- -
- 100%
- +
‘Oh…dear.’
‘As you say, Miss Wrenn, oh dear.’
‘How old are your daughters, Major?’
‘Gwendoline is twelve years old, and Wilhelmina is eight. They are quite normal, Miss Wrenn—high spirited, perhaps, but not demons.’
‘I do not doubt it. But you said you have three children, sir?’
‘Yes. My son, Giles, is fifteen years old and for the past few years has been under the tutelage of a learned reverend. When I arrived in Hampshire I discovered that this gentleman has accepted a much more attractive position as bear-leader to a young gentleman embarking upon the Grand Tour. However, Giles need not concern you; once we are settled in the north, I will engage another tutor for him.’
‘You said you are leaving town at the end of next week?’
‘Yes, on Friday. I have property in Lancashire that requires my attention. I want the governess to travel with us, and to take charge of the children on the journey.’ Again Juliana found that harsh stare fixed upon her. ‘After what you have heard, are you still eager for this position, Miss Wrenn?’
She sat up and adopted her most businesslike tone.
‘I think it would suit very well, sir, if we can agree terms.’
‘Miss Wrenn, I hardly think you are in a position to make demands….’
‘Then we need discuss this no further.’ She rose. ‘Let me see, today is Saturday, your advertisement should be published on Monday, at the earliest. No doubt your secretary is very efficient; if he interviews the candidates quickly, I suppose it might be possible to engage a suitable person in time to travel on Friday, assuming he has received suitable references, of course…’
He held up his hand.
‘Very well, Miss Wrenn, you have made your point. Can you supply me with suitable references?’
‘I am sure Mr Pettigrew will vouch for my character, and you may apply to Miss Shaftesbury at the Academy in Clapham. As to my education, you can test me, if you so wish.’
‘No, I do not so wish!’ he growled at her. ‘Pray sit down again, madam, and tell me these terms of yours.’
Resuming her seat, she gave him a beaming smile.
‘They are not really so outrageous. I will engage to look after the children, Major Collingham, and educate them for the next four months, that is, to the end of September. I would like you to pay me a lump sum at the end of that time.’
‘How much?’
Juliana took a deep breath and named her price.
‘What?’
She winced, but held her ground.
‘You said you were willing to pay a king’s ransom for this service, sir; I think you will agree that it is hardly that, but it would be sufficient for me to rent a little house in, say, Harrogate or Bath, and support my family by teaching. That is all I ask, Major.’
There was no more she could say. Juliana forced herself to sit still while the Major stared at her, his fingers drumming on the desk top. The remuneration she was asking was high, but discreet enquiries of her cousin had convinced her that the Major could afford twice that sum. Now she only needed to hold her nerve. She smiled to herself; perhaps she had something of her father’s gambling spirit after all. At last he spoke.
‘Very well. I will have Brasher draw up an agreement today.’
She found she had been holding her breath, for it now came out in a long sigh.
‘Thank you, sir. I will not disappoint you.’
‘I trust you will not. I shall make sure you do not get a penny if you do not keep your side of this bargain. One more thing. What do you propose to do with your siblings for the next four months?’
She hesitated.
‘I am hoping to persuade my cousin—’
He shook his head.
‘Pettigrew is a lawyer and a bachelor. I’d wager he knows less than I do about children. You had best bring them with you. They will be companions for Gwen and Minna on the journey, and there will be plenty of room for them at Blackthorpe.’
‘Th-thank you.’
He stood up and came round the desk towards her.
‘Then let us shake hands upon it, and I will send for the children.’
Juliana rose and put out her hand. As he took her fingers in his strong grip she looked up into his face and wondered how she had ever managed to bargain with such a man. At close range he was even more intimidating. His eyes were as hard as granite; his countenance bleak and unforgiving. Dangerous. But even as she began to wonder if perhaps she had made a mistake, she saw a gleam of amusement in his grey eyes.
He said, ‘Now what are you thinking, Miss Wrenn?’
She did not even consider prevaricating.
‘That you would make an implacable enemy, sir.’
His grip on her hand tightened.
‘True. But I am also a very good friend. Which would you have, Miss Wrenn?’
Juliana could not break away from his gaze. A small voice in her head was warning that he should not be asking her such a question. She swallowed and tried to answer calmly.
‘Neither. I look only for a fair employer.’
