Anne Brear

by Virtue of a Governess

  “I haven’t seen him since breakfast, Madam, or Miss West.”

  Nicola paled. They hadn’t met their mother off the ship? She closed her eyes momentarily and prayed to some unseen deity to help her through this first meeting. Chin held high, shoulders back, Nicola summoned a smile and sailed into the drawing room.

  At the window, a woman dressed in a glorious dress of dove-grey silk edged with black lace, slowly turned towards her. Silvana West gave Nicola a glacial stare from steel grey eyes, Frances’s eyes, only Frances’s were warm and soft, Silvana’s were cold and hard. “And who might you be?”

  Ah, so the games begin. Nathaniel was right. Nicola hesitated. The woman would have seen her descend from the carriage and seen her speak with Mrs Rawlings, from those clues alone she would know Nicola was her son’s wife. “I may ask the same of you, Madam, since you are the stranger here, not I.”

  “If this is how a stranger is treated on her arrival…” she glanced at Nicola’s wedding ring, “Then I would look to your role more diligently, Madam.”

  “All guests are treated well in my home, especially when they are invited.”

  The barb struck home and Silvana’s eyes narrowed. “Where is my son?”

  “You mean my husband?”

  “My God, don’t tell me he’s married you.”

  “Who did you think I was?”

  Lips squeezed tight together, Silvana drew in a deep breath, her nostrils flaring. “I’ll never understand that boy, never!” She looked around as if searching for an escape.

  “I’m sure—”

  “Why didn’t he meet my ship? Did you prevent him?”

  “Not at all. Why would I?”

  “He never could be relied on. I had presumed he’d changed at least in that.”

  “Your son has changed in many ways and—”

  “Don’t presume to tell me about my ungrateful child.”

  Angered, Nicola gripped her skirt. “When Nathaniel left this morning I understood he would be going to the quay to meet you. Perhaps he had other more pressing business to deal with.”

  “I am Silvana West.” She tossed her head, nearly dislodging her magnificent wide brimmed hat, with its profusion of black feathers. “I refuse to be spoken to in such an insolent way by a former governess.”

  “And I am Nicola West. This is my home, and I refuse to be spoken to this way also.”

  “How did you snare my son’s affections?” Silvana’s contemptuous look made Nicola grit her teeth in anger. “My son had no wish to marry, he said it often enough. Yet, somehow, you’ve managed to secure him. From what I gather from the staff here my hope of Nathanial marry well is dashed. A governess. How will it be borne? What is your family, your connections?”

  Nicola stiffened, the insults hitting her like darts. “That is none of your business.”

  “Ah, so you must not have any otherwise you’d happily mention them.”

  “I am not answerable to you. How dare you enter my home, uninvited, and insult me?”

  Noise from the drive had both of them glance out the window. Nicola sagged at the sight of Nathaniel helping Fran down from the gig. Her first thought was to run out to them and beg for them to rid her of this awful woman, but when she glanced back at Silvana she found the woman had tears running down her cheeks. Nicola blinked, certain her eyes were playing tricks on her.

  Silvana drew out a flimsy scrap of black-laced linen and dabbed at her eyes just as Nathaniel and Fran stepped into the room.

  “Mother.” Nathaniel stopped and frowned. “We are sorry to have missed you at the docks.”

  “Oh, my darling boy, and sweet Frances, my dearest daughter.” Silvana ran to them and embraced them to her, sobbing as though her heart would break.

  Amazed at this turn around, Nicola simply stared.

  “Come now, Mother, no more crying.” Nathaniel gently extracted himself from her, but Silvana clung on to Frances.

  “Oh, my dear, dear children. How I have missed you so. It has been too long, much too long. Nathaniel,” Silvana turned back to wave her handkerchief at Nicola, “your wife has been so kind to me. I’m delighted by her.”

  Nicola’s mouth gaped. She stared at Silvana as though the woman had lost her mind, maybe she had? Then she noticed that Nathaniel was beaming, the joy clear in his eyes.

