by Allison West
Charles nostrils flared, aggravated that he could not trust the man who was supposed to be a friend. He had hired Frank not from an ad in the paper, but because they had known one another in boarding school many years ago. Frank had been raised by a wealthy merchant, Thomas Becker, who had three sons and a knack for making it known which were his favorite. Frank always had fallen to the bottom of that list and when his father Thomas passed, his will had failed to include Frank.
Charles had known of the hardship for an unmarried man who no longer held wealth, status, or a home to live in. He had finished school and had temporarily returned home to discuss the arrangement of marriage with a woman who he would indeed never meet. Charles had failed to hear the rest of the story, taking pity on his friend who had come from wealth and fallen so tragically from it, when it was not an ounce his fault. His schooling could have resulted in a job as a merchant just like his father but he despised the man who had once raised him. With the last pence in his pocket, he drank himself into a stupor, until Charles had come to the poor man’s rescue. They had been friends after all.
He did not want to believe that Frank would have willfully betrayed him over a pair of ruby earrings and necklace. Finding a good coachman was never easy to come by and Charles had believed Frank to be a good man. Perhaps the jewelry would turn up come morning and they could put it all behind them.
* * * * *
Delia slipped from the confines of her warm bed. She had barely gotten a wink of sleep, exhausted with the thought of running away. Except she would be leaving a note, which at least come morning her father or the housekeeper would find and give to him. Would he be disappointed in her decision to become a governess instead of marrying Fred Hill? She had to do what was in her best interest. Teaching a young child and helping further his or her education seemed a worthy cause that any father should be proud of for his daughter.
She scribbled a note, leaving it on the dresser before sliding the bag out from beneath her mattress. The contents were rather heavy but she doubted a return trip would be possible. Delia would be expected to live and work at the Hayward residence. She did not know much about the gentleman or his child that she would be teaching, but Delia could learn fast and pretending was something she was good at. At a moment’s notice she could easily slip right in with a conversation and act as if she belonged, even when she hadn’t the faintest idea what was being spoken of.
Stepping out into the brisk early morning air, she clenched her bag and her cloak tighter around her small frame. John, the coachman for her father, waited his eyes trailing down to her bag.
“Your father knows of your departure?” John asked.
It was not unusual to accompany Delia from the estate but it was rare form to find her lugging anything with her, especially her valuables.
“Yes. He is the one who asked for you to bring me to the train station.”
“May I ask where you are traveling to?” John seemed to have no qualms with prying for further information. Did he doubt whether Delia was allowed to leave? Surely if he did, John would not take her to the train station and she would be forced to walk, a travesty considering the luggage she carried.
“To visit my sick cousin. Now do you mind? I would rather not be late and miss the train.” She ignored his stare and stalked past him to the coach. She opened the door for herself and stepped inside, bringing her small piece of luggage along with her. Delia did not trust that John would not accidentally forget it, in an attempt to make her miss the train. Why would he do such a thing? To buy time and find out what was really going on. He seemed too smart for her lies and yet he shut the door behind her and walked around front.
Delia relaxed, rested her hands in her lap, and momentarily shut her eyes, exhausted. She knew nothing of children. Why did running away and seeking a position as governess enlighten her? Perhaps it was the adventure away from her home and furthermore the fact she could not marry Fred Hill if she was not at home.
In the black of night, before the sun peaked to light the heavens and sky, Delia slipped the carefully pocketed jewels she had stolen from just outside her father’s shop. She did not need a mirror or light to feel the holes on her ears or the clasp for the necklace to secure the ruby gems over her skin. She could have waited until she was on the train, but she did not want to risk leaving the tiny earrings any longer from their much needed place on her skin. Besides, every second they remained in her pocket risked the chance they would fall out and her father might discover the jewel.
Not that she needed to worry about her father for much longer. The moment she stepped onto the platform and her coachman returned to the estate, she would be a free woman. Of course without money or a home, her duties would fall to being governess where she would be provided room, board, and a small stipend for her position. It would do for the time being. Besides, it was a much better offer than that of marrying Mr. Hill.
The horses trotted along the path and every so often, she jostled on the bench in the coach. Her hands clutched the luggage beside her, protecting the few most precious items she still owned. Delia shut her eyes but in the distance could hear the whistle of the train. Were they nearing the station? She did not wish to be late, for the train would certainly not wait for her.
“Hurry up!” she shouted to the coachman. Her eyes glanced out the side window as the warm red sun began to burst just over the horizon, lighting the night sky. Pulling her cloak tighter, the air would warm soon, but she would be on the train, getting as far from her father, Fred Hill, and her home in Mitcham, London, as possible.
* * * * *
Morning sun streamed in, waking Charles from another restless slumber. He dreaded thinking up the last time he had slept soundly. It had been when Mary had shared his bed, his late wife. A sadness loomed over him at her distant memory, fleeting but never entirely fading. She kept him company even in his darkest and gloomiest nights, the mere thought of her presence welcoming to him. He chose to remember a certain side of her, the part that had cherished the girls and him as well. The other side, he locked away and vowed never to think about again.
