Lord Preston's Secret Governess

Chapter 16: To Catch Ants

It’s a shame Benjamin didn’t get to see his gift. But at least Lord Preston agreed to respect my educational philosophy. It’s a small victory. She consoled herself.
Just then, Windsor, who had stopped at the doorway, turned back, his hand still on the doorknob.
His impassive voice drifted across the table. “Inform me of the exact date and time. I need to adjust my schedule, so at least two days' notice would be appreciated.”

“…Of course, Lord Preston!” Jacqueline blinked, then nodded quickly, afraid he might change his mind.
Windsor left the dining room. She stared at the closed door for a long moment, a soft smile playing on her lips.

* * *
 
“Benjamin!” The door burst open, revealing Jacqueline, her voice brimming with excitement. Benjamin, who had been reading, looked up, startled.

“Hello, Miss Somerset.” He blinked his hazel eyes, staring at her unusual attire. She strode towards him and placed a wide-brimmed hat on his head.
“!” The hat, much too large for him, slipped down over his eyes. He pushed it back up, his brow furrowed in confusion.
“It’s mine, so it’s a bit big, isn’t it?” Jacqueline stepped back, appraising him, then shrugged nonchalantly.

“Shall we go?”
“…Go where?”
Jacqueline held up a small bucket hanging from her arm. Benjamin, noticing the trowel inside, looked even more confused.

Jacqueline’s smile was as bright and warm as the spring sunshine, illuminating the room. “To catch ants.”
“…” Benjamin stared at her, momentarily stunned by the incongruity between her cheerful demeanor and her words.
“Let’s go!” Jacqueline turned and headed towards the door, but Benjamin remained rooted to the spot. She stopped and looked back at him.

Benjamin stood with his chin raised, his feet together, and his hands clasped behind his back, a miniature version of Windsor. In short, he looked like a tiny soldier.
His voice, however, was surprisingly mature. “The future Marquess of Preston doesn’t catch ants, Miss.”
“I’ll teach you how to catch a queen ant. I studied ant colonies all night. The library has every book imaginable. If we catch the queen, the worker and soldier ants will follow. And we can create a new kingdom in the bucket.” Jacqueline’s voice was as sweet and tempting as a devil’s whisper.

Benjamin flinched, but he shook his head, his fine hair swaying gently. “I promised Uncle I wouldn’t disappoint him again, Miss Somerset.”
“Hmm.” Jacqueline looked at him, surprised by his newfound resolve. She lifted her chin, a smug look on her face. “What if I told you I have Lord Preston’s permission?”
“Huh?” Benjamin’s eyes widened in disbelief, and the hat slipped down over his eyes again.
He pushed it back up, a flicker of suspicion in his gaze. He had learned his lesson; following Jacqueline’s suggestions usually resulted in a scolding from his uncle. “That’s impossible. Uncle would never…”

“Lord Preston is as rational and reasonable as I thought. We reached an agreement last night. He’s agreed to respect my educational philosophy.”
“!” Benjamin’s expression shifted from disbelief to awe. He looked at her with newfound respect, like a citizen welcoming a conquering hero.
“Shall we go?” Jacqueline, her shoulders squared with confidence, led the way. Benjamin, adjusting his hat, followed.

His quick steps brought him to her side. His voice, barely contained excitement, bubbled over. “Did Uncle really give you permission?”
“Of course he did.”
“Will we really have a new kingdom if we catch the queen ant?”

“According to the books, yes. If we fill a glass container with soil and place the queen, worker ants, and soldier ants inside, we can observe how they build their colony.”
“How do we catch the queen? She hides deep underground.”
“I have a secret weapon.”

“A secret weapon?” The boy was full of questions, more talkative than she had ever seen him. Jacqueline smiled and adjusted his crooked hat. “The sun is quite strong. It’s a good thing you’re wearing a hat.”
Stopping at the entrance, she looked around, pointed towards the left with her trowel, and declared, like a general leading his troops, “Let’s go this way! I have a feeling there’s an ant kingdom near the greenhouse.”
“Yes, Miss Somerset!” Benjamin nodded resolutely. Like a captain and his first mate embarking on a voyage to discover new lands, they stepped into the unknown.

“Oops!” Benjamin grabbed his hat, which had almost blown away in the wind, and ran to catch up.
Betty, who was cleaning the windows, looked at them curiously, but neither of them noticed.
“Time to unveil my secret weapon.” Reaching the almond tree next to the greenhouse, Jacqueline murmured dramatically. She reached into the bucket.

