Lord Preston's Secret Tutor (47 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 17
“Hmm… When I just feel like seeing you, it’s better to come here and visit—of course, if Uncle permits.”
“Is that so?”
A sweet fragrance emanated from the flower cradled in Benjamin’s arms. All she needed to do was ensure it wouldn’t be broken by harsh storms.
Simply moving it to a sunnier spot, plucking off leaf-eating bugs, and faithfully listening to its quiet rustling was enough.
The child already possessed the strength to let his own flower bloom.
Jacqueline pointed toward an almond tree, her eyes sparkling.
“Oh! Benjamin, look—a longhorn beetle over there! Shall I catch it for you?”
Benjamin, about to nod eagerly with a bright expression, suddenly hesitated. A trace of worry flickered in his brown eyes as he glanced sidelong at her.
She thought she understood what was on the child’s mind. Placing her hands firmly on her hips, Jacqueline declared confidently,
“Benjamin, don’t worry. I won’t scream again—not ever. Last time, I was just startled, that’s all. I’m not some delicate young lady frightened by cicada shells.”
“Yes!”
Only then did the boy, seemingly reassured, reach his hand toward the beetle. His careful fingers shot out and firmly grabbed it.
The longhorn beetle, struck as if by lightning from a clear sky, belatedly flailed its legs—but it was already too late.
“Ah! I caught it! It’s a giant longhorn beetle, Miss Somerset!”
Benjamin beamed as he turned to her. His round eyes narrowed to fine threads, and his lips stretched wide in joy.
“!”
Suddenly, Jacqueline’s eyes widened. It was the first time she’d seen the boy smile.
It was far more innocent and radiant than she’d ever imagined—and a smile so bright it made anyone who saw it happy too.
After a moment, Jacqueline gently closed her eyes as well.
“How brave you are.”
Benjamin examined the beetle closely—the wriggling legs, the hard shell, and even its valiant-looking horn.
Every time the beetle’s legs twitched, Jacqueline inexplicably felt an itch along her back, but she did her best to maintain composure.
“Next time an insect flies into my room, will you catch it for me? I’m still not quite mentally prepared to catch bugs myself—not that I’m afraid or anything.”
“Yes, Miss Somerset! Call me anytime!”
“How wonderfully reliable you are.”
The boy’s attention quickly shifted to a cicada, and his small fingers soon firmly pinched the loudly buzzing insect.
Jacqueline tilted her head, wondering whether the insects of the Preston estate simply felt no sense of danger—or if Benjamin was just exceptionally skilled at catching them.
After a while, she looked up at the sky and announced the end of their adventure.
“Aren’t you getting hungry? Let’s head back and have some lemonade.”
“Yes, Miss Somerset.”
The child, who had been thoroughly enjoying himself, nodded obediently without a hint of protest. He then lifted the cloth covering the bucket.
Inside, longhorn beetles and cicada shells were thoroughly mixed together. Only after carefully returning everything to its proper place did Benjamin briskly brush off his hands.
He fixed Jacqueline with his brown eyes, clearly signaling he was all set.
“Alright then—back to the mansion. Let’s celebrate our safe return from this grand expedition.”
“Yes, Miss Somerset!”
They walked side by side toward the mansion. Just as they reached the front entrance, a carriage bearing the Preston family crest halted as it crossed the garden.
Benjamin instantly straightened his posture, pulling his shoulders back, pressing his feet together, and lifting his chin proudly.
Windsor, stepping down from the carriage, sensed their presence and slowly turned his head. His indifferent gaze passed over Jacqueline and settled on the boy.
Startled.
Benjamin’s shoulders stiffened. His expression grew tense—only now remembering his own disheveled, dirt-streaked appearance.
That was hardly befitting of the future Marquess of Preston. His tightly closed lips turned sullen.
Even the sparkle in his brown eyes vanished in an instant. Recalling the scolding he expected from his uncle, Benjamin quietly lowered his gaze.
He was afraid his uncle would be disappointed yet again—and perhaps, eventually, give up on him entirely.
But then—
“Welcome back, Lord Preston.”
Jacqueline offered a light, smiling greeting. Windsor’s gaze shifted back to her.
He pulled a pocket watch from his coat, checked the time, and said flatly,
“I trust your afternoon lessons are proceeding without issue, Miss Somerset.”
“Of course, Lord Preston. I’ve even left time for a cup of tea.”
Windsor gave a single nod and walked on. William, who had been waiting by the entrance, bowed respectfully.
“Welcome back, sir.”
At the same moment, Benjamin’s mouth fell open in astonishment. He stared blankly at the closed front door, unable to believe his uncle hadn’t scolded him.
Slowly, he turned toward Jacqueline. His light brown eyes shimmered like stars in the night sky.
Recognizing the admiration in those eyes, she straightened her shoulders and declared proudly,
“Didn’t I tell you, Benjamin? Lord Preston agreed to respect my teaching philosophy.”
“Miss Somerset… are you perhaps…”
Benjamin’s lips parted hesitantly, his expression dreamy. Jacqueline lifted her chin, inviting him to say whatever he wished.
“…a fairy?”
“Hmm?”
Caught completely off guard, her expression faltered for a moment. Benjamin, voice trembling with excitement, quickly explained,
“When I was five, I read in a book that fairies can melt even the coldest hearts! Not that I meant Uncle has a cold heart or anything—ah, um, I just… Are you a fairy, Miss Somerset?”
Jacqueline, about to reply with something rational and reasonable, instead brought a finger to her lips.
“Shh.”
“!”