With the nanny caring for his two girls Emma and Alice, it gave him the opportunity to sleep in for a change. Work would beckon to him later, but in a few short hours the governess would be arriving on the doorstep to make his acquaintance.
To be more specific, Frank had been given the arrangements of picking up the new governess from the train station and escorting her back to the estate to ensure her timely arrival.
Charles had a schedule to keep and had little desire to wait and see when she might join him at his home. Sending Frank out seemed the easiest and most routine option. It was not the first time he had played chauffer for a visiting cousin.
His thoughts of Frank jumbled in his head with the memory of the previous night and the missing rubies. He dreaded the act of firing a man who had been a confidant when they were young boys. There were far too many secrets Frank knew of Charles, ones that could cause a ruckus of trouble should they fall into the wrong hands. Though keeping a thief on staff hardly seemed sensible either. Perhaps the rubies had turned up and Frank left them downstairs in the foyer or in Charles’s study.
Washing up and dressing for the day, Charles headed down the stairs.
“Sir, the governess is waiting to see you.”
Had he slept in? He glanced at the clock in the foyer, disappointed that he had overslept and no one had come to wake him. He made no attempt to apologize as he climbed down the last step, turning into the hall to see the blue-eyed dark haired girl who had robbed him of two pence yesterday at the market. “You,” he said, the words coming out far less polite and welcoming than he had intended with a greeting.
The young woman stood, the luggage beside her feet as she brushed her hands over her emerald green gown, refusing to make eye contact.
Charles could not take his eyes off the young woman. “What is your name?” he asked.
“Delia Amor,” she
said, staring down at her shoes.
It was a lovely name and fitting for the petite beauty who stood before him. The longer he stared, his eyes widened catching sight of the ruby earrings and necklace fastened around her neck. Charles breathed a sigh of relief. “Of course!” Frank had not brought him the governess, but the thief who had stolen the jewels; the housemaid must have been uninformed of the guest standing in the foyer.
Delia only seemed to stare at him confused. “Thank you, Frank. You may go to the train station.” Charles did not want to make the governess wait for the coachman any longer than she had already done.
“I already have, sir.” Frank retreated for the door. “This is the governess who inquired about the position.” Without another word, Frank headed outside, seemingly wanting to get away from the fight that was about to brew. He must have seen it too, the spark in Charles’s eyes.
“You stole from me, twice.” Charles could not believe Delia had it in her to steal from a young child, though she likely had not known who she was stealing the precious gift from. It made little difference to him. She had showed her lack of morals and disregard for other people. Plain and simple, Delia was a thief.
“I beg your pardon?” Delia asked, stepping closer, this time her head slowly rose, their eyes tangling together unable to pull away from one another.
“You owe me two pence for the silk and those rubies you wear, they were to belong to my young Alice for a birthday present.”
She lifted her hand to the necklace, but made no attempt to remove it from around her neck. “This old thing?” she asked. “My mother gave it to me years ago.”
Charles had no reason to believe a word coming from her mouth. “You can pay me back for what you have taken and I will refrain from contacting the authorities.”
“Are you threatening me?” Delia asked.
“I am giving you the benefit of the doubt,” he said. “Perhaps you stumbled onto the box because my coachman had not tied it down properly. Seeing as how you are wearing the jewels, I very well cannot give them as a gift. I expect full reimbursement of the rubies and the two pence you neglected to refund me when you counted out my change. Consider that being extremely polite and reasonable.”
Delia laughed under her breath. “You are mistaken if you believe I have a pence to give you, sir.” The smile quickly fell from her lips as he stepped closer and towered above her.
“It is Charles Hayward,” he said, introducing himself, realizing he had not given the young woman, Delia, his name.
Sighing, he stared at her curiously. If she had already been his governess, he would have had her over his knee with her skirt up, paddling her bottom. He could not do that, not without her being a part of his household and accepting the consequences that came with the responsibility of the job. His cheeks burned red, unpleased with seeing her again. He had nothing to say to her.
“I will pay it back to you,” she said, her voice quivering as she stared up with wide soulful eyes.
“Something we can both agree on,” Charles said. Maybe he was being too harsh. She was a young girl with conflicted morals but she could be straightened out with the right amount of discipline.
“Let me work as your daughter’s governess. The stipend will be waived until I have paid you back for the jewels.”
She made no attempt to hide the fact she had stolen them from him or at the very least found the rubies and wore them as if they were her own. How could she be so thoughtless and callous?
“Why would I ever let you, a thief, teach my two girls anything?” Had the young woman lost her mind? Had there been no man who had wanted her dowry and to betroth her? Yes, she was most definitely beautiful, but no doubt she would be a handful as well.
“If you want me to pay you back for the rubies, it is all I can offer.”
