Read Online Mariel by Jo Ann Ferguson - Free Book Online Page A

aid, he found none. They were as startled by her reaction as the teacher was. He dropped back into his chair and stared at the floor, unsure how she had twisted his words to use them to prove her point.
    Mr. Jones seconded her argument as he said enthusiastically, “I agree with Lady Mariel. She has shown me some of the literature she has gathered from various textbook publishers. Science books, history books, the classics. Our children could learn about the people of the far-flung countries of the Empire. Who knows what ideas might come from these young minds if they are properly taught?”
    â€œIdeas?” Mr. Albion refused to be intimidated. “Like hers?” He hooked his thumb toward the smiling woman.
    â€œNo,” Mariel replied quietly. “New ideas, original ideas, ideas which we in our plodding conventionalism cannot conceive, Mr. Albion.”
    He sniffed. “Old ideas were good enough for me and mine.”
    â€œOld ideas are the building blocks for the future.” She glanced around the table. “Or is that what you want to avoid? I can tell you, gentlemen, that the future is coming whether you wish it or not. Hiding like a ferret in a hedgerow will not stop the days from passing. Look at this school. It is an outgrowth of the school my great-great grandmother started with the newfangled ideas she brought with her from America. Would you go back to that time when your children were ignorant of booklearning?”
    â€œChange simply for the sake of change is useless,” stated Albion, but more weakly.
    When she agreed with him, the resigned faces of the board grew longer. “Of course, Mr. Albion, but not change for the sake of the children of Foxbridge. Who wants to stand and be counted as one willing to deny them the best?”
    Mr. Gratton saw no one else was willing to joust verbally with Lady Mariel. Not that he blamed them. The woman was too damn glib! Guiltily he looked at the minister sitting silently at the back of the room. He could not tell what Reverend Beckwith-Carter thought, for his face was emotionless. His hope for an ally dimmed. Reverend Tanner had agreed with the male members of the school board, but had not been able to convince Lady Mariel to seek more ladylike pursuits and leave government to men who knew how to handle it. Rumor had it Reverend Beckwith-Carter had been seen riding with Lady Mariel in that blasted contraption of hers.
    As the clock on the wall struck nine, he sighed. He must get back to the Three Georges. “Very well, Lady Mariel. I assume you have this information on the books you wish to purchase, but I must adjourn this meeting because of the late hour. For our next meeting, please have that information, as well as costs, available for us.”
    She closed the folder in front of her. Although she had not won the battle tonight, she knew when to accept her small victories and retire gracefully from the contest. “I will send a copy of the information I have to each of you a week before the next meeting. That will give you time to peruse it, so you can be adequately prepared to discuss this.”
    Mr. Gratton said quietly, “Thank you, Lady Mariel.” He bristled internally at her easy efficiency. Although she made no suggestions that she could run the board more effectively than he, others had. Loudly and often, he had heard about the fine work Lady Mariel did. It aggravated him more each time. That he liked her despite her outlandish ideas irritated him even more.
    Closing the meeting before anyone else could speak, he avoided Mr. Knowles’s eyes. He knew the older teacher wanted to talk to him about this newest twist Lady Mariel was bringing to the board. Until he had a chance to organize his thoughts out of the chaos roiling through his head, he did not want to discuss this with anyone.
    The pubkeeper hurried to speak to the minister, who was rising slowly from the cramped school chair. This way he could avoid