The Redemption of Lady Georgiana

by Lisa M. Prysock

  Chapter 7. Meeting with Lord Nathaniel Brook Edwards, III, Earl of Bridesgate

  She was thankful that her first dinner at Wellbrook Hall had passed relatively well, all things considered. She had not been able to contribute much to the conversation but the Earl had mentioned that his father had known her parents and asked about their time in Spain and France as ambassadors of England. He had asked her about the boarding school in Switzerland and the finishing school in Paris she had attended. After answering his questions, she had remained observant and mostly silent as Lady Margaret and he had carried the conversation, mostly with talk of memories from years gone by. She and Lady Margaret had retired early, still exhausted from the journey. As Georgiana closed her weary eyes, her head sank comfortably into the feather pillows of her new bedroom. She was just barely awake enough to give thanks to the Lord above. How far He had brought them!

  Though their journey had been harrowing they had come to safely land in this fine country manor under the care of a fine Christian Earl. He had prayed a strong prayer at dinner and if that was further evidence of the character of the man whom the Lord had led to shelter them, she was indeed intrigued. She and Lady Margaret had plenty to eat, luxurious and simple comforts all around and many kind, helpful servants to assist them with all of their daily needs. They had gone from feelings of abandonment, grief and fear to a whole new land. Only weeks ago they worried about the lack of their supplies, wondered how they would survive the winter ahead, and felt the daily concern of being in the midst of the dangers of a brewing war on European soil-- to a dwelling place of provision and safety. She now had someone to help her dress, bathe and pour fresh water into the water pitcher and hip bath, even brush her hair a hundred strokes and then twist her locks around rag curlers before bed.

  “Merci … merci beaucoup ¹ my Lord,” she whispered as she drifted into sleep. How nice it felt to be under the clean sheets, blankets and a lovely coverlet surrounded by the rich fabric of the curtains draped from the posts of the bed. The dinner had been roast beef accompanied by new potatoes and early peas in a cream sauce, sliced beets, apple bread with a plum sauce, buttered carrots seasoned with parsley and dill, and a white cake drizzled with cream and sliced peaches for dessert. Georgiana drifted off to sleep feeling cared for and thankful for Lady Margaret’s good sense to bring them to England’s shores.

  The maid, Molly Cuddleton, reappeared and pulled the drapes back in the morning to wake her with sunshine streaming in the window. She helped her dress for breakfast and prepare for the meeting with the Earl, Lord Edwards, as most addressed him. Georgiana still did not think she could address him as Nathan, the name reserved for only the closest of family members.

  Molly removed the little rag curlers from her hair that she had insisted on putting in Georgiana’s hair the night before, revealing long curls all over her hair. The effect was stunning by the time Molly finished. A loose bun near the crown of her head and ten springy, long curls gave her naturally shiny hair a light and playful feel. She wore her dove gray morning dress with the cream bodice and gray spencer, her brown kid leather walking ankle boots and decided against the pale pink and beige reticule. The walking boots were a practical choice as she hoped to find time for a refreshing walk in the garden at some point.

  ¹Merci … merci beaucoup = Thank you… thank you so much/very much

  Molly informed her that Lady Margaret had left word not to be disturbed as she would be sleeping in that morning. This was no surprise to her as the journey had taken quite a toll on both of them. In fact, Georgiana hoped she might take the afternoon to rest. She still felt a little groggy herself from having slept so deeply. She thanked Molly for helping her and as the maid was making up the bed she ducked out into the hall and to the left for the staircase, descended the steps and turned left again into the dining room. Her fashionable English hairstyle seemed to bounce with every step and she was sure she felt the happiest she’d felt since her Benjamin had passed away.

  The Earl placed his morning newspaper aside and stood from his seat at the table when she entered the room, as did Edmund. She stopped in her tracks, not expecting such courtesy.

  “G-g-good morning, my Lord,” she said to the Earl as she remembered to curtsey, ignoring Edmund for the time being. She was trying to remember how she should address Edmund and if he held the courtesy title of a Viscount. She bobbed a little nod in Edmund’s direction and felt a great relief when both father and son sat back down to their breakfast. She was thankful for the years of instruction in etiquette she’d had at the finishing school in France and the boarding school in Switzerland.

