The Governess of Highland Hall (5 page)

Julia nodded, pleased to hear Sir William was concerned about the spiritual needs of his family and staff. Her thoughts shifted back to the children’s schedule. “Do the children eat luncheon with their father?”

“No, you will supervise their meals in the nursery.”

Julia hesitated. “All their meals?”

“Yes. Sir William believes—”

A high-pitched scream came from the other side of the nursery door.

Julia gasped.

Mrs. Emmitt stiffened, then jerked open the door.

“Andrew, please!” The maid chased the boy across the room. Freckles covered his face, and his bright red, wavy hair glowed like a flaming torch as he ran past. He raced behind the table, clutching a gold-and-black stuffed tiger. He dodged the maid, eluding her grasp, and turned over a child-sized chair.

Millicent stood in the corner, tears flowing down her pale cheeks. “He’s got my tiger!”

Mrs. Emmitt drew herself up, her eyes blazing. “Andrew Ramsey, stop this immediately!”

The boy darted a gleeful look at the housekeeper, then dashed into the closet and slammed the door.

The young maid, her face flushed and her blond hair coming loose from her cap, hurried back to Millicent and knelt beside her. “It’s all right, Miss Millie. Please don’t cry. I’m sure he won’t tear the head off Tiger.”

“Ann, what is going on?” Mrs. Emmitt glared at the maid.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. Master Andrew is … having a difficult morning.”

“That’s no excuse for letting things get so out of hand.” Mrs. Emmitt marched to the closet and twisted the knob, but the door was locked. “Master Andrew, come out at once!”

“No! I’m never coming out!”

“That’s nonsense. You can’t spend the day in the closet.”

“Yes, I can!”

“Very well. Then you’ll have no breakfast, and I shall have to tell your father you are misbehaving again.”

Julia and the maid exchanged a glance. Would that motivate the boy to obey? Apparently not, because the door remained closed.

Mrs. Emmitt spun around and faced Ann. “I have a mind to dismiss you on the spot!”

The maid’s eyes widened. “Oh no. Please, ma’am. I’m sure he’ll settle down and be out in just a minute.”

“He’d better be!” Mrs. Emmitt snatched a watch from her skirt pocket and checked the time. “You have twenty-five minutes to finish dressing the children and bring them downstairs. If you fail in that duty, you will pack your bags and leave this house today. Do you understand?”

The color drained from the maid’s face. “Yes ma’am.”

Mrs. Emmitt sent Julia a stern glance. “Perhaps Miss Foster can help you get the children under control.” She strode out of the room and closed the door with a loud bang.

Julia swallowed and turned to the maid. “I’m so sorry. What a difficult way to begin the day. I’m Julia Foster, the new governess.”

Tears gathered in the young woman’s eyes. “My name’s Ann Norton, and I’m ever so glad you’ve come. I’ve only been in service here a week, and I’ve had a dickens of a time trying to manage these two wild ones on my own.” She nodded toward Millie. “Spawn of the devil, if you ask me.”

Julia stifled a gasp. “We mustn’t speak about the children that way.” She glanced at the little girl, who watched them with wide blue-green eyes. Her tears had slowed, but she still breathed in jerky sobs.

“You’re right, of course. But I’ve never seen such disobedient and unruly—”

“Please, I must insist on it.”

The maid sighed. “All right.” She placed her hands on her hips and glared toward the closet. “We’ve got to get that boy out here and dressed.” She walked over and tried the doorknob again. “Andrew, Mrs. Emmitt is gone. You’ll not be punished if you come out now and finish dressing.” Ann bit her lip and waited, but the door did not open. “Miss Foster, your new governess has arrived, and she’s brought you a treat.”

Julia shook her head. “We mustn’t lie to the children to convince them to obey.”

“What kind of treat?” Andrew’s muffled voice came from behind the closet door.

