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A broad-shouldered man with a trim physique, Mr. Chapman was elegantly attired in a navy-blue frock coat; a burgundy, silk bow tie; and pale-grey, pin-striped trousers.

Athena recalled that he was thirty-five years of age.

His high cheekbones and slender nose graced a pleasing countenance that featured the classic look of the Roman statues Athena had admired in pictures.

Selena darted her a covert look that seemed to echo Athena’s enthralled assessment.

He swept a bow, removing his hat to reveal a crown of well-styled, dark-brown curls. “Peter Chapman, at your service.” His eyes, the color of molten chocolate, radiated friendliness and charm.

Athena found her voice. “Mr. Chapman, how do you do?” She introduced herself and her sister, and they both dipped curtsies.

“I hope your journey was uneventful?” Selena asked.

“It was. I have only just arrived in the village. I had my trunk delivered to Darkmoor Park and stopped to say hello to Mrs. Hillman before making my way here.”

Athena knew that he would be residing with Mrs. Rose Hillman, his former guardian, who lived about a mile and a half away. “Thank you for coming. We have been looking forward to meeting you.”

“And I, you.” He glanced about. “What a charming room, and what a marvelous house. You are fortunate to be in possession of such a place.”

“We are, indeed,” Athena agreed.

“I can only dream of owning a house like this someday.”

“It does feel like a dream sometimes,” Selena remarked.

“Would you like tea, sir?” Athena asked. “Or a tour?”

“Both, if you please. Tea first. I have had a long journey, and I am parched.”

Athena rang for tea. Mrs. Lloyd immediately brought in the tray with the tea service and a plate of biscuits, bread, and butter.

“This looks lovely, thank you,” Mr. Chapman said.

The housekeeper’s cheeks were rosy as she dipped a curtsy and left the room.

As Athena poured three cups of tea and passed them out, she couldn’t help sharing the maid’s, housekeeper’s, and Selena’s wide-eyed response to this newcomer.

They’d never had such a handsome or charming visitor at Thorndale Manor.

To think that he would be working here! She looked forward to the association.

At the same time, she warned herself, an attraction to this man was imprudent.

She could not indulge in a flirtation with her staff.

She wanted it known to one and all that she took her duties as the headmistress of this institution seriously, and she was determined to remain single—for the good of the school and for herself.

She hadn’t always felt that way. As a young woman, Athena had looked forward to one day falling in love and marrying.

She’d had little opportunity to meet a man while working as a governess, though, until that summer holiday with her employer’s family when Giles Shaw had entered her life.

He had been good-looking and attentive. She had been entranced for a time.

But then his true nature had revealed itself.

Mr. Shaw had been intent on controlling Athena’s every move and thought, and he had been a firm believer that women were second-class citizens who should not be educated.

He had laughed at her dream of running a school.

She’d had a glimpse of her future with him and had realized it could never be.

Over the past decade, she had seen so few examples of happy unions. The men she’d worked for had all shared Mr. Shaw’s views and the women had been bored and restless, complaining that marriage felt like a prison, and to relieve the tedium, they had, like their husbands, often indulged in affairs.

It was the status of a married woman that had come to bother Athena the most. A single woman held the same rights as a man.

She could own property, assume responsibility for her debts, enter into a contract, and make a will.

But the moment a woman took a husband, she lost nearly all those rights.

Although she could still legally own her land or house, she could no longer manage it without her husband’s consent.

He immediately took complete control of all her personal property, her earnings, and her children.

Even if Athena ever were to find a man for whom she would be willing to give up all that, she knew she could not have both marriage and a career.

Men of her class did not allow their wives to work.

For the younger sons who earned their bread by their daily toil, it would be an embarrassment, a sign that the man didn’t earn a sufficient income to provide for his family.

For those who had inherited their fortune, it would be equally demeaning.

Gentlewomen were meant to remain in the background, with no opinions or accomplishments of their own, quietly raising their children and running their homes—not a school.

The Darkmoor Bridge School for Girls might have been in precarious financial waters at present, but she and Selena would fix that.

After such a long wait, Athena wasn’t about to sacrifice their dreams for anyone.

