mistressmaryquitecontrary

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Mary has been packed off to school, and she is not pleased. Friday and Saturday, the first two days there, she spent in a sulk; now it is Sunday, and - well, to be honest, she's still sulking.

There are no classes on Sundays. Instead, the girls wake up early to attend church, and then return for Sunday dinner - the one time during the week when the male professors eat with the students and their female teacher-chaperones. The students, of course, sit arranged neatly at the bottom of the long table; the headmistress and the teachers arrange themselves at the top.

Today, the new staff member, Master Wolfe, sits next to the headmistress in the place of honor. Mary's heard about him, mostly because Lottie, who caught sight of him on Friday as he came to arrange his office, can't seem to shut up about him. For that very reason she's determined to take no note of him, and sits, instead, glowering at her food.

It's better on Sundays than it is on other days, but Mary is in no mood to appreciate that.

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Master Gideon Wolfe spares a moment from chatting with the headmistress to glance around the room, beginning to familiarize himself with the faces of his new pupils.

If his mouth quirks at one corner when he catches sight of a particularly sulky, contrary girl of twelve--

Likely as not it has nothing to do with her at all.

Lottie next to her, at any rate, would never believe that a smile of Master Wolfe's could be aimed at Mary Lennox.

No - that must be all for her, and she aims an excited look at Joan across from her, as if to say, 'did you see?', though of course nothing could be said aloud at the table.

Mary rolls her eyes and saws into her chicken a little more vigorously, still determined, for her part, not to join all the eager heads craning up to look towards the new teacher - though some curiosity is beginning to battle with stubbornness, just to see exactly how silly they're all being.

Master Wolfe's mouth twitches again (his hearing is quite good, it would seem), and then his attention slides back to the headmistress.

His smile broadens, and he inclines his head just slightly, perhaps to better listen to what she has to say.

Or to get a better look at the quivering pile of lapdog that is attempting to crawl under her arm.

He's usually not so shy with strangers, the headmistress says.

Master Wolfe merely smiles.

It takes half the meal for Mary's curiosity to overcome her determination - and even then, she tells herself, she is only turning her head because she is waiting for someone up the table to pass the peas.

She looks away very quickly after that, because otherwise she will be staring, and that she refuses to do.

But it can't be what she thinks!

Gideon Wolfe neither confirms nor denies Mary's thoughts, because his attention is focused on his fellow teachers.

It remains so throughout the entirety of the meal.

Or so it would seem.

And what business does a new Classics Master have with students whose lessons have not yet begun?

Mary does her very best to keep her own eyes on her peas, stewed chicken and potatoes.

That is, until the students rise and file past the teachers, on their way back to their rooms. Then she looks, and looks hard, so much so that Lottie's eyes brighten in delight. It looks like Miss Lennox won't have a word to say about her after all!

And if a certain pair of winter-grey eyes flicks across Mary's face, then hold there for a moment, noting her condition and the direction of her movement, it's purely coincidence.

Meanwhile, Master Wolfe takes his leave of the headmistress, bestowing a smile (full of sharp teeth) on the utterly motionless lapdog.

And once the formalities are observed, he, too, heads toward the door, and the corridors beyond.

Mary didn't recognize Galadan once.

But this time, he is unmistakable; no one looks like that. Certainly not in this school, where girls are taught and finished, and sent on their way to become wives.

The girls go back to their room, and Mary is silent; but when Lottie turns to wash her face in the basin, Mary goes to the door, and opens it and steps outside with a determined step.

. . . she's not quite sure where the teachers stay, but they are likely still at table anyways; if she disposes herself carefully, and waits . . .

"Miss Lennox, is it not?"

Master Wolfe's voice--Galadan's voice--is cool and dry and amused.

"Are you not meant to be elsewhere at this hour?"

It's entirely possible he was waiting for her. Though no one would be able to prove it by his actions.

He is clever, after all.

"Do not pretend," Mary says, staring up at him with astonishment she can't even try to conceal.

"How can you be here? - how have you been here since Friday, and not said?"

"And here I had thought the headmistress explained all that."

His voice is even more dry than it was a moment ago.

"More fool me. And it would hardly be wise to be over-familiar, Miss Lennox. I am, after all, Gideon Wolfe, son of an Englishman sent abroad, and returned when his mother fell ill. I would hardly have an opportunity to make the acquaintance of your uncle, let alone his ward."

"I will not say anything when other people are about - I am not stupid," Mary says, impatiently.

"But no one is here now, and if we are to speak only as we must when people might listen, you shall not be able to say anything, and - you must tell me why you are here! Why should you want to come to my school to teach Latin? Are you not meant to be protecting Mr. Tam?"

"I may do that easily enough, even here. You have, I hope, not forgotten my ability to travel where I will?"

His smile this time is small and sharp, though no less amused.

"And as for the rest--your reluctance to return here made several of your friends very worried, indeed. I am here, I suppose, primarily to reassure them that you will remain healthy and as happy as your situation will permit."

The exact extent of that depends, in large part, on Mary herself.

Mary looks almost more flabbergasted than she did upon seeing Galadan for the first time at the table.

"You are here for me?"

"What other reason might there be, Miss Lennox?"

His eyebrows arch upward, inquiring.

"Which is to say 'yes'."

Honest: "I do not know; I thought it might be something clever you were doing I did not know. I did not think anybody would come here that did not have to."

"You might consider that I had to, as Gabriel is nominally my employer."

Voice and expression are both full of sardonic humor this time.

"Though perhaps you also recall how ill-suited I am to obedience."

"I do," Mary says, sitting up straighter, with some worry drifting into her face.

"And now you will have to listen to the Headmistress, and do as she says, and teach all of us - how will you stand it?"

"As to that, Mistress Mary," and here is smile is amused, indeed.

"You shall have to wait and see."

He steps away from the wall, just slightly.

"We have little time for further discussion at the moment, regardless. You will be missed before long, and I'm hardly desirous of losing my position mere days after I have gained it."

Mary takes a quick step, as well, shoving her hands down into the pockets of her uniform skirt.

"Wait - how shall I talk to you again? I shall see you in class, but we can hardly speak there."

"There are always extra assignments, I suppose. And mealtimes, at least on occasion."

He is very amused, now.

"And should you find your way to taking a bit of air in the garden, when time allows--a touch of ill health will do wonders for providing fresh air as a cure."

"I cannot speak to you at meals; they will all be there." Mary glances down the hallway, eloquently.

"But I am in the garden as often as I can ever be. I shall try."

She has to keep an eye on Galadan. She is now, after all, the only person in the world he now inhabits who knows he used to be a super-villain trying to destroy her world; that makes it her job to make sure he doesn't backslide.

"Then I will see you tomorrow for lessons, Miss Lennox."

The corners of his mouth quirk upward.

"I do hope you will be well-prepared."

Mary privately vows that she shall be the most WELL-PREPARED STUDENT EVER.

(If only she knew that twenty other students, who had been staring at Master Wolfe that evening, were all vowing the same thing.)

Lofty: "You need not doubt that."

"You shall have time enough to give me ample evidence, Miss Lennox."

He gives her a brief, truncated bow.

"I trust you will be cautious when you return to your room. Until tomorrow."

And Gideon Wolfe turns to move toward his own chambers and, eventually, sleep.

And in the morning he will teach.

Children.

How Flidais would laugh.

Edited 2008-04-18 06:47 (UTC)

As if he needed to warn her to be cautious!

Mary retreats back to her room, in some irritation - but also, it can't be denied, with more excitement about the future than she's had for the past three days.

Things at the very least have just gotten a great deal more interesting.

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