Julia opened her mouth, intending to explain she hadn’t brought him anything, but the maid cut her off. “It’s something delicious, and if you come out now you can have some before we go downstairs.”

The door creaked open about a foot, and the boy peered out. “I don’t see any treats.”

Julia stepped forward. “You’re right, Master Andrew. Ann was mistaken.”

He started to pull the door shut, but Julia grabbed hold and kept it open. “I didn’t bring treats today, but if you settle down and get dressed, I’ll tell you about the time a real tiger came calling at our house.”

He snorted and tossed Millie’s stuffed tiger on the floor. “There are no tigers in England, except perhaps in the zoo.”

Millie ran forward and snatched the stuffed animal. She gathered it into her arms and sent her brother a hateful glare.

“You’re right,” Julia continued in a calm voice. “But I’m talking about my house in India.”

His green eyes lit up. “India? Like
The Jungle Book
?”

“Yes. You’ve read it?”

He shook his head. “Mrs. Lambert, our governess in London, started reading it to us, but then we had to come here.” He scowled, his expression looking very much like his father’s when she met him in the lane yesterday morning.

“It’s a wonderful book,” Julia continued. “Perhaps we can find a copy and finish reading it.”

Ann placed her hand on Andrew’s shoulder and guided him away from the closet. “Yes, maybe Miss Foster can read it to you after breakfast, but first we must get dressed.”

“I want to hear the tiger story.” Millicent walked toward Julia. She was a lovely child, with long, wavy red hair flowing over her shoulders and a few pale freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks.

Julia smiled. “Let’s obey Ann and finish dressing, and I’ll tell you the story while I fix your hair.”

Millicent held out her hand to Julia. That simple offer of trust warmed Julia’s heart. She grasped the girl’s hand and led her to the dressing table.

Fifteen minutes later the children stood by the door, neatly dressed, hair combed, and ready to go downstairs.

“There now, you look very nice.” Ann straightened Andrew’s jacket and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

Julia nodded her approval. “Andrew, since this is my first day, I’d like you to escort me downstairs and show me how everything is done.”

The boy’s face brightened. “All right. I can do that.”

Julia took his arm, and he led the way out of the nursery and down the hall.

A young woman met them in the gallery. She wore a dark blue dress with little adornment, but it looked well made of expensive material. Her dark brown hair was pulled up in a simple style. Kindness flowed from her brown eyes. She sent Julia a shy smile and slipped both hands behind her back. “Good morning. I’m Sarah Ramsey, William’s sister.”

“This is our new governess, Miss …” Andrew looked up at Julia.

Julia smiled and gave her name. “I’m happy to meet you, Miss Ramsey.”

“Oh, please, call me Sarah.”

Julia nodded. “As you wish.”

The sound of conversation in the great hall on the floor below drew Julia’s attention and she glanced over the banister.

“We had better go down,” Sarah said. “My brother likes everyone present at nine o’clock.”

Andrew tugged Julia toward the stairs.

She held him back. “When a gentleman walks with a lady, he keeps her pace in mind, especially indoors.” She spoke to him in a low, gentle tone so no one else could hear.

He nodded and walked slowly, looking like a perfect little gentleman.

Sir William stood by the large marble fireplace in the great hall, watching them descend the stairs, his expression unreadable.

At the bottom, Julia hesitated. Should she stand with the servants, who waited on one side of the hall opposite Sir William, or should she join him?

Sarah leaned closer. “Your place is with the children.”

Julia nodded her thanks and followed Sarah, Millicent, and Andrew toward the fireplace. Sarah walked with a slight limp, and Julia wondered if she had suffered an injury.

Across the hall the servants lined up in what appeared to be the order of their rank. At the head of the line stood Mr. Lawrence, the butler, then Mrs. Emmitt, the housekeeper. Next to her stood the French chef she’d seen working in the kitchen, wearing a white chef’s coat and dark trousers, then two tall footmen dressed in formal livery. Next came five maids, including Lydia, the young woman she’d met when she first arrived at Highland for her interview. Lydia sent Julia a slight nod and smile. Three young kitchen maids, who looked like they were no older than fourteen or fifteen, came next. The gardener, who had directed her to the back door yesterday, and his two young assistants held their caps in their hands as they waited at the end of the line.

