Jacqueline saw the child relaxing their shoulders, just like she was. Benjamin, who was sitting and opening a book, looked up as he felt her gaze.

Jacqueline pulled up the corners of her mouth into a gentle smile and said sweetly:

“If it’s not too much trouble, could I ask you to show me around the mansion, Benjamin?”

“…”

Benjamin hesitated for a moment. It seemed to be an unexpected proposal. The child hesitated for a long while without readily answering.

Jacqueline put on a pitiful expression, worried the child might refuse.

“I’ve just arrived at the Preston mansion and don’t know anyone. Could you help me, Benjamin?”

“…”

Eventually, Benjamin slowly nodded. The child stood up, closing the book, and took the lead.

Jacqueline smiled broadly and walked side by side with Benjamin.

She had liked this small child from the first impression. She didn’t dislike kind people who knew how to help others.

Jacqueline didn’t have much time left. She had spent quite a bit of time on the mansion tour.

Though she felt needlessly rushed, she knew she needed to stay calm especially at times like this. Haste was the main culprit in ruining work.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

“Here are the pen and paper you requested.”

The maid who walked up to the desk put down a tray containing ink and paper. Jacqueline spoke to her in a friendly manner.

“Thank you. So your name is…?”

“It’s Betty.”

The maid answered with an impeccably proper attitude, as if measured with a ruler. There was no room for Jacqueline’s friendliness to squeeze in, no matter how hard one looked.

“Alright, Betty. I need some things for tomorrow’s lesson, who should I talk to about that?”

“If you tell me what you need, I’ll relay it to Mrs. Ritz.”

“Thank you, Betty.”

“You’re welcome, Miss Somerset. I was just doing my job.”

Betty bowed with an expressionless face and left the room. It might take Jacqueline longer than expected to adapt to this bleak mansion.

“Haa.”

She unknowingly let out a sigh and turned her gaze to the desk. There was much to do, but the most important thing right now was to write the curriculum.

Jacqueline dipped the pen nib in ink and began writing fluently. Since she had thought about it beforehand, her hand moved faster and more accurately than ever.

“Hmm… Mmm… Good. Excellent. Hmm… Perfect.”

After alternating between murmurs and exclamations, Jacqueline finally stood up. After double-checking what she had written, she strode out of the room with momentum.

There was undisguised confidence in Jacqueline’s steps, and undisguised satisfaction in the corners of her upturned mouth.

After catching her breath for a moment in front of the office where she had first met Windsor Preston, she knocked briefly.

“It’s Jacqueline Somerset, Lord Preston.”

“Come in.”

As soon as permission was granted, Jacqueline lifted her chin slightly and walked in gracefully. As if walking down the dormitory corridor under the watchful eye of the matron.

For some reason, I get nervous in front of Lord Preston.

Hiding her trembling heart, she walked straight to the desk. Windsor put down the pen he was holding and cast his gaze at her.

“I’ve written this month’s curriculum, Lord Preston.”

Windsor took out a pocket watch from his breast pocket and opened the lid to check the time. Dinner was at 7 o’clock, and the current time was 6:46.

“You finished it just in time.”

His calm voice was merely stating the facts as they were, but it had the strange talent of making it sound like a reprimand.

Jacqueline straightened her hunched shoulders and stood up straight. She put down the single sheet of paper she was holding on the desk.

Probably even when submitting the answer sheet for the graduation exam, she hadn’t been this nervous. But Jacqueline was quite confident, and consciously put on a relaxed smile.

Windsor picked up the paper on the desk with one hand. His eyes, devoid of any emotion, moved slowly.

He looked like an actor on stage. No matter how you looked at it, his gorgeous appearance suited an actor more than a soldier.

So mesmerizing that if you let your guard down for a moment…

“…”

Jacqueline only snapped back to reality when she saw his brow gradually furrowing. She raised her chin that had unconsciously lowered and tightened her lips.

Windsor put down the paper he was holding and cast his blue-gray gaze at her. The wrinkle between his brows was particularly prominent.

Even that look was intensely sensual. Men were surely devils. How else could they bewitch people’s eyes like this?

“Miss Jacqueline Somerset.”

“Yes, Lord Preston.”

“I believe what I instructed was Benjamin’s education plan, or was there some misunderstanding in our conversation?”

“No, I understood perfectly.”

“So you’re saying this is this month’s education curriculum?”

“Yes, that’s right, Lord Preston.”

Windsor’s gaze fell back to the paper. His straight eyebrows twitched.

Jacqueline boldly met his weighty gaze. Windsor’s tone was polite, but there was not a hint of warmth in his voice.

“Let me ask once more. So ‘self-introduction’, ‘creating a comfortable hideout for Benjamin’, ‘building friendship through a picnic’, ‘finding out Benjamin’s favorite subjects’, ‘sharing stories about each other’s families’, ‘discovering Benjamin’s dreams’ – this is the education curriculum for this month, is that what you’re saying?”

