by Fanny Finch
But he needed a governess for Grace. And quickly. Without one, he would continue having to deal with Mrs. Andrews, and it was not as though his daughter could continue without an education.
He wrote a quick letter in response, accepting her request for the position. The Earl of Dulshire hoped it was not a mistake to do so. He hoped thoroughly that the young woman would prove to be better equipped at governing his daughter than she was at writing letters.
Still, it was worth it. He needed someone and she would be as fine as any, he figured.
“Simon!” the Earl called, hoping the young man was nearby.
Soon he entered the study, standing respectfully with his hands behind his back.
“I have these letters. Please see to it that they are taken to the addresses,” he instructed.
Simon nodded and took the letters from the Earl before leaving the room once more.
He leaned back in his chair and felt relief that he would finally have someone to look after Grace. It had been such a concern for the past two weeks and now that weight, at least, was lifted.
He could focus on all the others ready to take its place.
First, he would try to get the governess settled, then he would talk to Mrs. Andrews about the attitude she had been less careful about. It was strange to see a housekeeper become comfortable enough to show their distaste for their work. He had made it too easy for her, it seemed.
If he was going to continue having employees taking advantage of him, then perhaps he was better off getting rid of the lot of them and starting fresh.
With a new household, he could be stricter and more diligent. He would have no more pairs running off to marry, stealing his things to help them get started. He would not be shown subtle, silent disrespect by housekeepers.
He was the Earl of Dulshire and he had to start acting like it.
Chapter 3
The cab pulled up to a home nearly as grand as the one Thea lived in. Delia was overcome by the fact that she would get to live in such an estate for the time being. It was far more beautiful than the previous one.
Whitewashed and large, she wondered if she ought to have dressed better.
Delia internally scoffed at the thought. She had nothing better. Only her simple, pale grey dress and a few others of the same ilk. She was a governess. They would not expect her to dress like a noblewoman.
With her hair in a modest bun at the base of her neck, Delia imagined that she looked quite the part of the young, dull governess. She didn’t mind so much. It was exactly what society would require of her. This was the best way of impressing her new employer.
Delia took her carpet bag and walked towards the front door where she knocked firmly.
After a moment, the door was opened by a mean-looking woman with a severe grey bun propped on the top of her head, and cold, blue eyes.
“I imagine you must be Miss Caulfield?” she asked dryly.
“Indeed, Miss…” she waited.
“I am not a Miss. You may call me Mrs. Andrews. Come in. I didn’t expect you this early and your room is not quite ready. You shall have to wait,” the woman said coldly.
Delia followed Mrs. Andrews to the drawing room where she was expected to wait.
The drawing room was underused. That much was obvious. It would seem that the mistress of the house did not care to spend time there, despite the pretty paint and ample utensils for activity.
It was nearly two hours of sitting in anxious silence before Mrs. Andrews returned.
“Your room is ready. Follow me,” she instructed.
Delia followed and made her way up the staircase towards the back of the house.
“This is where the staff stays. You will be in the room down the hall from my own. I expect no complaints,” she said. Delia nodded in agreement that this was a fine arrangement for her.
“You do not speak much? That is a small favor, indeed,” Mrs. Andrews slighted.
Delia allowed the insult to pass. It was clear that Mrs. Andrews was not a friendly or kind woman, but she was not there to befriend the staff. She was there to teach the child of the house.
Her room was small, as anticipated, but perfectly agreeable. A bed, a desk with a chair, and a closet were the only things taking up space. She would easily be able to store her few possessions.
“Thank you, Mrs. Andrews,” she said. While she was fine with the room, she could not fathom it having taken the housekeeper two hours to prepare it.
“It is my duty. I’ve done you no favor,” she replied.
Delia wasn’t sure how to respond to that, but when the woman turned to leave, she wasn’t ready.
“Wait. Mrs. Andrews, forgive me, but—when am I to meet my charge?” Delia asked.
“How am I supposed to know that? It’s not my duty to determine the child’s schedule,” Mrs. Andrews said rudely.
“Then who might I speak to regarding the matter?” Delia pressed, realizing she might have to become insistent.
Mrs. Andrews sighed.
“Alright then. I shall introduce you to the Earl of Dulshire. He is the girl’s father and he is the one who will be responsible for all of that,” she replied.
“Thank you, I should appreciate that a great deal,” Delia said, trying to be polite despite her dislike of Mrs. Andrews.
“Follow me. Again. These stairs are going to be the death of me if I have to keep going up and down,” the housekeeper complained.
