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due downstairs.
    He got deliberately to his feet and walked toward the door.

Chapter 3
    Several days later Mrs. Bird barged into the library with a tea tray.
    “Strikes me that it’s a mite too quiet around here lately.” She plunked the tray down onto Olympia’s desk. “Downright eerie and that’s a fact.”
    Olympia reluctantly tore her attention away from the complicated language of Claire Lightbourne’s diary. She scowled at Mrs. Bird. “Whatever do you mean? I thought the silence was rather pleasant. I vow this is the first real peace we’ve had since my nephews arrived.”
    The past few days had been nothing short of halcyon as far as Olympia was concerned. She could hardly believe thedifference Jared Chillhurst had wrought in the household in such a short period of time.
    There had been no muddy boots in the hall, no escaped frogs in her desk drawer, and no squabbling within hearing distance. All three boys had been on time for every meal and, even more impressive, each one had been neat and clean.
    “T’ain’t natural.” Mrs. Bird poured tea into the single cup on the tray. “What’s that pirate doin’ up there in the schoolroom with those young hellions, I ask ye?”
    “Mr. Chillhurst is not a pirate,” Olympia said crisply. “I will thank you to cease referring to him as such. He is a tutor. An excellent one, judging by what we have seen thus far.”
    “Hah. He’s up there torturin’ them poor boys, that’s what he’s doin’. I’ll wager he threatened to make ’em walk the plank if they don’t behave.”
    Olympia smiled briefly. “We don’t have a plank around here.”
    Mrs. Bird squinted. “Well, then, mayhap he’s threatened to beat ’em with a cat o’nine tails if they don’t do what he tells ’em.”
    “I’m certain Robert would have come to me immediately if Mr. Chillhurst had made dire threats,” Olympia said.
    “Not if that pirate threatened to slit poor Robert’s throat for talkin’.”
    “Oh, for pity’s sake, Mrs. Bird. You’ve been saying all along that my nephews needed a firm hand.”
    Mrs. Bird set the pot down on the tray and leaned over the desk. “Didn’t say I wanted to see ’em terrified into obedience. When all is said and done, they’re good boys.”
    Olympia tapped her quill pen on the desk. “Do you really believe Mr. Chillhurst has threatened them with violence in order to get them to behave properly?”
    “Ain’t nothin’ else except a threat of violence would have gotten results like this in such a short period of time, if you ask me.” Mrs. Bird looked meaningfully up at the ceiling.
    Olympia followed her gaze. There were no thumps, bumps or distant shouts to be heard from the floor above. The abnormal silence was a trifle unnerving, she thought.
    “I suppose I had better see what is going on.” Olympia rose reluctantly and closed the diary.
    “Ye’ll have to be crafty about it,” Mrs. Bird warned. “Mr. Chillhurst appears to be bent on makin’ a good impression on ye. Likely he cannot afford to lose the position. If he knows yer observin’ him, he’ll be on his best behavior.”
    “I’ll be cautious.” Olympia took a hasty sip of hot tea to fortify herself. When she was finished, she set the cup down and started determinedly for the door.
    “One more thing afore I forget,” Mrs. Bird called after her. “Squire Pettigrew sent a message around earlier sayin’ he’s back from London. He’ll be callin’ this afternoon. No doubt wants to help ye out with that last shipment of goods.”
    Olympia paused in the doorway. “Oh, dear. I forgot to notify him that I will no longer need his assistance in such matters.”
    Mrs. Bird frowned. “Why ever not?”
    “Mr. Chillhurst has said he will handle those sorts of annoying little details for me.”
    Mrs. Bird’s expression went from a disapproving frown to a look of genuine alarm. “Here now, what’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Just what
it
sounds like, Mrs. Bird. Mr.