” Caspian snorted.
“She speaks as if she loves this job,” Thalia said. “She had nothing but good things to say about Aaron. Personally, I think you made the right decision in hiring her.”
Again, Evander could not help but agree, just as he could not bring himself to say as much.
“I have given her six months,” he said plainly. “I will make my decision on her capabilities then.”
Both Caspian and Thalia looked at one another in a way that couples so often did. A silent conversation had, one that only they understood. But those coy smiles they wore, the way Caspian rolled his eyes, told Evander that his objections were not being believed. Not one little bit.
“Oh no!” Thalia gasped suddenly.
Evander followed her eyeline, and he immediately saw what caused her reaction.
Aaron and Henry were playing in the shallows of the pond, splashing water at one another.
When Miss Finch came close, clearly ordering them to get out, Aaron turned on the governess and splashed her with a healthy dousing of water.
It covered her from head to toe, drenching her fully so that she dripped with it.
Anger flared throughout Evander.
That is precisely the type of behavior that I have hired Miss Finch to curb. Which Aaron knows. Which he is purposefully disobeying.
Without thinking about how it might look, Evander strode ahead, his eyes locked onto his son, his mind already reaching into the future as he imagined the scathing words he would speak to his son so that he would know that such wanton acts of foolishness would not be tolerated.
However, before he came close enough to punish his son, he noticed something strange… something entirely unexpected.
Aaron stalked out of the pond, his head bowed, his shoulders slumped in a clear display of shame. He approached Miss Finch, and while Evander could not hear what was being said, he could guess well enough the tone. His son was apologizing…
If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I would have never believed it.
Even more remarkable was Miss Finch’s reaction.
Despite the fact that she dripped from head to toe, she did not look angrily upon Aaron.
Her expression was one of disappointment.
Her words looked softly spoken. And when she was done, Aaron meekly walked away, sulking to himself, no longer running about and screaming and shouting with chaotic intent.
“Sorry you had to see that,” Miss Finch said when she noticed Evander standing nearby. “Not my proudest moment.”
He looked at her with bewilderment. “How did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Make Aaron listen to you?”
“Oh.” She shrugged. “It is no secret. Shouting and punishing someone like Aaron isn’t the way to make him listen.
If anything, it only makes it worse. You must make it clear to him that such acts are not something to be upset over, but that they are nothing to be proud of either…
” Her cheeks flushed as Evander continued to stare.
“He does not mean to misbehave, Your Grace. He is just excitable.”
She has been here for less than a week, and she already knows my son better than I do. Thalia and Caspian are right… she is different.
Suddenly, Miss Finch shuddered.
Her body was soaking wet. Her clothes were drenched through. Although the day was warm, there was a soft breeze, and it attacked her viciously so that she shook as if she felt the chill right to her bones.
Evander’s eyes widened. “Oh! Come here…” Without thinking, he shrugged off his coat and swept toward her.
“What are you –”
“You are freezing.” He did not ask permission. Nor did he let her deny him. In this, Evander would not argue with, and he stepped into Miss Finch and forced his coat over her shoulders. “Here, hold it close…” He wrapped her in his coat and then started to rub her arms.
She said nothing. Standing perfectly still, her cheeks flushed pink, all she could do was stare ahead, almost as if she was embarrassed by his help. Likely, she was just surprised.
“Thank you,” she said finally, her voice low. “You did not have to…”
“For once, Miss Finch, can you not argue with me? Would that be so hard,” he sighed.
She smiled and then laughed. “You are right. In this instance, perhaps it is not so bad that I let you have a small victory.”
“Is that what it was?”
Finally, she looked at him, and in her eyes, he saw her gratitude, just as he felt it pierce his chest. “Thank you again. You are too kind.”
“Do not get used to it,” he said jokingly.
“Shall we return home?” Caspian called out. He and Thalia stood a few feet away, and they watched the scene with that same knowing look in their eyes. “Get you someplace warm, perhaps?”
This time, Evander did not shy away from the look on their faces. This time, he was not ashamed or embarrassed. It felt good to do the right thing, to show an awareness of how others felt, just as he was able to prove that he cared. Such a small moment, but for someone like Evander, it was huge.
“Yes,” he said. “Let us return.”
When they walked home this time, it was Evander who stayed by Miss Finch’s side. They spoke little. He was careful not to get too close. But he was there, he was showing her that he cared and was capable of change, and for now, that needed to be enough.