“I will.”
“I do hope that will appease her.”
“I have no doubt that it will.”
William tipped his head. “I bid you good night,” he said before he departed from the room.
As he walked towards the main door, he couldn’t believe how the evening had unfolded. He had fired his headmistress only to realize that he had been too hasty in his decision. But it had nothing to do with having feelings for her; that was ludicrous. He felt nothing for Miss Lloyd. Why would Hawthorne even suggest such a thing?
He would offer Miss Lloyd her job back, and if she refused, then he would drop the matter. He had no intention of groveling. He had never groveled before, and he refused to start now.
As Georgie exited the coach, the main door to the orphanage opened and Wilson stood to the side to let her enter.
“Good evening, miss,” Wilson greeted as he closed the door. “You are home much earlier than expected.”
“Yes, well, it is because Lord Grenton dismissed me as headmistress.”
Wilson’s brow lifted. “He dismissed you?”
“He did,” Georgie confirmed. “He took issue with me going to the market.”
“Even though you did so to help the girls?”
“He didn’t seem to care about that.”
“That is a shame.”
Georgie bobbed her head. “It is, but I have a plan.”
Wilson gave her an amused look. “That doesn’t surprise me.”
“We will sell a few pieces of my mother’s jewelry and use that money to rent rooms at a boarding house,” Georgie explained. “We only need to bide our time until I reach my majority.”
“What of the money that you earned from selling your gowns?”
“That money is allocated for the girls’ new dresses and boots,” Georgie said. “I wouldn’t dare deprive the girls of new clothing.”
“That is most gracious of you.”
Georgie waved her hand dismissively in front of her. “It is a small thing.”
“To you, perhaps.”
She had just opened her mouth to respond when she saw Sarah walking towards her with a questioning look.
“Do you still intend to teach us how to read?” Sarah asked as she came to a stop in front of her.
“I do,” Georgie confirmed. “I am in the process of hiring tutors to do so.”
A bright smile came to Sarah’s face. “Wonderful! I’ve dreamed of learning to read for so long, but I didn’t think I’d ever have the chance.”
“I am pleased that you have a desire to learn.”
“Oh, yes!” Sarah gushed. “And I know Rebecca will be thrilled, too.”
Georgie smiled. “I just want…”
Her voice trailed off as Mrs. Hughes’s sharp voice came from the top of the stairs. “Sarah!” she shouted. “What on earth are you doing?”
