She kept her eyes on her destination. ‘I didn’t frighten him away. He left.’ She said coldly.
Anthony frowned. ‘Did he ask?’ he said impertinently.
‘Did he ask what?’ she almost spat at him.
‘For your hand!’ he replied exasperated.
She stopped dead and turned slowly to look him in the eyes. ‘Why would he ask for my hand?’ She asked indignantly. ‘He’s already had what he wants. Now he’s probably back in London where he can offer for an unsullied debutante like Lady Wilhelmina Bantock to fill his nursery.’ She turned back to the nursery door. ‘He certainly wouldn’t ask somebody like me to do it for him.’
‘But he told me he was going to.’ Anthony murmured in confusion.
‘Well he didn’t and frankly I’m surprised you’d actually believe him.’ She put her hand on the handle and before she could open the door Anthony grabbed her by the wrist.
‘Did he ravish you?’ He whispered harshly in her ear. She turned her flushed face and distraught eyes up to his face and he saw it there in her countenance. ‘The bastard!’ He intoned solemnly. ‘You leave everything to me, Jessica.’
‘It’s not quite like you think.’ She whispered back and grabbed Anthony by the arm and dragged him to the end of the corridor, away from the nursery door. ‘He didn’t just rape me or even take me against my will.’ She murmured. ‘If I’d said no, he would have stopped.’ She looked up and Anthony’s heart almost tore apart at the expression on her face. ‘It was beautiful, really and I didn’t know it could be so wonderful.’ She finished, her voice hushed in awe. She stood for a moment with a dreamy expression on her face and then she snapped firm eyes to his. ‘And I won’t have you do something stupid, when it isn’t necessary.’
‘But he deflowered you and if you become with child your reputation will be in tatters!’
She laughed coarsely. ‘Anthony my reputation is already in tatters, thanks to your brother and our fathers.’ She sighed. ‘I don’t suppose he will turn us out in the cold if it happens, but I can’t see him offering marriage because of it.’ She patted his arm. ‘Just let sleeping dogs lie, Anthony. All you could do is offer him for a duel and I don’t want to see either of you hurt.’ She smiled wanly and turned away for the nursery again.
‘Come to London with me!’ Anthony said brightly. ‘You are a Carruthers, not a governess and as such you should be in my house, under my protection. Just think of all the balls and parties we can attend!’ he finished excitedly.
‘Let me think about it.’ Jessica said and walked away to the nursery. The next day she consented to travel to London on the strict understanding that Richmond couldn’t be there.
‘I sacked him, anyway. Father left him well provided for and I told him to go.’ He shrugged, as if it was nothing. But Jessica knew just how frightening Anthony would have found that. They chatted amiably while Jessica packed her trunks again.
She explained to the Viscount and Viscountess that she was returning to London with Anthony amid cries of anguish and joy. ‘We shall miss you,’ Lady Evelyn said softly, ‘and I know the children will too.’
At six o’clock she walked to church with Andrew. But it didn’t stir her soul, as it would have done if it was John Farrington walking beside her. She sat through the service and walking home told Andrew she was leaving for London in the morning.
‘Is it the duke?’ he asked softly as they walked up the lane.
She looked up at his face in the dying embers of the sun. ‘Yes and no.’ She said and frowned. ‘Yes, I’d like to be nearer to the duke and no, Anthony asked me as his sister-in-law to return home with him.’ She sighed. ‘Apparently I am still Lady Carruthers and it won’t do the Earl any favours for his sister-in-law to be a Governess.’
‘I understand.’ Andrew said calmly and escorted her to the door of the kitchens. Next morning she and Anthony departed for London.
‘Isn’t it quiet, Nanny?’ Susanna said.
‘That it is.’ Mrs. Tabb agreed as Christian suckled on his wet nurse and she stared into the nursery fire and contemplated another new governess.
~*~*~*~
When John arrived in Mayfair, Butcher opened the door with alacrity. ‘Your Grace!’ he said in relief. ‘I didn’t know what to do when Lord Eldon insisted he be brought here.’
‘It’s all right, Butcher. I’m not such a bastard as to leave my dying pauper of a brother-in-law on the streets. Is the physician still here?’ John said quietly as he removed his hat and gloves. He watched Mrs. Beaton chivvy Elizabeth up to the nursery.
