Beyond Compare Read Free Page B

croaked.
    Kyria glared at the pair of them. Rafe chuckled and ran his finger over the bird’s head.
    “Obnoxious bird,” Lady Rochester said bitterly. “I always said it’s ridiculous to keep a parrot in England. Belongs in Africa.”
    “The Solomon Islands, Aunt,” Kyria corrected. “It is indigenous to the Solomons.”
    “Never heard of them,” Lady Rochester sniffed, dismissing the place. “I can’t think why your brother thought the creature was a proper gift.”
    “I have a cage, my lady,” Jenny, the maidservant,said tentatively, holding up a small cage. “Cooper went up to the nursery and brought down one of the cages.”
    Rafe cast a questioning look toward Kyria, and she nodded. “Yes, please, put him in the thing. Then take him up to the nursery, Jenny, and transfer him to the big cage.”
    At Jenny’s cringing look, she relented. “All right. Just leave him there for the moment. I will have the twins take him up. Where are those two, anyway?”
    Jenny cast a glance behind her, and Kyria followed her gaze. The twins’ tutor stood at the edge of the crowd, looking grim. Kyria motioned to him, and he came forward rather reluctantly.
    “I don’t know where they are, my lady,” he began, forestalling Kyria’s question. “I left them working on their geography and went back into my room to retrieve my Latin-grammar book. When I returned, they had vanished.” He scowled. “I must tell you, my lady, young Master Alexander and Master Constantine exhibit a lack of decorum that I find unacceptable.”
    “Do you?” Kyria asked in a deceptively silky voice. “Well, Mr. Thorndike, I have to tell you that I find that you exhibit a certain lack of skill in keeping eager and inquisitive minds interested in their subjects. I believe that the duchess explained to you the methods by which she prefers her children to be taught. When I examined their study tablets last week, I—”
    The man bridled. “I teach, my lady, as I was taught.”
    “By rote and repetition?” Kyria queried, one brow raised. “Geography can be a fascinating subject, an exploration of lands and people different from ourselves—rather than a memorization of the names of countries and their capitals. I think it might be wise formy mother to look over some of their recent work and perhaps explain to you again what she requires.”
    “That won’t be necessary, my lady,” the tutor replied icily. “For I am tendering my resignation.” With that he turned on his heel and marched away, back ramrod straight.
    Kyria let out a soft groan. “Oh, dear, that’s the third one this year. Perhaps I spoke too hastily.”
    Beside her Rafe chuckled. “Well, speaking from experience, I imagine the boys will be quite happy to have lost a tutor.” He paused, then added with a grin and a raised eyebrow, “Constantine and Alexander? The emperors?”
    “Yes. They’re twins, you see, and Papa is a classicist. And I am sure that they will be happy.” She sighed.
    At that moment, the butler, who had politely retreated from the guests, returned, one of the housemaids in tow. “My lady…”
    “Yes, Smeggars?”
    “Martha has some knowledge of your brothers’ whereabouts, my lady.” He turned a stern eye on the young maid, who was twisting her apron between her hands nervously. “Tell her, Martha.”
    “Um, well, I’m not for certain, my lady,” the girl began shyly.
    “That’s all right. Tell me what you think.”
    “Well, um, I was cleaning out the grate in the nursery this morning, my lady, and I heard the twins talking to each other like, and, well, it sounded like they were going to the hunt.”
    “The hunt?” Kyria repeated blankly. “Are you sure?”
    “No, miss. I mean, I heard them say somethingabout the squire, and then one of them, Master Con, I think, said, well, they could intercede—no, intercept—them, I think. They were talking about where the hunt would run like.”
    “All right. Thank you, Martha.” Kyria