Page 53 of No Duke of Mine

The simple image made her smile. “So you had an active education?”

“You could certainly call it that. After a while, I certainly ran away from the classroom more often than not. I do regret that of late.”

Maggie frowned. “Why?”

He shrugged, and his eyes lowered. “It doesn’t matter.”

“I think it does. Tell me why?”

“The duke… I hoped he might have promoted me to be his full-time secretary one day, but he has you now, so he likely never will.”

Maggie winced. “I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t your decision.”

But it was in a way. Her presence and Algernon’s need to support her had deprived Sims of a chance for advancement. “I think… I think I won’t be here for much longer, Sims.”

He frowned. “Why would you say that? The duke has been clear that he wants you here.”

She shrugged. “His future wife might have an objection to him employing a female secretary.”

“No one changes the duke’s mind once he’s made a decision,” Sims warned her.

But Maggie could, and had many times in the past. Eventually, she would leave the duke’s employ, whether he liked it or not.

Sims returned the papers he’d been leafing through back to her bed. “What will you do with it all?”

Maggie shook her head. “I haven’t the faintest idea.”

“You could teach,” Sims suggested. “Not that I want you to leave, of course,” he added quickly.

“I haven’t the patience for my father’s calling,” Maggie admitted.

“Perhaps another teacher would be interested in the material,” he proposed.

Maggie shook her head immediately, though, disliking the idea. “My father was very protective of his methods, and would not have shared any of it with a rival tutor and have them take credit for his hard work. I would not like that, either.”

“Seems a shame to have it all go to waste, though.” Sims glanced her way suddenly. “Would your father have let others see his work if his ownership was clear?”

“I suppose he might have. It was not something we ever discussed.” She tilted her head to one side, studying his excited expression. “What did you have in mind?”

“Publish,” he said firmly.

“Publish?”

Sims nodded. “I have two older married siblings. Both have children of classroom age. They could never afford a private tutor. But books with lessons suited to each age would be of infinite value to them, and many other families, I’m sure.”

Maggie mulled over the idea. “I don’t know the first thing about publishing. I read books, not write them.”

“You’re smart and you learn quickly, from what I can tell,” Sims noted. “Your father has done a lot of the groundwork, grading lessons by age, you said. But there is more work to do before it is suitable for widespread sharing, surely, and perhaps that would help you reconcile your loss. I’m sure the duke would undoubtedly help you if he’s asked.”

“I can’t ask him for more help,” she warned. “I owe him so much already.”

“I think you could ask anything of His Grace,” Sims murmured. “It is worth considering, and there could be money to be made from the enterprise, I’m sure.”

“Oh,” Maggie said, eyes widening in surprise that she had not thought of the benefits she might reap. If she could earn a modest living from instructing the young with a few books, then she would not need to rely on Algernon’s charity much longer, or anyone else later, either. She looked down at her bed and blanched at the task ahead of her. “Where would I even start? I’m going to need your help, since this was your idea.”

“What’s all this then?” Algernon asked suddenly, startling her enough to yelp out loud.