by Abigail Agar
The woman’s soft French accent caught Jules’ ears as it had not the night before. “You are Lady Withersfield’s governess, are you not?”
“I am, or rather I was,” Miss Lorraine said with an incline of her head. “She hardly needs such a thing now. No, I am transitioning on into another part of my life, Your Grace.”
Jules smiled at the easy grace of the woman. “That is a shame. I am certain that she would have loved to have you stay on and perhaps look after her own children.”
“Oh, well, the job of a governess is for the young, and I think Penelope will be a much more hands-on mother than her mother was before her. I can, however, make some recommendations if you do decide to take on a new governess.” The smile she turned on Jules spoke of how flattered she was. “I had no idea that Penelope talked of me so.”
Jules shook his head. “It is not so much about what she says, as how she says it.”
“Ah, see you have the painter’s soul as well, I think,” Miss Lorraine said with a knowing smile. “Have you ever tried to paint?”
With a chuckle, Jules admitted, “I must confess that I have never had the time. Were you on your way to breakfast?”
“Why, yes, Your Grace, I was,” Miss Lorraine said as she fell into step beside him when he motioned for her to walk with him.
Jules tried not to lean too heavily on his cane, but he found it impossible not to as they walked further. “What will your new adventure be if I cannot talk you into another tenure as a governess?”
“That man you saw at the door is a captain of a merchant’s vessel. He rather thinks that I should sail around the world with him,” Miss Lorraine said in a conversational way.
Jules decided that he liked the woman. She did not put on any unnecessary airs or shower him with redundant titles or honorifics, talking with her felt very much like talking with a member of his own household.
“Sailing can be quite the adventure. Are you up for all the sea has to offer?” Jules held the door to the dining hall open for the woman. It was every bit as heavy as he remembered and was grateful when another hand caught hold of the heavy door.
Scott gave him a dip of his head. “Your Grace, it is lovely to see you up and about.”
“I did not see you last night, Scott. I had feared that someone else had snatched your services away from the Winchester’s household,” Jules said as he offered him his hand as soon as Miss Lorraine was through the door.
Scott let the door close behind Jules and clasped his hand. “Unfortunately, I missed all the action, I am afraid. It was my night off, ye see.”
“What luck,” Jules said with a laugh. “So, Miss Lorraine, what about your sea legs? Are they ready for the voyage?” he asked as he followed the woman over to the table.
Miss Lorraine gave him a thoughtful smile. “I have only been on two voyages, and neither were particularly taxing. What about yourself, Your Grace? Do you like to sail?”
“I have done my fair share of sailing while helping my father with trade deals, and so on,” Jules acknowledged as he pulled out the chair in front of Miss Lorraine.
She looked up at him. “Does your family have a large fleet of ships then?”
“About a dozen or so, at the moment,” Jules said as he eased her chair up to the table. “I must admit that as much as I like being at sea, it has its challenges. I think I shall spend far more time on land than off.”
Miss Lorraine inclined her head as if she truly understood that. “I only wished that I could talk Edgar into being home more. I have considered going back to France, but it would be lonely there for me as most of my family is gone.”
As Jules set down, he asked, “Have you ever been to India? Or the island colonies?” When Miss Lorraine shook her head that she had not, Jules continued, “I know a lot of sailors that prefer to make their year-round homes in India or the colonies because they like the climate better. Perhaps your Edgar would be more willing to settle if you negotiated a different region?”
“That might work if he were a one-port of call sort of man. He runs his trade independently, and it leads to him being called all over the seas.” Miss Lorraine frowned. “I worry for him when he is gone for months with no word.”
Lord and Lady Winchester entered talking quietly amongst themselves. Lord Winchester looked up and gave Jules a smile. “Your Grace, you are up bright and early.”
“Never waste the daylight,” Jules replied. He stood up as Lord Winchester pulled out the chair for Lady Winchester, only sitting back down once the lady was seated. “Is Lady Withersfield still feeling ill from last night?”
Lady Winchester sighed. “I am sure she will be down in a bit. She did not sleep well from what her lady-in-waiting said.”
“That is awful,” Miss Lorraine said with a sigh. “I should go and speak with her.”
“Let her rest, Lorraine,” Lady Winchester said in a soothing voice. “You need to eat, and she is being well taken care of.”
Lord Winchester asked, “What were you two discussing when we entered?”
