by Abby Ayles
“And I cannot do that?” he said a little offended.
“You can be a little,” Hannah hesitated, “heavy-handed and overbearing at times,” she said in all honesty. “I think it would be best if I talk to her and we return together in the morning.”
Grimshaw thought this over. He was reminded of their argument earlier. He had gone to soothe Caroline and had only made her more upset. Hannah was right that he probably wasn’t the best candidate for a sensitive approach.
“Fine, but I will take you there myself and see that Caroline is at Mrs. McCarthy’s and safe. Then I will return in the morning to collect you both,” Grimshaw said with finality.
“Go and get your things and we can leave.”
“There is nothing I need that is so important not to leave right now,” Hannah said.
Her greatest fear was that Caroline might get lost in the dark walking on the road. What if she went the wrong way and got hurt? The sooner she was at Mrs. McCarthy’s cottage and saw Caroline safe by the old woman’s hearth the better.
He nodded in silent understanding of her urgency for he felt it too and was, in fact, grateful for her sense of propriety in the matter.
“Grimshaw,” Lady Tara called as the other two started to make their way out of the house. “What about dinner? What am I to tell Mother and Father?”
“Lady Tara, this is an emergency. My daughter could be lost or hurt or worse. I am sure you can find a way to give them my condolences on missing the night’s meal,” Grimshaw said before turning without another thought for the woman.
When the two got outside there were already two steeds saddled and ready for them. Both mounted silently and Hannah took the lead to show him the way to Mrs. McCarthy’s house.
They took the road painfully slow despite being on horseback only so that if Caroline was still out there, they could find her.
The night air was far beyond chilled and Hannah fretted over knowing that Caroline could be wandering alone outside. Even if she made it to Grannie’s house would she have prepared properly against the cold? What if she became sick from the cold winter night air?
Finally, they reached Grannie’s house with no answer to the call of Caroline’s name on the road. Hannah gave a sigh of relief when she saw through the cottage window Grannie and Caroline cozy in front of the hearth with a little kitty in her hand.
“She is inside,” Hannah called back to Grimshaw who was just behind her. “I can see her.”
Hannah dismounted her horse and tied it to a stake outside the house. Grannie with her hawk eyes noticed her coming and was at the door before Hannah was even done securing the reins.
“I will come for you both in the morning,” Grimshaw reiterated as he hesitated to leave.
Hannah simply waved him off for she had little care but to go in the house and see that Caroline was safe.
She rushed through Grannie’s open door and into the small front room. She fell onto Caroline, hugging and kissing her.
Grimshaw hesitated before leaving. He wanted to make sure that no harm had befallen his child. He watched through the window as Hannah inspected the girl over before hugging and kissing her head again.
He breathed a sigh of relief. Surely she was safe and well. His last image was of the two girls in a tight embrace, the poor kitten desperate to escape the trap between them, with tears streaming down both sets of cheeks.
Chapter 24
After Hannah was reassured that Caroline was in fact whole and without injury, they didn’t speak on the matter again for the rest of the night.
Instead, they stayed by the warmth of the fire while Caroline played with the kitten and Grannie told tales from when she was a little girl.
Hannah knew that it was just what Caroline had needed. Though the child probably didn’t know it herself, she wasn’t running away but in fact running to.
She was running to the safety and comfort of a place and a woman who loved her wholly and unconditionally. That was what Caroline needed that night, so that was what Hannah made sure she received.
Both Hannah and Caroline slept on makeshift beds by the hearth and it was the first sound sleep that Hannah had had as long as she could remember.
She woke to the feel of the chill from the cold hearth and rose to get wood to get it going again.
“I think I might be out,” Grannie whispered so as not to wake up Caroline who was still fast asleep. “There is some by the shed, I’ll go pop out and get it.”
“Don’t trouble yourself,” Hannah said, standing and stretching the sleep out of her joints. “I would be happy to do it. I’ll get a nice big pile going for you here by the fireplace so you won’t have to go out into the cold much more.”
“Thank you, dear,” Grannie said with a smile. “My husband was always good about keeping wood in the house. With him gone it’s hard for me to keep up with it all,” she added with a wistful sigh. “I’m sure Matty will be by someday soon and will see to me.”
Hannah smiled a reassuring comfort to the lady, though as she walked out in the crisp morning air, she was less sure that Matthew McCarthy had any care for the well-being of his mother.
As Hannah stepped out the back door of the cottage, she heard the distinct crunch of ice. Looking down she saw that a soft dusting of ice had frozen to the ground. The whole world around her was an icicle wonderland and she guessed that meant snow wasn’t far off either.
She was thankful that this cold had waited just one more night. Who knew how things would have fared for Caroline if she had marched the roads in the dark with this temperature in the air.
