“And I’m Mrs. Lavendar, the housekeeper,” the woman answered without a whit of friendliness visible anywhere in her vast demeanor. Her gaze shifted to rest suspiciously on Tansy. “What’s your business here, lass? she demanded.

Tansy’s chin went up and her eyes were steady on Mrs. Lavendar’s doughy face. “I’m only ’ere to tell me friend good-bye, if it’s all the same to you, mum.”

Mrs. Lavendar receded and quick farewells were said, and then Tansy was moving up the walk as Maggie stepped inside Mr. Duncan Kirk’s house for the first time.

Two lads in short pants waited on the stairs, chins propped in grubby palms.

“Here’s your new governess, then,” said Mrs. Lavendar sharply. Her air was that of one who had better things to do than stand around introducing little boys to their tutor. “Miss Chamberlin’s her name.”

Two sets of green eyes assessed Maggie, showing neither friendly interest nor devilment, but only tolerance.

“The one on the left is Jeremy,” Mrs. Lavendar said, like a student reciting a tiresome lesson, “and the other is Tad. They’ll show you to your room—I’ve work to do in the kitchen.”

With that Maggie was left alone with too very handsome redheaded little boys. She put down her reticule and lifted the fingers of both hands to her temples, squinching her eyes shut and pretending to get a message from the spirit world.

When she opened her eyes again, she was pleased to see that both boys were watching her raptly.

“You,” she said mystically, pointing to Jeremy, “are seven years old.” Her finger moved to Tad. “And you are ten.”

“How’d you know that?!” Jeremy demanded, bolting to his feet and clutching the banister with one hand.

Tad stood up, too, only with more decorum, and his face twisted into a mien of skepticism. “Papa told her, stupid.”

Maggie stopped in the middle of bending to pick up her reticule and frowned. “Tad Kirk, you must never, ever call your brother stupid. It is rude and, furthermore, it shows a distinct lack of imagination.”

“You’re stupid too,” retorted Tad before bounding off to another part of the vast house and leaving Maggie standing there with her mouth open.

Jeremy, every inch the gentleman, took Maggie’s hand in his and tugged, barely giving her a chance to fetch her reticule. “Don’t mind him, miss. Tad’s a no-gooder some of the time, but mostly he’s all right. Come along and I’ll show you where your room is.”

Maggie suppressed a smile. It was nice to have a champion, however small he might be. “Thank you so much, my good man,” she said formally.