Delia ignored it and was led back down to the front of the house. She began to wonder what the rest of the staff might be like if this woman who greeted her was so cold and difficult. She also wondered what the master and mistress would be like.
Were they rude and callous like their housekeeper? Or were they worse? Were they so horrible as to have made Mrs. Andrews become like this? Had she once been a young woman like Delia with hopes and dreams? Had they crushed them from her?
She was suddenly very nervous at this thought and could not help but wonder if she had made a terrible error in coming to this place. Utterly determined to be a governess, perhaps she had passed up better opportunities for this one.
Even the child might be horrible when surrounded by such misery. It was certainly possible. She could not put it past the family to be worse than the housekeeper, after all. Rich people were typically crueler than most.
For a moment, Delia wished she could run to the front door and leave. What if they found out that she was a disgrace in her previous position? What if they found out that she was from a family that had been paupers and was now wealthy but refused to help their own children?
All of these thoughts were overwhelming. But Delia continued walking forward, just behind Mrs. Andrews. Soon, they were nearing the end of a hallway. That was where Mrs. Andrews stopped and knocked on the closed door of a room.
“Come in,” called a man’s voice on the other side.
The two women entered, and Delia saw the Earl at his desk. A fine-looking man, with dark hair and deep blue eyes, he was younger than she had anticipated. Perhaps only seven or eight years her senior.
The study was grand and Delia was filled with jealousy at not being a man. Such rooms were too exquisite to be inhabited only by one gender, and typically the one who less understood aesthetic beauty.
“Ah, is this our new governess?” the Earl of Dulshire asked, standing to come and greet Delia.
His politeness and smile were in striking contrast to those of Mrs. Andrews, and Delia was completely taken aback.
“Yes, my lord,” she replied, bowing her head slightly.
“It is very nice to meet you. I trust you had a decent journey?” he asked.
“Indeed, my lord. It was quite lovely,” she answered as expected.
“I am glad to hear it. Now, Mrs. Andrews, you may leave us to discuss matters,” he said, to Delia’s great relief.
Gesturing for her to sit, the Earl of Dulshire took to his own chair and Delia responded as instructed.
“
Have you had tea?” he asked.
“No, my lord,” she replied.
“No tea? Goodness, what is my household doing these days?” he asked, seemingly frustrated. Delia tried to hide her amusement that it was not only her who noticed.
“And is the room to your liking?” he continued.
“Yes, my lord. It is just near Mrs. Andrews’s room and the whole house seems perfectly lovely,” she replied again, saying what she thought was expected.
“Beside Mrs. Andrews? Oh, no, but you’re to be near my daughter, of course. It is no good having you in that part of the house when you have been hired to care for Grace,” he replied, seeming perplexed.
Delia had briefly considered this when Mrs. Andrews showed her the room, but thought no more of it. Different households chose to do things in different ways and she was not one to complain about it.
“I shall inform Mrs. Andrews that we must change this right away. Now, tell me, have you met Grace yet?” he asked.
“No, my lord,” Delia answered yet again. She had a feeling that things were not going well. All that she had anticipated for her first moments in the house seemed to have matched the Earl’s anticipations.
“Well then, we shall get to it. Mrs. Andrews!” the Earl called.
After a few moments, the woman came rushing into the room.
“Please call for Grace. And you and I shall have a word later,” he said in a mildly warning tone.
As they waited, the Earl made small comments here and there and called for the kitchen staff to have a full lunch and tea prepared for Delia.
She was astonished that he asked nothing of references or prior experience, the topics that she had been expecting, but dreading. It seemed that the Earl was actually a very decent man, and Delia was entirely relieved.
When Mrs. Andrews returned with Grace, the child sharing the same blue eyes of her father, Delia stared for a moment. She was beautiful and there was no questioning her parentage, but for the hair that was nearly white, in contrast to her father’s dark. Delia wondered where Grace’s mother might be.
“This is my daughter, Grace,” he said to Delia.
“How do you do, Miss?” Grace asked in a sweet voice, giving a small curtsey with hands lifting her pale pink dress at the sides.
“I am very well, Miss Grace. My name is Miss Caulfield. I am so looking forward to getting to know you better,” Delia said with a true look of joy on her face.
The Earl remained quiet, and Delia noticed that he had not yet spoken directly to the child. He seemed almost aloof with her, as if he knew not how to interact.
“Right, Grace, you may return upstairs. Miss Caulfield will join you soon,” he said, finally speaking to the child, even if it was only for the sake of dismissing her.
“Now, let us discuss a few other things,” the Earl said.
