Delia's Debt

by Allison West

  Charles retreated from the playroom, closing the door as he headed for the library where he kept a decent bottle of scotch for such the rare occasion. He needed a very stiff drink and to stop thinking of the new governess’ bottom.

  Chapter 2

  “Hello,” Delia said, greeting both children as she heard the door slam rather abruptly behind her. So much for politeness and him doing the introducing.

  She held out her hand first to the woman sitting in the corner of the room, a newspaper laid out on the table. Her light brown hair had wisps of gray as she tied her hair up in a bun.

  “I am Delia Amor, the governess.”

  The woman’s cold steely gaze glanced up from her paper. It was clear to Delia that she had interrupted her and the nanny did not appear pleased.

  “You are in my light,” the nanny said.

  Delia stepped from the light of the lantern that had visibly blocked the woman, not that it should have mattered with the blinds drawn to allow late morning light into the room. “Do you have a name, or am I to call you nanny?”

  “My name is Ida,” she said, her eyes once again focused on the paper lying on the table. She did not so much as glance up again at Delia.

  What kind of nanny was Ida that she ignored the children and their wellbeing? Perhaps they had run her ragged earlier and she needed a few minutes to recuperate.

  “Well then, I suppose I shall introduce myself to the children.” She turned and stalked toward the girls sitting quietly on the floor. The dollhouse they sat in front of was grand in size and exquisite in detail. The house had been made from wood with carvings of intricate detail to the front door and shutters. Coming around to see the inside, it was fully furnished, far more than Delia’s own home had been. They had lived modestly, something these girls probably never knew anything about.

  The youngest girl, presumably Alice, gripped the wooden doll in her hand. Her bright green eyes sparkled in the sunlight.

  “Hello, I am Miss Delia, your governess.”

  The older girl with the same dark chestnut hair as her father stood up to properly greet Delia. “I am Emma and that is Alice.” She pointed at her younger sister sitting on the floor.

  Alice reached for Emma’s hand, before finally standing up. Her eyes wide as she stared curiously up at the new governess. Alice did not say a single word as she studied Delia’s face.

  “Why do we have a new governess?” Emma asked. “We liked our governess, Miss Bessie.”

  With a heavy sigh, Nanny Ida stood up from her seat, sounding less than thrilled to be having this conversation. “Miss Bessie is gone. Same as Miss Anna, Miss Clara, and Miss Elizabeth. You listen to Miss Delia and I will not have to tell your father how you ran another governess off.”

  Delia could not imagine how these two young girls could be such terrors to run off four prior governesses. Though she suspected she would find out soon enough, come tomorrow and her lessons with Emma and Alice. She was adamant about starting Alice young, it would make things easier if the young child could identify her letters and numbers. It was not as though she expected both girls to be learning the same lessons, but if both children could read, then her work would be half complete, offering them assignments and books to learn from.

  She had never been a governess and the memories of her own were clouded with her insubordinate behavior. How hard could it be to teach two girls who already had a nanny to keep them in line? Though by the looks of Nanny Ida, she did not seem that interested in her job.

  “Can we play outside?” Emma asked. “I am bored.” The dollhouse had lost her attention. Delia knew the decision did not fall on her. It was the nanny’s responsibility to look after the girls and make sure they were cared for as well as entertained.

  “Please!” Alice jumped from her seat on the floor and rushed to Nanny Ida’s side. “Please, nanny.” She grabbed her nanny’s hand and attempted to drag her toward the door.

  Emma saw what was happening and did the same, grabbing her nanny’s other arm.

  “Children!” Nanny Ida scolded the girls. “That is not how a young lady acts.” She pulled her arms free and wiped down the gray and blue dress that she wore. “After you retrieve your coats, you may play outside. I do not want either of you catching a cold.”

  Delia had not found it chilly outside but the weather could turn at an instant. It had been unseasonably cool for June, with a constant downpour of rain the last two weeks in May. She followed the girls into the foyer and helped them with their coats while she grabbed her own cloak to wear over her shoulders.

  “Where are you going?” Nanny Ida asked.

  “I planned on keeping the children company, getting to know them a bit more. Is that a problem?”

  “Yes.” Nanny Ida stepped closer to Delia. Though she was far shorter than Delia, she refused to move from out of her face. “I will not tell you how to do your job and teach those girls. I expect the same from you. Tomorrow you start with Emma. Until then, leave the three of us alone.” She slipped on her coat and clasped the buttons before helping the girls outside.

  Delia watched from the front door, emitting a heavy sigh. How was she supposed to get to know the children if she could not spend any time with them? She had fully intended to get to know Emma and Alice to make their first day with her as governess easier.

  “Is everything all right?” Charles asked.

  His footsteps had been so quiet that Delia had not heard him coming. She nearly jumped from her skin as she spun around to face him. “Everything is fine.” She gave him the best smile she could muster while she worked to remove the cloak.

  “There is no reason to take that off. I was thinking that perhaps the two of us could pay a visit to the market. I still need a present for Alice’s birthday. Perhaps you could help me pick something out?”

