More Than a Governess Read online

  ‘Very well, shall we go?’

  As they went down the stairs, Juliana let Wilhelmina run on ahead while she moved a little closer to Gwendoline.

  ‘That was a very neat trick you played at dinner—no, please do not deny it. Where did you find the beetle, in the schoolroom?’

  Gwendoline tossed her head. ‘Yes, if you must know.’

  ‘Well, let me warn you, Gwendoline, that I will not be put off by your tricks or stratagems. Your papa has engaged me until the end of September and I do not intend to give up this position, however unpleasant you try to make it.’ She glanced down at the mutinous little face beside her. ‘Please try to make the best of it, Gwendoline—the time will pass much quicker if we work together. And remember that I have a younger brother and sister, so I have a few tricks of my own.’ She lowered her voice, ‘Beware how you get into bed tonight!’ She laughed at Gwendoline’s quick, alarmed glance and patted the girl’s arm. ‘Come, Gwendoline, cry friends with me; I am not an ogre, I promise you.’

  They had reached the drawing room and Juliana took Wilhelmina’s hand. The footman threw open the door and, with a bright smile pinned in place, Juliana escorted her charges into the room.

  Lady Varley greeted the schoolroom party with regal graciousness and called the children to her. Juliana would have taken a seat in one corner of the room, but Major Collingham beckoned her forward.

  ‘So you have spent your first day with my girls, Miss Wrenn.’ He led her to a chair next to Sir Richard. ‘I hope they have been no trouble?’

  She saw Gwendoline look up quickly, and gave her a reassuring smile. ‘I think we are in a great way to understanding each other, Major.’

  Even if she had not made peace with Gwendoline, it was, she hoped, a truce.

  ‘And you are to accompany the family to Blackthorpe Hall, Miss Wrenn,’ said Sir Richard. ‘I hope you have a strong constitution. Collingham here likes to travel at a fearsome pace.’

  ‘The children’s needs will dictate our progress,’ returned Juliana calmly.

  ‘I have already allowed for it,’ nodded the Major. ‘Brasher has written to the hotels where we shall stay. He will go on ahead with Benns to check the accommodation personally, and they will then travel on to Blackthorpe.’

  Lady Varley looked up. ‘You are sending your valet on ahead, Damon? Is that wise?’

  ‘My dear Louisa, I am quite capable of dressing and shaving myself, you know,’ retorted the Major. ‘Besides, we shall only be on the road for three nights.’

  Sir Richard grinned. ‘Everything organised with the efficiency of a military operation,’ he said. ‘I hope you are impressed, Miss Wrenn?’

  ‘I shall be impressed if we carry it off.’

  Juliana found herself subjected to the Major’s steely gaze.

  ‘Do you doubt my planning, then?’

  ‘No, sir. I am sure your planning is impeccable, but it is not wise to rely too heavily upon plans and timetables where children are involved.’

  ‘Very true,’ put in Lady Varley. ‘I know from my own little ones that they are the most delightfully unpredictable creatures.’

  ‘Good Gad, Miss Wrenn, do you follow Rousseau’s philosophy for the education of children?’ cried Sir Richard gaily.

  ‘Certainly, I believe they should be allowed to express themselves, and have room to play.’ She felt a flush stealing into her cheeks and she added quickly, ‘Not that I expect such considerations to affect our journey.’

  ‘I am very glad to hear it,’ growled her employer.

  ‘However,’ she continued, ‘the children are very young, and if they need to stop a little more frequently I shall not hesitate to bring it to your attention, Major. But it is by no means certain; they may prove themselves to be excellent travellers.’

  Major Collingham stepped closer, frowning down at her. ‘Let me make myself plain, Miss Wrenn. The journey is set. It is up to you to ensure my girls are looked after at each stage. Keep them amused, by all means, but you will not bother me with trifling concerns.’

  She gave him back look for look, refusing to be intimidated by his menacing tone. ‘Of course not, sir. I should not dream of troubling you with trifles.’

  His eyes narrowed. ‘But?’ he said. ‘I feel sure you are about to add a rider to that last remark.’

  Juliana regarded him with an innocent stare. ‘We are both concerned with the children’s welfare, Major. If that is in question, then of course I will bring it to your attention.’

