The Proposal (6 page)
“I have something to show you boys,” Jennings said.
The boys had come to expect these words, as nearly every day began the same way. Had it not been for the fact that they hadn’t seen Penny in five days, it might have been idyllic. Mr Jennings kept them so busy they barely had time to miss their father. They went horseback riding, visited the London Botanical Gardens and the Compt Museum, and shopped in elite stores where the boys were outfitted in several new suits of clothing, bought stylish hats, and were even given riding crops by their new benefactor.
“This,” Jennings proclaimed with pride, “is a pocket globe.”
“Look, Thomas!” James exclaimed.
Thomas needed no urging. The pocket globe, just three inches in size, was captivating in detail, closing inside a small round case that showed the constellations of the stars inside. Jennings allowed the boys to hold it and look to their hearts’ content. They smiled in delight as they located Africa, the United States, and of course, England.
“Where did you find it?” James wished to know.
“In a novelty shop on Bond Street. We’ll have to visit there sometime. I think you might find it interesting. Thomas, what did we do with the map we studied yesterday, the small one?”
“It’s in my room. Shall I get it?”
“Please do. This tiny globe was copied from that, and I want you to see the details so you can compare them.”
Thomas was off just a moment later, taking the stairs two at a time on long, youthful legs. He went directly to his room, to the table near his bed, and found the map. When he turned back he was surprised to see his sister a few feet inside the room.
“Penny!” he said with great pleasure as he approached her. “Look at your hair! Mrs Smith made it look very pretty.” This said, Thomas took a chair near the door. “What are you doing?” he asked, his heart so glad to see her.
“Mrs Smith said I could walk in the hallway,” she said quietly and then abruptly announced, “I have to go.” With that the little girl began to move away.
“Wait, Penny,” Thomas said, a small measure of amusement in his voice. Did his sister think she would be in trouble if she spoke to him?
But Penny didn’t stop. She moved away from her older brother, who put his hand around her upper arm to stop her.
“Oh, please, Thomas—” Penny turned in obvious pain, shocking him in the process. “Please don’t touch my arm. It already hurts.”
“Why does your arm hurt?” Thomas asked, letting go at the same time.
“I have to go,” Penny said, looking well and truly panicked now.
Coming to his feet, Thomas took his sister by the shoulders, feeling her flinch again, and moved her to the chair he’d just vacated.
“Sit down.”
Jennings chose that moment to investigate what had become of Thomas. He walked through the doorway unannounced.
“Thomas, what’s keeping you?” he asked, his voice tinged with irritation.
“I need to see my sister,” Thomas said, facing him squarely.
“Can’t that wait?”
“No,” Thomas stopped the man by answering firmly. “James,” Thomas went on when that little boy appeared in the doorway, “come in here. I wish to see you and Penny.”
“Thomas,” James asked in fear as he walked toward his siblings, having seen the thundercloud on his brother’s face, “what are you doing?”
“Come in, James,” he said without answering.
“Thomas,” James was ready to panic now. “Mr Jennings is going to throw us out.”
“That is certainly his prerogative,” Thomas stated, his voice resolved but at the same time missing the shock on Jennings’ face as he turned on James’ words. “And that goes for Mrs Smith too,” Thomas added when that lady made an appearance in the doorway. “I’m going to spend some time with my brother and sister.”
Her face expressionless, Mrs Smith nodded and bowed her way back out the door. Jennings looked at Thomas’ set features and spoke quietly.
“Is there something you need, Thomas?”
The young man took a breath. “It has occurred to me that too many days have passed since the three of us have been together. Much as we appreciate your training and time with us, I would wish to take a break at this time and be with Penny and James.”
“Of course, Thomas,” Jennings said with compassion, seeing that Thomas was most sincere and upset. “Take all the time you need.”
“Thank you.”
Jennings left without another word, and the moment they were alone, Thomas shut the door.
“Thomas,” James tried again. “What have you done?”
“Hush, James. Come here, Penny,” her older brother ordered. There was a small sofa set at an angle to the left of the window. Thomas sat on it and pointed to the seat beside him. Penny joined him, her eyes sober, and James sat in the chair across from them.
“Why does your arm hurt, Penny?”
The little girl rubbed her arm and looked at her shoes.
“You can tell me, Penny.”
“I have to be very quiet for Mrs Smith. She wants me to be quiet.”
“What does that have to do with your arm?”
Penny looked at him. “She pulled on it.”
Feeling as though he could be quite ill, Thomas’ eyes slid shut. He had not seen this. He had not understood what might be happening. He opened his eyes to find both of his siblings staring at him. Penny’s face was pale; James was as grave as Thomas had ever seen him.
Father, we need you. How could you leave us this way?
