The Duke and The Governess (24 page)

‘I just have to see Miss Jessica before we go and explain to our hosts.’ The Duke explained to her.

‘Oh! But Miss Jessica isn’t in the nursery this morning.’ Elizabeth said innocently as she watched the footman pack a trunk. ‘She went for a walk before breakfast and hasn’t come home yet.’

John speared her with his eyes. ‘Do you know where, pigeon?’ he asked softly.

‘No. But, she wasn’t there for breakfast and I overheard two of the nannies talking about it.’ Elizabeth turned her head and looked at Mrs. Beaton with a frown. Mrs. Beaton squirmed and flushed.

‘Then I’ll have to write Jessica a note and leave it for her.’ John sat down at the escritoire and penned a short note to Jessica.

My Dearest Jessica,

There were so many things I wanted to do today, but fate has intervened and I must return to London. Please be assured that I love you and last night wasn’t an idle dalliance for me. I fully intended to propose marriage today and I will write in more detail when I can.

Yours for eternity,

John Farrington.

The Duke of Warwick.

He handed it to Mrs. Beaton. ‘Will you give that to the house nanny for Jessica please?’ Mrs. Beaton nodded her head and scuttled away. But, Mrs. Beaton couldn’t find Mrs. Tabb and hurriedly gave the note to the nanny of Lady Greyston, who was fully aware of the Duke’s interest in the Governess and threw the note into the fire as a favour to her mistress.

John found the Viscount and explained his departure, briefly saying he’d been recalled to London by the Lord Chancellor. Then the coach was packed, he, Elizabeth and Mrs. Beaton climbed inside, Masters climbed up beside the coachman and they were away.

John looked out of his window until they turned out onto the turnpike, but he didn’t catch a glimpse of Jessica. John was so self-absorbed about his feelings over Jessica that he failed to notice how quiet Elizabeth was.

~*~*~*~

Jessica had gone out before breakfast. She’d wrapped herself in a thick shawl and walked down to the lake, through the wood. She had spent the whole walk debating the Duke and what would happen next. She hoped he would offer for her hand and returned to the house through the front door. As she walked down the hall, she heard the Duke of Norfolk talking to Viscount Malvern.

‘Well! That’s what I can’t understand!’ Norfolk said heatedly. ‘If it was government business I would have been recalled as well. Why did Eldon send for him?’

‘Maybe it was an excuse to leave. I was surprised he stayed as long as he did. Warwick doesn’t usually do house parties. Not his thing. Although it’s obvious he dotes on his daughter.’

‘Well, we all do, don’t we.’ Norfolk conceded. ‘I suppose it’s been difficult for him without a Duchess to handle the house and child. Still I hear he’s making an offer to Lady Wilhelmina Bantock, but that’s just gossip and you know how reliable that is.’ He laughed coarsely. ‘Pity he’ll miss the ball tonight, he might have tried out Lady Greyston. She’s been panting for him all week.’

Jessica’s heart thudded in her chest, making her light headed. In a daze she walked slowly upstairs, berating her own folly all the way.

Stupid, stupid little ingénue!
She repeated.
Haven’t you learned anything? Men only want one thing and once they’ve had it, it’s goodbye, if they can be bothered to say it. What did you expect?
She asked herself.
Did you honestly expect him to offer marriage? To make you a Duchess? You a plain little Miss from nowhere? You fool!

In an effort to banish her violent thoughts, Jessica threw herself into the day’s activities for the children and didn’t even sit down until she fell into bed as the ball started and hugged her pillow until she fell asleep. Her dreams were disturbed and she was restless, waking in a panic, as she saw herself pregnant, penniless and starving, with the Duke looking down on her in disgust and denying any knowledge of her.

Next morning Anthony tackled her after breakfast. ‘Did you have to frighten the Duke away?’ he asked with a teasing smile as he waylaid her on her way back to the nursery after escorting a child down to the entrance hall for departure.

She kept her eyes on her destination. ‘I didn’t frighten him away. He left.’ She said coldly.

Anthony frowned. ‘Did he ask?’ he said impertinently.

‘Did he ask what?’ she almost spat at him.

‘For your hand!’ he replied exasperated.