“How did you know? It’s a secret.”
The boy’s eyes widened until they were nearly the size of fists. Jacqueline glanced around dramatically, then lowered her voice. Her meaningful expression made Benjamin’s eyebrows shoot up.
“Don’t tell anyone. If people find out, I’ll have to return to where I came from. But I still want to stay at the Preston mansion a little longer.”
Instead of answering, Benjamin clamped both hands over his mouth and nodded vigorously.
“Come on. If we hurry a bit, we’ll still have plenty of time for lemonade before class starts.”
The boy kept nodding earnestly, hands still covering his mouth. Jacqueline swallowed a chuckle and led the way.
However composed and mature he seemed, he was still only six years old—a child easily taken in by an adult’s white lie, perhaps even one who still believed in Santa Claus.
His naivety was utterly endearing.
“Huh?”
Just then, as she passed the carriage, Jacqueline’s eyes flew wide open—she’d spotted a lone cane standing inside.
Tom, the coachman, scratched his head with an “Oh dear” as he tried to close the door. Catching Jacqueline’s eye, he grinned good-naturedly.
“He forgot it again.”
“I’ll bring it in since I’m heading that way.”
“Yes, Miss Somerset. Thank you.”
Tom handed her the cane. Jacqueline gave it a light twirl—just like a fairy casting a spell.
Benjamin’s eyes sparkled even brighter. Swallowing another laugh, Jacqueline walked side by side with the child.
“Of course, you must also pay close attention during lessons—that was part of my promise to Lord Preston.”
“Yes.”
Benjamin nodded as if it went without saying.
“But outside class hours, you’re free. How about another adventure tomorrow morning? There might be entirely different creatures living in the opposite garden. The book I read mentioned that the types of insects vary depending on the soil of the land.”
“Really?”
The boy’s eyes widened as if he’d just received an unexpected gift. Soon, his brown eyes gleamed with admiration.
He truly seemed to believe she was a fairy—and that wasn’t so bad.
Jacqueline stamped her feet firmly at the entrance.
“I never make promises I can’t keep. And remember to brush the dirt off your shoes before going inside—so the maids won’t have extra work.”
Benjamin immediately stamped his own feet in response. His eyes were now filled entirely with trust.
He looked as if he’d believe her even if she claimed she could bake bread from sand. At this rate, she might even become the hidden power behind the future Marquess of Preston.
Not that she harbored any such ambition.
“Young Master Benjamin, what on earth…!”
Their proud march down the hallway came to an abrupt end as Madam Ritz caught sight of Benjamin’s filthy state and gasped in horror.
Jacqueline leaned close to the boy’s ear and whispered softly. The cane in her hand drooped limply downward.
“I’m sorry, Benjamin. Even fairies can’t do anything about Madam Ritz’s scolding.”
The boy responded only with a dignified nod and a shrug—clearly conveying he could handle that much on his own.
“Don’t worry, Ritz. I’ll change clothes right away.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Only then did Madam Ritz stop her lecture. Benjamin immediately headed up the stairs to the second floor, with Madam Ritz hurrying after him.
He glanced back once, his sparkling brown eyes sharing a conspiratorial look with Jacqueline.
At that moment, Jacqueline froze in place and stared intently at Benjamin’s face.
“…”
Suddenly, she wondered—perhaps the real fairy was him. Hadn’t he melted her heart from the very first moment they met?
“Yes… that could very well be true.”
Jacqueline let out a silent laugh.
[This is the timeline separator]Dozens of carriages passed through the Preston estate every day. Visitors who had barely managed to secure appointments with the Marquess arrived in scheduled time slots.
With clown-like smiles plastered on their faces, they heaped endless praises upon Windsor. Only after stringing together flattery after flattery would they finally say, “This is something I’d only tell the Marquess himself,” before getting to their true purpose.
Most often, they requested investments or proposed partnerships. Sometimes, they brazenly asked for donations.
What they truly needed wasn’t Windsor himself—but the Marquess of Preston, or better yet, the Preston family’s vast wealth.
Those who couldn’t manage even that didn’t visit Windsor in person; instead, they sent letters—filled with elaborate sob stories and layers of flattery.
Selecting worthwhile candidates from among them was as difficult as mining gold from sand. Or perhaps, there was no gold to begin with.
“Hah.”
Windsor let out a light sigh as he looked at the pile of documents on his desk. No matter how diligently he reviewed them, an equal amount of new documents accumulated every day.
Just then, a soft knock sounded at the door. Windsor paused his work and looked up.
The door opened, and Jacqueline entered. She had already changed her clothes and now offered him a gentle smile.
“You left your cane in the carriage again.”
“Ah.”
She stepped forward and held out the cane. Windsor set it carelessly beside his desk.
Expecting her to leave immediately, he was surprised when Jacqueline remained standing before his desk. He met her gaze.
“Do you have further business?”
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
Chapter Comments (116)
Inline Comments (1326)
“I told you—it’s an unnecessarily complicated and fussy custom. Not every gestur
The nobility has so many unnecessary rules
“After all, not having them won’t kill me.”
Yes, I thought so. Those things are for a gentleman, a soldier on parade – not for the life he used to live…
“I prefer to crush them thoroughly before they ever grow into a significant thre
Wow. That’s a real man right there. I like him. (๑♡⌓♡๑)
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Every time i read historical stories, i’m so relieved that i live in this modern world. If i were born in historical’s timeline, i swear i would never succeed in following the rules 😮💨
it does!! i can feel their chemistry is going to cause a storm
AAACCK! I can feel it😆., both are starting to fall in love