She listened to the soft crunch of her feet and the sound of the birds waking as she made her trips to and fro between the pile of wood and the hearth in the house.
An hour later, Caroline was awake and eating breakfast by its warm glow, and Hannah no longer felt the cold outside from her strenuous effort.
Hannah knew that Lord Grimshaw would be arriving at any moment and she would need to help Caroline come to terms with the new life before her.
“Caroline, you know what you did last night was wrong?” Hannah asked as they sat at the table.
“I don’t want to go back,” Caroline said sulkily. “I want to stay here with Grannie. I could take care of the kittens and help her around the cottage,” Caroline suggested.
“That’s such a lovely idea,” Grannie chimed in. “But your father would miss you sorely. You must go back home to him, my child.”
“But she is just awful,” Caroline pleaded now with Hannah. “I tried to tell Father and he wouldn’t listen to me.”
“I know that she doesn’t seem the greatest match for your family now,” Hannah said, putting an arm around Caroline and rubbing her back gently. “In all honesty, I can’t say that you will ever feel differently about her. But she must make Lord Grimshaw happy or he would not have brought her to Brighton Abby.”
Caroline grumbled at this.
“And he wouldn’t pick a lady that he didn’t think would also make you and Rebecca happy too. He loves you both so much. You are his whole world. Your father would never dream of doing anything that isn’t right for you.”
“I know you don’t like her either,” Caroline retorted as a last-ditch effort.
“It doesn’t matter if I do or don’t, does it? She is your father’s choice. Let’s be happy for him, hm?”
Though the words came out of Hannah’s mouth she couldn’t feel it in her heart. She wasn’t sure she could ever feel happy for Lord Grimshaw’s marriage to Lady Tara. The fact that she had to say such things to Caroline tore at her heartstrings.
Today was most likely going to be her final day with Caroline and Rebecca Blackburn, so she wouldn’t taint that moment with her personal thoughts on the lady.
She would want them to remember her as one who tried to help and lift them up, even if the prospect was looking bleak.
The sounds of a carriage caught all their attentions and silently they made ready for th
eir departure. By the time the Grimshaw carriage had pulled up to the cottage, cloaks were on and hugs and goodbyes were expressed to Grannie.
Johnson hopped down from the driver’s seat, took the horse that Hannah had rode on the night before and tied it to the back of the carriage to follow behind.
Grimshaw stepped out of the carriage looking like he had had little sleep and no time to shave. Hannah guessed it was the look of a father up all night worried over his daughter’s happiness.
Caroline didn’t say a word to him but merely got into the carriage. He looked to Hannah questioningly.
“Just give her a little time,” Hannah said to calm his fears.
Hannah climbed into the carriage behind Caroline and Grimshaw followed too. Caroline stuck to Hannah’s side, leaning on her for support as they took the ride back to Brighton Abby in silence.
Perhaps it was because Caroline too remembered this was to be Hannah’s last day at the estate or perhaps it was because she knew in Hannah’s shadow her father would not press her, but either way she would not leave the side of her governess upon their return.
Finally, rather reluctantly, Caroline was ushered to Abigail and Hannah was left on her own. The earl also with a heavy weight on his mind went straight from the carriage to the closed doors of his office.
It left Hannah a bit in limbo in the middle of the foyer. No doubt she was to go to her room and prepare to leave that very day. The problem was she still had nowhere to go nor any means to get there.
Hannah thought back to the sound of the crunching ice under her feet that morning. What was she to do now with winter coming in earnest and no prospects of shelter over her head?
As much as she regretted the thought as it came to her, she knew there would be only one course of action. It was something she would have rather never had to do, but nothing could be done for it.
She would have to stand before the earl and beg him to let her stay on in any capacity possible at least until the coldest parts of winter passed.
Chapter 25
Hannah knew where she would find the earl. After breakfast, he often retired to his office to see to any work he might have.
After seeing to any paperwork, he would spend his afternoon with his guests instead of working in the west wing as he had been doing in the past.
Hannah needed to speak with him alone. She was sure if she waited too long, he would be with his guests and she would be forced to grovel in front of all of them.
Standing outside the office door, Hannah leaned her ear against the wood to hear for any sound. She could hear the subtle sound of a quill scratching on paper. Taking a step back from the door she smoothed out her skirts and took a long deep breath. Raising one hand that only slightly quivered, she knocked softly on the door.
She opened it when bade to enter and was surprised to see Lord Grimshaw wasn’t alone in the room. Seated across from him looking far too small in the massive chair was Caroline.
“I don’t want to interrupt anything,” Hannah said quickly, “I just wondered if I might have a word with you at some point today?”
