The Governess of Highland Hall (33 page)

Sunlight filtered through the trees, spreading a touch of warmth to the cool, clear morning. William pulled in a deep breath, savoring the scent of cedar, moss, and soil as he strolled down the wooded path with Miss Foster, Andrew, and Millie at his side. It was wonderful to be outdoors again. It always amazed him the way spending time in nature made him feel refreshed and alive.

Up ahead, Clark Dalton and Sarah led them on their search for the perfect Christmas tree. Katherine, Penelope, David, and Alice Drexel followed
a short distance behind. The young women chattered away about the upcoming holiday, Katherine and Penelope describing past Christmases at Highland and Alice explaining American traditions.

Millie sighed and looked up at him. “Papa, my feet are getting tired. Are we nearly there?”

“This has been quite a long walk for you, hasn’t it? Why don’t I give you a lift?” He reached down and picked her up. Millie sighed happily and laid her head on his shoulder. She was surprisingly light, and he found he quite enjoyed holding her close like this. Her soft breath warmed his neck, and he smiled. It had been a long while since he had carried his daughter in his arms.

Too long.

Miss Foster glanced across at them, her eyes glowing with a happy light. “I don’t think it’s much farther, Millie.”

“I don’t mind.” Millie snuggled in closer. “As long as Papa carries me.”

“It’s a good thing you’re light as a feather pillow,” he added.

Millie giggled. “Oh Papa, I weigh more than a pillow.”

“Not much more.” He glanced at Miss Foster, and they exchanged a smile.

This was the kind of outing they both enjoyed, and he could tell she was pleased he had included the children. And he was pleased as well. With Miss Foster’s encouragement, he had been spending time with the children each day at tea or after. A renewed fondness warmed his heart as he thought of them now, and it melted away some of the pain from the past. His gaze shifted to Miss Foster, and gratefulness warmed his heart. She was bringing them all closer and helping him in so many ways.

“Look, there’s a good tree!” Andrew ran ahead to a large evergreen that stood proud and tall at the edge of a clearing. “Isn’t that grand?” He dashed back and motioned for them to join him.

Dalton stood to the side, his saw in hand as everyone else gathered around the tree.

William carefully set Millie on the ground next to Miss Foster, then lifted his hand to shade his eyes and inspect the evergreen. “Dalton, what type of tree is that?”

“I believe it’s a spruce, sir.”

William nodded. “How tall would you say it is?”

“At least fourteen feet, maybe fifteen.”

His brother strode around, checking the back. “It has a nice shape. No problems on this side.” He glanced at Alice. “What do you think, Miss Drexel?”

Her eyes widened for a moment. “Oh, it’s a lovely tree.” She shifted her gaze to William, her smile warming. “It’s quite tall, but you certainly have room for one that large in your great hall.”

A ripple of unease traveled through William. Alice Drexel was a beautiful young woman, skilled in social graces and conversation, but there was something about her that didn’t quite ring true. Perhaps it was just that she was an American and much more free-spirited than most English women.

Since her arrival last night she had continually complemented him and Highland, remarking on how large and lovely the rooms were, how exquisite the paintings and furnishings, how beautiful and rare the antiques. She asked him about the history of the estate and wanted to know more about his family and connections in London. The conversation made him a bit uncomfortable, but he couldn’t very well refuse to answer. After all, she was a friend of Lord and Lady Gatewood’s and his dinner guest.

When Sarah mentioned the outing to cut the Christmas tree, Lady Gatewood maneuvered the conversation so that they had no choice but to invite Alice to come along and spend the day with them.

William took Millie’s hand. “What do you think, Millie? Does that Christmas tree meet your approval?”

She nodded, her eyes sparkling. “Yes, Papa. It’s beautiful.”

“Very well.” William signaled Dalton. “Let’s cut it down.”

