CHAPTER 4

Noticing the unmistakable gleam of curiosity glowing in his daughter's eyes, Aaron knew that suggesting it was time to tuck her into bed would prove a futile gesture. And, just as he knew would be the case, Amie confirmed it by offering her answer before the question had even been asked;

"Come on, Daddy, I wanna hear more! Did ya miss Elsa, Auntie Julie, and your papa? Did you like your new aunt and uncle? Did you like livin with em? Did you like the school? Did you..."

Staring at his daughter in disbelief at just how quickly she was managing to fire questions at him, Aaron shook his head, laughing as he begged her;

"Amie...Princess, slow down!"

Hugging her close, Aaron pushed her hair over her shoulder as he promised, "I'll answer all your questions if you'll just let me get a word in edgewise...alright?"

Her cheeks growing rosy with embarrassment, Amie lowered her head slightly, her expression full of chagrin;

"I'm sorry, Daddy, it's just that it's fun hearing about when you were growing up. We get to hear all the time from Uncle Jason, Uncle Josh, Uncle Jeremy, and Grammy Lottie about when Mommy was little, but we never heard anything about you on account of you being older than Auntie Julie."

Understanding her logic, Aaron nodded;

"I know, baby girl, and I understand. So, if you'll just get comfortable I'll tell you some more of my story...especially since I know you won't go to sleep if I don't."

Deciding the best place to pick up his story as she shifted to make herself comfortable, Aaron waited until she was settled before continuing.

SEPTEMBER 1841

Standing in front of the full-length mirror in his bedroom, Aaron inspected his appearance, yet again, to be certain he would make a good impression on his first day of school. Although the point hadn't been beleaguered, the thought was never far from the back of his mind that he was the youngest student who would be attending his school; something that he was smart enough to know would find him an easy target for some of his school mates who were of less than a good nature. However, he'd made a promise to his mother and he was determined that he was going fulfill that vow...no matter what it took to do so. Glancing towards his desk where he kept the tintype photo of his mother, Aaron took a deep breath before addressing his mother's image;

"Wish me luck, Mama, I sure don't wanna let you down."

Grabbing the satchel that held his school supplies, Aaron hurried downstairs, greeting as he passed by him;

"Good morning, Mr. Charles."

Sighing heavily, Charles tried, yet again;

"Master Aaron, you do not have to call me 'mister', it's rather unseemly, young sir."

Shaking his head, Aaron rolled his eyes before reminding the family retainer;

"So is calling me 'master', especially when I don't like it. Besides, you're my elder and it's only right I respect you."

Given that he had been engaged in this particular battle of wills since the boy's arrival, and also given that when he had brought the matter up to his employers he had been told, in no uncertain terms, that the matter was one that was to be settled between him and their nephew, Charles finally offered a compromise;

"Mas...Aaron, what if we make a deal?"

Leaning against the newel post of the stairs, Aaron nodded;

"I'm listening."

Charles, lifting his head a bit, suggested;

"If you would be willing to simply call me, 'Charles', then I shall call you, 'Aaron'. Does that sound agreeable to you, young sir?"

Pressing his lips together in a thin line as if he was thinking, Aaron tilted his head to the side for a moment before amending their deal;

"Drop the 'young sir' bit and you got a deal...Charles."

Aaron, extending his hand, asked;

"Deal?"

Lifting one eyebrow that had grown thick with age, Charles hid his amusement as he speculated;

"I do believe...Aaron, that you will prove a most challenging adversary to your business acquaintances when you reach maturity."

Reaching out to take the young man's hand, Charles agreed;

"You have a deal."

Motioning towards the dining room;

"Now, your Aunt Clarissa and Uncle Beau are waiting in the dining room to breakfast with you before you leave for school."

Aaron took a few steps in the direction of the dining room before stopping to turn;

"Thank you...Charles."

Hurrying to join his aunt and uncle, Aaron bounded into the dining room to happily greet;

"Good morning, Aunt Rissa, Uncle Beau."

Her face brightening at the sight of her nephew, Clarissa responded;

"Well good morning, Aaron."

Leaning closer, her expression a reflection of the excitement she felt on his behalf, she asked;

"Are you excited about your first day of school?"

Having watched his aunt and uncle carefully over the last few weeks that he'd been living with them, Aaron had done his best to conform his manners to theirs, especially considering that he knew he'd be expected to do so in school as well. So, with that in mind, he took his napkin and shook it out before laying it neatly in his lap as he happily nodded;

"Yes, ma'am!"

Lowering his head a bit, he admitted a bit shyly;

"I have to admit, I'm a little nervous though, Aunt Rissa. I know that, since I'm the youngest boy there, there's probably going to be problems with older boys thinking that I'm an easy target to pick on."

Frowning sharply, knowing just how it had felt to be bullied at his nephew's age, Beau asked worriedly;

"Aaron, are you afraid some of those boys might get a little 'rough' with you?"

