The Duke and The Governess (25 page)

Jessica smiled and soon she was sitting with Anthony, sipping the finest wine and discussing patterns and materials.

By the end of the second week her first ball gowns had arrived and Anthony decided which functions they would attend. They were sitting in a small parlour, which Jessica liked and her maid Mary, was sitting quietly in the corner reading.

‘We should start small.’ Anthony said. ‘It would be in very bad taste for you to just appear at the biggest functions.’ He smiled conspiratorially. ‘Much better to start with a soirée here, an invitation to tea there, rather than the Hunt Ball, don’t you think?’

Jessica was embroidering a beautiful design onto a silk shawl. ‘Which soirée were you thinking of?’

‘Well, your mother is holding one next week, but I’ve already given her the cut, so we won’t go, even though she’ll send an invitation.’ During this Jessica looked up at him in horror. ‘I was thinking the Duchess of Norfolk’s tea, followed by Lady Helen Wentworth’s soiree. What do you think?’ he looked up at her expectantly and frowned at the horrified look on her face.

‘My mother,’ Jessica whispered. ‘I didn’t even give her a thought.’ She looked across the room at him. ‘How did you give her the cut?’

He laughed suddenly, banishing the dread that Jessica felt. ‘It was two weeks after your wedding,’ he said jovially. ‘I was at a ball somewhere, can’t even remember where, but I was well on the way to being foxed. Lady Gordon approached me and asked after your health and I distinctly remember saying “if you’re worried about that, then you shouldn’t have married her to my brother,” I said rather loudly. “She’s being the good little slave that you sold her for, my father’s very grateful to the free nurse you sent him!” and after that we had a blazing row. She accused you of dallying with David in the bushes, I told her it was Lady Saddleworth, just as you had always claimed and how despicable they were to have forced you into a marriage with somebody you didn’t even know. I’m afraid I stuck my nose in the air and turned my back on her there and then.’ Anthony didn’t sound in the least repentant and laughed again. ‘You should have seen her face! And your father’s was positively white.’ He sniggered then, ‘Of course, it did the rounds with the gossip mill and I think your mother was actually ashamed to go out for a few weeks.’ He smiled brightly then. ‘Just think! If we run into her at any of the functions, you can give her the cut yourself!’

‘I suppose I would have to,’ Jessica murmured. ‘But I hope I don’t see either her or my father.’ She smiled sadly. ‘I miss my siblings, though. It was so busy being in a large family and since I’ve felt very alone.’

The conversation was interrupted at that point by the arrival of more parcels containing everything from silk stockings to hats. Jessica laughed as she and Mary open each parcel to discover everything a lady needs to dress from head to foot. Shoes, at least a dozen pairs, for every social occasion. Jessica couldn’t stop herself from trying the dancing slippers and soon she was waltzing around the room with Mary. Twenty pairs of silk stockings in every colour possible, including black and matching garters. Chemise’s made from the finest lawn, petticoats in the finest lisle all decorated in exquisite lace. Stays, by the half-dozen, some long and some short, all colour coded to the gown they should be worn with. The gowns were astonishing. All the silk ones were in vibrant colours, peacock blue, burnt orange, indigo, teal, claret and emerald green. Dozens of gowns, silk for the ballroom, muslin for the daytime, velvet riding habits, long coats, short jackets and Spenser’s in silk, velvet or wool and made to match the gown. Hats of every conceivable size and style. There were nightgowns, dressing gowns and shawls.

‘Oh! My Lady!’ Mary gasped as she looked at the ivory ball gown, as she opened the paper wrapping. ‘Just look at this?!’ burst from her throat and Jessica came and looked over her shoulder. The gown was exquisitely embroidered and decorated with seed pearls. In a paper bag were matching pins for her hair and wrapped in tissue were a pair of ivory silk gloves, decorated in seed pearls to match and an ivory fan, dressed with ostrich feathers. ‘Oh! This is so beautiful.’ Mary smiled at her. ‘You’ll dazzle on your first ball.’ She intoned with satisfaction.

‘Do you think I can capture a good man?’ Jessica asked as she flicked open the fan and batted her eyelashes over the top edge.