“Yes sir.” Dalton moved toward the tree. Andrew was eager to help, so Dalton asked him to hold back the branches and give him more room to work. Sarah and Miss Foster stood with Millie, Katherine, Penelope, and Alice and watched from a safe distance.

David joined William. He crossed his arms and nodded toward Sarah. “Country life seems to agree with our sister.”

“Yes, I believe Sarah is very happy here.”

“That wouldn’t have anything to do with that fellow Dalton, would it? What is he—the gardener?” David asked with a skeptical lift of his eyebrows.

William straightened. “He is head gardener, following in his father’s footsteps.”

“Well, he certainly has his eye on Sarah, and it looks as though she is doing nothing to discourage him—quite the opposite in fact.”

William set his jaw and looked away. He had forgotten how arrogant his brother could be. But hadn’t those been William’s exact thoughts not long ago? It shamed him now, hearing them repeated by his brother.

“I hope you’ll keep things under control. We wouldn’t want Sarah to do anything that would tarnish the family’s reputation here or in London. That would reflect poorly on us both.”

“No, we wouldn’t want that.” Sarcasm tinged William’s voice, but David didn’t seem to notice.

David’s gaze shifted from Sarah to Miss Foster, and a slight smile lifted one side of his mouth. “Discreet affairs with someone of a different social class are acceptable for men like us. But society takes a very dim view of aristocratic women who choose that path.”

Irritation flashed through William. “Sarah would never be involved in an affair.”

“No, I suppose not. She’s lived a sheltered life, and she’s always had you as her protector.” David smiled as though that was particularly amusing.

“Affairs—discreet or otherwise—are the devil’s trap. Anyone who takes that path is a fool and courts his own destruction. I want nothing to do with them, and neither should you.”

“My goodness, William. I didn’t realize you were such a paragon of virtue.”

William clamped his mouth closed. This was neither the time nor the place for an argument with his brother, especially on this topic.

“This is the twentieth century, William. Times are changing.”

“What is right will never change. Chastity before the wedding and
faithfulness after, that is the only way to assure a happy and long-lasting marriage.”

David smiled. “Yes, I suppose it’s time I began to think more seriously about the prospect of marriage.” He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “So, what do you think of Miss Drexel?”

What was David asking him? Did he mean to imply he was interested in pursuing her, or was he suggesting William should? He huffed and adjusted his jacket. “I don’t really know her well enough to say.”

“I wasn’t keen on the idea of an American wife, but perhaps I should reconsider. She has enough beauty to tempt me, and when that fades, there would always be her fortune to keep me happy.”

William shook his head. “If that’s your attitude toward marriage and selecting a bride, you are apt to be very disappointed.”

David chuckled and slapped him on the shoulder. “William, old boy, you’re always so brooding and serious. You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Why don’t you relax and enjoy life a little?”

William crossed his arms and looked away. Perhaps if he didn’t carry the painful memory of his wife’s unfaithfulness or the current weight of his struggle to save Highland, he might be less brooding. What was wrong with David? How could he forget the shame and sorrow Amelia’s affair and death had caused William?

“Stand back everyone!” Dalton called. “The tree’s coming down!”

William quickly surveyed the scene, making sure his family, Miss Foster, and Miss Drexel were in a safe place, then he nodded to Dalton. The gardener made the final cut, and the tree crashed to the ground as the children cheered and the women clapped. Sarah hurried to Mr. Dalton’s side and thanked him. She squeezed his hand and sent him a bright smile.

The muscles in William’s neck and shoulders tensed. He wanted Sarah to wed and be happy. Getting to know Dalton better had eased his fears—to a degree. But David was right about one thing: the more time Sarah and Dalton spent together, the more obvious their feelings for each other would become.

He studied his sister and her beau again, and the truth was undeniable.

Soon the staff would be discussing it, and then the whole village would know. Was he ready to deal with the repercussions? He had better get ready, because they were coming.