Nodding his thanks to Charles as he placed his breakfast plate in front of him, Aaron shook his head as he waved his hand dismissively;

"Ah heck no, Uncle Beau, if they try I'll just belt em one good time and they'll leave me be. But I just don't want to have to go around belting the whole school; that could ruin a fella's reputation before he even gets one."

Meeting each other's looks of disbelief across the dining table, Beau and Clarissa couldn't help but break out in amused laughter as Beau reached across to give Aaron's hair a slight tousle before agreeing;

"Right you are, nephew, right you are."

After breakfast, Beau explained;

"Aaron, I have business to attend to; so, for your first day, I'm going to ride in with you. I'm meeting with the headmaster at his request, don't worry it's nothing bad; he simply feels that, as your guardian, I should know what is and isn't expected. I'll meet you at the end of the day to see you home, just until you're familiar with the way to and from school mind you. Getting lost in New Orleans isn't a hard task to accomplish so I want to make sure you know the way; once you've gotten that down pat then we'll start exploring. But in the meantime, if there's someplace you'd like to go, or what have you, simply let me or your Aunt Rissa know and we'll see to it; fair enough?"

Gathering his satchel, Aaron nodded as he happily agreed;

"Fair enough! And, Uncle Beau...thank you."

Watching in fond recollection as the boy walked out the door Charles held open, Beau smiled fondly, especially when Charles cleared his throat to venture;

"Mr. Beau, I realize it's none of my concern, sir, but if I may; I believe Miss Amelia would be very proud of the young man that just got into the carriage."

Clapping his hand on the trusted family retainer's shoulder, Beau agreed;

"That she would, Charles...that she would."

Aaron sat at the table in the library during his study period, working on the assignments he'd been given so far that day, thankful for the quiet and solitude. He knew that the new school would be different from what he'd experienced going to school in New York, he'd even allowed for the fact that he would, more than likely, have to prove himself among his peers since he was the youngest out of all of his classmates. However, what he wasn't prepared for was the snobbery that he'd encountered. It had begun simply enough, during the noon-day meal break. Having underestimated just how much of a curiosity, because of his age, he would be to his fellow classmates, Aaron had decided that, much as he had always done, his best course of action was to keep to himself. Once he'd gotten his plate, and noticing a table in a distant corner that was well out of the way of the dining hall's traffic...and most of his classmates' notice, he'd settled himself at the table to begin eating his meal. However, as Aaron was going to come to learn in life, trying to keep a low profile was no guarantee when it came to securing one's peace and tranquility...especially when it came to dealing with someone who thrived on creating havoc; such was the case when it came to Adrienne Baptiste.

Aaron had made the boy's acquaintance during the first class of the morning, as it turned out the two shared most of their classes...much to Aaron's dismay as he'd encountered his fellow student throughout the day. Although he knew that the four year age difference, as well as the fact that the older boy had to repeat some of the classes due to poor marks, would provide more than enough motivation for some to target him as an easy victim, Aaron was wise enough to realize that for this particular classmate, victimizing was a distinct pleasure for him. While he fully intended to do everything that was in his power to avoid any types of altercations or conflicts, Aaron was also just as equally determined not to become anyone's victim or punching bag; and that included Adrienne Baptiste. While he'd certainly hoped to the contrary, Aaron wasn't surprised when the older classman approached his table to demand, his voice full of irritation;

"And just what do you think you're doing, Stempel? Who told you that you could sit here?"

Aaron knew that his hopes for a peaceful lunch had just been sunk faster than a scuttled ship, but, determined that he wasn't going to be pegged as an easy target for bullies and upperclassmen, he tried to peaceably diffuse the situation before it could become explosive;

"I was told earlier that there wasn't assigned seating in the lunchroom...that I could sit anywhere, so, I decided to sit here since it was an empty table."

Leaning on the table and pushing his face close to Aaron's, the older boy issued challengingly;

"I want to sit here, Runt, and since this isn't my first day that means I get first dibs on the table."

Retaining his calm composure, Aaron took hold of his plate and stood before nodding;

"My mistake, I'll find somewhere else to sit."

Locating a table across the expanse of the room, Aaron made his way to it and settled himself in one of the chairs to continue with his meal. However, before he could finish chewing his first bite, he found Adrienne Baptiste leaning his arms across the table, his face shoved close to his as he taunted;

"I told you, Runt, I get first dibs and I want this table."

Aaron wasn't surprised by Adrienne's reappearance, he'd suspected that the older boy was going to try something of this nature; so, bearing that in mind, Aaron rose from his chair a second time before taking a firm hold of his plate and nodding;

"Again, my mistake, and I'll find somewhere else to sit."

Even though he could hear the snickering of his adversary's companions behind his back as he walked away, Aaron continued to hold tight to his resolve that he wouldn't give the older schoolmate the satisfaction of knowing he was getting next to him. Seeing a small table towards the front of the room that had recently been vacated, Aaron settled there and was about to resume eating when he noticed, as he knew he would do, his tormentor approaching. Sighing heavily, realizing he'd reached the limits of his patience, Aaron pushed his plate away a bit and waited for the inevitable as Adrienne approached the table to stand over him with his arms crossed over his chest to begin his new bout of torment;

"Tell me something, Runt; how did someone as stupid as you manage to get accepted into MY school. I mean, you're the youngest guy here so we assumed you're smart, but considering you keep sitting at my table..."