She knew that society looked down on spinsters, but she didn’t care.

Far better to carry on as she was, single and engaged in an occupation she found important and fulfilling, than to exchange all her rights for a life with a man.

“First off, I want to thank you for hiring me.”

Mr. Chapman’s voice broke in upon Athena’s thoughts.

“After years of private tutoring, I required a change,” he went on. “I look forward to teaching music at your school.”

“Of all the applicants we considered, you are the most qualified,” Athena assured him with a smile.

“In your letter, you said you have experience teaching the pianoforte, singing, and dancing as well?” Selena asked as she sipped her tea.

“I do.” He spread jam and cream on a hot scone.

“Mrs. Hillman gave you the most glowing recommendation,” Athena put in.

“Did she? It has been many years since I have seen Mrs. Hillman. I am grateful to hear that she thinks so well of me.” He bit into his scone and murmured his appreciation.

“I feel bad though that I am starting work a month after school has begun. As I believe I explained in my letter, I was obliged to stay with my previous employer during his tour of the Continent, to teach his sons and daughters.”

“Yes. Did you enjoy the tour?” Selena asked.

“Every day was remarkable.” He leaned forward in his chair.

“The sight of the Roman Forum at sunrise, and the art in the Vatican and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence alone are worth the journey. But the highlight for me was the music. We attended the most marvelous concerts.” He caught himself and paused.

“But I won’t bore you with tales of my travels.

I am here now and eager to teach. How many pupils do you have, if I may ask? ”

Athena set down her teacup. “Five at present. We hope to double that number, in time.”

“My last employer had six children.” His lips turned up in a grin and his brown eyes sparkled. “Five will be an easy task for me, but give me a dozen and I shall be pleased to teach them all.”

They shared a laugh.

After tea, they gave Mr. Chapman a tour.

“Rise and shine is at seven A.M. , with breakfast at 7:45 A.M. ,” Athena explained as they made their way into the dining room, which was paneled in mahogany and featured a crystal chandelier and a long, mahogany dining table surrounded by a dozen chairs upholstered in burgundy velvet.

“We take all our meals here. After that, lessons begin in the schoolroom.”

They visited the schoolroom next, which featured casement windows overlooking the garden.

“This room, we are told, was formerly the parlor for the lady of the house,” Selena told Mr. Chapman.

They had removed the furnishings and painted the room white. A blackboard hung on one wall, a map of Europe on another. “We were fortunate to acquire desks from a school in York, who had more than they needed,” Athena explained.

“It is a fine place for learning,” Mr. Chapman replied, taking it all in.

“School is in session Monday through Saturday, with Wednesday afternoons off,” Athena told him.

“We have scheduled times for morning exercise, lunch, and an afternoon break, and six lesson periods per day: reading and writing, arithmetic, history, science, foreign language—we teach French, German, and Latin—and during the last period of the day, we alternate between art and music.”

“An admirable curriculum. Do you still intend for me to teach three days per week?”

“Yes. Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, from four-thirty to six P.M. , if that suits you?” Athena answered.

“Excellent. May I presume there is a music room?”

“There is.” Selena led the way to the pertinent chamber, which was one of Athena’s favorite places in the house.

A sizeable room with a high ceiling, its two large, bowed windows flooded the room with light.

Floral wallpaper in shades of green, black, and amber complemented the dark-green, velvet draperies and the Persian carpet that covered a section of the polished oak floor.

Other than a row of chairs against one wall, the only furnishings were two pianofortes: a grand and an upright.

“I hope this will do for your needs?” Athena asked.

“Admirably! I couldn’t ask for more.” He gestured towards the grand pianoforte. “May I give it a try?”

Athena smiled. “Of course. If you require music, we found reams of it in the bench.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Mr. Chamber sat down at the instrument, flexed his fingers, and began to play.

Whenever Athena’s previous employers had brought in musicians to play at parties, she had hidden in the hall to listen, and she had been privileged to attend a few concerts in town.

Although she didn’t recognize this song or its composer, Mr. Chapman performed with a passion and verve that was captivating, as if he were pouring his innermost feelings into the music.