‘I think you could attract a Duke, my Lady.’ Mary said, innocently as she lifted the dress out of the wrappings and hung it on the front of the armoire. She didn’t see the pain flit across Jessica’s face as she dropped the fan back onto the bed.

‘A duke.’ She said distantly and walked to the window. She stared across Queen’s Walk into Green Park and thought about the Duke of Warwick for a moment, the excitement of her new clothes gone in an instant. It was two weeks since the house party and now she had something to worry about. Her courses hadn’t arrive on time. She rested her forehead on the glass and closed her eyes.
Maybe I’m just late.
She tried to tell herself, but deep inside her heart she knew already that she was with child. It was only a matter of time before the sickness started or she collapsed, like her sister had. ‘No, I don’t think so.’ She murmured. She continued to stare across Green Park to the King’s Palace while Mary sorted the clothes and accessories away. There was always a procession of carriages clattering passed. She watched a grand coach, complete with the coat of arms of Spain and four of the proudest Andalusian horses she’d ever seen. They were white, trotted in step and had the tell tale arch in the neck that made them so distinguished. The coach was stately, just as an Ambassador from a foreign nation would expect. She wondered how many times the Duke of Warwick’s coach had driven passed and she’d not even seen it. She sighed deeply and returned her attention to the new clothes.

~*~*~*~

John Farrington sighed in relief as Edward Asquith finally opened his eyes. ‘John?’ he mumbled. ‘What the hell happened?’

‘You were stabbed.’ John said without any fuss. ‘I’m so glad that you haven’t died. I didn’t fancy another round of mourning.’

The Duke had spent at least an hour every day sitting with the sickly man. Over the fortnight he had watched the weight shrivel off Edward’s bones and now he looked so frail. ‘Burke is beside himself.’ John said and smiled. ‘I didn’t realise you had a soft spot for your valet.’

‘Soft spot?’ Edward blurted. ‘I’ll kill the bastard. He was supposed to be watching my back!’

‘Well, don’t be too hard on him. He has a very nasty scar on his cheek.’ John helped him to sit up against the pillows. ‘Can you drink something?’

‘Yes. Give me a bottle of brandy!’ Edward said coldly.

‘Well, just to keep Mrs. Green happy, you can start with this broth.’ And John helped him to drink the whole tureen. ‘Would you like a bath now?’ John said and genuinely smiled at his brother-in-law for the first time in years.

‘Why are you smiling?’ Edward scowled angrily. ‘You turned your back on me, what the hell am I doing here?’

‘The Lord Chancellor had you delivered when your dying body was found at a wharf in Wapping. He thought it best to bring you here and wrote to me at the house party.’ He looked firmly at Edward. ‘Thank you for curtailing a very nice party and interrupting my intention to propose to the new Duchess.’

‘Are you taking the vows again?’ Edward asked in surprise.

‘I am.’ John smiled happily to himself as he thought about the passionate side of Jessica.

‘Who is she?’

‘Lady David Carruthers.’ John said softly.

‘Christ! She’s not even out of mourning yet!’ Edward gasped.

‘She isn’t even in mourning. David Carruthers sailed away to the Peninsular without even consummating the marriage, so that old bastard Stephen Carruthers used her as a nurse and when he’d been informed of David’s demise, he promptly tried to have the marriage annulled and sent her to be a governess for the Viscount of Malvern!’ John explained indignantly.

‘I’m surprised she didn’t stick a knife in the old bastard, so David could have the title.’ Edward said.

‘No, she’s not that vindictive or venal, but I know she gets on well with the new Earl.’ He watched Edward eyes closing as he drifted off and left him to sleep.

John was concerned about one thing. He had heard nothing from Jessica. He had given his direction clearly in his letter, but as yet he hadn’t received a reply.
It is two weeks!
He thought anxiously.
Jessica said she was due now. Why hasn’t she written?
He frowned.
Now that Edward’s out of danger, perhaps I can get out and about. If I can see the Viscountess, maybe she can give me some news.

That night he attended the Duchess of Richmond’s ball across Grosvenor Square. He greeted his acquaintances distantly as he searched the rooms for the Viscountess. He was just helping himself to another glass of claret when the Duchess herself commandeered him for Lady Wilhelmina Bantock.