TWENTY-ONE

Evergreen garlands decorated with red bows and cinnamon sticks hung on the banisters of the grand staircase, filling the air with a fresh, spicy fragrance. Julia waited near the bottom step, holding hands with Andrew on one side and Millie on the other. Across the hall, the lofty Christmas tree stood between the fireplace and the library doorway.

Mr. Dalton emerged from beneath the lowest branches and dismissed his two young assistants who had helped him bring in the tree and secure it in place.

Sarah hurried to his side. “Thank you, Mr. Dalton. That’s the perfect spot.”

He brushed off his hands. “I’ve added extra weight to the base. That should hold it steady.”

“We’ve never had a tree quite this large.” She looked up and smiled. “It’s beautiful.”

He nodded, a twinkle in his eyes. “I’m glad you’re pleased, miss.”

She looked back at him. “I am pleased. Very pleased, indeed.”

The exchange appeared to be normal conversation between a diligent head gardener and a grateful mistress of the house, but Julia could see the silent ebb and flow of affection between them, and it warmed her heart. Sarah deserved this happiness after so many years of buried hopes and isolation.

Andrew tugged on Julia’s hand. “Can we decorate the tree now?”

“Yes, we’ve been waiting ever so long!” Millie looked up, her eager expression making Julia smile.

Sarah motioned them closer. “Come and help me open the boxes.”

Andrew and Millie ran to Sarah, and Julia followed, eager to join in. Although her family had celebrated Christmas in India by giving gifts and singing carols, it had been twelve years since she had decorated an evergreen Christmas tree.

Sir William stood by the fireplace with his brother beside him. “Dalton, we’ll need a ladder to reach those higher branches. Can you bring one in?”

“Yes sir. I’ll fetch it now.” Mr. Dalton strode off.

Millie reached in a box and pulled out the first ornament—a hand-blown glass bird painted green and gold. “Oh, look at this one, Papa. Isn’t she pretty?”

“Very nice.” He smiled. “I remember hanging it on our Christmas tree when I was a little boy.”

Millie’s eyes grew round. “Really?”

William chuckled. “I know it may seem hard to believe, but I was your age once.” He motioned toward the box. “And most of these ornaments have been in our family for many years.”

“Then I will put this one in a very special place.” Millie reached up and gently hung the golden bird on a sturdy branch.

“I hope you haven’t started without us.” Katherine descended the stairs with Penny and Alice. Two footmen carrying a large trunk followed them. “Our family ornaments were put away upstairs.”

Sarah sent Julia an anxious glance and then crossed the hall to meet Katherine. “You’re just in time. The children are anxious to get started. Come and show us what you’ve brought down.”

The footmen placed the trunk on the floor near the tree and lifted the lid. Penny folded back the tissue paper to reveal a layer of exquisite glass ornaments. Julia stepped closer, intrigued by the beautiful designs: flowers, stars, bells, fruit, fish, musical instruments, baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the wise men on camels, each one delicately painted.

“Aren’t they lovely?” Penny looked around the group with an eager smile.

Katherine took a rose-shaped ornament from the trunk. “Most of these are from Germany. They were brought here by our mother’s family.”

Sarah stepped closer and peered into the trunk. “What a wonderful collection. I’m so glad you brought them down. I was worried we wouldn’t have enough ornaments for a tree this size, but putting them all together will solve that problem very nicely.”

The decorating began in earnest as they took ornaments from the trunk and boxes and placed them on the tree. Soon the lower half of the tree was covered with a bright array of beautiful decorations.

Mr. Dalton returned with the ladder and set it up. He glanced around the group and turned to Sarah. “Would you like me to hold the ladder for you?”

Sarah paled and shook her head. “I’m afraid I’ve never cared for heights or climbing ladders.” She bit her lip and slipped her withered hand into the fold of her skirt.

Julia sent her an understanding look. Sarah’s fear of heights made sense. The weakness on the right side of her body and her crippled hand and arm limited her strength and agility. Thankfully, she could depend on others to tackle any tasks that required climbing a ladder.