Free The Reformer by Breanna Hayse Page A

brush and braid her long, silky hair.
    “They went to the academy… Ary? What is wrong?” he asked, feeling her stiffen.
    She turned to him, tears in the blue orbs, “Headmistress not good. She hurt Mama!”
    “No, no, dove. Don’t you worry. Mama will be fine. Papa will protect her, like Lord Ryan protects you,” he reassured, frowning at her fright.
    “Please, no go academy. Hurt there,” she forced out, trying to find her words.
    “Shhh, calm down, now. We are not going to the academy, my pet. You are safe here. Aryanna?” Ryan said firmly, with a frown as she began to launch into hysterics. “Did you hear me? You are safe.”
    Aryanna bit her lip and slowly nodded. She did not like to displease her reformer, and his frown saddened her. She wiped the tears off her face with the kerchief he handed her, noticing he maintained a stern, foreboding expression. She touched the smooth shaven edges of his mouth with her index fingers, and, on an impulse, pressed them up to force his lips into a smile.
    Ryan grabbed her fingers and kissed the tips, rewarding her efforts with a genuine grin on his handsome face. “You don’t like my frown, do you? You think if you are cute, you can manipulate me, don’t you, missy? Well, you are partially correct. Come outside for a walk with me.”
    Aryanna accepted his offered hand and scrambled to keep up with his strides. He pointed to items, asking their name. Aryanna responded quickly, eager to please him and earn his approval. After their stroll, he took her back into the house and sat her at a student desk in his study.
    “Are you comfortable?” he asked, watching her carefully and aware of the deep lingering bruises. She nodded and smiled up at him, the look of trust on her face making his heart flutter. She grew more beautiful every day, and he felt himself growing quite fond of her. But he had a job to do. As his father had dolefully reminded him, she wasn’t his pet and must be supplied with the skills she needed to survive. He could not afford to become attached to this young woman. He thought back to Gerard’s words that the first was always the hardest to let go. Ryan snickered to himself. That was how his parents ended up together.
    He handed her a copy book, a fountain pen, and a picture book, ordering her to practice her letters. Aryanna stared at the paper in front of her, scrunched her face, and pushed the books away. Ryan lifted a brow.
    “Is there a problem, little girl? You don’t use a slate here—”
    “No like. I do that.” She pointed to his ledger books.
    “Oh, you do? Well, I no like to do this,” he teased, handing her the large book and tweaking her nose as she eyed him strangely. She opened the book and started shaking her head.
    “This wrong. And this. And this! Lord Ryan does book?” she frowned disapprovingly.
    He shrugged, “Yes, Lord Ryan does the books. I am not very good at mathematics. I did not inherit my father’s aptitude for numbers.”
    “I do numbers, you do letters?” Aryanna asked with a mischievous twinkle.
    Ryan laughed, shaking his head. “Oh no, you don’t, you sly little fox. You need to learn your letters.”
    Aryanna wrinkled her nose, thinking. “If Lord Ryan does bad on numbers, you let Ary do for him?”
    “You want to balance my books? Seriously? Well, my dear, consider yourself hired. But letters first.”
    Aryanna sighed and picked up her pen, making a face as she began to scribble out the letters. Time ticked by and, bored, she began to draw pictures in her copy book. Ryan looked up from his desk, noticing how she kept eyeing him. With a frown, he rose from his chair and walked over to her. She quickly shut her book and flashed him the innocent smile that she had quickly learned caused him to relent from his scoldings.
    “Allow me to see your letters, please.” Ryan held out his hand. Aryanna bit her lip and shook her head. He snapped his fingers. “Now, Aryanna. Give me that book. I do not enjoy