  ‘By Gad, Damon, she’s got you there,’ murmured Sir Richard. ‘But you have the right of it, Miss Wrenn. Damon will like nothing better than to know his children are being cared for.’

  One glance at the Major’s tight-lipped face convinced Juliana that at that moment he would like nothing better than to strangle her. With a curt nod he moved away and began to converse with his sister.

  Juliana turned to Sir Richard. ‘Oh dear,’ she said ruefully. ‘Do you think I shall be turned off before we even leave London?’

  ‘Not a bit of it!’ he reassured her. ‘Damon would be the first to tell you he knows nothing about children. He will welcome your advice, despite his frowns. He is not nearly so harsh as he would have us believe.’

  As there was no one to overhear them, she murmured, ‘Not really the devil he is named, perhaps?’

  ‘Oh, so you’ve heard that tale, have you? Well, you may rest easy, Miss Wrenn. Collingham is a true gentleman. As a member of his household you fall under his protection, and he’ll take dashed good care of you, take my word for it.’

  Chapter Six

  The following morning Juliana sallied forth upon her shopping expedition, accompanied by the four children. No sooner had the Collingham carriage departed than another, much less elegant equipage pulled up and the occupants were shown to Lady Varley’s sitting room.

  ‘Madame Fleurie!’ Lady Varley came out of her bedchamber, her eyebrows raised in surprise. ‘I had not expected to see you so soon. You have made up the gowns already?’

  ‘We ’ave been working through ze night, madame, but ze primrose muslin is of such a complexity that I need madame to try it on, if madame would be so kind?’

  ‘Oh, very well, but you must be quick, for I am very busy today.’

  Lady Varley called for her maid and allowed herself to be draped in the soft fabric, which had been cut and partially sewn. Madame Fleurie set her minion to pin up the hem of the gown.

  ‘It ees a very becoming colour for you, madame,’ she said. ‘If I may mention it, my lady, when you did me the honour to visit me earlier this week, one of my assistants made a mistake: she gave one of your leetle girls a fashion doll. It was an error, madame, and I have reprimanded her, naturellement, for you see this was a special doll, dressed expressly for another of my clients. Madame, I am desolée, but I must have thees doll. Do you think—would it be possible for me to take it with me today?’

  Lady Varley looked blank for a moment, then she nodded and instructed her maid to go to the schoolroom. ‘You are to find a doll.’

  ‘A leetle wooden lady, dressed in cherry brocade, à la Pompadour,’ added Madame Fleurie.

  ‘Yes, well, go and find it, and bring it here directly.’

  ‘Madame, you find me very grateful. If eet was for myself I would give your little children all my dolls, but this one is for a very special client, a very exacting lady…’ She let the words trail away, giving the impression that not all her clients were as accommodating as Lady Varley.

  ‘If you please, ma’am,’ said the maid, coming back into the room, ‘there is no doll in the schoolroom, nor in the children’s bedrooms either. And Miss Wilhelmina and Miss Gwendoline have gone out with the new governess.’

  Lady Varley shrugged. ‘No matter, I will ask the children about it when they come back. Now, can we get on?’

  The fitting had just finished and the gown was being packed away when a footman entered with a letter for Lady Varley. She snatched it from the
tray, her brow clearing as she recognised her husband’s distinctive scrawl.

  ‘It is from Sir James. At last. I have been waiting to hear how the family goes on without me.’ She looked at Madame Fleurie. ‘I take it we have done, now?’

  ‘Indeed, madame, thank you for your time.’ She ushered her assistant out of the room, stopping at the door to turn back. ‘And if I may remind my lady, you will not forget the doll?’

  ‘Yes, yes, I will see to it,’ responded Lady Varley, impatiently waving her away.

  She barely waited for the door to close before she tore open the letter and immersed herself in news from her home.

  Juliana returned from her shopping trip feeling that she had achieved a great deal. She had made her purchases and placed orders for several books at Hatchards in Piccadilly, but, more than that, she thought that her charges had begun to accept her. Wilhelmina was no trouble at all; she and Amy had become firm friends. By the time they returned to Burlington Street, Wilhelmina was chattering away to Juliana as though she had known her all her life. Gwendoline was more reserved, but she had been perfectly well mannered during their excursion and Juliana was encouraged to think that the child was unbending a little towards her.