“Now is fine,” Grimshaw said, leaning back in his chair. “Caroline, you may go join your sister in the nursery now.”
“I hope you will consider what we have talked about today,” Grimshaw added when the repentant little girl stood up.
Hannah gave her pupil a weak smile and hoped that he hadn’t been too hard on her for her escapade the night before.
“Please take a seat,” Grimshaw said as the door slowly closed, leaving them in privacy.
“I think I would do better to stand,” Hannah said with only a slight quiver to her voice.
He studied her with his dark eyes, trying to seek out the reason for her nervous behavior.
Hannah sucked in one long breath and then let all her words rush out on the exhale.
“I know that my termination of employment is effective today. Unfortunately, I have been unable to secure any sort of accommodation elsewhere. I understand that you may already have a replacement governess and that I no longer am acceptable to work in that capacity for you. I wonder if you might allow me some lodging until I am able to secure otherwise. I’m sure by the spring at the very latest. I would be happy to work any way you deem appropriate for payment.”
The earl’s dark eyebrows had raised at the beginning of her speech in surprise but by the end of it, a soft smirk brushed against his square jaw.
“Miss Jacobson, please take a seat,” he motioned with his hand.
Hannah hesitated for only a second. Was he smiling because he was going to enjoy denying her the request? She didn’t expect a serious man like Lord Grimshaw would be so happy to carry the burden of her in his household longer.
Nonetheless, she walked forward and took the chair that Caroline had left vacant.
“Caroline and I had a very long talk since returning home from Concordshire,” Grimshaw said, lacing his fingers in front of him. “It seems I owe a great debt to you. Caroline was reluctant to listen to my urgings but you, Miss Jacobson, seem to have the magic touch to get through to her.”
“I’m not at all sure what you said to her, but Caroline has decided to give Lady Tara a chance and I thank you for that,” he finished softly.
“I’m glad I could help. I know big changes can’t be easy on ones so young.”
“Yes, I dare say it’s hard on all of us,” Grimshaw said with a distant look to his eyes.
“But in light of the recent event, I believe I acted too hasty before. You clearly care for my girls and keep their best interests at the heart of your intentions.”
“What are you saying?” Hannah asked so as to make sure there was no miscommunication.
“I am saying I rather hoped that you would stay on as governess. And,” he added hesitantly, “that you would forgive me for losing my temper as I did.”
Hannah put her hands to her mouth in surprise and did her best to hold back the tears. Only moments ago, she was looking at a life with no chance of employment and no way to take care of herself. Now she again had a roof over her head and what’s more, was given a second chance to end this job on good terms.
“You don’t know how much that would mean to me,” she said softly so as to control her emotion. “I can’t wait to tell the girls! Oh, this is so wonderful. Thank you so much,” Hannah continued.
“Please, it is I who should thank you. This morning with Caroline I saw how much she has grown and blossomed under your care. You do me a great service by staying.”
Grimshaw smiled, satisfied that at least he didn’t have to worry about finding another governess.
“Although,” he added with a warning tone, “I must ask you keep to my requests. If you go into the village to see your Mrs. McCarthy, I would like to also be present. I can make myself available to fit around the schedule you have already made with the widow.”
“Thank you, Lord Grimshaw. That is most kind of you. I know the girls, Caroline especially, will be relieved to know they can visit with her again.”
“Yes, she must have truly taken to the widow to run to her last night.”
“Yes, I believe they are cut from the same cloth,” Hannah mused. “They have a lot in common and Grannie makes a good womanly influence for her.”
Grimshaw’s mind went to darker thoughts at the mention of a role model. Lady Tara was supposed to be that womanly influence on his girls. In fact, it was the sole purpose that he had brought her to Brighton Abby for.
He had no enjoyment in the thought of marrying the lady. He did it only for his girls. Now he was torn by the fact that they, themselves, fought against the idea of a motherly figure to take care of them.
Caroline had expounded in detail the afternoon tea she had with Lady Tara that led to her leaving Brighton Abby. He would have liked to tell himself that perhaps there was a misunderstanding somewhere in the interactions his daughter had with the lady, but he couldn’t seem to find a logical explanation for one.<
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Lady Tara had spoken repeatedly about her love of children back in London. She had also seemed heartily interested when he spoke of his daughters. He couldn’t see that to be the case by the way Caroline explained her actions yesterday afternoon.
“Is something the matter, Lord Grimshaw?” Hannah asked, noticing the dimness to his eyes.
He shook his head as if to physically remove the melancholy.
“It’s all just a bit more difficult than I expected,” he finally said softly.
“I am sure the girls will warm up to her,” Hannah said, though it was an uncomfortable feeling to encourage Lord Grimshaw in a relationship with Lady Tara.