  “Good morning!” Lord Edwards said, noticing she looked rather lost, as well as breathtakingly beautiful dressed in gray and cream. He noticed the way the morning sun seemed to glisten on her hair, the way her smile lit up the room without her knowing it. “I hope you slept well.”

  Georgiana’s cheeks felt like a warm flame with a deep blush from the attention she’d drawn just from walking into the room for breakfast. She hadn’t meant to cause any disturbance. Madalene sat beside Edmund. Lady Selina was nowhere in sight. “Yes, I did, thank you,” she managed, not stammering this time.

  The Earl held an arm out to the side board where a feast awaited her. She surveyed the bountiful selections before her as she walked to the buffet and clasped a plate to her chest while she contemplated the bacon strips and flaky biscuits. “We generally have a variety of choices for breakfast. Please help yourself. The eggs are excellent this morning. Would you like coffee or tea?”

  “Coffee, s’il vous plaît,” ¹ she replied as she placed a biscuit on her plate and one strip of bacon. “Merci.” ² She added a small spoonful of the eggs to her plate and another tiny sampling of the browned and seasoned potatoes with the chopped onions and peppers.

  Lord Edwards merely glanced in Bradley’s direction and he was already turning her cup over in the saucer and pouring a hot cup of coffee at the place setting nearest the Earl. Another servant stepped forward as she slipped into the chair and offered to pour orange juice into the goblet and she nodded her thanks. The Earl passed her a pitcher of cream and slid the sugar bowl in her direction and resumed the reading of his morning newspaper.

  “Papa, there isn’t enough food on her plate to feed a bird!” Madalene blurted out cheerfully.

  The Earl peered momentarily over his newspaper at her plate and thought much the same but floundered on how best to reply to his curious daughter (who ironically barely ate any of the food ever set before her, either).

  Edmund wondered how Papa was going to get out of this question without neglecting any of the rules of etiquette. Lady Georgiana blushed again but a grin was beginning to turn up on her face as she contemplated the possible responses the Earl might give her youngest

  ¹s’il vous plaît = please

  ²Merci = thank you

  pupil. Nathaniel began to ruffle the newspaper a little as he continued to look uncomfortable with any answer at all. Edmund continued to look amused as he vigorously attacked a stack of griddle cakes and sausage links smothered in jam and maple syrup.

  “Ladies need not quantity but variety.” Lady Georgiana interjected softly, deciding to rescue the Earl and by doing so, hoped the child’s curiosity would be satisfied.

  “Yes, that’s right. Quite right! Not quantity, variety…” The Earl repeated, laughter escaping his lips and a thankful smile lighting up his whole face. His eyes were dancing with relief as he met hers. Georgiana could not help but smile and blush. He continued, not taking his eyes off the governess to his right, “You can run along and play in the garden now if you’ve finished your own breakfast, Madalene!”

  Madalene looked from one to the other and suddenly satisfied, quickly jammed a spoonful of scrambled eggs into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “Yes Papa! I’m going to give my dolls a ride in their pram today. It’s going to
be a very busy day!”

  “Yes, I’m sure it is Maddie Muffin,” he said, his eyes clearly filled with joy from the golden haired child at his table. “Drink your orange juice.”

  Georgiana looked on partly in amusement and partly, pleased by the Earl’s display of paternal affection. ‘Maddie Muffin’ finished her juice and completely disregarding most of the food on her plate, abandoned her chair and ran to throw her arms around her father before taking leave to the garden. Edmund was already standing and pushing his chair under the table in order to follow her out of the dining room, giving a quick nod in the direction of his father and the governess.

  “Run along and be a good girl,” the Earl said, and turning to Edmund, “Keep an eye on her son! Besides it being Lottie’s day off, I have been reminded by Briggs today is wash day; everyone will have their hands full.”

  “I’ll try… ” Edmund stood up tall, revealing brown knickers, suspenders and a crisp white shirt he tried to tuck back into his waistline. He rolled his eyes a little when his father looked back down at his newspaper as Madalene scrambled around Bradley to reach the child size pram filled with several dolls. She set about tucking her dolls beneath a blanket, talking to each one tenderly, eager to stroll about the garden and greet the sunshine whether Edmund, the garden and the sunshine were ready or not.

  Turning to Georgiana, Nathaniel said, “She doesn’t eat enough to keep a bird alive either. I just didn’t have the heart to point it out to her.”