Charles hemmed and hawed, considering his options. He could easily afford another gift but when would he have the time to purchase it for Alice? Money was not the obstacle that stood in front of him.
A small part of him found the young woman to be a challenge. He did not know why, but he desired to discover if she would dare defy him. His hands trembled at the mere thought of spanking her bottom raw, the precious porcelain skin that was hidden beneath her layers of gown that she wore.
“Where is your husband?” He knew better than to seek a governess who was tied up in marriage. Charles desired a woman who would stick around, so long as his girls did not run her off.
“I do not have one. My father thought it best that I find a position outside of our home.”
“You have no arrangement for marriage?” Charles asked, turning as he walked out of the room. He gestured with one finger for the young woman to follow him.
He did not so much as spin around but he could hear her footsteps as she rushed to catch up behind him.
“That is right. I have no arrangement for marriage.”
“Good. I want a governess who will be with my children until their own betrothal. Do you intend on keeping the position long-term?”
“Yes,” Delia said.
He nodded, considering her request as he proceeded to give her a tour of the ground floor of the house. “I have high expectations, if you decide to accept the position.” Charles wanted her to know that he would require her to be on time, keep to a schedule, and have a strong handle on dealing with and disciplining the girls. Alice and Emma could at times be trying. At three and seven, his girls still needed a female role model who could help take the place of their mother, and give the girls someone to look up to. Nanny Ida was a prominent figure in their lives, but he watched her closely, making sure she always put the needs of his children before her own. Delia might prove challenging based on her prior actions.
“I would assume nothing less from a man of such high regard,” Delia said. “I do have a few questions for you.”
Pleased that she seemed to be taking an interest in the position, not solely in the money that it offered, he led her to the study and shut the doors behind her. “Have a seat.”
“You mentioned earlier that you have two girls, but the position you listed in the newspaper only made mention of one child.”
“That is because Alice is three and Emma is seven. I expect you will have little interaction and dealing with my littlest one for quite some time. It is best you two get acquainted but her studies will begin in a few years time.”
“I see,” she said and nodded. “Given that Alice is so young, I expect that much attention will still be given to her. She will be required to know her numbers and letters for when she is of age for a proper education. Your advertisement may have specified being a governess for one child, but it seems I will be needed regularly for both children, teaching them at different levels.”
Charles rubbed his jaw, considering her request. “Are you requesting a higher salary?” He could sense that would be the next request spilling from those ruby red lips.
“I am, sir. Only because I feel it absolutely necessary given the requirements of the position of governess. Little Alice will require as much if not more attention than Emma.”
“I have a nanny who will care for Alice. You have nothing to concern yourself with in regards to her care and upbringing.”
Delia sat down and rested her hands in her lap. “I see.”
She looked the part of a lady, though Charles still doubted her ability to be a proper governess considering her thievery and inability to return the proper pence from the market. Had she done so because she had desperately needed the funds or was it about the game at hand? He would have to watch her, examine her behavior to make a thorough decision on the matter. Bringing her into the house could prove troublesome but what choice did he have? Finding a governess seemed to prove more challenging than Charles originally thought. He had brought dozens of women into his home, none staying more than a few days’ time. It had not been the girls who had driven them away but him. They had been unable to accept the rules without question. Cou
ld Delia handle the discipline that would follow if she broke the rules?
“I would like to hire you on a trial basis. At which point when your debt is paid, we can further discuss whether you will continue as a governess or return to your father’s home.”
Delia opened her mouth, clearly ready to dispute such a request. “Sir, I assure you my intentions are to stay and I will prove that to you, if given the chance.”
Charles wanted to believe her but he had witnessed far too many governesses trying to run his household. “Your study shift with the girls begins tomorrow morning at seven o’clock sharp. Nanny Ida can relay you the rest of the schedule we keep. Board and lodging will be in exchange for your services. Any additional stipend will go directly into the fund for the jewels and money that you owe me.”
“I know, you mentioned that already,” Delia said. “How much were the earrings and necklace, exactly?”
He grinned. She had not the faintest idea how much she owed him. “A year’s salary and consider me being generous since it is more like a year and a half what the jewels cost.”
“Then I will pay you back in full. I shall work my debt to you for as long as it takes.”
Surprised that she was not already trying to weasel her way out of time, he would wait to see how she reacted after her first infraction. It was bound to occur by the end of the week, two tops. Would she slip out during the night and take the train to escape him and his girls? It would not be the first time a governess ran from the estate. Looking her over, he hoped the blue-eyed beauty would not disappear. He longed to take her over his lap, remind her who was in charge as he pounded his palm against her bottom. Just thinking such thoughts made his cock twitch in his trousers.
“Very well,” he said heading from the study and allowing Delia to follow him. He walked her across the hall and opened the door to the playroom where the girls were sitting on the floor, playing with their dollhouse. “I will leave you with Nanny Ida and the girls. It is best you get acquainted now so that tomorrow morning you can begin your lessons.”