She stopped dead and turned slowly to look him in the eyes. ‘Why would he ask for my hand?’ She asked indignantly. ‘He’s already had what he wants. Now he’s probably back in London where he can offer for an unsullied debutante like Lady Wilhelmina Bantock to fill his nursery.’ She turned back to the nursery door. ‘He certainly wouldn’t ask somebody like me to do it for him.’

‘But he told me he was going to.’ Anthony murmured in confusion.

‘Well he didn’t and frankly I’m surprised you’d actually believe him.’ She put her hand on the handle and before she could open the door Anthony grabbed her by the wrist.

‘Did he ravish you?’ He whispered harshly in her ear. She turned her flushed face and distraught eyes up to his face and he saw it there in her countenance. ‘The bastard!’ He intoned solemnly. ‘You leave everything to me, Jessica.’

‘It’s not quite like you think.’ She whispered back and grabbed An
thony by the arm and dragged
him to the end of the corridor, away from the nursery door. ‘He didn’t just rape me or even take me against my will.’ She murmured. ‘If I’d said no, he would have stopped.’ She looked up and Anthony’s heart almost tore apart at the expression on her face. ‘It was beautiful, really and I didn’t know it could be so wonderful.’ She finished, her voice hushed in awe. She stood for a moment with a dreamy expression on her face and then she snapped firm eyes to his. ‘And I won’t have you do something stupid, when it isn’t necessary.’

‘But he deflowered you and if you become with child your reputation will be in tatters!’

She laughed coarsely. ‘Anthony my reputation is already in tatters, thanks to your brother and our fathers.’ She sighed. ‘I don’t suppose he will turn us out in the cold if it happens, but I can’t see him offering marriage because of it.’ She patted his arm. ‘Just let sleeping dogs lie, Anthony. All you could do is offer him for a duel and I don’t want to see either of you hurt.’ She smiled wanly and turned away for the nursery again.

‘Come to London with me!’ Anthony said brightly. ‘You are a Carruthers, not a governess and as such you should be in my house, under my protection. Just think of all the balls and parties we can attend!’ he finished excitedly.

‘Let me think about it.’ Jessica said and walked away to the nursery. The next day she consented to travel to London on the strict understanding that Richmond couldn’t be there.

‘I sacked him, anyway. Father left him well provided for and I told him to go.’ He shrugged, as if it was nothing. But Jessica knew just how frightening Anthony would have found that. They chatted amiably while Jessica packed her trunks again.

She explained to the Viscount and Viscountess that she was returning to London with Anthony amid cries of anguish and joy. ‘We shall miss you,’ Lady Evelyn said softly, ‘and I know the children will too.’

A
t
six o’clock she walked to church with Andrew. But it didn’t stir her soul, as it would have done if it was John Farrington walking beside her. She sat through the service and walking home told Andrew she was leaving for London in the morning.

‘Is it the duke?’ he asked softly as they walked up the lane.

She looked up at his face in the dying embers of the sun. ‘Yes and no.’ She said and frowned. ‘Yes, I’d like to be nearer to the duke and no, Anthony asked me as his sister-in-law to return home with him.’ She sighed. ‘Apparently I am still Lady Carruthers and it won’t do the Earl any favours for his sister-in-law to be a Governess.’

‘I understand.’ Andrew said calmly and escorted her to the door of the kitchens. Next morning she and Anthony departed for London.

‘Isn’t it quiet, Nanny?’ Susanna said.

‘That it is.’ Mrs. Tabb agreed as Christian suckled on his wet nurse and she stared into the nursery fire and contemplated another new governess.

~*~*~*~

When John arrived in Mayfair, Butcher opened the door with alacrity. ‘Your Grace!’ he said in relief. ‘I didn’t know what to do when Lord Eldon insisted he be brought here.’

‘It’s all right, Butcher. I’m not such a bastard as to leave my dying pauper of a brother-in-law on the streets. Is the physician still here?’ John said quietly as he removed his hat and gloves. He watched Mrs. Beaton chivvy Elizabeth up to the nursery.

‘He is Your Grace. I put Lord Edward in a guest suite and had to employ a nurse for him.’

John looked at the haggard face of his trusted retainer. He patted Butcher on the shoulder. ‘Not to worry, Butcher. I’m home. I’ve offered for a new Duchess.’ He smiled. ‘Masters will tell you all about her. So let’s go and see Edward.’