‘John, you must dance with Lady Wilhelmina here. She’s been a wallflower all night!’ the Duchess said loudly.

‘I don’t wish to seem rude, Your Grace, but I’m actually looking for the Viscountess of Malvern.’

‘So you are having an affair with her!’ the Duchess said so loudly that all conversation around them stopped.

‘No. I’m not, but I need to talk to her about something important.’ John said eyeing the hideous Lady Wilhelmina. She was almost as tall as him, as thin as a rake, as flat chested as a boy and squinted quite stupidly through the thick lenses of her glasses. He almost had an attack of the vapours thinking about talking to her, let alone dancing with her. He’d seen her dance before and there was nothing dainty or feminine about it. He gulped his wine down. ‘Forgive me Your Grace, Lady Wilhelmina, but I’m due somewhere else.’ He made a perfunctory bow and almost ran out of the ballroom.

‘Gosh that was close!’ Richard Gordon said to his brother Robert. ‘I’m glad that I don’t have a title.’ And he darted back into the card room as the Duchess turned her eye around the room looking for another target.

‘A title doesn’t really matter, you know Richard. It’s the money that counts!’ Robert said as he sidled through the door.

‘I’m not going to marry some baggage like Wilhelmina Bantock, just because her father’s an Earl.’ Richard shuddered theatrically. ‘I’d hope to have better taste than her.’

John Farrington heaved a sigh of relief as he sank back against the plush seating in his carriage. He attended three other functions and found Lady Evelyn at the last one.

‘Lady Evelyn.’ He bowed over her hand.

‘Your Grace.’ She said and smiled beautifully for him. ‘The Viscount has just gone to get me some claret.’

‘Good then while he is away, may I ask you if Lady Jessica is all right?’

‘Lady Jessica?’ Lady Evelyn asked abruptly with raised eyebrows. ‘Do you mean my ex-governess?’

‘Ex?’ he asked and she was disconcerted to see distress flicker across his face.

‘Yes, ex. She resigned the Sunday after the house party and returned to Dean with her brother-in-law. She seemed very distracted that last few days....’ she inhaled sharply. ‘It was you.’ she whispered. ‘You were the one that upset her. What did you do?’ she demanded still in a whisper, but harshly.

‘I don’t know as I did anything.’ John admitted. ‘I left her a note telling her I was leaving and I wrote to her when I got home, but have received no reply.’

‘Well, I can only tell you that she returned to Dean. I haven’t seen her in London and I doubt that we will, she’s still supposed to be in mourning.’ Lady Evelyn said firmly. ‘I’m sure that she will reply soon.’ She patted John on the sleeve and turned her attention back to
Lady Greyston beside her. Eleanor Greyston knew her nanny
had destroyed the letter, but she refrained from saying anything. She was utterly piqued that the Duke was interested in a Governess, but not in her.

~*~*~*~

Jessica had attended a few teas, had offered her services to couple of charitable organisations and attended one soirée. Unfortunately her mother had attended the last one and the hostess was fairly new in town.

‘Lady Gordon, may I introduce Lady Carruthers?’ she said politely and you could have heard a pin drop in the hush that followed. Jessica stared up at her stately mother. All the things that were missing in her life flashed before her eyes as she stared at her mother for a moment and then she abruptly turned her back and placed her glass on a side table before walking calmly from the room. She heard the hostess murmur ‘Oh! Dear!’

Anthony saw and strolled out into the hall. ‘Well done, Jessica!’ he said proudly. ‘You showed them.’

‘I’d like to go home, Anthony.’ Jessica whispered and Anthony noticed she looked very pale. She pulled on her gloves as the footman draped her cloak about her shoulders and Anthony was astonished to watch her eyes roll up into her head as she lost consciousness. He leaped forward and scooped her into his arms, carried her out to the carriage and laid her carefully on the seat.

Eventually she opened her eyes. ‘What happened?’ she asked and slowly sat up.

‘You swooned!’ Anthony said with a laugh, but Jessica didn’t comment. Instead she stroked her hands over her skirts to settle them and stared out at the window.