  “I cannot tell you how pleased that makes me, Mother. Nicola makes me very happy.”

  “My dearest son.” Silvana simpered, gripping his hand. “Your happiness is so important to me.”

  He smiled, his eyes at first wary, but then they softened. “I’m relieved you are not angry with us for missing you at the wharf. Business held me up, and I’m sure I missed you by only minutes, but I’m glad you managed to make it here without mishap.”

  “Are you tired, Mother?” Fran murmured. She seemed stunned for words by her mother’s emotional display.

  “A little, my dear, but I shall rest in a minute.” Silvana held Fran’s hands and sighed. “How well you look and so beautiful.” She led a bewildered Frances to the sofa. “Come sit by me and tell me everything about your life here. I want to know it all. I have missed you so very much, both of you.”

  As if in a daze, Nicola reached for Nathaniel when he came to her side and slipped his arm around her waist. Together they watched mother and daughter talk as though their relationship had always been close and loving.

  “Mother has changed significantly,” Nathaniel whispered, his expression clearly showing his confusion and shock. “She never shows emotion. I never would have believed it. Father’s death has changed her a great deal more than I expected.”

  “It is early days yet,” Nicola warned quietly, wishing she could speak of what had occurred between her and Silvana only minutes before. How could she tell of Silvana’s horridness when now she was all sweet and loving? They’d not believe her. She hardly believed it herself.

  “If she comes with the desire to make amends, I won’t reject her. She is after all, my mother. I think she might need me now.”

  “Of course, but let us wait and see, yes?”

  “I have a good feeling about this.” He kissed her cheek. “Mother,” Nathaniel stepped forward, “we have some excellent news for you.”

  “Oh, what is that, dearest?” Silvana’s affectionate gaze swept over them.

  “You are to be a grandmother. Nicola is with child. It is due in late October.”

  Nicola, watching her mother-in-law closely, saw the flash of tightness around her lips at the news before her stiff smile widened and she rose to embrace them both. “Why darling, this is such splendid news, and well worth that terrible journey to hear. Now, is it possible to have some tea?”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Opening the parlour door, Nicola stopped when she saw her mother-in-law sitting at a small table playing cards. Before she had a chance to back out of the room, Silvana looked up, her expression filled with loathing. “Oh, it’s you. I’m waiting for the tea tray, but your servants are lazy and very inferior to those back home.”

  Nicola turned away. “I’ll find the maid for you now.”

  “Leave it. The quality of your cook’s talent is severely lacking. I’m sure I’m better off without. Her meals are quite deplorable.”

  Bowing her head in acquiescence, Nicola stepped back, wishing to leave the room and Silvana’s presence. After four days of her mother-in-law’s company, she knew what a superb actress Silvana was, and her mind-playing was a feat to behold. Since her arrival, Silvana had held her son and daughter in the palm of her hand, giving them the love and attention they’d always longed for. Yet, the minute she was alone with Nicola, Silvana turned into a shrew, spewing forth her venom and spite and Nicola had no idea why.

  “I will tell you, or should I say, prepare you,” Silvana paused, making certain she had Nicola’s attention, “That I’ll do my very best to have Nat and Frances back in England before the year is out.”

  For a long moment Nicola could
n’t take in what she heard, then the meaning rang clear. “You want them to return to England with you for a short time?”

  “No, you stupid girl, for good. There is no need for them to be here.”

  “They have built a life here.”

  “Nonsense. Don’t be so dramatic.”

  “I doubt your success in this, Madam.”

  “Oh, I’ll be victorious in this as I am in everything else I plan.” Silvana packed away the deck of cards and smoothed down the skirt of her resplendent dark blue silk gown. “I need my son in England.”

  “You have a son in England.”

  “Gerald doesn’t have Nat’s business acumen and he is losing the family money not accumulating it, plus his wife is useless.” She shrugged elegantly as if talking about the weather. “Wives are dispensable, like you and her, but sons are not.”