‘He is Your Grace. I put Lord Edward in a guest suite and had to employ a nurse for him.’
John looked at the haggard face of his trusted retainer. He patted Butcher on the shoulder. ‘Not to worry, Butcher. I’m home. I’ve offered for a new Duchess.’ He smiled. ‘Masters will tell you all about her. So let’s go and see Edward.’
He took the stairs two at a time, managing to keep his rage in check as he strode down the corridor in the guest wing. He opened the door to the first suite and was confronted with a portly nurse, complete with white starched apron and a physician, lounging in the sitting room. They jumped to their feet as soon as John stepped in the room.
‘Ah! Your Grace.’ The Doctor said brightly, bowing formally and then extending his hand. ‘I apologise for the intrusion, but Eldon insisted. Doctor Michaels.’
John took the hand and shook it firmly. ‘It’s no intrusion. What is Edward’s prognosis?’
‘Multiple stab wounds,’ Michaels said gravely. ‘It was astonishing that not one of them hit a vital organ. It was a vicious attack though. He lost a lot of blood, so I haven’t bled him at all, but the wounds have become infected. We’re trying a poultice at the moment, to draw the poison from the wounds, but his temperature is exceptionally high and he’s delirious.’ Right at that moment a high pitched scream came from the bedroom and the nurse hurried away. ‘I’m dosing him with laudanum for the pain and to try to keep him quiet.’ He turned disturbed eyes to John. ‘This has been a very traumatic event for him. I take it you will continue with his care?’
The Duke nodded. ‘I’m not so cruel as to throw him to the dogs, even though it’s his own fault for gambling away everything.’
‘Everything?’ Doctor Michaels said in astonishment.
‘Even his ancestral home has gone.’ The Duke shook his head slowly. ‘I’ve never seen anybody lose so consistently, almost as if God had decided to ruin him.’
‘Well, I’m no expert on the actions of the divine, but your brother-in-law will be lucky to survive this and if he does, he could be a changed man.’ Michaels said firmly, nodded and headed back to the sick room.
John strode thoughtfully to his study to write an explanatory missive to Jessica and then he was deluged with the work of the past week.
Chapter Thirteen
Jessica enjoyed being back in London and Anthony was indulgent with her. She had been shocked to realise that the Earl’s town residence was in the very rich and sought after area of Green Park. When asked how the family had acquired the land, Anthony had explained that some ancient relative had held the freehold since medieval days and his great, great, great grandfather had actually had the house built during the reign of Henry the Eighth, with his ill gotten gains from some business venture that Anthony didn’t want to know about. Jessica assumed that the wealth had come from marriage or gambling, but didn’t disparage Anthony’s ancestors. It was a monstrous building with sixty bedrooms and numerous parlours, for every eventuality. The grounds were exceptionally well cared for and included a curved drive from Queen’s Walk on the edge of the park. Grand new houses had been built between them and St. James’s Palace on the corner by St. James’s Park and towards Piccadilly in the other direction. Behind them were stables and coach houses, but in front was a clear view across the park.
For Anthony, nothing was too much trouble. He sent for her maid Mary, escorted her to every couturiére and complet
ely updated her wardrobe. Every modiste raised their eyebrows, assuming that Jessica was his mistress, until she was announced as Lady David Carruthers. Each fashion house tried to enforce mourning clothes and each time Jessica refused. At Madame Jobert’s it all came to a head.
‘But my Lady!’ Madame Jobert exploded. ‘You are in mourning! Your husband has been dead for less than three months!’ She gaped at Jessica in horror.
‘Madame.’ Jessica said firmly. ‘Would you mourn for a man you only saw once?’
‘Once?’ Madame Jobert’s voice became shrill.
‘Yes, once.’ Jessica replied and smiled. ‘Well twice if you count when I saw him emerge from the bushes with Lady Saddleworth.’ She smiled brightly. ‘He arrived at the church, said the vows and went to say goodbye to his mistress before sailing over the briny to Portugal. Now you tell me Madame if you would mourn for him.’