There was still no intonation in his question. It subtly pressured people, but Jacqueline nodded with a slight smile.

“Yes, Lord Preston. Right now, building trust and intimacy between Benjamin and me is more important than reading one more line from a book…”

“Don’t disappoint me, Miss Somerset.”

Windsor’s eyes took on a cold hue like the winter sky. The cool beauty was so enchanting it could mesmerize the beholder.

Jacqueline quietly closed her mouth, not even realizing her words had been cut off. Beautiful people were full of charisma even when angry.

Though to say he was angry would be an overstatement given his extremely calm demeanor.

Windsor didn’t raise his voice, nor did he blame her. He simply laid out the facts as they were in an emotionless voice.

Yet her shoulders instinctively hunched – it must be due to his charisma.

“Benjamin is scheduled to enter Yorkshire Boarding School next year. There’s much he needs to learn before then.”

“He’ll learn continental history and foreign languages to the point of boredom after entering school. They’re mandatory subjects after all.”

“Don’t forget, Miss Somerset. Benjamin is the future Earl of Preston. It’s already too late if he starts learning after entering school. The heir of the Preston family must excel above others.”

Jacqueline acknowledged that there was a slight difference of opinion between Windsor and herself. Their educational views didn’t align, and in such cases, the employer’s opinion took precedence.

“Even considering it’s your first time, this curriculum is unacceptable. If Miss Somerset is not ready to work as a governess…”

Quickly modifying her strategy, she put down the other sheet of paper she was holding on the desk. Windsor paused mid-sentence and gave her a questioning look.

“I prepared a second curriculum in case you didn’t like the first one. Would you review it, Lord Preston?”

Windsor’s eyes moved to the desk. He nodded after confirming the schedule packed with various lessons from morning to afternoon.

“This is much more beneficial than the first curriculum.”

Jacqueline, who had narrowly avoided the crisis of being fired, put on a deliberately relaxed smile. Marveling at her own thorough preparedness.

“I’ll consider the previous incident as a trial and error. You may proceed with lessons according to this from tomorrow, Miss Somerset.”

“I will, Lord Preston.”

Jacqueline smiled more brightly as she saw his eyes warm up slightly. Windsor immediately picked up his pen and started flipping through the documents on the desk.

“You may leave now, Miss Somerset.”

“If it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask one question?”

At her query, Windsor put down the pen he was holding again. He urged her to continue with just his gaze.

“May I ask why the previous governesses quit? I think it would be helpful to know what I should be careful about. For my sake, for Benjamin’s sake, and for your sake, Lord Preston.”

It must have been an unexpected question. Instead of answering, Windsor stared at her intently. It was slightly different from his emotionless gaze until now.

If asked how it was different, the difference was too subtle to answer. As if he was scrutinizing her once again.

After looking at Jacqueline for a while, he picked up his pen again.

“Even if you don’t want to know, you’ll find out soon enough.”

Jacqueline stood there for a moment with a question mark on her face. But there was no further response.

Giving up cleanly, she lifted her dress slightly and bowed with perfect etiquette.

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

Jacqueline stepped lightly on the carpet and left the room. She paused as she opened the door. The butler was standing in front of the door.

William, who had his fist raised as if about to knock, slowly lowered his arm in front of the suddenly opened door.

“Oh, Miss Somerset was here.”

“I’ve finished my business and was just leaving. Please go in.”

Jacqueline nodded gracefully and stepped aside. William, who was about to give way to her, said “Thank you” and entered the room.

Only then did Jacqueline, who had left the room, close the door. Through the gradually narrowing gap in the door, the voices of the two people faintly flowed out.

“Earl Easthill has sent an invitation for a formal dinner.”

“Tell him we decline.”

“This is the third rejection already. If I may be so bold, wouldn’t it be better to attend at least once? According to the servant who delivered the invitation, Earl Easthill is quite displeased with the repeated rejections.”

“Make up an excuse that there’s an important matter. No, it would be better to say I’m sick.”

Click.

The door closed behind her. Only then did Jacqueline let out the breath she had been holding. The tension left her stiff shoulders.

She turned her head slightly and looked at the heavy mahogany door. Her green eyes, lost in thought, soon left the door.

“Well, a curriculum is just a curriculum after all.”

It was not uncommon for curricula to change according to school circumstances. Jacqueline left the corridor with light steps.

“Ah, Miss Somerset.”

Betty, who was standing in front of her room, spotted Jacqueline walking from the opposite direction and bowed slightly.

“Dinner preparations are complete.”

“Ah, thank you. I’ll go right away.”

Jacqueline changed direction and headed to the dining room. When she opened the door and entered, Benjamin was already there.