Resting his forearms on the top of the table, Aaron leaned back a little in his chair, his dark eyes retaining a look of perfect neutrality as he asked innocently;

"I guess I'll need to speak to my father then, he's been having his solicitor make the bank drafts to pay for my tuition out to the school; I guess he should be making them out to you. Should I tell him to spell your name with one N or two?"

Although he knew the bully wasn't going to let it go, Aaron couldn't deny the satisfaction he felt at the mask of shock that slid over his face as he opened and closed his mouth several times. However, the shock was quickly replaced with angry embarrassment as he realized the snickering he heard behind his back from his companions was no longer aimed in his intended victim's direction. Narrowing his eyes to thin slits of anger, Adrienne challenged;

"I bet you think you're really smart, don't you, Runt?"

Rising from the table, his plate in hand, Aaron turned to look at his tormentor to retort;

"I don't wager one way or another on my intelligence. But, considering I'm smart enough to know I can't sit at three tables at the same time, or intentionally spend my meal break wasting my time harassing someone instead of eating, I'd like to think that I definitely have a leg up in that department on some."

Catching the gist of Aaron's comment, an outwitted Adrienne fell short as he tried to formulate a witty or amusing response; so, doing as he'd done since he was a small child, Adrienne fell back on the methods he knew would yield results. Moving quickly, the older boy snatched a chair away from the table to place in Aaron's path before reaching out and giving the younger boy's shoulder a rough shove, causing him to get tangled in the overturned chair's legs which, in turn, sent him sprawling on the floor and sent his plate crashing to the floor. Even though he felt embarrassed at the sound of his fellow classmates' laughter, the humiliation was nothing compared to the anger when he looked up as Adrienne leaned over him, his hands braced on his knees to smirk;

"Ah, what's the matter, Runt, still too little to walk across the floor without losing your balance?"

His dark eyes filling with a combination of anger and hatred, something that found the logical part of Aaron's mind giving way to his temper, his instincts took over as he pulled his leg back and kicked the bully's hands away from his knees, something that found Adrienne Baptiste landing next to his latest victim...or so he had made the mistake of thinking when he'd targeted Aaron Stempel. As amused as the present student body found the sight of the youngest student in their school sprawled out on the floor, their expression was even more uproarious as they watched the self-proclaimed king of the school's face land in the pile of mashed potatoes and gravy that had been on the, now smashed, plate. Lifting his head and realizing what a spectacle he made, Adrienne shot to his feet, grabbing the boy's jacket, pulling Aaron up with him. Seething in angry embarrassment as he snatched a napkin to wipe the mess from his face, Adrienne fumed;

"HOW DARE YOU STRIKE ME, YOU LITTLE GUTTERSNIPE YOU!"

Drawing his hand back to strike his would-be victim, Adrienne found himself shocked as his hand was seized and held in a strong grip by Danial Benoit, one of the senior classmen. Swallowing back the lump of fear that was threatening to choke him, Adrienne looked up into the elder boy's clear, blue eyes before stammering;

"Danial, I...I w...was just...this young upstart...he tripped..."

Holding his hand up to halt the rest of the young man's attempt at a feeble excuse, Danial shook his head;

"I saw EXACTLY what happened, Baptiste. I would think that, considering how many attempts it took you to pass beyond that point, you'd be a little more tolerant of the first-year students."

Taking a moment to size Aaron up, Danial nodded appreciatively as he remarked;

"Although, I can't exactly scold you about picking on somebody your own size since this young man obviously gave you a run for your money."

His features contorting into an expression of outrage, Adrienne angrily blurted;

"That's what this is about; he struck me!"

Tilting his head slightly as his mouth thinned into a line of wry amusement, Danial demanded;

"Are you saying there's something wrong with my eyesight, Baptiste?"

Despite his obvious reluctance to contradict his elder classmate, prudence gave way to insulted outrage when Aaron corrected;

"Actually, I didn't strike you, I kicked you...there's a difference you know."

His eyes almost bugging out of his head, Adrienne snarled loudly;

"DO YOU SEE?! HE'S NOTHING BUT AN IMPUDENT LITTLE UPSTART WHO NEEDS TO BE TAUGHT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CREOLE GENTLEMAN!"

His mind shifting gears, Adrienne laughed in derision as he challenged;

"But then considering his upbringing in the wilds of the northwest, I suppose we should just be thankful he's not trying to swing from the chandeliers like he did the trees."