It was a large staff, and she imagined there were many others who worked for Sir William outdoors, managing his horses, cows, sheep, orchards, and crops. That was quite a responsibility to oversee so many people and such a large estate.

She glanced at Sir William, noting the lines of strain around his eyes and the stiffness of his posture. Once again she pondered how wealth and possessions didn’t guarantee a carefree life. She must pray for him and do all she could to ease his concern for his children.

William pulled his watch from his vest pocket and scowled when he saw the time. He did not intend to wait all morning for his two young cousins to appear. On the opposite side of the great hall his butler, Lawrence, met his gaze. He glanced toward the staircase with a question in his eyes.

William blew out a breath and tried to restrain his growing irritation. “Mrs. Emmitt, do you know why Miss Katherine and Miss Penelope have not come down?”

“No sir. I’m sorry. I do not. I’ve been a bit preoccupied this morning.” She narrowed her gaze at the new governess who stood beside William with his children and his sister. The housekeeper turned to one of the maids. “Lydia, did you wake the young ladies this morning?”

She bobbed a quick curtsy. “Yes ma’am. Miss Katherine sent this note.”

A ripple of surprise crossed the servants’ faces as the maid took the note from her apron pocket and passed it to Mrs. Emmitt. Lawrence cleared his throat and flashed a warning glance down the row. The servants all lowered their gazes to the floor.

Mrs. Emmitt snatched the note from Lydia’s hand. “Next time you will give me any messages immediately.”

“Yes ma’am.” The maid’s lower lip quivered, and she dropped her gaze.

Mrs. Emmitt walked across and handed the note to William. “I’m sorry, sir.” She softened her tone. “Lydia is new and just getting used to the way we do things at Highland.”

“I’m sure she meant no harm.” He took the note and unfolded it.

Dear Cousin William
,

We are not feeling well. Please excuse us for not coming down this morning
.

Your cousins, Katherine and Penelope

Heat surged into his chest. “
Not well,
”
my eye! They’ll be perfectly fine by the time they want to go riding or call on a friend this afternoon
. He stuffed the note in his pocket. This would not do. Morning Scripture reading and prayer were not optional. Everyone needed to fall in line, even his young cousins.

He looked up and straightened his shoulders. “Very well, let’s begin. This morning, before I read our passage of Scripture, I would like to introduce our new governess, Miss Julia Foster.” He nodded toward her.

Her soft blue eyes lit up, and a slight smile tucked in the corners of her mouth.

An unsettling awareness traveled through him. He shook it off and shifted his gaze away. “She is originally from Fulton but has recently returned from India, where she and her family were engaged in mission work. She will be overseeing the education of the children and the young ladies.”

Andrew squirmed on his left, and William placed a firm hand on the boy’s shoulder. Andrew stilled and looked up. William squeezed his son’s
shoulder, hoping to press in the point. “I expect you all to cooperate with her and give her the respect due her position.”

Nelson, the first footman, looked Miss Foster over with a slight smile and an unmistakable gleam in his eye.

William frowned and made a mental note to speak to Lawrence about it. Relationships between the staff were discouraged, and he would not put up with any of the men bothering Miss Foster.

He cleared his throat and opened his Bible. “This morning our passage comes from Galatians, chapter five, verses thirteen and fourteen. ‘For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ ”

He closed the Bible and waited a moment, hoping the words would sink into his servants’ minds. “Let us pray. O gracious heavenly Father, help us guard our hearts and minds from sinful thoughts and actions, and remind us of our responsibilities to diligently serve others and love our neighbor.” Someone snickered, and he looked up.