Defending Gwen from Liam’s wisecracks was trying Patrick’s patience, but he hoped the situation would improve once they were no longer trapped in a train compartment. They would each have their own bedroom at the dormitory in Queens, and the extra breathing room would be welcome.

Patrick liked the Queens campus even though it was only a single building located next to a horse stable and a fenced grazing area. They were in the heart of the city, surrounded by a tobacco shop, a pencil factory, and a delicatessen. This plain brick building would be their home for the next three weeks while they tried to smooth Liam’s rough edges and teach him the basics of how to function in refined society.

The first floor of the building contained a research laboratory, classrooms, and a large common area with tables for both dining and studying. Dormitory rooms filled the two floors above. A couple of stable hands lived on the top floor to look after the horses, but the entire second floor was empty because there weren’t students here during the summer.

The dormitory rooms each had a single bed, a chest of drawers, and a desk. Patrick insisted Gwen have the only room with a view of the horse pasture. He could sense how uneasy she was in this noisy urban environment, but he and Liam loved it. Frankly, the dormitory was newer and nicer than any place either of them had ever lived.

He was helping Liam unpack when Gwen tapped on the open door of his room.

“I’ve brought herbal sachets for everyone,” she said, holding out several little lace-covered packets.

“What’s a sachet?” Liam asked.

She set a couple on his pillow. “They are pouches of scented herbs to make things smell nice. I made these with lemon balm and lavender from my garden. They’ll make your dormitory feel a little more like home.”

Liam snorted. “I don’t need that sort of girly stuff.”

“Are you sure?” she asked. “The sheets smell like bleach, and a sachet will make them so nice when you slip into bed tonight.”

“Bleach means the sheets are clean,” Liam said, trying to give the lacy sachets back.

But Gwen was having none of it and tucked them back beneath Liam’s sheets. “When dealing with polite company, you should graciously accept whatever is offered, even if it doesn’t seem important to you. This may not seem natural to you, but you need to learn these little niceties.”

Her voice had a whiff of schoolmarm to it that Liam didn’t appreciate, but Patrick sent him a warning glare to stifle whatever rude comment he was about to make. Gwen had put up with a lot from Liam in the past few hours, and Patrick didn’t like seeing her hurt.