  “My husband will not leave me.” Nicola fought for calm, though it was difficult. “I am soon to have Nathaniel’s first child. He will not want to be parted from me.”

  “A child is of no consequence until it’s grown. We’ll send for it then.”

  Send for her child as though it was nothing more than a parcel? “You are insane to think Nathaniel will agree.” Stunned, Nicola could only stare.

  “Quite the opposite actually.”

  “You might have fooled Nathaniel and Frances into believing you have changed from the unfeeling harridan you were, but I could—”

  “You could do what?” Silvana stood and glided to the window. “You can do nothing, for my son has always wanted love and attention from his father and me. I know his rebellious behaviour stemmed from his childhood. The silly boy wouldn’t grow up, always wanting a pat on the head like some puppy.” Silvana tossed her head in disgust. “He was sent away to school to make a man out of him and, as you can see, it worked.”

  “If he has any decency it is because Frances never gave up on him and loved him through it all. That and the fact he escaped you as soon as he could helped to prevent him from becoming a complete blackguard.”

  “You know nothing.”

  “I know a lot more than you think. Nathaniel has told me such painful stories of your neglect in your role as mother to him and Frances. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

  Silvana waved her away like an irritating fly. “What is done is done. The future will be different. They will come home with me and forget this backwater.”

  “And you think I’ll calmly let you do this?”

  “Yes. I’ll see that you and the child are generously provided for until the child is of an age. Then it will travel to join us and go to a proper English school.”

  “And what of my husband’s love for me?”

  “That will soon fade. Distance is a great healer.”

  “Nathaniel cannot be ruled and will not simply give up me and everything he has worked for to return to a place where he was unhappy.”

  “Ah, you don’t understand.” Silvana gave her a cold look. “What you fail to consider is Nat’s loyalty to his heritage. Gerald didn’t inherit all of his father’s businesses and money, because my husband knew his eldest son well and that Gerald could never cope with such responsibility.” She picked up a figurine and placed it down again with a curl of her lip. “No, Nat showed how he could make money and this impressed his father greatly.” She walked behind the sofa, trailing her fingertips along the top of it. “This morning I gave Nat some letters, letters that will show him how much his father respected him. After reading them he will know his duty.”

  “Why didn’t his father write to him in the last few years instead of when he was ill?”

  Silvana’s eyes widened innocently. “Oh, my husband didn’t write those letters. I did, at least I paid for them to be written.” She smiled, her expression sly as a fox.

  “I will tell Nathaniel all of this.”

  “And willingly hurt him?” Silvana frowned and pursed her lips. “Do you want to affirm all those years of…neglect? My son might be in his thirties but he still hasn’t grown up. He still longs for the love of his parents. Now he has it. Answer me this, have you ever seen him so happy as he is now?”

  Nicola swallowed. It was true. Nat smiled and laughed continually, content to finally have a complete and loving family around him for the first time in his life.

  Silvana’s ugly smirk ruined any beauty she possessed. “Do you want to be the one to dispel his happiness? Do you think he’ll thank you for it?”

  “You are truly evil.” Nicola tensed as Silvana walked up very close to her.

  “You haven’t even seen the worst of me yet.” Silvana twisted the tender skin under Nicola’s arm, making her cry out. “You say one word of this to my children and I’ll see that you disappear. Nat mentioned some unpleasantness recently, what was the name…Lombard, was it?” Silvana’s eyes glinted. “Yes. I can see that he will come in handy.”

  “Why would you do this?” Nicola whispered, horrified. Surely the woman wouldn’t go to Lombard. No, she couldn’t possibly...

  “Because I always get what I want.”

  “You won’t, not this time.”

  Silvana’s eyes narrowed to flints of steel. “I see that you will be a problem.” She gave Nicola a loathing glare. “I’ll have to deal with you.”

  Shaking, holding her burning arm, Nicola watched her mother-in-law swish from the room. Her hand slipped over her stomach as if to protect the baby inside. For the first time in her life, she didn’t know what to do.