A sob broke in Thomas’ throat as he motioned to Penny. Once she stood before him, he helped her out of her dress. He took in the dark marks on her shoulders and upper arms in horror. Wordlessly he went to the basin to splash cold water on his face and willed his breakfast to stay in place.
After a moment he dried his face very slowly, the situation suddenly becoming clear to him. William Jennings wanted nothing to do with Penny. She had been an inconvenience to him from the start. Had he even known this Mrs Smith, or was she brought into the house on a moment’s thought or whim? Not that it mattered right now. All that mattered was that they get away.
Thomas returned to his sister and helped her into her dress. He smoothed her hair and then started to explain.
“We need to leave here.”
“Where will we go?”
“I don’t know right now, but we can’t stay here.”
James began to cry.
“I’m sorry, James, I know you feel safe here, but we can’t stay.”
“It’s not that,” he wept. “Why would Mrs Smith hurt Penny?”
“I don’t know, but we’re not going to let it go on.”
Thomas stood and paced the room. His head was beginning to hurt, but he knew this was his job. Penny was helpless, and Jennings didn’t care about her welfare.
“I’ve got it.” Thomas stopped and faced James. “You and I will wake early tomorrow, pack our things, and then get Penny. We’ll sneak out early in the morning and have all day to find a place to stay.”
“Do you suppose Mr Jennings’ sister lives in London? He mentioned her one time. Do you think we could find her?”
“Father never talked about her either, James. I just don’t know.”
“I want to stay with you,” Penny said quietly, and mourning for the pesky little sister she could be at times, Thomas simply looked at her. Right now she looked worn and worried, and much too young to live through such hurt.
“We’ll spend the day together,” Thomas suddenly said, knowing he was following the whim of the moment. “We’ll act as normal as possible and not even think about tomorrow until we have to. You can keep a secret, can’t you, Penny?”
“I can, Thomas.”
“Good girl. We’ll just play outside and enjoy the day like we did last week, and we’ll go to bed early like we used to.”
“I want to sleep in here with you,” Penny sobbed, and Thomas went to her.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Thomas assured her, thinking it would make it hard to get her clothing if she stayed with them, but not sure he’d sleep a wink if she was in Mrs Smith’s care a moment longer.
“Okay,” Thomas said, pushing all thoughts of their dark future away and coming back to the moment. “Let’s head to the garden.”
The three trooped down the stairs together, all three of them surprised to find Jennings at the bottom.
“Here you are,” he said, seeming pleased, and James relaxed. Penny hung back some, but Thomas, holding her hand, went forward, looking more confident than he felt.
“Can we continue with our lesson now, gentlemen?”
“I think not, sir,” Thomas said, his voice not sounding confident at all. “We’re going outside for a time, and then we plan to spend the day together.”
It was on the tip of Jennings’ tongue to remind this young man that he was a guest in this home, but then he realized he didn’t want him to feel that way. He wanted him to see this as home. Glancing down at Penny, Jennings believed yet again that she was the fly in this ointment.
“Is Penny not going back to Mrs Smith right now?” Jennings asked, having to work to keep his voice light.
“I’m not sure that Mrs Smith is right for Penny,” Thomas tried.
“Come now, Thomas,” Jennings said with a mild shake of his head before making the mistake of adding, “all children have days when they don’t like their nannies.”
Thomas’ mind was more than made up. If they had to walk out this instant to keep Penny safe, they would.
“It’s been many days,” Thomas began, unaware of how young and hurt he looked, “since the three of us have had time together. We want to spend today together, and we want to start in the garden.”
Jennings did not do a good job of hiding the fact that he was put out. He bowed abruptly, turned on his heel, and strode into his study. The children watched the door shut and then looked at each other.
Thomas continued to lead the way outside, part of his heart in turmoil and part in peace, thinking that whatever happened, they’d made the step, the job was done. They’d burned their boats behind them, but it didn’t matter—they’d be gone by this time tomorrow morning.
Jennings looked at the stack of correspondence on his desk, his jaw bunched in anger. Did those boys not know that he’d put his life on hold for them? Did they not realize he was willing to be a father to them? How ungrateful could they be? They could not expect to spend all their time with their sister! At their ages it was a ridiculous notion. What did they plan on doing when the fall term started for school?
Amid this mental rampage, Jennings spotted a letter peeking from the stack. Even without seeing the entire envelope, he knew the pale blue stationery to be his sister’s. Surprisingly, a calm flooded him. There was a time when he loved to be with his sister. Very protective of her, he would have done just as Thomas was doing if she’d been even a little bit unhappy.
“I’ve been too hard on the boy,” Jennings said to the empty room. “This is a good thing. They need to be together some days. I’ll simply work that into the schedule. I’ll leave them on their own today, but I’ll tell them about it tomorrow.”
Regardless of the warm feelings he’d experienced a moment earlier, Jennings did not open his sister’s letter. He pulled his other correspondence across the desk, determined not to waste the day.