Seeing Aaron's eyes grow wide in surprise, Adrienne huffed as his lips twisted in a cruel sneer as he taunted;

"Didn't think anyone knew about that, did you, Runt? There's not much that isn't known here in New Orleans, especially among the finer families; although yours can hardly be counted in those numbers. Everybody knows how crazy your mother was,"

Laughing snidely, Adrienne continued;

"I mean, how else would you explain leaving New Orleans to marry a nobody and move to the wilderness just to raise a worthless runt like you; your mother has to be crazy."

Before Danial could curtail Adrienne's taunting, the bully found himself receiving a left hook that soon had blood spurting from his mouth and nose. The blow also found those witness to the event staring at their young classmate who was the picture of rage as his chest rose and fell heavily with anger. Any theories or suppositions as to what had sparked such a transformation in the classmate standing before Adrienne Baptiste from the calm, quiet, studious boy they had seen that morning to the outraged boy filled with fury they were now seeing were pushed aside as the headmaster, Mr. Donat, entered the room to demand in irritation;

"Just what is going on here?"

Seeing one of his less than favorite students; Adrienne Baptiste at the center of the group, his mouth and nose swelling as he held a napkin pressed against them to try and staunch the flow of blood, he could make a fair guess as to the what of the situation. However, what found him stopping short was the sight of his youngest pupil standing in the center as well with his knuckles bruised and fighting hard to bring his anger under control. Ernest Donat was, as he had been described for most of his life, the epitome of an old-young man. He had always been one to step up to responsibility and go above and beyond to ensure that whatever needed doing was done, and done to the best of his ability. Given the air of authority that he exuded, when the school had been founded, thanks to the competence that he exhibited in his position as a teacher to the children of one of the school's founding board members, he had been offered the job as headmaster. For the most part, Donat found his job of helping guide young men in furthering their educational pursuits rewarding; however, there was always that group that proved the exception, of which Adrienne Baptiste was one of the more stellar members. Noticing Danial Benoit's firm hold on Adrienne's fist, as well as his first-hand knowledge of the boy's tenacity for trouble, combined with his experience when it came to dealing with boys who'd been victims of Adrienne's bullying tactics, it wasn't hard for Mr. Donat to make an educated guess as to what had taken place. Having developed implicit trust in the senior classman since his enrollment when the school's first-class had entered its halls, Mr. Donat looked to Danial, his eyes asking a silent question. Understanding the look, Danial gave a slight nod before confirming;

"I saw everything, Mr. Donat."

Motioning towards Aaron, he confirmed the headmaster's suspicions;

"This student did everything possible to avoid a problem with, Baptiste. But, as usual, he kept pushing and pushing, to the point that he even tripped the boy when he was trying to walk away, not once or twice, but for a third time."

Glaring at the boy, Danial admitted;

"I stepped in when he drew back to strike the underclassman. Since Baptiste can't seem to take a hint and walk away, I thought it only right to help try to set him straight."

Deciding the students had enough excitement for one day, Mr. Donat addressed the group;

"Gentleman, I believe that your noonday meal break is now at its end and it's time for you all to resume your scheduled classes."

Turning to the three holding the sphere of attention at the moment, Mr. Donat motioned to a table;

"Mr. Benoit, Mr. Baptiste, and Mr. Stempel; please have a seat. I have something I need to attend to. But while I'm gone, Mr. Benoit, I'm relying on you to keep order until I return."

Waiting until the headmaster was past the doorway and out of hearing, Adrienne glared at Aaron;

"This is all your fault, Stempel. People like you need to learn your place when it comes to people like me...people who are your betters."

Having heard more than a few statements regarding Adrienne Baptiste's 'illustrious' family history, Aaron slowly turned his head to return the glare that, thanks to the intensity in his dark eyes, carried far more weight than his adversary's, before speaking slowly and deliberately;

"Considering that my father didn't swoop in like a vulture to take advantage of women and children who lost their husbands and fathers during the yellow jack outbreaks, not to mention teaching me morals and values, I'm pretty sure it's nowhere near as low as your place. But even if that weren't enough, considering my mother's family; the Alexanders, were one of the first families to help settle New Orleans, I think I have quite a bit more to brag on than what you do; especially given that your father was a plantation overseer who took advantage of his sick employer to cheat him and his family out of their land. So if occupying a place in society anywhere close to you requires me to do anything even close to half as despicable as what I just mentioned, I'd much rather be..what did you call me...a guttersnipe? Well, that would be preferable to being what your father...and obviously, you are...opportunists with no conscience or morals."

Despite his amazement at seeing...and hearing an underclassman, especially as young as the one he was looking at, take Adrienne Baptiste to task, Danial deciding then and there that he liked Aaron Stempel; if for no other reason the boy's determination not to be a victim. Noticing Adrienne's mouth opening and closing several times, as if he wanted to say something but words were beyond him, Danial drew his attention to advise;

"If I were you, Baptiste, I'd quit while you were ahead. Every time you try and do something else, he not only stops you, he one-ups you. And quite frankly, I have no problem with turning my head if he wanted to punch you in the mouth again."

