The Duke and The Governess (12 page)

‘Well, I understand, Your Grace, but it’s not something you should do regularly. If word of it gets out, people will talk.’ She said firmly and then looked at the duke in such away that he understood her completely.

‘Yes, I understand, Mrs. Bea
. People will gossip that I interfere with her.’ He smiled cautiously. ‘Still if Elizabeth mentions it, you’ll have to explain about her uncles bad debts.’

‘Very well, Your Grace.’ Mrs. Beaton said as Elizabeth flew through the door and ran around the table.

‘Maybe it’s just as well we’re going to the country.’ The duke said affectionately. ‘At least she’ll have more space to run around.’

‘As she gets older, Your Grace, she could do with being more in the country, until it’s time for her bow.’ Mrs. Beaton sighed. ‘And that’s when she’ll need a governess, if you’ve not remarried.’

‘I doubt I will ever marry again, Mrs. Bea.’ John Farrington murmured
as a picture of Jessica Gordon flashed across his mind’s eye
.

Chapter Six
 

Little Malvern Manor,  August 1812

The manor at Little Malvern was as ready as it would ever be. All the
servants’
quar
ters in the attics had had their
mattresses aired and made up with fresh linen. Staff space was at a premium, because each family would bring a valet, a maid and a nanny, as well as co
achmen and footmen
. Their horse
s would need stabling and
their carriages would need storage. All the sleeping bunks over the stables
and barns
had been cleaned out and made afresh
and two cottages had been fitted with bedding for the overflow.

Of course, this was nothing to the Viscount and Viscountess. They weren’t personally inconvenienced at all, but Lady Evelyn certainly looked a little green with worry at breakfast that morning.

‘Are you sure everything is in order Plunkett?’ She asked the butler for the hundredth time.
Lord
Michael
flicked his paper and sighed
and then tried to concentrate on the gossip column in front of his eyes.

‘Yes, Lady Evelyn. The servant’s
hall is ready, the stables are ready and Miss Jessica is putting the finishing touches to the nursery
wing
. The guest rooms have all been aired a
nd
prepared, with fresh flowers in each suite
. The gardeners have trimmed the lawns over the last two days, the topiary was finished this morning and Old Bates is just fussing with the potted plants for the terraces.’ He sighed deeply. ‘There really isn’t
anything else to worry on, Mil
ady. Mrs. Green and cook have sorted the menu for today and the extra staff have arrived from the village and are getting ready. Mrs. Green and myself will give them the speech once they’re all ready and presentable. I should have them in the main hall in half an hour for your inspection.’ He took a deep breath. ‘The ballroom has been decorated for tonight’s ball and Sanders is just finishing polishing the floor. The maids have finished dusting the library and have laid fires in all the guest rooms. The large stoves in the coach house are already alight and the coppers are on for the hot water and they won’t go out until the last guest leaves.
I’m still waiting for the musician’s to arrive for tonight, but they’re not due her
e
until this afternoon, anyway.’ Plunkett stopped abruptly and waited for Lady Evelyn to speak again.

‘Do you know, Plunkett? I had no idea it would be such hard work to hold a house party.’ She said in apology.

‘It is very hard work for the staff, your ladyship, but we will endeavour to make it a memorable week for your guests.’

Lady Evelyn smirked suddenly. ‘Do you sprout horns and brandish a whip at the staff?’

‘I do not, Your Ladyship. But woe is the person that crosses the line. I’m a stickler for correctness and don’t like sloppy work.’

‘If I hear a whip crack and a maid scream, I’ll know she crossed the line!’ Lady Evelyn said. ‘Very well, Plunkett, carry on and I’ll be in the hall in half an hour.’

‘Yes, Mil
ady.’ Plunkett said with a bow and left with alacrity, so that he could go and have a smoke in
the kitchen garden.

Lord
Michael
looked over the top of his paper. ‘Do you realise that the gossips think you’re having and affair with Warwick?’