  With the move to the north so imminent, Juliana did not attempt to establish a routine to the afternoon lesson, but chose instead to show the children maps and pictures of the north country, well aware that such a long journey to a place they had not seen for many years must be exciting and somewhat unnerving for her charges. She asked Mr Brasher for details of their route, and used the guidebook she had bought to describe the various towns they would pass through.

  Juliana dined in the schoolroom again with the children, although Giles did not join them. He dined instead with his father and aunt, and Juliana found him in boisterous good spirits when she brought the girls to the drawing room later. He teased Wilhelmina about her freckles and then drew Gwendoline to one side, whispering to her to make her giggle. Juliana was aware of Lady Varley’s frowning looks and knew she would be expected to act. She waited until she was sure the Major was engrossed in conversation with his sister, then walked over to the youngsters. Giles rose as she approached.

  ‘Gwendoline, you know how impolite it is to be whispering thus. If it is such a good joke, then let us all share it.’ She spoke quietly, but her words made the girl scowl.

  ‘It is no crime to talk to my brother!’

  ‘No, indeed.’ Juliana’s smile embraced them both. ‘But when you are in company, you are insulting those around you by such secretive behaviour. Master Giles must know that, even if you are not quite old enough to appreciate it.’

  Her mild rebuke hit its target. Gwendoline flushed and her brother muttered an apology.

  The entrance of the tea tray caused a distraction. Lady Varley called Gwendoline over to help her prepare the tea. Juliana watched her go and turned back to Giles.

  ‘If your sister resents me, I am sorry for it,’ she said gently. ‘However, your father hired me as her governess and I am obliged to correct her when it is necessary. It will help me greatly if you do not encourage her to flout my authority.’

  ‘I—I don’t, I wouldn’t!’

  She smiled at him. ‘Then I am relieved, and very grateful to you.’

  Flushing, Giles bowed, muttered his excuses, and lounged away. With a sigh, she went back to sit beside Wilhelmina.

  ‘So, Gwendoline, what have you been doing today?’ Lady Varley posed the question while she prepared the tea. ‘What have you learned with Miss Wrenn?’

  ‘In truth, Aunt, nothing.’ Gwendoline put her chin in the air and cast a defiant look at Juliana.

  The room was suddenly very still. Wilhelmina wriggled uncomfortably on her chair. The Major had been talking to Giles on the far side of the room, but now he looked up.

  ‘What do you mean by that, Gwen?’

  ‘That Miss Wrenn is a fraud, Papa,’ declared Gwendoline with awful clarity. ‘This morning we did nothing but shop—a frivolous exercise—and this afternoon…’

  ‘This afternoon we studied England,’ said Juliana calmly. ‘With the use of maps Mr Brasher looked out for us, we plotted our journey, once we had calculated how far we might travel in one day. That, of course, meant we had to decide how fast the carriage could go. What did we decide was our likely speed, Wilhelmina?’

  ‘Eight miles in an hour.’

  ‘Yes, very good. Then we had to work out the distance between towns.’

  ‘And stops for changing horses,’ put in Wilhelmina, glad to be able to contribute again. ‘Thomas thought of that!’

  ‘Yes, he did.’ Juliana nodded at her. ‘So you see how we practised our powers of calculation and arithmetic. Then, of course, we looked up in the guidebook the towns we are likely to pass through. Barnet, of course, where we shall look out for the Barnet Pillar, put up to mark the famous battle.’

  ‘That was where Edward IV beat Henry VI to become king,’ said Wilhelmina.

  ‘Yes, in 1471. And St Albans—what can you remember of St Albans, Wilhelmina?’

  The little girl wrinkled her nose. ‘There was a battle when Queen Margaret brought her army and rescued King Henry, but he could not have been a very good king, because Edward beat him at the Battle of Barnet.’

  ‘Yes, and where else might we be travelling?’

  ‘Derby,’ said Wilhelmina, swinging her legs. ‘Where the rebels turned back in the ’Forty-five and they were followed back into Scotland, where the King’s brother followed them and killed them all!’