‘I suppose I would not.’ Madame Jobert looked seriously at Jessica. ‘Did he not stay to.....?’ she left the question unfinished as Jessica solemnly shook her head. ‘Oh! My Lady! I’m horrified!’ She pulled Jessica against her ample bosom and rocked her like a mother would. ‘Men!’ she spat. ‘They are all the same! Have their fun and then go with no thought to the consequences!’ She pushed Jessica away and wiped a tear streak from her cheek. ‘So, Cherie! I will design you a wardrobe to defy the rigeurs of the ton.’
Jessica smiled and soon she was sitting with Anthony, sipping the finest wine and discussing patterns and materials.
By the end of the second week her first ball gowns had arrived and Anthony decided which functions they would attend. They were sitting in a small parlour, which Jessica liked and her maid Mary, was sitting quietly in the corner reading.
‘We should start small.’ Anthony said. ‘It would be in very bad taste for you to just appear at the biggest functions.’ He smiled conspiratorially. ‘Much better to start with a soirée here, an invitation to tea there, rather than the Hunt Ball, don’t you think?’
Jessica was embroidering a beautiful design onto a silk shawl. ‘Which soirée were you thinking of?’
‘Well, your mother is holding one next week, but I’ve already given her the cut, so we won’t go, even though she’ll send an invitation.’ During this Jessica looked up at him in horror. ‘I was thinking the Duchess of Norfolk’s tea, followed by Lady Helen Wentworth’s soiree. What do you think?’ he looked up at her expectantly and frowned at the horrified look on her face.
‘My mother,’ Jessica whispered. ‘I didn’t even give her a thought.’ She looked across the room at him. ‘How did you give her the cut?’
He laughed suddenly, banishing the dread that Jessica felt. ‘It was two weeks after your wedding,’ he said jovially. ‘I was at a ball somewhere, can’t even remember where, but I was well on the way to being foxed. Lady Gordon approached me and asked after your health and I distinctly remember saying “if you’re worried about that, then you shouldn’t have married her to my brother,” I said rather loudly. “She’s being the good little slave that you sold her for, my father’s very grateful to the free nurse you sent him!” and after that we had a blazing row. She accused you of dallying with David in the bushes, I told her it was Lady Saddleworth, just as you had always claimed and how despicable they were to have forced you into a marriage with somebody you didn’t even know. I’m afraid I stuck my nose in the air and turned my back on her there and then.’ Anthony didn’t sound in the least repentant and laughed again. ‘You should have seen her face! And your father’s was positively white.’ He sniggered then, ‘Of course, it did the rounds with the gossip mill and I think your mother was actually ashamed to go out for a few weeks.’ He smiled brightly then. ‘Just think! If we run into her at any of the functions, you can give her the cut yourself!’
‘I suppose I would have to,’ Jessica murmured. ‘But I hope I don’t see either her or my father.’ She smiled sadly. ‘I miss my siblings, though. It was so busy being in a large family and since I’ve felt very alone.’
The conversation was interrupted at that point by the arrival of more parcels containing everything from silk stockings to hats. Jessica laughed as she and Mary open each parcel to discover everything a lady needs to dress from head to foot. Shoes, at least a dozen pairs, for every social occasion. Jessica couldn’t stop herself from trying the dancing slippers and soon she was waltzing around the room with Mary. Twenty pairs of silk stockings in every colour possible, including black and matching garters. Chemise’s made from the finest lawn, petticoats in the finest lisle all decorated in exquisite lace. Stays, by the half-dozen, some long and some short, all colour coded to the gown they should be worn with. The gowns were astonishing. All the silk ones were in vibrant colours, peacock blue, burnt orange, indigo, teal, claret and emerald green. Dozens of gowns, silk for the ballroom, muslin for the daytime, velvet riding habits, long coats, short jackets and Spenser’s in silk, velvet or wool and made to match the gown. Hats of every conceivable size and style. There were nightgowns, dressing gowns and shawls.
‘Oh! My Lady!’ Mary gasped as she looked at the ivory ball gown, as she opened the paper wrapping. ‘Just look at this?!’ burst from her throat and Jessica came and looked over her shoulder. The gown was exquisitely embroidered and decorated with seed pearls. In a paper bag were matching pins for her hair and wrapped in tissue were a pair of ivory silk gloves, decorated in seed pearls to match and an ivory fan, dressed with ostrich feathers. ‘Oh! This is so beautiful.’ Mary smiled at her. ‘You’ll dazzle on your first ball.’ She intoned with satisfaction.
