A Season for Honour

Chapter 3

It was a beautifully sunny, unseasonably warm autumn day in the middle of October. When Octavia had looked out of her bedroom window, earlier that morning, she had decided that the children, and their governess Miss Sydenham, would make the most of the fine weather and spend the day outdoors. The days were already becoming noticeably shorter, hinting at the long, bleak winter that lay ahead. She knew that the opportunity to spend the whole of the day outdoors, enjoying the fresh air and any warmth that the sun provided, would soon be a distant memory.

When Octavia had told her twin son and daughter, Charles and Olivia, that lessons would be cancelled for the day, they were both very excited. Any activity, different from the usual routine of the schoolroom, was always greeted with enthusiasm. Octavia did not even feel a twinge of guilt when she could not help but notice Miss Sydenham's disapproving look about the prospect of cancelling her well-planned lessons. Miss Sydenham was an excellent governess, who always treated both children fairly, but she was also a stickler for routine. 'Miss Sydenham, Angela,' Octavia had said privately to her after breakfast, using her given name to make the request feel more personal. 'I hope you do not mind me changing your schedule for the day, but the weather is unseasonably warm, and I think we should make the most of it. Charles' tutor will be arriving tomorrow, and I doubt very much that we will be able to have a day together like this once he arrives.'

Octavia, for the past two weeks, had been dreading the arrival of Charles' new tutor; Captain Fallbrook. Sir Freddie, after corresponding with his aunt, Lady Harmsworth, had arranged everything. The new tutor, who, according to Freddie, had impeccable qualifications, would spend the winter at Northleigh, preparing Charles for school. Octavia, who rarely ventured out in society unless it was in the company of her friend, Katie, was anxious about having a gentleman in her household. Apart from Freddie, of course, her experiences of men had not been positive, and it was the main reason why she closeted herself away from the world. Her only consolation was that she would more than likely have very little to do with him.

'I have arranged with cook to have a picnic lunch served on the lawn at midday,' Octavia said to Miss Sydenham. 'Maybe, in the morning,' she continued, her eyes twinkling with excitement, 'we could go into the wilderness and collect some leaves and test Charles and Olivia on the names of the trees they originally came from.'

Miss Sydenham sighed and said, 'very well, my lady. I will bring some reference books with us. I suppose it will not do them any harm to have a day away from the schoolroom.'

Octavia had not wanted Charles and Olivia to do any schoolwork today, however, she did not want to upset Miss Sydenham. Octavia, therefore, relented to the governess' request and agreed to the reference books. 'Very well, Miss Sydenham,' she had said, placing her hand on her arm affectionately, 'bring your books.'

At midday, when they had eventually sat down on the large rugs that had been carefully arranged under the cedar tree on the lawn at the back of the house, Octavia was pleasantly surprised at how much fun she had had that morning. Miss Sydenham, with all her dull talk of routines and learning, was a good teacher. She had even involved Octavia in her lesson, and it had reminded her of the happy times she had enjoyed at Hillcroft. Once the substantial lunch of bread and cheese, washed down with copious amounts of fresh lemonade had been demolished, Charles stood up from the rug and said enthusiastically, 'Mama, I think we should have a game of cricket?'

'Oh,' Olivia said looking doubtfully at her brother, 'I am not sure if I want to play cricket with you. You can be far too competitive, and I do not like it when you get cross with me.'

'Livvy,' he said, 'all you have to do is hit the ball with a bat. I promise I will throw it to you gently.'

'Charlie,' Olivia said hesitatingly, 'I will only agree to play if you promise me that you will not get cross with me if I drop the ball when I am meant to catch it. The last time we played together, you were not very kind to me.'