  She smiled with an understanding smile and relished the smirk showing in his eyes at the irony of his daughter’s faux pas. “As you see, they will need a great deal of help with etiquette.”

  She nodded, equally amused. Shortly after, both children spilled out into the great hall and he was left to his paper and she, her breakfast, in peace. As the morning sunlight streamed through the windows and the chirp of cheerful English birds could be heard through them, she couldn’t blame the children for wanting to be outside, or away from the dictates of those who could not appreciate a fine early summer day with the same type of importance a child placed upon it.

  He looked up once from his newspaper and lowered it until she could see all of his face, somewhat tan from the long walks he often took to survey and peruse the estate and measure the progress of crops. The crow’s feet at the outward corners of his eyes seemed only to make him the more handsome. Laying the paper aside, he captured her full attention with his words, taking on a more serious tone and talking to overcome the rustling of the newspaper. “I wanted to express yesterday but did not find the right moment to say that I sincerely hope you are feeling comfortable and will soon feel settled in my home. I want you and your mother-in-law to consider my home as your own. I have heard of all you have done to care for Lady Margaret and am very pleased you have remained with her and looked after her through her losses and your own. She is a very dear and long time, family friend and kin to my family. The God of Israel will reward you for looking after her.”

  “Thank you, my Lord. She means a great deal to me as well,” she said, clutching her coffee cup and looking down at the linen napkin in her lap. “Since my parents are deceased… and now…” She could not finish the sentence. There were still moments like that, even now, a year later when she couldn’t even breathe her husband’s name.

  He cleared his throat and said nothing. A few moments passed and then he said cautiously, in an even softer tone than before: “The children did not know Benjamin and Samuel as I did. We did so much together… in fact we did almost everything together growing up, until they joined their parents in the French Alps. We celebrated holidays and several weeks or months each summer, trips to London, birthdays, and even shared tutors at times in our younger years. Lord Colton, Uncle Duncan to most of us… your father-in-law, painted all of our family portraits and was a close friend and cousin of my father. My father would have been devastated by the news of their passing. Frankly, I don’t know that Lady Margaret would have come through this so well had you not been there to help her through this time.”

  “It has been difficult,” she nodded, her eyes fixed on her goblet of juice. “I would like to think we have helped each other.”

  “Yes, I’m sure you have,” he said. “I’m very sorry to hear of the passing of two of my dearest friends and their father. It is my greatest wish that you and Lady Margaret are well taken care of in this tragic circumstance and that you are both able to find peace and security. I hope in time you will be able to forge a new life when you are settled in at Wellbrook Hall.”

  “Thank you, my Lord,” she said. “That is very kind of you and we are forever in your debt.”

  “They would have done no less for my family,” he said. “Consider it something I do from my heart and not a debt at all.”

  She could only ponder his words as she ate her breakfast and when he peered over the paper again a few minutes later and saw that she had finished her juice and was quietly waiting on his indication for their meeting to begin, he said, “Shall we go to the library while the servants clear the table?” She nodded, placed her napkin on the table, rose carefully from her seat and followed him wordlessly, observing everything she could about her new employer.

  He led her to the library on the second floor and there they found quiet and comfort in two, cozy arm chairs placed before the fireplace. When they were seated he wasted no time to begin sharing his thoughts. It was too warm for a fire but it was a nice quiet place to discuss the children without interruption.

  “As much as I detest the war, I have always maintained a good opinion of the people of France and the beauty of the language. I have noticed you speak the language well.” He began, one leg bent and resting across his other knee.

  She nodded, keeping both of her hands at rest on the arms of the chair adjacent to his and he continued, “The children have violin and piano lessons once each week and mathematics lessons three times each week. I would like them to have a French lesson for thirty minutes four times per week and I want them to write a Psalm four times per week. Their mathematics lesson will come to an end for the duration of summer beginning in a fortnight.”

  “I see,” she nodded agreeably.

  “In the fall, beginning in September, they need to have a lesson in geography, English literature, grammar, spelling, science and history in addition to French, mathematics and their violin and piano lessons. An instructor comes for all music lessons, which take place in the music room. They also need an etiquette class several times per week and to continue studying the Bible each day. Fridays should be a half day of lessons and no lessons on Saturday or the Sabbath, of course.”

