"Headmaster Black had the luxury of expressing his feelings openly. I doubt Headmistress McQuillen has the same. As a lady, I expect she is required to appear more amiable." Which was as close to a feeling of sympathy as Viola was inclined to have right now toward Esme. "I suspect Headmaster Black didn't attend any balls he didn't feel in the mood for either." The corner of Viola's mouth quirked up at that thought. She'd had to break into one of his gentlemen's cigar-and-brandy gatherings once and he'd been more than a little outraged. No, Viola was not sorry he was gone, though she could understand why his decisiveness was missed in some quarters.