Clamping his mouth shut, Adrienne took Danial's advice and remained quiet as the trio waited for Mr. Donat's return. Finally, after some time, Mr. Donat entered the dining hall to take a seat across from Danial, placing him between Aaron and Adrienne, as he looked from one to the other before facing Adrienne to harshly admonish;

"Mr. Baptiste, as you are more than aware, this is not the first incident of this nature that has occurred; with you at the heart of it...I might add. If I had my way I would expel you, but after your father and I discussed the issue we've come to an acceptable compromise. Given that you're one of the students who board here it's been agreed that all of your privileges will be revoked. Furthermore, we've decided that, perhaps, a bit more responsibility might be what's needed to help teach you some character and a new appreciation for just why you shouldn't be so eager to engage in your bullying tactics where your fellow students are concerned. So, until you've improved...by my estimation, your father has agreed that you will be confined to the school's grounds and responsible for all of the chores in your dorm, as well as responsible for the chores that each dorm is expected to perform when it comes to the school's upkeep."

His eyes growing huge and his face growing pale, Adrienne exclaimed;

"I can't do all of that work by myself! When would I be able to get through my studies? It's going to take all my time just to get through all the chores to be done, and that's just the ones for the dorm."

Nodding, Mr. Donat confirmed;

"That's the idea, Mr. Baptiste! You see, you'll be so busy that you won't have the opportunity to cause any more trouble. Oh, and just in case the thought crosses your mind...there will be no bribing fellow students to do your work for you. Your father has assured me that he is ceasing your allowance until he's convinced you've learned your lesson, so there will be nothing for you to bribe with. And your fellow students will be notified that they are forbidden to help you, at least until I say otherwise. Now, you're excused, Mr. Newsome is waiting outside to escort you to the infirmary to tend to your nose, and mouth. But make no mistake, if you attempt a repeat of today's behavior towards anybody, especially Mr. Stempel, expulsion will be the result."

Motioning towards the doorway, he excused;

"You're dismissed, when you're done in the infirmary, report to your dorm. Your punishment will formally begin tomorrow."

Waiting until the door to the dining hall closed and he was sure no eavesdroppers were listening, Mr. Donat turned to Aaron to ask, his voice full of concern;

"Aaron, I know from your former headmaster, Mr. Chambers, that you're an exemplary student and that getting into trouble isn't something you strive for...at least not like Mr. Baptiste does. I also know from Danial here that you did everything you could to avoid this, but I also know that there had to be something to trigger your anger...so much so you felt the need to punch Adrienne. Can you help me understand what happened?"

His arms folded across the tabletop, Aaron simply shook his head before answering in a mumbled voice;

"He had no right saying what he did about my father, and especially not what he said about my mother."

Shaking his head, Aaron stated determinedly;

"He has no right thinking he's any better than anybody else just because his father has money, especially considering how he made his money."

Looking from Danial, and noticing the hint of speculation in his blue eyes, to Mr. Donat, who seemed to be processing the new information, Aaron wasn't surprised when the headmaster nodded before assuring him;

"I want you to know that you're not in any trouble for what happened today, Mr. Stempel. There were some other students, and of course, Danial's testimony, that you tried to avoid a confrontation and that Mr. Baptiste physically accosted you, I understand your meal was disrupted, so our cook is preparing something for you. I've already sent word to the rest of your teachers for the day that you are excused; you may either go home or go to the library for quiet study until the end of the day."

Determined not to let Adrienne Baptiste interfere with the pursuit of his education, Aaron requested;

"I'd like to study, sir. But, if you don't mind, I'd like to get my assignments from my teachers...I don't want to fall behind because of this."

Although he'd been advised by Mr. Chambers at the boy's former school, seeing the truth of Aaron's determination when it came to his education, Mr. Donat was impressed and felt certain that he was looking at one of those students who reminded him of why he entered the field of education in the first place. Giving a brief nod of consent, Mr. Donat agreed;

"That will be just fine, Mr. Stempel."

Noticing the cook's approach, he suggested;

"Mr. Benoit and I are going to leave you to eat in peace, but with your permission and Mr. Benoit's kind indulgence, I'm going to ask him to pay a visit to your teachers to gather your assignments for your last couple of classes."

Facing the older classman, Aaron nodded before offering;

"Thank you, Mr. Benoit. And thank you for what you did for me today; you could have walked away."

Rising from his chair, Danial shook his head before denying;

"No I couldn't, that wouldn't have been right. And why don't you call me, Danial."

Extending his hand, Danial smiled warmly before offering;

"That's what I let all of my friends call me."

Eagerly, Aaron took his hand before nodding;

"I'd be honored, but only if you'll call me Aaron."

Chuckling a bit, Danial agreed;

"Fair enough...Aaron. You finish your meal and I'll go get your work for you and meet you in the library."

Walking out with the headmaster, Danial faced the man as they made their way down the hallway;

"Mr. Donat, I don't exactly know why, but I do know that what triggered his reaction was when Baptiste said something about his mother, not that I blame him. To be honest with you, had it been me I probably would have punched him a lot sooner than what Aaron did."