  “Where do the children normally have their lessons?” She asked.

  “I will be available to give you a tour of the school room tomorrow and when we have more time, a tour of the estate. The school room is on the third floor. If you need to purchase any books or supplies, make a list and Briggs will see to it.”

  “May we use the books here in your library as well?” she asked, looking around the room at the floor to ceiling shelves on many of the walls and corners of the well-stocked library.

  “Absolument,” he replied, making her laugh. His French was pas mal.¹

  “Merci beaucoup!” ² she replied. They were laughing together and it was good to hear the Earl laugh.

  “We will be taking a little trip to the ocean for a few weeks beginning in about a fortnight. Their French lessons and Bible study should continue while they are there, but not violin, piano or mathematics of course, as the math and music tutors will not accompany us to the seaside.”

  “Mais oui!” ³ she smiled. “I will be happy to accompany the family to

  ¹Absolument, pas mal = absolutely, not bad

  ²Merci beaucoup = Thank you very much

  ³Mais oui = certainly, but of course

  the ocean.”

  He laughed. “I thought Lady Marga
ret and you would be a lovely addition to our holiday. Do you have any other questions?” he asked, raking a browned hand through his dark hair as he tried to think if he had remembered everything he had meant to tell her.

  “I’m certain I will have more but for now, I have just two.”

  “Proceed.”

  “How many governesses have they had prior to now?”

  “Too many, unfortunately,” he answered. “I think you will be their fourth. They have all abandoned Bridesgate. Not because of the children, though Edmund has been at times boisterous and Selina, somewhat difficult to warm up to. That’s not why they left as far as I can tell. It’s that they have all had a life changing circumstances. Two became engaged and later married… and two retired.”

  “I see,” she said.

  “Your other question?” he asked.

  “Can you write down for me the proper name of each child and the grade level each one has progressed to and their ages? I assume there are teacher grade books I can review to see their marks and progress in the school room?”

  “Yes, there are grade books and notes about their individual progress. The books contain their proper names and ages. I won’t bore you with all of those details just now. We shall see those tomorrow.”

  “Très bien,” ¹ she replied.

  “Well then, if you have no other questions for me, I have another

  ¹Très bien = very well/very good

  meeting shortly and I’m sure you would like to rest from the journey. Of course you shall have a generous monthly stipend as outlined in the letter. Something for Lady Margaret as well, since she will act often in the capacity of a companion. Lessons should begin in a few days when you are rested and prepared for them to begin. They normally start lessons at nine o’clock until three o’clock daily-- but in the summer, use your best judgment and feel free to carry on as you see fit. I would like them to learn, but they have born great loss and I want their lessons and daily life to be filled with joy and rewarding for both pupil and instructor.”

  “I understand,” she said. “I am agreeable to all that we have discussed. I will do my best. We shall take matters of discipline lightly at first and hope for no further need of them.”

  “Excellent. I have no doubt that you will do your best,” he said, feeling confident in her capabilities. He stood up, looking very tall and handsome, signaling the end of their meeting. She rose and he guided her elbow toward the door of the library. “Lady Margaret wrote to me of your education and the time you spent teaching children in the village of Annecy prior to your marriage. You are certainly qualified.”

  “Thank you, but it was only a year I taught school in the village.” Georgiana found herself rather sad that their meeting must come to an end. She had rather enjoyed it, surprisingly.

  “If it gives you a little more confidence, though you look to be the youngest governess we’ve ever had, you should know that your experience is more than several of our former governesses,” he informed her. “Shall I escort you down the stairs or to your suite?”

  “Down the stairs,” she replied. “I’m going to take a turn in the garden. Lady Margaret has probably joined Lady Madalene and Lord Edmund there by now.”

  “Yes, yes of course,” he said. Thinking of the former governesses to grace Wellbrook Hall, he didn’t mention the fact she was more attractive than all of them had been. In fact, as he walked her down the staircase, he felt he should try to put that thought out of his mind entirely. They parted at the bottom, and he couldn’t help but feel a great deal of relief at having found a more than suitable governess for his children. He had a feeling he would like her very much in the weeks and months ahead. Only one thing bothered him. It was the glaring fact that he knew it would not be very long before someone would marry and whisk her away from his family.

  Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. Genesis 29:17