“Yes,” the headmistress replied. “Benjamin Thomas, meet the Honorable Christopher Hawthorn. Christopher, I’m proposing that Benjamin be your big brother if the two of you get on.”

“Hello, Christopher.” Benjamin offered a friendly hand. “I’m Benjamin and sometimes Ben. I hope we’re going to be friends.”

Christopher took the older boy’s hand firmly. “I hope so too, Benjamin. I’m Christopher and sometimes Kit.” He gestured at Kendra and Lucas. “This is my mother, Miss Douglas and her friend, Lord Foxton.”

Kendra smiled at the older boy. “It’s my pleasure to meet you, Benjamin. We’d like to see the school, too, so may we follow around after you? I’ll try not to get in the way.”

Benjamin gave her a sunny smile. “Of course you can, ma’am. Shall we look at the classrooms first?”

“That’s the best place to start,” Lady Agnes said. “I’ll follow along, too. Pretend we aren’t there.”

“Impossible!” he said with a laugh. “Come along, Kit. There’s a lot to see.”

He led the way out of the office, with Christopher beside him. Kendra glanced at Lucas, who gave an approving nod. Since the classrooms were in the same building, there was a connecting door, though it had a lock on it so Lady Agnes wouldn’t be disturbed unnecessarily.

The classrooms were well equipped and impressively tidy given that the students were growing boys. Several classes were in session, so the visitors just glanced in. The teachers seemed capable and kept the classes in good order.

The adults trailed far enough behind that they didn’t disturb the ongoing conversation between Christopher and Benjamin. Lady Agnes made a few comments about the courses, adding, “Before Christopher would start, he’d be tested to see how much he knows so we can put him in the right classes.”

“I don’t know how much he learned in the Scranton School,” Kendra said. “Not much, I suspect. Before that, I taught him. His reading is very good and so are his numbers. We studied geography and the globes together. No Latin or Greek because I don’t know either. Kit has always enjoyed lessons and I hope that continues.”

“He sounds like he has a good foundation,” Lady Agnes said with approval. “I teach geography classes myself. I enjoy it and it keeps me in touch with the students.”

At the back of the ground floor, they looked into a large corner room with several windows, padded floor mats, and little furniture. “This is where we learn Hindu Kalarippayattu fighting,” Benjamin explained. “It’s great fun!”