Delia sat down again and the Earl of Dulshire proceeded to tell her about some of the expectations of her as a governess. He informed her of her pay, which was far greater than her previous position. He also told her about expectations in terms of timeliness and Grace’s improved intelligence.
“I shall be sure that Mrs. Andrews shows you where everything is, but you will eat with Grace in the dining room at the same time she eats. I am there at times, but not always. Please be aware that you are expected to respond any time she calls for you,” he said.
“Absolutely, my lord. She is my charge and I take that very seriously,” Delia replied.
“I am glad, Miss Caulfield. You certainly seem like the sort of young woman suited to this role. I do hope that you prove to meet the expectations I have set for you,” the Earl said with a smile.
Delia was dismissed, and she made her way up the stairs to find Grace, guessing at where she ought to go based on very simple instructions from the Earl. When she reached the room, Grace was not alone.
“Oh, hello!” said a bright and friendly young woman with starkly red hair.
“Hello,” Delia replied.
“My name is Amy. I’m one of the maids. You must be the governess, Miss Caulfield, as Miss Grace tells me?” she asked.
“You may call me Delia,” she replied.
“Well, Delia, I am glad to have you here. Honestly, most of the staff are so stuffy that I can only pray you are not like them,” Amy said with a laugh.
“I have certainly noticed,” Delia laughed under her breath before going to sit down with Grace.
Amy sat with her.
“You know, this is a very good home to work in and the Earl is a good man. You will just have to adjust a little,” she said.
“It seems as much. I am certainly contented here thus far. That is, I am happy aside from the same allusions you have made to other staff,” Delia replied, trying to remain vague and not complain.
“It isn’t always easy with them, but you will be fine. Miss Grace is wonderful to spend time with, aren’t you?” Amy said, ending with directing her attention to the child.
Grace giggled and Delia was pleased to see it.
Mouthing the words quietly to Amy when Grace was not paying attention, Delia asked, “What about her mother?”
“Dead,” Amy mouthed silently.
Delia felt a pang of sadness for Grace. A child who had lost her mother. It seemed the worst possible thing in the world.
And yet, she knew that it happened to many children. For now, it was her job to provide the comfort that only a mother could give to their child.
Delia hoped desperately that Grace would be happy and the Earl would be satisfied.
Chapter 4
The governess had been in the home for three days and seemed to be getting on well enough. The Earl was pleased that his daughter was enjoying attention she had scarcely before experienced. It was time for her to have a life that resembled that of most children.
He was surprised when he looked out the window of his study and noted that the governess, Miss Caulfield, had taken Grace outside for the day. They were studying, it was clear, but in the outdoors.
The previous governess had never considered such a thing, but Grace seemed to love it. The fresh air was keeping her more alert and any time she seemed bored, Miss Caulfield would have her run in a circle before settling again to move on.
She was very innovative, and he liked seeing that. He was impressed by her methods, even in this short time. For a young woman who had never been a governess before, she seemed naturally equipped beyond most.
There was something intriguing about her. The Earl told himself, as he stood at the window of his study, that he was watching his daughter. But in truth, he knew that it was the young woman that he was staring at.
She was not what he had anticipated. There was something utterly unique about her. From the letter she had written, he would have thought her too young and inexperienced had he not been so desperate.
But while Miss Caulfield was certainly young, she had a wisdom and maturity that he had scarcely seen communicated so well in a woman of her station. She seemed almost more of a mother than a governess.
Miss Caulfield had been moved to a room on the same floor as Grace, but he still had many things that needed to be tended to with his staff. It was frustrating, but he knew that something must be done.
Mrs. Andrews came to the door and he instructed her to have a seat.
“Mrs. Andrews, as I told you before, we need to have a discussion,” the Earl began.
“Yes, my lord. Anything you wish,” she said, suddenly charming and sweet.
“I fear that I have been less than pleased with your behavior of late,” he said bluntly, eliciting a frown from the housekeeper.
“And why is that, my lord? Do I not serve you as you wish? Do everything you command of me?” she asked.
“Mrs. Andrews, you often do things that I have requested, but not always in a manner which pleases me. That is to say, oftentimes your internal thoughts are quite on display and I should have to remind you that you are an employee of this house.<
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“What I instruct of you is what is expected,” he continued.
“Forgive me, my lord. I was not aware I had caused any offense,” she said, seeming contrite.
“Well, that is all about that then. But I must also address the issue of Miss Caulfield’s arrival. Not only are you aware that the previous governess stayed close to Grace and that is my wish, you also did not offer her tea or any accoutrements. She was not introduced to Grace. All of this ought to have been handled,” he told her.