She made a moue of distaste. ‘That’ll be because he smiled so brightly when he accepted the invitation to this party.’ She looked up at her husband. ‘Did you know that Jessica is the youngest daughter of Lady Helen Gordon?’

‘I didn’t.’
Michael
looked quite shocked. ‘Should we have invited them?’

‘No. I think Jessica would have been quite put out and they don’t seem to write to her. Perhaps we should leave the subject alone. I’m sure she’ll tell us about it eventually.’ She said and poured a fresh cup of tea.

‘She talked to Andrew, the day she arrived, but he’s been very discreet. I think he likes her.’

‘Maybe they will form an attachment.’ Lady Evelyn said distantly.

‘I hope they don’t, because one of them would have to leave our employ if they tried to get married.’

‘Oh! I can’t lose Jessica, she’s too good with the children and Peter’s Latin is already improving. When he goes to Eton next year, he’ll be on a par with his peers.’

~*~*~*~

Jessica walked slowly from room to room, checking fires and linens on all the beds. Each suite in the nursery wing had
a nanny’s room and two children’s
rooms
. For the babies, cots had been provided and the wet nurse would sleep in the other children’s room. She was actually finding it quite daunting, the prospect of keeping control and the interest of nearly twenty children, but thankfully some were older than others and the babies weren’t really her responsibility. She arrived back at the school room and smiled contentedly as she looked at her charges reading.

‘Do you know, you must be the three most well behaved children in the world!?’ she said as she sat at her desk. ‘You hardly ever run around a
nd
scream.’

‘We did enough of that with our last governess.’ Peter said calmly. ‘She was actually quite a bad influence on us.’

‘I suspect you’ll see some very bad behaviour over the next week. Usually peers children ca
n
be unmanageable and like to disrupt the Governess to get her fired.’ She smiled
at the memory of her brother
putting a toad in the Governess’
s desk. ‘My brothers were particularly adept at it.’

‘Did you have a G
overness, then?’ Susanna asked.

‘I did. That’s how I learned to read Latin and Greek. Just as you will.’ She stood up. ‘Now I expect the first guests to start arriving soon, so we should adjourn downstairs.’

Taking Susanna’s hand they went down and joined their parents in the main drawing room. Lady Evelyn was discussing something with Mrs. Green, the housekeeper and Lord
Michael
was in conversation with Plunkett.

The children sat together quietly on the settee and waited for their parents to notice them.

They all heard the rattle of the livery as a coach approached the house and Plunkett excused himself politely and went out to greet the new arrivals.
Jessica followed him and was surprised to see Anthony standing in the hall removing his gloves.

‘Jessie!’ he bellowed, ‘Damn me you look well!’ And he held his arms out for a hug.

‘Good morning, M
y Lord.’ Jessica said dutifully and gave a little curtsey.

‘Good God! You don’t have to address me as Lord!’ Anthony said firmly. ‘I’m your brother-in-law, Lady Jessica.’
And he clutched her to his chest in a bear hug.

‘I don’t think so. The old Earl made it plain I wasn’t entitled to use the
Carruthers
name anymore.’
Jessica said softly as she pushed him away.

Anthony started to laugh and took her hand, placing it in the crook of his elbow. ‘Well, you see this is what happened. When I got home and found you gone, I went straight to father to give him a piece of my mind...’ he stopped and looked at the luggage coming through the door. ‘...those trunks belong to Lady Jessica and I would like them taken to her suite!’ he said firmly making Jessica hide a smile behind her hand. Plunkett nodded and the luggage vanished quickly upstairs. ‘Where was I? Oh yes! Father and a piece of my mind. He did his usual bombastic shouting, to which I took no notice, he even brought Richmond in to force me to sign the document about your wedding day and then the next morning he gives me the package of documents and tells me to deliver them to London!’ Anthony laughed loudly. ‘Of course, the documents are still in my room in the London residence!’ He laughed again. ‘So your marriage was never annulled and you are still Lady Jessica
Carruthers
.’