He stared at her, a faint crease in his brows. Juliana looked down at his hand, still holding her own. Abruptly he released her and walked towards the window saying,
‘I—um—I plan to marry—when we arrive in Lancashire: a neighbour’s daughter, widow. There is an arrangement between the families. It has long been agreed. My wife will, of course, take over arrangements for the girls’ education.’
‘Then why not wait until you get to Lancashire to employ a governess?’
Even as the words tumbled out, Juliana wished them unsaid; she had signed no contract yet, and she did not want him to change his mind. The Major did not hesitate over his reply.
‘I had considered that, but their nurse is far too old to have sole control of the children on such a long journey.’
Juliana’s evil genius prompted her to play devil’s advocate once more.
‘But—forgive me—did you not say you will be travelling together, as a party?’
He turned to look at her, his brows raised in surprise, and just for a moment she thought there was a shade of unease upon those harsh features.
‘I know nothing of the needs of young girls,’ he said shortly. ‘If it was only Giles, I should not hesitate. As it is—’ He broke off. ‘I shall summon the girls to meet you.’
He strode over to the door, barking his orders to a lackey.
Moments later, two little figures trooped into the room.
‘Goodness, that was very prompt!’ exclaimed Juliana, smiling at the Misses Collingham.
They were dressed in identical redingotes of claretcoloured wool with matching bonnets. The eldest girl raised her eyes, so like her father’s, and looked directly at Juliana.
‘We were waiting in the hall for Aunt Louisa, Papa.’ She addressed the Major, although she kept her eyes upon Juliana. ‘She is taking us for a drive in the park.’
‘Well, I shall not keep you long.’ Major Collingham beckoned them to come forward. ‘I want to make you known to your new governess. Gwendoline…’ He paused as the older of the two children bobbed a curtsy.
Juliana curtsied back.
‘How do you do, Miss Collingham?’
‘Gwendoline was twelve years old last month,’ said the Major. ‘And this is Wilhelmina.’ He nodded at the smaller child, who stepped forward and bobbed, saying as she did so,
‘And I’m eight.’
‘Indeed?’ marvelled Juliana. ‘You are very grown up for eight, I think. I am very pleased to meet you both.’
‘Miss Wrenn will be joining us next week,’ said the Major. ‘You will have your first lesson with her at two o’clock on Monday—yes, Miss Wrenn, did you say something?’
‘So—so soon,’ stammered Juliana. ‘I thought we should get to know one another first.’
‘If that is what you wish to do, Miss Wrenn, I have no objection, as long as you do it in the schoolroom.’
‘And out of the way, Major?’ she murmured, bringing that frowning stare upon her again.
Whatever retort the Major was about to make was interrupted as the door opened and a tall woman in a rose-pink pelisse erupted into the room.
‘Damon, do you have the girls here? I was about to take them out.’
‘The children are here, Louisa, dressed and ready for you. I was introducing them to their new governess. This is Miss Wrenn—my sister, Lady Varley.’
Juliana found herself subjected to a head-to-toe scrutiny and forced herself not to fidget. Her walking dress might not be as stylish as Lady Varley’s fine wool pelisse, and one small ostrich feather could not compete with the three nodding plumes that adorned Lady Varley’s high-crowned bonnet, but she knew her simple attire was perfectly suited to a young lady of modest means, and more than adequate for a governess. Lady Varley seemed to agree, for she gave a nod of approval.
‘So, Damon, you have found someone already. How clever of you.’
The Major’s lips curved up slightly.
‘It would be more accurate to say that Miss Wrenn found me.’
Lady Varley waved one pink-gloved hand.
‘Whatever the case, it would seem that I need not take the children out with me after all.’ She paused, glancing down at the two little faces looking up at her. ‘But they are dressed now, so I suppose I must. Come along, then. The carriage is at the door and you know your father does not like to keep his horses standing!’
She hurried the children out of the room, turning at the door to say, ‘We shall not be too long, Damon. I have to stop off at Madame Fleurie’s to look at the new muslin she had brought in for me and then I shall take the girls for a quick turn around the park, to give them an airing before dinner.’
‘You must not mind my sister, Miss Wrenn,’ remarked the Major as the door closed upon the little party. ‘She felt obliged to come to London with the children when their governess walked out. She has not yet forgiven me.’
‘That was very good of her; some aunts might have considered it sufficient to send the children with a servant.’