  * * *

  The tinkling of crystal and the low murmur of conversation filled the elaborate dining room. Nicola sipped her red wine, her headache pounding. She carefully watched and listened to her mother-in-law across the table. As the weeks dragged by, Nicola kept her troubling thoughts about Silvana to herself, not wanting to upset Nathaniel or Frances. However, the pressure of staying clear of her mother-in-law and pretending to be happy when she wasn’t was taking its toll on her.

  This dinner party given by a business associate of Nathaniel’s was a lavish affair, the guests being wealthy people of Sydney. Usually she would have enjoyed such a night, but Silvana’s presence meant she had to be on her guard, never allowing herself to be alone with the spiteful woman. Thankfully, Silvana had spent the beginning of the evening attached to Nathaniel and praising him to all within earshot.

  A young man, with bright blond hair sat on Nicola’s left and he turned to her with a crooked smile. “Mrs West, you are not eating.”

  She looked down at her plate, the delicious meal of roast pigeon, half consumed. “I don’t have much of an appetite tonight.” Forcing a smile, she racked her mind for this man’s name, but couldn’t remember it, and her headache grew worse. The room grew stuffy. If only someone would open a window, even for just a minute, to let in the cool winter air.

  “Perhaps something else might suit you?”

  “Lord, no. I’ll not put the staff to any trouble. I doubt I could eat anything at all, actually. My head—”

  “What an ungrateful person you are, daughter,” Silvana whispered from across the table. “The food is simply divine.”

  Nicola’s hand clenched on the snowy white tablecloth. She blushed with embarrassment as the people closest turned in her direction. She also hated it when Silvana called her daughter. “I am not ungrateful at all, Silvana. I’m simply not feeling my best tonight that is all.”

  “Then we’ll send you home so you can rest.” Silvana’s expression appeared caring, but Nicola saw the hardness in her eyes. “Our hosts have many entertainments to amuse us for hours yet. I’m sure seeing your long face will only ruin the night for everyone.”

  The young man beside Nicola tilted his head. “That is hardly true, Madam. My parents wouldn’t consider an unwell guest as being rude.” He turned to Nicola. “Would you like to go upstairs to one of our rooms and lie down for a while?”

  “That would be lovely…Mr Channing.” She sighed in relief at finally recalling his name. He was the
son of Nathaniel’s friend and their hosts. “However, I shall go home I think.”

  “Of course.” He signalled to a footman behind them and the man quickly bent over. “Mrs West isn’t feeling well. Alert Mr West that she wishes to go home and collect her wrap.”

  The footman nodded and walked to the end of the table where Nathaniel sat talking to their hostess. Nicola missed Nathaniel’s reaction to the message as Silvana was talking again.

  “All this fuss over such nonsense,” she twittered brightly to the older gentleman on her right. “I declare a trifling headache is hardly worth all this effort.”

  “You have suffered no effort on my behalf, Madam.” Nicola grounded out, standing. Mr Channing stood also just as Nathaniel appeared beside her.

  “Darling, you are unwell?” He peered anxiously at her as if to see some injury.

  “A headache, my love,” she whispered, blushing deeper at the attention she now had of the entire table. “I just need to go home and rest.”

  Their hosts came alongside of Nicola, full of concern, but she urged them back to the table and their guests, before thanking Mr Channing for his assistance.

  Silvana rose dramatically. “And I was enjoying myself too.”

  Nicola gave her a cold stare, anxious to be away from her for a few hours. “Then you must stay, Silvana, I insist.” She turned to Nathaniel, lowering her voice. “Stay with your mother and enjoy the evening. I’ll have Timms drive me home and then he’ll return for you both.”

  He walked out of the room with her to the waiting maid, who held her silk wrap. He placed the flimsy golden material around her shoulders. “Sweetheart, I want to come with you.”

  “I’ll be fine, really. You stay with your mother. Fran will be home from her meeting by now. If not, I’ll go to bed and have Mrs Rawlings bring me up a cup of cocoa.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ll likely be asleep within minutes.”