He took the stair
s
two at a time, managing to keep his rage in check as he strode down the corridor in the guest wing. He opened the door to the first suite and was confronted with a portly nurse, complete with white starched apron and a physician, lounging in the sitting room. They jumped to their feet as soon as John stepped in the room.

‘Ah! Your Grace.’ The Doctor said brightly, bowing formally and then extending his hand. ‘I apologise for the intrusion, but Eldon insisted. Doctor Michaels.’

John took the hand and shook it firmly. ‘It’s no intrusion. What is Edward’s prognosis?’

‘Multiple stab wounds,’ Michaels said gravely. ‘It was astonishing that not one of them hit a vital organ. It was a vicious attack though. He lost a lot of blood, so I haven’t bled him at all, but the wounds have become infected. We’re trying a poultice at the moment, to draw the poison from the wounds, but his temperature is exceptionally high and he’s delirious.’ Right at that moment a high pitched scream came from the bedroom and the nurse hurried away. ‘I’m dosing him with laudanum for the pain and to try to keep him quiet.’ He turned disturbed eyes to John. ‘This has been a very traumatic event for him. I take it you will continue with his care?’

The Duke nodded. ‘I’m not so cruel as to throw him to the dogs, even though it’s his own fault for gambling away everything.’

‘Everything?’ Doctor Michaels said in astonishment.

‘Even his ancestral home has gone.’ The Duke shook his head slowly. ‘I’ve never seen anybody lose so consistently, almost as if God had decided to ruin him.’

‘Well, I’m no expert on the actions of the divine, but your brother-in-law will be lucky to survive this and if he does, he could be a changed man.’ Michaels said firmly, nodded and headed back to the sick room.

John strode thoughtfully to his study to write an explanatory missive to Jessica and then he was deluged
with the work of the past week.

Chapter Thirteen

Jessica enjoyed being back in London and Anthony was indulgent with her. She had been shocked to realise that the Earl’s town residence was in the very rich and sought after area of Green Park. When asked how the family had acquired the land, Anthony had explained that some ancient relative had held the freehold since medieval days and his great, great, great grandfather had actually had the house built during the reign of Henry the Eighth, with his ill gotten gains from some business venture that Anthony didn’t want to know about. Jessica assumed that the wealth had come from marriage or gambling, but didn’t disparage Anthony’s ancestors. It was a monstrous building with sixty bedrooms and numerous parlours, for every eventuality. The grounds were exceptionally well cared for and included a curved drive from Queen’s Walk on the edge of the park. Grand new houses had been built between them and St. James’s Palace on the corner by St. James’s Park and towards Piccadilly in the other direction. Behind them were stables and coach houses, but in front was a clear view across the park.

For Anthony, nothing was too much trouble. He sent for her maid Mary, escorted her to every couturiére and completely updated her wardrobe. Every modiste raised their eyebrows, assuming that Jessica was his mistress, until she was announced as Lady David Carruthers. Each fashion house tried to enforce mourning clothes and each time Jessica refused. At Madame Jobert’s it all came to a head.

‘But my Lady!’ Madame Jobert exploded. ‘You are in mourning! Your husband has been dead for less than three months!’ She gaped at Jessica in horror.

‘Madame.’ Jessica said firmly. ‘Would you mourn for a man you only saw once?’

‘Once?’ Madame Jobert’s voice became shrill.

‘Yes, once.’ Jessica replied and smiled. ‘Well twice if you count when I saw him emerge from the bushes with Lady Saddleworth.’ She smiled brightly. ‘He arrived at the church, said the vows and went to say goodbye to his mistress before sailing over the briny to Portugal. Now you tell me Madame if you would mourn for him.’

‘I suppose I would not.’ Madame Jobert looked seriously at Jessica. ‘Did he not stay to.....?’ she left the question unfinished as Jessica solemnly shook her head. ‘Oh! My Lady! I’m horrified!’ She pulled Jessica against her ample bosom and rocked her like a mother would. ‘Men!’ she spat. ‘They are all the same! Have their fun and then go with no thought to the consequences!’ She pushed Jessica away and wiped a tear streak from her cheek. ‘So, Cherie! I will design you a wardrobe to defy the
rigeurs
of the
ton.
’