‘Ah, but then I would not have felt obliged to pay for the gowns she has ordered from Madame Fleurie.’
Juliana was surprised into a laugh, which she quickly stifled—levity was not becoming in a governess. She should take her leave. As if reading her mind, Major Collingham walked to the door.
‘Very well, Miss Wrenn. I will send my carriage to Bouverie Street on Monday morning at, say, eleven o’clock. You will bring your brother and sister with you. I shall have rooms prepared for your arrival.’
‘Thank you, sir. You are very good.’
‘No, it is a business arrangement. My man will have the contract ready for you to sign when you arrive.’ He bent that hard gaze upon her again. ‘I shall expect you to earn your money, Miss Wrenn.’
She met his gaze squarely.
‘I expect nothing less of you, Major Collingham.’
She hurried back to Bouverie Street and made her way directly to the kitchens, where Mrs Churwell was waiting to hear her news. Juliana could not suppress her elation.
‘He’s hired me,’ she cried. ‘Major Collingham is sending the carriage here for me on Monday, and he says Thomas and Amy can come too. I was most surprised at that, I can tell you, but it is ideal for us all.’
‘Oh, well done, dearie! I’m that pleased for you, I really am.’ The housekeeper turned to the footman, who was relaxing in a chair with his feet up on the fender. ‘You hear that, Lawrence? Miss Wrenn is to be a governess to the Major, and him a hero of Waterloo, no less!’
‘Is he? I never knew that.’ Juliana smiled, taking off her bonnet and placing it on a side table.
‘Aye.’ Lawrence poured himself another mug of ale. ‘My brother was in his regiment, the 30th Foot. They fought off the French at Quatre Bras. Praised by Lord Wellington hisself, they was. But that’s not all.’ He grinned. ‘Devil Collingham, they call him. Heard it from the man’s groom hisself, I did, last time I delivered some papers to the house and stopped off for a glass of daffy on the way back. Devil Collingham—devil on the battlefield, and devil in the bedroom. They say in Brussels it was nothing for him to pleasure three women in one night.’
With a shriek Mrs Churwell cuffed him round the ear.
‘I’ll have none of that talk in my kitchen, my lad! You had best get back upstairs, now, before the master starts shouting for you. Go on, now! Don’t you be taking any notice of what Lawrence says,’ she added, when the footman had lounged away. ‘I don’t hold with servants’ tittle-tattle.’
‘No more do I,’ agreed Juliana. She looked up at the housekeeper, a mischievous twinkle in her green eyes. ‘However, it seems I have just made a pact with the devil!’
Chapter Three
‘Well, what do you think of her?’ Wilhelmina whispered to her sister as Lady Varley gave her instructions to the driver. Gwendoline wrinkled her nose.
‘Miss Sevenoaks was much prettier, except when she had been drinking too much, then her face became very red.’
‘Well, I think she’s pretty,’ replied Wilhelmina. ‘And she had kind eyes.’
Gwendoline gave her a nudge as their aunt climbed into the carriage.
‘Whispering again?’ Lady Varley shook her head. ‘I hope this new woman Damon has hired will teach you both some manners.’
They travelled in silence to New Bond Street; when they reached the fashionable dressmaker’s establishment, Lady Varley took the children into the shop, declaring she would prefer to keep them under her eye. The girls gazed around them in wide-eyed wonder. At first glance the walls seemed to be decorated in rainbow colours, but closer inspection revealed shelves from floor to ceiling, packed with rolls of fabric, shiny silks and satin, soft muslins and cottons of every shade. There seemed to be half a dozen ladies in the room, but the girls soon realised that these were life-size dummies displaying the very latest fashions. Madame Fleurie herself appeared from the back of the shop flanked by two simpering assistants, each carrying rolls of creamy-coloured muslin for Lady Varley’s inspection. The modiste curtsied, bowed, flattered and fawned over her patroness, uttering so many compliments in her lilting French accent that Gwendoline turned away, her lip curling. She led her sister to a satin-covered couch, half-hidden between rolls of fabric and piles of hatboxes.
‘What are we going to do about the new governess, Gwen?’ Wilhelmina climbed on to the couch.
‘Well, I think we should try to send her away. We certainly don’t want to have her with us all the way to Lancashire. It will be much more fun with just Nurse, because she always lets us have our own way.’
‘We could play ghosts again,’ suggested Wilhelmina. ‘It worked very well with Miss Gillimore.’