  Delia did not want to admit that rubies would have been highly inappropriate for a three-year-old child. Perhaps it was good she had stolen the gems, getting the young girl something she would find far more enjoyable to play with.

  “Are you asking me to travel with you?” Was it such a good idea after the last encounter they had shared at the market? Of course she would not be selling him anything or stealing from him.

  “I would like the company and seeing as how Nanny Ida would like the children to herself, I believe it a prime opportunity for us to get to know one another.”

  Delia could not deny him that. He was right, they barely knew anything about one another, and she was expected to live under his roof. “Agreed. When would you like to leave?”

  “Right now. I will let Frank know we are ready for him.” Charles stepped from the foyer and disappeared down the hall.

  Delia ran her feet over the gorgeous marble flooring. With the door open, the sunlight shined on the floor.

  “I am so glad I waited to fire him,” Charles said, muttering the words loud enough for only Delia to hear.

  “What do you mean?” she asked, attempting to keep her voice down but curious all the same.

  He pulled his coat on and fastened the buttons before taking Delia’s arm, leading her outside. The girls had already disappeared from the front yard and Nanny Ida seemed to be chasing after them. Had it been a game or had the girls decided they had enough with their nanny? Delia had found the woman extremely difficult at first glance. Perhaps they could come to an understanding. If Ida had been reluctant on Delia staying around, she had nowhere else to go. Marrying that ass Fred was out of the question. This would be her home, at least until the girls grew up and she was no longer needed. It was a thought she did not wish to have and many years away, nothing she needed to concern herself with for the moment.

  Frank opened the coach door and Delia stepped in first with Charles sitting across from her. His legs gently nudged hers before he shifted slightly, probably trying to get more comfortable. Her eyes glanced out the window, admiring the sight of the land as the coachman pulled the carriage further from the estate.

 
“What was that you said earlier about firing your coachman?” Delia asked, certain to keep her voice low enough for him not to overhear their conversation.

  Charles leaned forward, possibly doing the same as he kept his voice low. “I had a bit of a falling out with him last night. I accused him of something treacherous,” he said. His hand reached toward Delia’s neck, and the pads of his fingers smoothed over the ruby jewels she wore.

  “You thought he stole the rubies?” Delia asked. It made sense why he would want to fire his coachman. If he were caught stealing, then he certainly was not to be trusted. She almost felt bad for what could have been, but it had not happened. She let the concerns slip away as quickly as their carriage rode past the Windsor Castle. Their conversation was quickly forgotten. “Have you ever seen her?”

  “Do you mean Queen Victoria?” Charles asked. He shook his head. “You can not see anything from down here. Perhaps if you were perched up on a tree or a bird soaring through the sky. The castle is heavily guarded and for good reason.” He studied her face for a long moment. “Please assure me that you have no intentions of stealing from the queen of Great Britain.”

  “I promise you, I have no such plans.” Desires on the other hand, it was tempting but she also did not want to see herself tried for treason. She loved her country. Stealing from the queen seemed a bit extreme even for Delia. “Are we traveling to London?”

  “Not nearly as far. There is a toy shop not too far from Windsor that Alice and Emma love to visit.”

  “What made you choose ruby earrings and a necklace instead of a toy for Alice?” Delia did not understand how a father could pick out such a lavish gift for a young girl.

  “Well, she is going to be four on Thursday.”

  “She is too young for jewels and presents that could be swallowed whole. Earrings were a terrible idea. Did you not think that through?” What if the child would have choked on the present or torn her stomach to shreds? Delia did not want to imagine the horrors of what could have happened to the young girl.

  Charles stumbled with a response. “I wanted to give her something she would remember. A present that she would have forever.”

  “I agree that you should give her something precious, but not rare jewels on her fourth birthday. Perhaps it could have been set aside or a letter for when she gets older if you are trying to be sentimental. She would be happier with a stuffed animal or a new wooden toy for her dollhouse. Anything you give her she will love.” Delia knew that the little girl would have probably cherished the ruby jewels, but would not have understood the significance or expense before losing them.

  “Perhaps you are right. I will have to choose more wisely.”

  The remainder of the ride was filled with silence as Delia admired the view out the window. As the coach was pulled to a stop and Frank opened the door for Delia to step out first, she felt Charles breath against her ear. “Promise me you will not steal from the shop. The owner is a good friend of mine.”

  “You have nothing to worry about.” She stepped down onto the ground and waited for Charles to accompany her. Together they walked inside the small store, her eyes moving over the array of stuffed animals, building blocks, and even a rocking horse. It was too bad that Alice was too big for the horse. It did not help that she was tall for her age or so it seemed. Delia had not exactly met too many other girls turning four.

  Delia walked toward the stuffed animals, picking a lion from the shelf. “I used to have one of these when I was a child,” she said, recalling her father giving her the gift for her own birthday. Though she could not quite remember how old she had been at the time, she knew her father had saved for several months to buy the handmade present from a small vendor at the market.

  “Do you think Alice will like it?”

  Did he worry that she would be scared of the animal? It was a stuffed toy made with fabric and filling. Delia did not see anything that would be scary for a girl of four years old. If he brought home a real lion, that would terrify the child, but she could not see the harm in the present on the shelf.

