Chapter Twenty-Six
At Lord Newingham’s suggestion, the girls had their French lesson outdoors. They played “I spy,” first in the stables, then the kitchen garden, and lastly the shrubbery. The French lesson segued into a botany lesson, and then into a lesson on insects. Newingham, Mr. Pryor, and the girls enthusiastically turned over leaves, discovering worms and beetles and centipedes.
“By Jove!” the viscount exclaimed. “Have a look at this one. It’s enormous.”
The girls clustered close.
“Do you know what it’s called, Miss Toogood?” Newingham asked.
Pip shook her head.
“We need to give it a name,” the viscount declared. “What do you think, girls? The Monstrously Large Beetle-shaped Beetle?”
Edie and Fanny giggled.
“It’s got horns,” Mr. Pryor pointed out. “I think we should call it