“Ta-da! Do you know what this is?”
“Um… cookies…?” Benjamin’s voice was hesitant. It certainly looked like a cookie. But Jacqueline’s triumphant expression suggested otherwise. She wouldn’t look so smug over a mere cookie.
Perhaps it’s a cookie-shaped bomb. She’ll blow up the ground to reach the queen ant.

“It’s not just a cookie. It’s our guide to the ant kingdom.”
“…”
“Watch closely.” Jacqueline squatted down, careful not to let her dress touch the ground.

Benjamin squatted opposite her, craning his neck to see. His hat tumbled off and landed behind him.
“If we sprinkle these cookie crumbs here…”
Benjamin’s eyes, shining with anticipation, were fixed on the damp earth.

“If we sprinkle cookie crumbs… Hmm.”
“Nothing’s happening, Miss Somerset.” Disappointment crept into his voice. Jacqueline wrinkled her nose, her expression troubled.
“That’s odd. The book clearly said… Oh, look, Benjamin!” She lowered her voice and pointed.

An ant appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. It scurried around for a moment, then headed straight for the cookie crumbs.
Benjamin leaned closer, his fingers twitching. He clearly wanted to catch it.
Jacqueline shook her head firmly. “Wait. We’re not here to catch a single ant; we’re here to relocate an entire ant kingdom. Sometimes, we have to be patient to achieve a greater goal.”

“Yes, Miss Somerset.” Benjamin clenched his fists, his small hands embodying his patience.
The ant struggled to lift a crumb several times its size. After several failed attempts, it turned and headed back the way it came.
Benjamin’s face fell. “It gave up, Miss. Maybe we should break the cookie into smaller pieces.”

“Are you sure it gave up? Let’s wait a little longer.”
“…Okay.” Benjamin shifted restlessly. He was worried they would lose the only ant they had seen, but he obeyed Jacqueline, forcing himself to be patient.
His clenched fists twitched, his patience wearing thin. Just then…

“Oh?” A line of ants appeared, marching purposefully towards the cookie crumbs.
“Wow!” Benjamin gasped softly. They all looked identical, but he suspected the ant leading the way was the same one they had seen earlier.
Together, the ants lifted the large crumb. Two latecomers carried smaller crumbs on their heads.

“It brought its friends, Miss Somerset!”
“Indeed.” Jacqueline’s eyes sparkled. The ant hadn’t given up; it had brought reinforcements.
They lifted the crumb effortlessly and carried it towards their kingdom, their steps filled with purpose.

“Making good friends is also part of being the Marquess of Preston. There are many things in life we can’t accomplish alone.” Jacqueline paused, recalling Windsor’s words, a smile playing on her lips. A few ants won’t protect the future Marquess of Preston, but perhaps this memory will.
“Yes, Miss Somerset.” Benjamin replied absently, his gaze fixed on the ants as he followed them, as if mesmerized. Jacqueline, carrying the bucket, followed at a leisurely pace.
The ants disappeared beneath a cherry tree. Benjamin squatted down and stared at the damp earth for a long moment.

“My turn.” Jacqueline rolled up her sleeves and expertly gripped the trowel.
Thud. Like an explorer discovering new lands, she plunged the trowel into the earth. “The ant kingdom is down there. And the queen ant is at the very bottom. If we catch her, we can build a new kingdom in no time.”
Benjamin stared at the ground in silence. Several small holes dotted the earth. An ant poked its head out of one of the holes, looked around, and scurried away. Another ant disappeared into a hole, carrying the carcass of a small insect. Just then…

“I’ll leave them be.” His quiet voice drifted on the spring breeze.
Jacqueline, who had been about to hand him the trowel, paused. Benjamin’s wide eyes were fixed on the busy ants.
“You don’t want to take them home?”

“No, I just want to watch them.”
Jacqueline’s expression softened. He clearly didn’t want to disturb the ants’ carefully constructed kingdom.
She liked Benjamin, his unexpected kindness, so unlike the heir to the Preston family.

Perhaps he would become an exceptional Marquess of Preston, just as Windsor hoped. No, she was certain of it.
Looking at the boy’s small back, she whispered softly, “If we put them in a glass container and keep them in your room, you could watch them whenever you want. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”