Nodding, Mr. Donat speculated;

"I'm sure you're right, Danial. And, as Aaron said, Baptiste has no room passing judgment about anyone else's family, not considering just how his father came into his money. But, that aside, you realize that this may well not be the first encounter those two engage in, don't you, Danial?"

Sighing heavily, the young man suggested;

"I think I may just keep an eye on our young friend, Mr. Donat; not that I don't think Aaron can handle his own against him, especially after what I saw today. But considering Adrienne Baptiste has taken more than a page or two from his father's book, we both know he won't play fair."

Satisfied that they had a firm grasp on the situation, Danial and Mr. Donat set about their individual tasks; however, in Mr. Donat's case, he had more to attend to, so, with that in mind he entered his office to begin composing a message. Once he'd finished his letter, he called the groundskeeper, Franklin, into his office to ask;

"Franklin, would you please deliver this message to Beauregard Alexander? And please emphasize that I'd appreciate it if he would come at his earliest convenience"

Sitting in front of Mr. Donat's desk, Beau listened to the headmaster and Danial Benoit's narratives of what had taken place with his nephew earlier that day. After they'd finished, Mr. Donat assured him;

"Mr. Alexander, please rest assured that Aaron was in no way responsible for what happened. In fact, he tried very hard to avoid engaging in a confrontation. But..."

Shaking his head, he continued;

"Unfortunately, Adrienne Baptiste has yet to learn such lessons."

Raising his hand, Beau shook his head;

"There's no need for you to explain, Mr. Donat. I've experienced more than my share of Howard Baptiste's tactics in business to understand what his son might be, and probably is, capable of. And as far as what triggered Aaron's temper...I can answer that. You see, Aaron and my sister were very close, sadly, Amelia died in childbirth about three or four years ago and it was very difficult for my nephew. His father, George, left him with my sister, Clarissa, and I so he could pursue his education at your school, especially considering that there wasn't a school of your reputation to be found in California."

Bracing his elbow on the armrest of his chair, Mr. Donat nodded;

"His former headmaster, Mr. Chambers, when he wrote me about your nephew, told me of his dedication when it came to his education. And, despite it being his first day, his teachers have all remarked about how determined he seems when it comes to his studies. But, knowing now what I do about his mother, I can certainly understand why he had the reaction he did to what Adrienne said about her."

Beau, remembering a comment the young man had made, turned to Danial;

"You mentioned Adrienne saying something about my nephew needing to learn how to act like a Creole gentleman?"

Huffing a bit, Danial remarked;

"Yes, sir! But quite frankly, Aaron could give Adrienne more than a few lessons in that department."

Making his mind up as to the best way to handle, what would be, his and his sister's first test as their nephew's interim parents, Beau decided that he needed to have a long heart-to-heart with his sister when they got home. But, once he was sure that she would be on board with his plan, he planned on having a deep discussion with his nephew before putting his plan into action. Consulting his pocket watch, Beau advised;

"Gentlemen, I thank you for your time and,"

Looking specifically at Danial, he offered his sincere appreciation;

"I want to thank you especially, Mr. Benoit, for helping my nephew. I'm well acquainted with your father, and the next time I speak with him I plan on complimenting him on what a fine young man he's raised, sir."

Taking the compliment as he'd been taught to; with dignity and humility, Danial extended his hand to return;

"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Alexander. And, for what it's worth, sir, I happen to think that your nephew is well on his way to becoming a fine young man himself."

Turning to the headmaster, Beau suggested;

"Mr. Donat, by your leave I'd like to go ahead and take my nephew home."

Motioning towards the door, he explained;

"I've already taken the liberty of sending for him, he should be waiting for you outside, sir."

Aaron sat on the bench outside Mr. Donat's office, waiting. He'd been summoned from the library and told to wait outside the headmaster's office for his uncle, something that didn't bode well with him. He was certain that, if his uncle had been sent for, he must be in serious trouble. However, as he learned on the carriage ride home, and much to his surprise, his uncle was far from angry with him. Once the carriage pulled away from the school and they were seated across from each other, Beau drew his nephew's attention;

"Aaron, I think we need to talk about what happened today. First of all, I want you to know that I'm in no way angry or disappointed in you. Mr. Donat and Danial Benoit told me what happened and, from what they said, you did everything possible to avoid that confrontation."

Aaron, his head lowered and a hint of shame mixed in with the frustration in his voice, reminded his uncle;

"But I wasn't able to avoid it and I belted him."

Shaking his head he theorized;

"I don't think that's how a gentleman acts, is it, Uncle Beau."

Leaning forward, one arm braced across his knees, Beau locked eyes with his nephew before placing his hand on the boy's shoulder;

"Let me explain something to you, Aaron. Is being a gentleman important? Yes...it is. But, it's even more important to be a man, and you were that today."

