Chapter 247
Morwenna had finally started to see Stuart as one of her own.
He was, for all intents and purposes, her boyfriend, although she often felt there was something slightly off about their connection.
But Stuart wasn’t like the others.
When he showed her care and concern, she found herself unwittingly opening up about her frustrations, much like a child who’s lost and then finds solace in a parent’s comfort.
Then came Stuart’s text that threw her off: “Struggling with French, are we? Let me help you.”
Morwenna paused, bewildered.
She
thought Stuart was just trying to cheer her up.
She was at school, and he was at home. How on earth was he planning to teach her?
But the thought alone lifted her spirits. It wasn’t that she was looking for help, really; she just needed someone to talk to. Venting to Stuart made her feel ready to tackle her studies with renewed vigor.
After a light chuckle and feeling much lighter, Morwenna was about to put her phone away when it buzzed with a call from Stuart.
The vibration startled her.
5 2 2 2 2 5 5 5 5 3 2 3 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 3 2
Quickly glancing around the dorm room, she noticed Dahlia and Lorna were still up.
Keira hadn’t come back yet.
So, taking the call wouldn’t disturb anyone’s sleep.
Quietly, she answered, climbing into bed and drawing the curtains for privacy, even burrowing under her covers.
“Hey, Sir, what’s up with the late call?” Her voice, muffled by the blanket, sounded endearingly soft.
Stuart hadn’t called her since school started; their interactions were mostly limited to brief chats on WhatsApp, even less frequent than
those with Claude.
His mature, slightly cool voice came through: “Didn’t you say you wanted to work on your French?”
Morwenna was taken aback. “Now?”
“When else? Is there ever a bad time for learning?”
“It’s not that, it’s just… How am I supposed to study at this hour?”
She kept her voice as low as possible, mindful of her roommates.
Stuart’s voice softened, “Struggling with speaking, right?”
“Yeah, it’s my weakest skill.”
Growing up in a small mountain town, without a proper French teacher or access to online tutorials, mastering pronunciation seemed an impossible task. Stuart easily understood her predicament.
“Improving speaking is all about listening and reading more. I’ve been told my pronunciation is quite good. From now on, call me before bed each day, and I’ll read to you.”
No one could see the satisfied smile on Stuart’s face as he suggested this. He genuinely wanted Morwenna to call him daily, for any reason, just to hear her voice.
Morwenna was stunned. Stuart offering to read French to her? Considering his usual impatience, this was unexpected.
Then Stuart asked in a Parisian accent, “Penses–tu que je ne suis pas qualifié?”
The elegance and gentlemanly tone, combined with Stuart’s mature voice, made Morwenna’s heart flutter.
He’s better than her teacher, how could he not be qualified?
“Of course not!” Morwenna blurted out enthusiastically.
Stuart raised an eyebrow. Did she mean of course she didn’t think that, or of course he’s not qualified?
Eagerly, Morwenna continued, “I’d like to hear some fairy tales in French then.”
Stuart, usually buried in financial and investment reads, took a moment. “Alright, give me two minutes.”
“Deal!”
Hanging up, Morwenna hid under her covers, her face flushed with ticipation.