  “Yes. She will love the gift, because you bought it for her. I will be outside,” Delia said as he took the stuffed animal up to the owner to pay for the present.

  The sun had already crested across the sky and began to set. Delia had not realized how much time they had spent away from the estate. She pulled her cloak tighter as the gas lamps flickered on outside. The night air crept in, forcing her to shiver as she watched the faces of people pass by. Her hands itched, tempted to snatch a wallet from one of the many people who walked by. She still had no money to her name and though Charles had assured her board and lodging, he had taken away the small stipend for the rubies she had stolen.

  Her plan had been to pocket some of the money for herself from her earnings but to also send some home to her father to help with his shop. She would have loved to believe he did not need the money but she had spent nearly every day since she turned twelve tending to the store. Her earliest responsibilities had been when she was far younger, helping sweep the floors and keep the place tidy, after her lessons with her governess. On her twelfth birthday, it had been a relief to learn to manage the shop, selling to the guests who had been window shopping. She always had an excuse to delay the arrangement of marriage, which was a fine decision with her. The shop needed her as much as she needed the shop.

  Without further thought, she brushed by an older gentleman nearly twice her age, slipping his wallet from his pants. Delia waited until she felt confident he had not noticed before opening the contents to reveal the money tucked neatly away inside. The smile grew upon her lips until she felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped.

  A heavy sigh met Charles’s lips. “What did I say about stealing?”

  She could not even snatch the money from the leather without being seen. Damn it! “I am not a thief,” Delia said, a little too quickly. “The gentleman must have dropped his wallet. I was looking to see if I knew where to return it.”

  “How about to the man who dropped it?” Charles shook his head, snatched the wallet from Delia’s fingers and rushed toward the gentleman who had walked several paces ahead. He had not yet turned the corner. He spoke briefly with the gentleman and Delia watched as he shoved his fingers over his pocket to realize in fact his wallet had been missing. Charles returned the item before shoving the stuffed lion under his arm.

  “I am taking you home, right now.”

  Delia did not know whether he meant the Hayward estate or her childhood home in Mitcham, London. Wordlessly she followed him back to the coach.

  “Get inside!” He opened the door, ordering her into the carriage.

  She had not seen Frank. Perhaps he had been told a specific time to reconvene for the trip home. She did not dare ask where he went or when he would be back. The worst thought was of sitting and waiting, dealing with Charles and his angry stare. She knew he was pissed for what she had done. Perhaps if he knew of her predicament and how the money was not for herself but her family, he would then better understand.

  “Stay here or I will leave you.” Charles shut the door to the coach, leaving her inside. She let out an anxious breath as she watched him wander from the carriage but never so far that he did not have an eye on her at all times. She felt like a child who had done something wrong.

  “Frank!” Charles snapped his fingers, waving his arm in the air to get the gentleman’s attention.

  From a distance, Delia watched as Frank spun around after speaking with a young woman who had caught his eye. She could not quite hear what words were being exchanged between the two gentlemen. It appeared as though Frank apologized to the young lady before kissing her hand. He retreated for the coach and Delia scooted further back inside, pretending not to care about the interaction. It seemed the anger he had once harbored for Frank was now directed entirely at Delia. She did not deny her wrong doing only the mere fact she had been caught.

  The ride back to the Hayward estate was ma
sked in silence, except for the hooves of the horses and the creak of the wheels with each bump and turn.

  Delia felt relieved that Charles had not ridden her straight back to her father’s home. She would have felt like an even bigger disappointment than she already was to him.

  The coach pulled to a halt and Frank came around, opening the door, offering his hand for Delia as he helped her step down.

  “Thank you, Frank,” Charles said. “Delia, you are to come with me inside.”

  She had intended to go inside, but she did not quite know what he meant. “All right.” There was no point in arguing with him. After all, it was his house and his rules. She was not an idiot to know that she would be expected to fit in. Delia just had not planned on getting caught.

  Charles headed inside first and Delia took her time stepping into the foyer.

  “Coat off.” He slipped his own garments off, handing them to the maid to hang and put away.

  Delia slowly did the same, removing her cloak and handing it to the maid, dreading whatever lashing would come. She hoped it would only be verbal. She was used to hearing her father’s tongue when she had done something troublesome and gotten caught.

  “Come with me,” Charles’s voice was short, his temper curt as he led her into what appeared to be a library.

  She exhaled a heavy breath, drinking in the beauty of all the exquisite books that lined his shelves. Delia had never seen quite a collection before and certainly not one owned by a single person.

  “While you work for me, Delia, you represent the Hayward name and the Hayward household. That means when you step foot outside, you are expected to show respect and restraint.” His voice grew angrier and deeper as his breathing picked up pace. “What the hell were you thinking, stealing from Mr. Edward Ashford? Do you have any idea who he is?”

  Delia had not, though she doubted that would have changed her decision. “No.” She did not bother to ask him if she was supposed to know who he was, it would have only angered him further. She had learned through the countless years of getting yelled at to avoid eye contact, say very little, and pray it will be over soon.