‘Why didn’t you tell us?’ Lord
Michael
said from the door to the drawing room.

‘I didn’t know, my Lord.’ Jessica smiled. ‘May I present Lord Anthony
Carruthers
, the Earl of
Dean?
’ She turned to Anthony, ‘The Viscount and Viscountess of Malvern, Lord
Michael
and Lady Evelyn Clifton.’ She patted Anthony on the arm. ‘Let’s keep this to ourselves for now. It’s much easier if everybody thinks I’m just plain Miss Gordon, the Governess.’ She turned to the children. ‘These are the Right Honourables. Peter, James and Susanna.’

‘I understand this is a family affair and I wonder why you invited me.’ Anthony said impertinently.

‘I have two widows and a widowed Duke on my guest list. You
’re
single and may appreciate so
me
flirting?’ Lady Evelyn said
and laughed gaily.

‘Yes, that sounds delightful. Are we spending the week trussed up like chickens or do we get to relax the dress code?’ Anthony asked.

‘The ball tonight will be formal, but I think we can relax the code during the day.’ Lord
Michael
said mischievously. ‘At least I intend to.’
And fingered his cravat.

~*~*~*~

‘Are we there yet?’ Elizabeth
Farrington
asked for the ten thousandth time.

‘No we aren’t!’ Mrs. Beaton said and grabbed her arm, forcing Elizabeth to sit properly on the seat.

‘Do you remember me talking about behaviour last night?’ the Duke asked and raised his eyebrows.

‘Yes, Daddy. I remember. But  we’re not there yet, so I can still jump around for a bit.’

‘No, I think you should get into the practice of sitting demurely and being seen and not heard!’

‘Yes, Daddy.’ And Elizabeth sat back, folded her hands in her lap and remained silent.

John Farrington returned to his paperwork and tried to immerse himself in business again, but he couldn’t get the thrill of actually seeing Jessica Gordon out of his mind. Every time he tried to read the missive in his hand, he ended up looking out of the window and seeing Jessica in her debutante’s white gown and how she glowed with good health. He remembered the innocence in her countenance and the sparkle of humour in her eyes.

‘Why are you smiling, Daddy?’ Elizabeth asked and made John jump.

‘I was thinking about a ball, like the one that’ll be held tonight.’

‘Will I be able to go to the ball?’ Elizabeth asked innocently.

‘No, pigeon, it’s for the adults only.’ He jerked in the seat as the coach turned into an ornate gateway. ‘Well, it looks like we’re here, pigeon.’

‘Ooh!’ Elizabeth breathed as her head turned to look out of the window at the scenery. ‘It’s a big park, Daddy.’

‘It’s not quite as big as Charlecote Hall, but not far out.’ John said admiring the presentation of the grounds. It was another five minutes before they could see the house in the distance.

Slowly the coach pulled up in front of the gothic manor. The house was a capital E, turned on it’s side. The largest suites would be at the front and he knew looking at it
,
the middle wing was probably the nursery wing. The steps at the front were wide and made of some sort of buff local stone and the balustrade was ornate in a Roman style.

A footman was waiting to open the door and a group of footmen were standing by for the luggage. Plunkett was at the top of the steps and greet
ed
the Duke formally.

‘Your Grace. Welcome to Little Malvern Manor.’ Plunkett said and bowed. ‘If you will follow me, I will show you to your suite.’

Both the Viscount and Viscountess came into the hall to greet the Duke and his daughter. John Farrington’s heart almost leaped out of his chest when he saw Jessica Gordon standing behind them. He was shocked at the standard of her gown, she looked almost like a pauper. The gentry chatted amiably for a few minutes and then Elizabeth decided it was her turn. She pulled her hand away from Mrs. Beaton and walked straight up to Jessica.