Seeing a hint of confusion in the boy's face, Beau decided to elaborate;

"You see, Aaron, a gentleman is someone who has and uses his manners and always tries to take the higher road...even when taking the lower one might be easier and more advantageous. And while that's important when it comes to being a man, that's not all there is to it; being a man means you do what has to be done...even if you don't want to. Now today, you were both a gentleman and a man; you gave Adrienne Baptiste the chance to walk away from his bullying. But, by the same token, when he pushed, you took a firm stand and didn't back down from it; it's important that a man holds to his convictions and you did that. You defended yourself and your parents and there's no shame in that."

Beau was relieved to see the gloom that had clouded his nephews face earlier give way to relief, although he was taken aback a bit when the boy asked candidly;

"Uncle Beau, he said that Mama was crazy, that everyone in New Orleans knew it because she married Papa. There wasn't anything wrong with her...was there?"

Deciding that he and Clarissa needed to have an in-depth discussion with their nephew, Beau proposed;

"Aaron, I can promise you that what that boy said is the farthest thing from the truth when it comes to your mother. But, I do think that there are some things you should know and I'd like to postpone answering the rest of your questions until we reach home...I think your Aunt Clarissa should be included in the conversation. Is that alright with you?"

Taking a moment to process what his uncle had just asked him, Aaron finally nodded his agreement with the suggestion. Although his father had never treated him like a baby, having his uncle approach him with an obvious air of respect and consideration made the boy feel as if his opinion was respected and appreciated; something he knew most adults wouldn't have cared about doing in the least. When the carriage pulled up to the front door, as they disembarked, Beau suggested;

"Why don't you go change out of your uniform and go ask Tessa to fix you a snack. I'm going to go find your Aunt Rissa and we'll see you in a bit..alright?"

Beau watched as the boy eagerly made his way up the stairs to his room before going in search of his sister. Finding her in the back parlor, tending to her needlework, Beau pulled the pocket doors closed before turning to state without preamble;

"Clarissa, there's something we need to discuss."

Settling himself in the chair across from his sister's, Beau gave a narration of the details of what had taken place on their nephew's first day of school...including Aaron's question regarding his mother. When he'd finished, Clarissa sighed heavily as she shook her head to lament;

"Poor, Aaron! And he was so excited about his first day this morning."

Narrowing her eyes a bit, she huffed in frustration before confiding;

"But I'm not surprised to find out that Adrienne Baptiste was at the center of it. Considering those parents of his indulge him at every turn, it's no wonder that boy's such a bully."

Her expression conveying her concern, Clarissa pleaded;

"So what should we do, Beau?"

Leaning forward, Beau ventured;

"Well, I spoke with Mr. Donat and he assured me that Aaron isn't in any trouble. Danial Benoit spoke up on his behalf and testified that Aaron did everything he possibly could to avoid a confrontation but Adrienne continued to push and push at him. As far as the other issue...what he asked about Amelia, I think it's time we told him everything, Rissa."

Her face a mask of apprehension, Clarissa bit at her thumbnail as she considered his suggestion before stating hesitantly;

"Oh, Beau, I don't know. I mean, he is only eleven and..."

Rising from his chair to rest his elbow on the fireplace mantle, Beau pointed out;

"Yes, he is eleven, but he's much wiser than his years and I know you're more than aware of that, Rissa."

Seeing the contemplation in her eyes, Beau prodded;

"Rissa, if the boy is intelligent enough to be accepted into his school at his age, and to ask questions about his mother then I say he's smart enough to comprehend what we tell him."

His own eyes reflecting his feelings, he reminded, "Keep in mind, we promised that, no matter what he asked us, we'd tell him the truth...remember?"

Heaving a heavy sigh of resignation, Clarissa nodded;

"You're right, we did. Alright, when would you like to talk to him?"

Reaching for the bell-pull to summon Charles, Beau declared;

"There's no time like the present; besides, this is as much for his peace of mind as ours."

When the family retainer appeared Beau requested;

"Charles, our nephew is probably in the kitchen with Tessa having a snack, would you ask him to join us in here please?"

A few minutes, after hearing a soft knock upon the parlor door, Beau invited;

"Come in, Aaron."

Once he'd pulled the doors closed, Aaron waited until his uncle suggested;

"Have a seat, Aaron. Your Aunt Rissa and I have some things we'd like to discuss with you."

About half an hour later, after having listened to his aunt and uncle explain some rather peculiar things concerning their father...his grandfather, Aaron sat, processing the information he'd just been given. Finally, he slowly asked;

"So, let me see if I understand this; your father...my grandfather, didn't disapprove of Mama and Papa's marriage because he disapproved of Papa, he disapproved because he didn't want any of you getting married. Am I right?"

