Page 10 of One Bed for the Bluestocking
She purposefully dropped her voice a few notes.“I won’t let you down.”
She found Nathaniel regarding her with a soft smile.If he thought less of her for her momentary lapse, he showed no sign of it.“I’m sure you won’t.Now, let’s discuss our next steps.The project involves?—”
He was interrupted by a sharp rap on the door.He smiled apologetically, then called, “Come in.”
Three young men filed into the room.They seemed acquainted with one another, and they peered at Kate curiously.
The tallest of the three spotted the painting of Marigold on the desk.“Och, that’s bloody good!”
“Language, Roderick,” Nathaniel said as the three young men crowded around the desk and began examining the paintings.“You will find that the wordbloodyis seldom used in academic circles, unless one is discussing actual blood.”
Roderick flashed an apologetic grin.“Sorry.Hard habit to break.”
“Try,” Nathaniel said dryly.
A young man with hair so dark it was almost black looked up.“Did you find your illustrator, then?”he asked in a musical Welsh accent.
“I did indeed.”Nathaniel gestured to the corner into which Kate had retreated.“Gentlemen, meet Mr.Christopher Witherspoon.”
The three students gaped at him.“You did these?”the young Welshman asked.
“I… I did,” Kate stuttered.
The paintings she had shown Nathaniel that first day, of the owl, the squirrel, and the iridescent beetle, were still inside the portfolio.Roderick gave a low whistle when he came to the beetle.“That cunt Iain is going to shite himself when he sees this.”
“Roderick!”Nathaniel snapped.
Roderick waved a hand.“Sorry!It’s just… I was raised by my uncle.If ye kenned Uncle Angus, ye’d understand.”
“I can guarantee that your professors will not be eager to understand,” Nathaniel said darkly.
Roderick nodded.“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Nathaniel sighed.“Everyone, take a seat.”
The third young man, who had spectacles and wore his red, curly hair in a fashionably windswept mop atop his head, looked at Kate in surprise as she drew up a chair.“Will you be joining our class, Christopher?”
“I will.”The words came out softer than Kate would have liked.She cleared her throat.“Please, call me Kit.”
The redhead held out his hand with a friendly grin.“Pleasure to meet you, Kit.I’m Colin MacPherson.”
The young Welshman offered his hand next.His blue eyes flashed.“Arthur Rhys-Jones.”
“And I’m Roderick Buchanan,” the tall one offered.As his meaty hand swallowed Kate’s, she noticed that he was wearing a kilt instead of trousers.Combined with his flowing, shoulder-length hair, he looked like he’d stepped from the pages of a Walter Scott novel.
Nathaniel gestured for them to sit.“Gentlemen, let’s begin.”
He proceeded to lay out which lectures they were to attend during the spring term.In addition to lectures in natural history and botany, they would be studying mathematics and even chemistry.Most alarmingly, Nathaniel himself would be delivering a set of lectures not once but twice a week, and she was expected to meet with him privately every other week to monitor her progress.
Perfect.There would be no escaping her all-too-tempting tutor.
Nathaniel also provided them with a list of books they would be studying this term.“Should you wish to make an early start on your reading, I would suggest you begin with the works of Charles Stewart, as those will be the first ones we’ll discuss.”He stood.“I will see you back on Monday morning.”
Kate was the first to file out of the room.She could hear Nathaniel’s other students chattering behind her.She wasn’t sure what she should do.She didn’t want to seem rude or aloof, but they were clearly already friends, and she felt presumptuous assuming she would be welcome in their circle, especially given that she was a woman.Not that theyknewshe was a woman, but gracious, why did this have to be so terribly awkward?She had no idea what she should do, and?—
“Oy!Kit!”came Roderick’s booming voice.
“Where do you think you’re going?”Arthur asked.