“I was giving Madam Lorraine some advice about how best to settle a sailor down,” Jules said with a smile at the woman in question.
Miss Lorraine hid a laugh behind her napkin. One of the serving girls came in and began placing plates in front of them. “Thank you,” Miss Lorraine said to the girl as she picked up her fork and eyed the fruit in front of her with interest.
“You should see if the Duke will hire him on,” Lady Winchester suggested, causing most everyone to look around at her. “What? It is a simple solution. Lorraine, you are always talking about how he will not settle because his business pulls him all over, why not settle him then?”
Jules contemplated that then said, “She actually has a point. We could always use good ships and experienced captains. He would only have the one shipping lane to travel. I would even allow him to pick his destination.”
“That is most generous of you,” Miss Lorraine said with genuine surprise.
Jules waved off the woman’s words. He picked up his fork and decided to start with the egg in front of him. “It is merely good business.”
Lord Winchester motioned towards Scott. “Will you go and make sure that my carriage is being readied?” He paused and looked over at Jules. “Would you like us to make sure that your carriage is ready as well?”
“Knowing my carriage driver, he is already out and about this morning, but it would not hurt to double check,” Jules said with a nod as he scooped up a bit of egg.
Lord Winchester motioned for Scott to see to it then set about eating his egg. He cracked the egg and tore off a piece of toast to dip into his egg. Lady Winchester and Miss Lorraine seemed content to eat fruit. Jules felt the absence of Lady Withersfield keenly, but Lady Winchester was right. It would do the young lady no good to go hungry themselves.
After everyone had cleared their plates or at least eaten, Jules excused himself to return upstairs. Clint was waiting near the door. “Your Grace, the carriage is ready when you are.”
“I shall be ready in a bit. Let me go up and get myself composed for the journey, although I do expect it to be a bit smoother this time around,” Jules said to the man with an affectionate slap on his shoulder.
Clint bobbed his head. “I promise to attempt a much calmer pace this time, Your Grace.”
“That is all I ask,” Jules assured the man. “Where is Daniel?”
Clint sighed, “He is sleeping in the carriage, Your Grace.”
Jules chuckled and shook his head. He was still laughing as he made his way up the steps. He paused as he came to the room where he had spent his first night in the Winchester household. They had placed him in the same room, to give him a short walk down and up, but Jules thought it somehow poetic.
His eye went down the hallway, where Lady Withersfield had appeared that night that he had been pacing. She had looked so bewildered in the moonlight. He walked a step toward her door, and then stopped himself. As much as he wor
ried for her, he knew that she needed time.
As he turned to go back to his room, he heard a soft click of the doorknob. “Your Grace,” the young maid from last night said as she exited the room. She had clearly been startled by him, and Jules felt bad about that even if it was not through any fault of his own.
“Forgive me for startling you,” Jules said with a dip of his head. “You were there last night?”
She nodded. “Yes, Your Grace. My name is Gina; I am Lady Withersfield’s lady-in-waiting.”
“Then I am very happy to make your acquaintance,” Jules said with a smile. “We shall soon be part of the same household, that is if you are willing to come with Lady Withersfield?”
Gina stared at him for a moment. “I had not even given it much thought. I guess I just assumed that I would. That seems silly now.”
“Not at all,” Jules assured her. “There is a lot to take into consideration when it comes to employment. You would be welcome to spend most of your time here or come to the country with us during the off-season.”
Gina nodded. “I would be honoured to stay on with Lady Withersfield. She is a good friend of mine.”
“And how is she?” Jules asked as he took the opening from the intimate omission to venture one of his own.
Gina put her hands in front of her and nodded slowly, almost hesitantly. “She is well enough. I think she just got shook up by it. It must’ve been something awful what he was trying to do to her, Your Grace. She could hardly sleep for the crying.”
“Would it be possible, do you think, for me to see her?” Jules longed very much to see the woman. He had not even gotten to comfort her much.
There was a moment when Gina’s eyes slid towards her mistress’ door before she shook her head. “I don’t think that’s my place, Your Grace. You could try to talk to her through the door and see how she feels?”
Jules took the woman’s words into consideration. “I might just do that.”
Gina nodded and carried on down the hall. When she stepped alongside him, she whispered, “Good luck, Your Grace.”