‘Do you think I can capture a good man?’ Jessica asked as she flicked open the fan and batted her eyelashes over the top edge.
‘I think you could attract a Duke, my Lady.’ Mary said, innocently as she lifted the dress out of the wrappings and hung it on the front of the armoire. She didn’t see the pain flit across Jessica’s face as she dropped the fan back onto the bed.
‘A duke.’ She said distantly and walked to the window. She stared across Queen’s Walk into Green Park and thought about the Duke of Warwick for a moment, the excitement of her new clothes gone in an instant. It was two weeks since the house party and now she had something to worry about. Her courses hadn’t arrive on time. She rested her forehead on the glass and closed her eyes. Maybe I’m just late. She tried to tell herself, but deep inside her heart she knew already that she was with child. It was only a matter of time before the sickness started or she collapsed, like her sister had. ‘No, I don’t think so.’ She murmured. She continued to stare across Green Park to the King’s Palace while Mary sorted the clothes and accessories away. There was always a procession of carriages clattering passed. She watched a grand coach, complete with the coat of arms of Spain and four of the proudest Andalusian horses she’d ever seen. They were white, trotted in step and had the tell tale arch in the neck that made them so distinguished. The coach was stately, just as an Ambassador from a foreign nation would expect. She wondered how many times the Duke of Warwick’s coach had driven passed and she’d not even seen it. She sighed deeply and returned her attention to the new clothes.
~*~*~*~
John Farrington sighed in relief as Edward Asquith finally opened his eyes. ‘John?’ he mumbled. ‘What the hell happened?’
‘You were stabbed.’ John said without any fuss. ‘I’m so glad that you haven’t died. I didn’t fancy another round of mourning.’
The Duke had spent at least an hour every day sitting with the sickly man. Over the fortnight he had watched the weight shrivel off Edward’s bones and now he looked so frail. ‘Burke is beside himself.’ John said and smiled. ‘I didn’t realise you had a soft spot for your valet.’
‘Soft spot?’ Edward blurted. ‘I’ll kill the bastard. He was supposed to be watching my back!’
‘Well, don’t be too hard on him. He has a very nasty scar on his cheek.’ John helped him to sit up against the pillows. ‘Can you drink something?’
‘Yes. Give m
e a bottle of brandy!’ Edward said coldly.
‘Well, just to keep Mrs. Green happy, you can start with this broth.’ And John helped him to drink the whole tureen. ‘Would you like a bath now?’ John said and genuinely smiled at his brother-in-law for the first time in years.
‘Why are you smiling?’ Edward scowled angrily. ‘You turned your back on me, what the hell am I doing here?’
‘The Lord Chancellor had you delivered when your dying body was found at a wharf in Wapping. He thought it best to bring you here and wrote to me at the house party.’ He looked firmly at Edward. ‘Thank you for curtailing a very nice party and interrupting my intention to propose to the new Duchess.’
‘Are you taking the vows again?’ Edward asked in surprise.
‘I am.’ John smiled happily to himself as he thought about the passionate side of Jessica.
‘Who is she?’
‘Lady David Carruthers.’ John said softly.
‘Christ! She’s not even out of mourning yet!’ Edward gasped.
‘She isn’t even in mourning. David Carruthers sailed away to the Peninsular without even consummating the marriage, so that old bastard Stephen Carruthers used her as a nurse and when he’d been informed of David’s demise, he promptly tried to have the marriage annulled and sent her to be a governess for the Viscount of Malvern!’ John explained indignantly.
‘I’m surprised she didn’t stick a knife in the old bastard, so David could have the title.’ Edward said.
‘No, she’s not that vindictive or venal, but I know she gets on well with the new Earl.’ He watched Edward eyes closing as he drifted off and left him to sleep.
John was concerned about one thing. He had heard nothing from Jessica. He had given his direction clearly in his letter, but as yet he hadn’t received a reply. It is two weeks! He thought anxiously. Jessica said she was due now. Why hasn’t she written? He frowned. Now that Edward’s out of danger, perhaps I can get out and about. If I can see the Viscountess, maybe she can give me some news.
The Duke and The Governess Page 17