Nodding, Beau elaborated;

"Yes, you're exactly right. You see, our father developed some rather 'peculiar' ideas after our mother died, and one of those was that he wanted to keep the three of us with him, since we were part of our mother, until he died so he'd have as much of Mother with him as possible. When your parents were married, Mother had only been gone a couple of years, and father was still determined that we would all stay with him; that's the main reason they eloped. Despite his anger over the matter, Father begged your parents to stay here with us, and at the time they tried; your father wanted your mother to be happy so he did everything possible to accommodate Father's wishes as much as possible. But it was soon apparent that the arrangement wasn't going to work, especially when Father announced his plans for any grandchildren. When your father informed him that the future of their children was in his and Amelia's hands, Father became irate and did everything possible to sabotage George's attempts to better himself financially. When your father found out that your grandfather was behind the failed attempts, he decided to take an opportunity in the great northwest he'd been offered before he'd married your mother."

Leaning forward to place her hand on her nephew's arm, Clarissa beseeched him;

"Please don't misunderstand, Aaron, your grandfather was a good man, but when we lost Mother something in him...changed. He seemed determined to hold onto anything and everything that was a part of her."

Sighing heavily, she theorized;

"I suppose he figured that, if he could hold onto even the tiniest part of her, she was still here...at least to his way of thinking."

Remaining quiet for a moment as he tried to process everything they'd shared with him, Aaron finally asked haltingly;

"Did Grandfather know about me?"

Her face brightening, Clarissa explained;

"Oh yes! When your mother learned she was expecting she sent us a letter, and then when you were born she had your father go to the nearest telegraph and send us a wire. When we told him he had a grandson, he had the biggest smile you could imagine. We tried to get him to take steps towards reconciling; but, at first, he was afraid your mother would reject him, or that your father would forbid it. However, we were finally able to convince him that, neither, George nor Amelia harbored any hard feelings towards him, but before he could take steps towards making up with them he suffered a stroke and died."

Finding a lot of mysteries that he'd wondered about where his mother's family was involved solved, Aaron somehow felt more secure in his own identity. However, needing to know he found himself asking his aunt and uncle;

"I know that it's none of my business, but why didn't either of you get married after Grandfather died?"

Wiping at her eyes with her handkerchief, Clarissa admitted;

"I had been engaged to a young man, just after you were born as a matter of fact. But he drowned trying to save a little girl who fell overboard on a riverboat in the Mississippi River. He was able to save her, but they weren't able to pull him from the water before he was sucked under by the paddle wheel."

Turning to face his uncle, Aaron asked hesitantly;

"What about you, Uncle Beau, didn't you ever want to get married?"

Slowly Beau nodded before telling his story;

"Yes, Aaron, I did, to a young lady who I cared about...very much so But, sometimes what we want isn't always what's in the cards for us; her name was Melinda and she was a very sweet, wonderful, and beautiful girl. I had made up my mind to propose just after we received news your mother was expecting you. And, believe it or not, it was with your grandfather's blessings, but there was an outbreak of yellow fever and Melinda fell ill and died."

Emitting a humorless chuckle, Beau ventured;

"I guess that being married was something that wasn't in the cards for your me and your Aunt Rissa."

Beau, as an afterthought, added;

"Aaron, I want you to make me a promise; there are a lot of people we know who married for the sake of money and they're miserable. Your mother married for love, and from her letters and what we know, she was happy with you and your papa because of it. Your Aunt Rissa and I were going to marry for love too, and despite what happened to them, we were happy and blessed for the time we had with them. When you decide you're ready to get married, make sure the girl you marry is one who makes you smile and one you can't imagine living your life without. Don't settle just for the sake of getting married and having children."

Lifting his shoulders carelessly, Aaron laughed;

"I don't think I'll ever meet a girl that does that, Uncle Beau. Besides, I got too much I wanna do to worry about some silly girl. But, if I change my mind, I promise it'll be because I love her."

Sensing they'd finished their talk, Aaron asked;

"May I be excused if we're done talking, Uncle Beau? I have some studying I'd like to do for tomorrow."

Motioning towards the door, Beau nodded;

"Of course, Aaron, by all means. Oh, one other thing; starting tomorrow evening, your Aunt Clarissa and I have decided that we're going to teach you the various finer points of what a gentleman should know, if that's alright with you that is."

His eyes growing large at the prospect as his mouth curled in a happy smile, Aaron eagerly nodded as he gushed;

"YES, SIR! I was hoping you'd help me learn so I don't embarrass you and Aunt Clarissa...or Papa."

Coming forward to place his hand on his nephew's shoulder, Beau smiled fondly at the boy;

"Aaron, one thing I have no concerns about when it comes to you and that's the fear that you'll embarrass us. After all, considering how you conducted yourself today I'd say that you have the heart of what it takes to be a gentleman down to a T already."

Ruffling his hair a bit, Beau dismissed;

"Now, go ahead and tend to your studies. Charles will let you know when it's time for supper."

Watching as he left the room, noticing the slight hint of eagerness as he ran up the staircase, Clarissa turned to her brother to confess;

"You know something, Beau? I was dreading having that conversation, but, believe it or not, I feel somehow...lighter as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

Understanding what she meant, Beau nodded;

"I do too, Rissa. I have the feeling that one of the best decisions we ever made was allowing Aaron to come live with us while he attended school. I just hope that we prove as good for him as he's proving for us."