  The Major raised his brows. ‘A very bloodthirsty summary.’

  Juliana chuckled. ‘More interesting than mere dates and places, Major.’

  ‘Undoubtedly. And from there, Minna?’

  ‘Macclesfield,’ cried the little girl. ‘Where there are mills that weave fine silks for Aunt Louisa’s shawls!’

  Major Collingham laughed and patted her head. ‘Very good.’ He looked hard at Juliana. ‘Perhaps Gwendoline was not paying attention today.’

  ‘No, Major, I cannot blame her—for she was sewing a fine lawn handkerchief for Lady Varley as I talked. After all, it was never intended to be a serious lesson.’

  Wilhelmina tugged at her father’s sleeve. ‘When we were out this morning, Miss Wrenn gave us a whole sixpence each to spend, as long as we could reckon up the pennies we had in change. And I did, Papa.’

  He lifted her into his arms. ‘How clever of you. Now, ten more minutes while we drink a dish of tea, then bed for you, children.’ He set her on her feet and smiled over her head at Juliana. ‘Congratulations, Miss Wrenn. You make the journey sound exciting, even to me. I have no doubt Gwendoline will take more interest in future.’

  ‘I have always maintained that girls should be taught to know their way about,’ declared Lady Varley, pouring tea into the delicate porcelain cups. ‘Gwendoline, my dear, please take this cup to your father. Thank you. Yes, girls need to be able to read and write, and to reckon a column of figures, but beyond that there is little value in book learning for them.’

  ‘But, ma’am, how are they to stand their ground with their brothers, or their husbands, without a matching education?’ objected Juliana.

  Lady Varley shook her head. ‘A man doesn’t want a clever wife, Miss Wrenn. He wants a dutiful one. Gwendoline, this cup to Miss Wrenn, if you please.’

  ‘An educated woman may still be dutiful,’ put in the Major.

  ‘Unless her husband is particularly dull-witted,’ murmured Juliana.

  Major Collingham laughed.

  ‘A clever woman will learn to have her own way,’ replied Lady Varley, ‘but she does not need an education for that.’

  Juliana looked up. The Major was watching her, and she found herself responding to the smile in his eyes. Gwendoline approached with a cup of tea, but as she reached out for it, the girl stumbled and the contents of the cup were thrown over Juliana’s best grey gown.

  There was an immediate commotion. The M
ajor berated Gwendoline on her clumsiness and she burst into tears. Giles came forward to defend his sister, while Lady Varley bewailed the broken cup.

  Juliana stooped to collect up the pieces.

  ‘Pray, Major, do not scold her. I am sure it was an accident. Master Giles, ring the bell and fetch a servant to clear up this mess, if you please.’ She rose, looking down at her wet gown and trying to hide her dismay. ‘Let me take the children upstairs, sir. It is their bedtime.’

  He was still looking thunderous.

  ‘Very well. Leave them with Nurse and give your dress to Mrs Hartley. She will know what to do to clean it. You will then put on a fresh gown and come back here.’

  Lady Varley stared at him. ‘Damon!’

  ‘Really, sir,’ stammered Juliana, ‘I should retire—’

  ‘You will come back, Miss Wrenn.’

  His tone was implacable and she knew it was useless to argue. Closing her lips firmly, she nodded, took Wilhelmina by the hand and led the two girls out of the room.

  Her silence as they went up to the schoolroom seemed to unnerve Gwendoline. She said, ‘It was an accident, you know.’

  ‘If you say so.’

  ‘Will the stain come out?’

  What do you care? thought Juliana, and immediately scolded herself for being as childish as her charges. She said, ‘I hope so. I do not have the luxury of another silk gown.’

  ‘We could buy you one in Macclesfield,’ suggested Wilhelmina.

  Juliana squeezed her hand and forced a smile. ‘Yes, we could. In the meantime, let us hope the housekeeper is as good as your papa says.’

  She handed the children over to Nurse and went off to change into her only other evening gown, a cream robe with long sleeves caught up with lime-green ribbons. It was the last gown her father had bought for her, and she had been saving it for a special occasion. It occurred to her that there would not now be any special occasions, for a while at least. She threw a black silk shawl about her shoulders and looked at herself in the mirror.