‘But she was very stupid.’ Gwendoline’s tone was dismissive. ‘This one does not look stupid.’
Wilhelmina regarded her silently. It was clear that Gwendoline was thinking hard. Wilhelmina bore it patiently for a few moments, but soon wriggled off the couch and went in search of something more interesting to look at than Gwendoline’s pensive face. Aunt Louisa was engrossed in discussing fabrics and patterns with the modiste, while the assistants hurried back and forth with bolts of cloth and pieces of lace for her inspection. Wilhelmina walked around the shop; it seemed a nonsense for Aunt Louisa to be taking so long to choose a gown—the dummies were all so elegant she could surely want nothing better. The one nearest the door was dressed in a beautiful gown of apricot silk with a demi-train of shiny beads. Rows of beads also decorated the sleeves and hem, glistening in the light. Wilhelmina went closer, then closer still. It was all a cheat! It was not a dress at all—the silk had been cunningly draped around the dummy with lengths of beaded ribbon pinned into place. In fact, Wilhelmina could see where one of the pins on the sleeve had worked itself loose—perhaps if she just pushed it back in….
‘Wilhelmina, what are you doing?’
Aunt Louisa’s voice cut across the room and Wilhelmina jumped back. Unfortunately, as she did so, a loose thread on one finger of her glove caught around some of the beads, dragging them off the dummy and pulling the apricot silk with them. With a little cry Wilhelmina shook her hand, the beads fell away, but it was too late; before her horrified gaze the beautiful creation was falling apart, the silk dropping into a blushing cloud around the base of the cloth dummy.
‘You tiresome child, how many times have I told you not to touch?’ Lady Varley’s chilling accents brought a hot flush of guilt and embarrassment to Wilhelmina’s cheeks. She ran back to the couch and scrambled up beside Gwendoline.
‘Really, I do not know why I brought you. Just look at what you have done!’
‘No, no, madame, it ees nothing, nothing,’ cried Madame Fleurie, hands fluttering as she sought to placate her wealthy client. ‘It ees the work of a moment to put it right.’ She signalled to her assistants to attend to the disorder while she gently escorted Lady Varley back to the counter to finish making her selection.
Wilhelmina looked up at Gwendoline, who frowned and turned away, hunching a shoulder as if to disown her troublesome little sister. Wilhelmina felt the tears gathering in her eyes. Her bottom lip began to tremble.
‘There, there, missy, don’t cry.’ The younger of the two assistants came past, winding up the beaded ribbon into her arms. ‘There’s no ’arm done, my pet. We was about to redress that model anyway.’
Wilhelmina gave a shuddering sigh.
The assistant dropped the bundled ribbon on to the counter and came back to kneel in front of Wilhelmina, her round face creased into a kindly smile.
‘Ah, now, dearie, there’s no need for tears.’ She drew out her own handkerchief and mopped Wilhelmina’s cheeks. ‘All this fuss over a bit o’ cloth, well, I never.’ She sat back on her heels, then suddenly dived down beside the couch.
‘Here.’ She held up a small wooden doll, beautifully dressed in a brocaded gown with a silk apron and a mass of grey curls. ‘Take it, my pet, and you dry your eyes. Madame gets them sent to her from France all the time, dressed in the latest fashions, to show to her lady clients, but heaven knows where this one came from—why, look at those panniers! We haven’t made gowns like this for the past ten years at least!’
Wilhelmina gulped and stared at the doll.
‘Oh, but—I shouldn’t take her.’
‘Oh, yes, you should, my lovely. She will only be thrown away, so you might as well have her, if you like.’
‘Like? Oh, I should love her.’ Wilhelmina’s small hands closed round the doll. ‘If you really think…’
Madame Fleurie called, and after a final nod at Wilhelmina, the assistant rose quickly and trotted off.
‘Gwen,’ breathed Wilhelmina, ‘Gwen, what do you think?’
‘Keep her, if you wish,’ muttered Gwendoline. ‘Although it does seem odd to be rewarded when you have caused so much trouble.’ Seeing her little sister’s lip begin to tremble again, she gave her a quick hug. ‘Goose. I know you didn’t mean to do it. Come on, Aunt Louisa has finished; we must go.’
With regal grace, Lady Varley shepherded her two charges back to the coach, while Madame Fleurie bowed and scraped at her heels.
