“Rollo, language,” his uncle corrected without raising his eyes from the newspaper.

“But, Uncle Henry, the Masked Bandits struck again yesterday!”

I couldn’t resist looking at Lord Henry to see his reaction. He didn’t show the slightest sign that this story affected him. His eyes didn’t widen, narrow, or blink, and his face didn’t redden or pale. No muscles twitched or tightened. He merely kept reading as he took a sip of tea and said, “Really?” in a tone of polite disinterest.

“Yes! They robbed a train!” Rollo frowned as he read some more, then his eyebrows rose. “Hey, it was the train from New Haven. Miss Newton, didn’t you come from New Haven? Was that your train?”

“I suppose it could have been,” I said, trying to imitate Lord Henry’s disinterested tone while surreptitiously watching him from beneath my eyelashes. “But it was a very big train, with many cars.”

“Oh.” Rollo sounded so disappointed that I was tempted to tell him about my adventure.

“There’s an article about a new model of airship,” Lord Henry said. “It’s on page three.” He knew exactly how to distract his nephew. Rollo eagerly turned to that page and became lost in the newspaper. Once Olive came skipping into the room, she took over the conversational burden, chattering amiably about any number of seemingly unrelated topics, to which her elders responded with nods and vague noises.

Lord Henry checked his watch, then said, “Rollo, you’d best leave for school. I’ll save the newspaper for you.” He nodded at the footman, who tugged on the bellpull on the wall.

Mrs. Talbot appeared and handed me a neatly drawn map. “This is the way to Rollo’s school. It isn’t far.”

“I can show her,” Olive said. “I know the way.”

Rollo whirled to face his uncle. “I have to have the governess walk me to school?”

“You know very well that you don’t go out without a chaperone,” Lord Henry said.

“But you’ve been coming with me.” I now understood Rollo’s dismay. Walking to school with his uncle must have felt like a manly outing, but walking with the governess would make him feel like a child again.

Lord Henry’s face softened slightly, so he must have understood as well. “I may still, when my schedule permits, but it is Miss Newton’s job, and you will go with her.” His voice grew slightly sharper with the last phrase, making it an order.

Rollo sighed dejectedly, and I hurried to say, “Olive and I will be taking a morning walk before we begin lessons. Would you be so kind as to escort us as far as your school?”