its midst," he said.
Olympia smiled wryly. "Very true. That's what Aunt Sophy and Aunt Ida always used to say."
"Do not concern yourself. I'm sure Mrs. Bird and I will deal well enough with each other." Jared took a
sip of his tea. "There is another matter I wish to speak to you about, Miss Wingfield."
Olympia's gaze narrowed in concern. "Have I forgotten something? I fear Mrs. Bird is correct. I am
always overlooking some annoying detail that seems extremely trivial to me but which everyone else
believes to be vital for one reason or another."
"You have overlooked nothing of importance," Jared assured her.
"Thank goodness." Olympia relaxed back in her chair.
"Your uncle asked me to inform you that in addition to the items that are to be sold, he has also sent
along several volumes. One of them is an old diary."
Olympia's natural air of delightful distraction vanished in the blink of an eye. Her attention was riveted.
"What did you say?"
"There is a volume known as the Lightbourne diary in the shipment of goods, Miss Wingfield." Jared did
not have to wait long for the reaction.
"He found it." Olympia sprang to her feet. Her face was flushed with excitement. Her eyes glowed with
the brilliance of a turquoise flame. "Uncle Artemis found the Lightbourne diary."
"That is what he said."
"Where is it?" Olympia demanded eagerly.
"Packed in one of the trunks or crates I brought with me in the carriage. I'm not certain which one."
Not that he hadn't been tempted to look for it. But the truth was, there had been no opportunity to stop
and search for the diary after the ship had made port. Jared had secured a carriage and the two guards,
loaded the crates and trunks aboard, and traveled through the night from Weymouth. He had not
stopped until he had arrived at Upper Tudway. The risk of highwaymen had seemed preferable to the
risk of having the goods pilfered by thieves at an inn.
"We must unpack the carriage at once. I cannot wait to see the diary." Olympia was bubbling over with
enthusiasm and excitement.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
She rounded the desk, picked up her skirts, and flew toward the door.
Jared watched, bemused, as she dashed out of the library. If he was going to be obliged to live in this
chaotic household for a time, he would have to establish his own rules and prepare to enforce them, he
told himself. There was no substitute for an orderly routine.
He must start as he intended to go on.
Alone in the library, Jared calmly finished his tea. Then he put down his cup, pulled out his watch, and
consulted the time. Ten more minutes before his young charges were 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 the difference 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
Olympia smiled wryly. "Very true. That's what Aunt Sophy and Aunt Ida always used to say."
"Do not concern yourself. I'm sure Mrs. Bird and I will deal well enough with each other." Jared took a
sip of his tea. "There is another matter I wish to speak to you about, Miss Wingfield."
Olympia's gaze narrowed in concern. "Have I forgotten something? I fear Mrs. Bird is correct. I am
always overlooking some annoying detail that seems extremely trivial to me but which everyone else
believes to be vital for one reason or another."
"You have overlooked nothing of importance," Jared assured her.
"Thank goodness." Olympia relaxed back in her chair.
"Your uncle asked me to inform you that in addition to the items that are to be sold, he has also sent
along several volumes. One of them is an old diary."
Olympia's natural air of delightful distraction vanished in the blink of an eye. Her attention was riveted.
"What did you say?"
"There is a volume known as the Lightbourne diary in the shipment of goods, Miss Wingfield." Jared did
not have to wait long for the reaction.
"He found it." Olympia sprang to her feet. Her face was flushed with excitement. Her eyes glowed with
the brilliance of a turquoise flame. "Uncle Artemis found the Lightbourne diary."
"That is what he said."
"Where is it?" Olympia demanded eagerly.
"Packed in one of the trunks or crates I brought with me in the carriage. I'm not certain which one."
Not that he hadn't been tempted to look for it. But the truth was, there had been no opportunity to stop
and search for the diary after the ship had made port. Jared had secured a carriage and the two guards,
loaded the crates and trunks aboard, and traveled through the night from Weymouth. He had not
stopped until he had arrived at Upper Tudway. The risk of highwaymen had seemed preferable to the
risk of having the goods pilfered by thieves at an inn.
"We must unpack the carriage at once. I cannot wait to see the diary." Olympia was bubbling over with
enthusiasm and excitement.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
She rounded the desk, picked up her skirts, and flew toward the door.
Jared watched, bemused, as she dashed out of the library. If he was going to be obliged to live in this
chaotic household for a time, he would have to establish his own rules and prepare to enforce them, he
told himself. There was no substitute for an orderly routine.
He must start as he intended to go on.
Alone in the library, Jared calmly finished his tea. Then he put down his cup, pulled out his watch, and
consulted the time. Ten more minutes before his young charges were 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 the difference 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
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