The children scrambled into the carriage and Lady Varley climbed in after them, dropping back with a sigh on to the well-padded seat.
‘Well, thank heaven that is done. I shall not need to come back now. Madame Fleurie can call at Burlington Street next week for a fitting. Now…’ she smiled brightly at her nieces ‘…let us take that turn around the park. It is a pity the weather is too inclement to put down the hood, but you will get an airing, none the less.’ Her glance fell to the doll Wilhelmina was holding and she tutted. ‘Oh, Minna, surely you are too old to be bringing dolls for a ride with you?’
‘No, Aunt, you see—’
‘Next time you must leave her at home.’ Lady Varley carried on as if Wilhelmina had not spoken. ‘Dolls should be kept in the nursery. Dear me, your new governess will have some work to do with you!’
Chapter Four
Juliana had wondered how Cousin Pettigrew would take the news that she had obtained a post and was relieved that he appeared quite sanguine. Once she had explained that she had overheard the Major’s comments in the hallway of Bouverie Street, Mr Pettigrew seemed to believe that he had somehow engineered the whole thing himself, and had solved the problem of providing for his cousins at very little expense. He was therefore able to wave them off with perfect good humour. Mrs Churwell shed a tear at the thought of them all going so far away, and even pressed one last slice of fruitcake upon Thomas. He devoured it on the short journey to Burlington Street, explaining to his sisters that he would not wish to carry it with him into the Major’s house, in case his staff thought it a slight upon their hospitality.
There was no sign of the Major when they arrived and they were greeted by the housekeeper who led them upstairs. She introduced herself as Mrs Hartley.
‘The master sends his apologies that business takes him out this morning, but he has asked me to ensure you have everything you need, miss.’ She opened the door of a large apartment on the second floor. ‘The master thought this might suit you, Miss Wrenn—there’s a bed made up in the corner for your sister, and another in the adjoining dressing room for the young gentleman. It is for less than a week, but the Major thought you might prefer to be together, being in a strange house.’
‘Yes, thank you.’ Juliana looked around her in surprise. She had expected to be tucked away in an attic room, yet this apartment bore all the trappings of a guest chamber. ‘The Major is most kind.’
‘That he is, miss. Now, your trunks are on their way up, so I shall leave you to unpack.’ She gestured towards the round table by the window. ‘I shall send up a light luncheon for you shortly, and Nurse will bring the Misses Collingham to the schoolroom for you at two o’clock.’
When the housekeeper had gone, Thomas let out a low whistle.
‘Lord, sis, this is much grander than I thought it would be.’ He opened the door to the dressing room and peered in. ‘My own room, too!’
‘Yes, well, enjoy it while it lasts,’ said Juliana, taking off her bonnet. ‘I expect there was no room for us with the servants and he was obliged to put us in this guest room. But do not expect such luxury when we are travelling, or when we reach the Major’s Lancashire estate—remember I am a paid employee.’
‘And what are we?’ piped up Amy, bouncing on the edge of her bed.
‘You are to be travelling companions for his nieces.’ She sat down beside Amy and pulled the little girl on to her lap. ‘He has two little girls: one is twelve years old, the other eight, just a little younger than you, Amy.’
‘Huh, I hope you don’t expect me to play with girls!’ declared Thomas, pulling a face.
‘I expect you to behave like a gentleman, sir. The Major also has a son, some years older than the girls. I haven’t met him yet, and he is not one of the schoolroom party, so perhaps we will not see much of him.’
Thomas shrugged. ‘I don’t see how we can avoid it, if we are all travelling together—’
He broke off as a large corded travelling trunk was brought in by two liveried footmen and, under Juliana’s instruction, the two children spent the remaining time until luncheon unpacking their clothes and putting them into the chests of drawers and the big linen press that Mrs Hartley had told them they could use.
At two o’clock Juliana made her way to the schoolroom, Thomas and Amy hard on her heels. As she reached the door, Gwendoline’s voice could be heard quite clearly coming from the other side.
‘But we do not want her, Nurse! Why should we have a governess now, what can she teach us while we are travelling? Why, if she tries to make me read in the carriage, I shall be sick! It would be much better to wait until we get to Lancashire—Papa can hire a proper governess for us there.’
Juliana grasped the door handle and rattled it before opening the door. She moved into the room, smiling as if she had heard nothing of Gwendoline’s tirade.