"I know what they taught in the schoolroom... arithmetic, sums and such, sir," she said lightly. She couldn't help but smile at him for the spark of life she saw within the man. If her job was to help keep him alive, then she would do her due diligence. She tilted her head, "Nothin' so grand as all of this." It helped that she was genuinely interested in learning about what was on the chalkboard.

"Hrmm, I don't know how far school house mathematics goes." He admits. "Still, it is all an evolution on basic concepts. Do you know algebra? How to multiple, divide, and solve for a missing variable within the equation?" The last one was incredibly important when it came to more advance mathematics.

"I know how to divide and multiply," she said, "Add and subtract," she went on and didn't even notice the juvenile funny that comes with that statement. A year prior would have had her giggling and blushing, hell, even focusing on said funny. She didn't though, even if the writer did. "I'm afraid the kind of mathematics ye are asking me about is beyond the schoolroom. But perhaps when ye have free time and ye have a mind ta do so, and I am not busy either, ye can teach me. I am a quick learner. Oh, and I can do me fractions and decimals too, I almost forgot about those. I use fractions sometimes when I am reading a recipe."

"Of course, those are the fundamentals good, good." He nods his head as she explains her abilities. "Algebra is where we begin to see how they can be applied to solve problems. I can teach you whenever you are free." He says with a wave of his hand. "It is no trouble, no trouble at all."

She smiled at him. The way he was animated over teaching seemed to be the key to getting him out of his funk, she thought. She would have to relay that to Betsy and Eleanor. "I look forward to it, sir," she quipped honestly. There was just... something about that spark she saw in him that gave her hope.

"Yes, yes, of course. I think I have some lesson books somewhere. Algebra is what you'll need first of course, trigonometry as well." He mutters as he abandons everything else in favor of this new fixation.

"I will take care of yer dishes while ye search for them, sir." She scooped up the soiled dishes, then left him to his own devices for the moment. She had a smile on her face when she entered the kitchen. She was triumphant as she moved to scrape food remnants and then to wash the plates. It was the first time she felt a little surge of triumph since she first got him to eat his food.

"Well, you look like the cat that got the canary." Eleanor observes as Ruth enters all grins. The head maid eyeing the plate and nodding approvingly. "He ate more than half, good job."

"Aye, and I've learned somethin', Eleanor. He is alive when he is teaching. He is going to teach me what's on his blackboards when I have free time ta learn." She was almost breathless with the excitement of the revelation. "I think it will be just the thing ta draw him out and start livin' again. He has a spark in his eyes when he teaches!"

Eleanor scratches her chin at that. "Teaching you eh?" She says as she thinks on it. "Well I'll tell Mister Lane and he will tell Master Ambrose and Master Ambrose will make a decision on that. Still, it's an idea and we've been lacking fer those. I imagine it will have ta be during yer off hours though and that'll be a mite awkward with the babe as well.

Elanor was happy enough to keep an eye on the babe through most of the day. She mostly stayed in the laundry and kitchens so the little man could be watched without him interfering over much in a basket. Still, she obviously couldn't watch him all day and she had to take him back when her shift was over. Which would also be the time she'd have to try her lessons with Edward.