After the maid had gone down the stairs, Jules went over to Lady Withersfield’s door and knocked softly. “Lady Withersfield?” Only silence greeted him. “Penelope,” he tried in a soft whisper. “I do not mean to disturb you. I only wish to know that you are well before I have to go.”
There were footfalls, almost urgent, fast and steady and then the door was being pulled open. Penelope’s face was flush with tears, her eyes wide in distress. “You are going?”
“I have to return home and get arrangements made. There will be questions to be answered, and I will have to be the one to give the answers.” Jules wanted to stay and take away that horrible look of abandonment, but his duty was calling him away. “You look as though I am going to vanish into thin air, never to return.”
“You promised that you would not leave me again,” Lady Withersfield said in misery.
Jules reached out and put his fingertips on her cheek. “I am so sorry that I left you. I wish that you had never gotten involved in it.”
“Do not say that,” Lady Withersfield scolded. “I would spend a thousand nights in agony to know you.”
Jules shook his head. “I will not hear of even one more night of misery for you.”
Lady Withersfield shrugged. “You are not the boss of me, Your Grace.”
“I would not like it much if I were,” Jules admitted. “Still, I do have to leave soon, and it would do me a world of good to know that you were well while I take care of things.”
She came over and leaned against the doorway, her dressing gown clung around her. Her fingers fretted at the doorframe as she thought. “I am well. I just feel so foolish for getting myself in that situation.”
“Did he hurt you?” Jules had longed to ask the question but had not had the strength to endure the answer the night before.
Her blonde hair swayed as she shook her head. “No. I was putting up quite the fight, and then you came and saved me.”
“I am glad that I could be of service,” Jules said with feeling.
Lady Withersfield bit her lip and hesitated before she asked, “Do you think that he will really be punished?”
“I think he will be held accountable for his crimes,” Jules said with determination. “I am the Duke of Richmond, and despite my fallen reputation, my family name still stands strong.”
She sighed. “I do not think your reputation will be fallen for long, dear Duke. Once the truth is spoken, people will see the person you truly are.”
“Not everyone views the world the way you do,” Jules reminded her.
With a shrug, Lady Withersfield replied, “Perhaps they should.”
“Is that to be your personal mission now?” Jules asked with a laugh. Footsteps echoed from down in the entrance hall, and Jules looked around in concern. “You had better get back in your room before someone sees you.”
Lady Withersfield laughed and rolled her eyes. “Let them see me.”
Jules sighed and leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Get some rest. It will not be long before we shall be wed. Trust me when I say that living with me is probably no easy task.”
“Well, knowing you thus far has been no easy task, Your Grace, so I take that under the strongest advisement.” Lady Withersfield’s eyes danced with merriment before she gave him one last smile and closed her door.
Clint came bounding up the stairs. “Just got a letter delivered that the barrister wishes to meet with you this afternoon. Do you wish him to call upon you in your home? Or shall we be going by there?”
“I think he can come to me just this once,” Jules said as he turned and walked back down the hallway.
Clint nodded and followed Jules into the guest room. Once they had collected his things, which were not many, Jules and Clint made their way towards the door. Lord Winchester was awaiting them.
“I shall follow you out as I am headed across town as well,” Lord Winchester said grandly. “The world is a busy place, is it not?”
“Quite,” Jules nodded as he dipped his head to the doorman who still looked a bit embarrassed from the night before. Outside the clouds were a bit dreary, but then it was London, and Jules was used to that sort of thing. “I am meeting with the barrister this afternoon. I suspect he will want to speak with you as well, Lord Winchester.”
He nodded. “I am available at your leisure. I just have to go and sign some papers. You know how that goes.”
“I do,” Jules agreed. “I shall send you a letter once I have spoken with him. I do not suspect any of this to delay a marriage ceremony between myself and Lady Withersfield. If you are accommodating, I will see about getting the licence as early as tomorrow.”
Lord Winchester chuckled. “You certainly do not waste time, Your Grace.”
“After the last few months, I have learned that time is not ours to squander.” Jules gave the man a dip of his head before he let Daniel help him up into the carriage.
After the door to the carriage was closed, Daniel asked wryly, “Are you going to think about seeing a doctor sometime today, Your Grace?”
“It is potentially on my list of things to do.” Jules smiled at the man.
Chapter 15
Penelope sat in front of her mirror giving herself a pep talk. “Why are you so nervous? There is nothing to be nervous about.”