More Than a Governess. Sarah Mallory
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her governess and I am obliged to correct her when it is necessary. It will help me greatly if you do not encourage her to flout my authority.’
‘I—I don’t, I wouldn’t!’
She smiled at him. ‘Then I am relieved, and very grateful to you.’
Flushing, Giles bowed, muttered his excuses, and lounged away. With a sigh, she went back to sit beside Wilhelmina.
‘So, Gwendoline, what have you been doing today?’ Lady Varley posed the question while she prepared the tea. ‘What have you learned with Miss Wrenn?’
‘In truth, Aunt, nothing.’ Gwendoline put her chin in the air and cast a defiant look at Juliana.
The room was suddenly very still. Wilhelmina wriggled uncomfortably on her chair. The Major had been talking to Giles on the far side of the room, but now he looked up.
‘What do you mean by that, Gwen?’
‘That Miss Wrenn is a fraud, Papa,’ declared Gwendoline with awful clarity. ‘This morning we did nothing but shop—a frivolous exercise—and this afternoon…’
‘This afternoon we studied England,’ said Juliana calmly. ‘With the use of maps Mr Brasher looked out for us, we plotted our journey, once we had calculated how far we might travel in one day. That, of course, meant we had to decide how fast the carriage could go. What did we decide was our likely speed, Wilhelmina?’
‘Eight miles in an hour.’
‘Yes, very good. Then we had to work out the distance between towns.’
‘And stops for changing horses,’ put in Wilhelmina, glad to be able to contribute again. ‘Thomas thought of that!’
‘Yes, he did.’ Juliana nodded at her. ‘So you see how we practised our powers of calculation and arithmetic. Then, of course, we looked up in the guidebook the towns we are likely to pass through. Barnet, of course, where we shall look out for the Barnet Pillar, put up to mark the famous battle.’
‘That was where Edward IV beat Henry VI to become king,’ said Wilhelmina.
‘Yes, in 1471. And St Albans—what can you remember of St Albans, Wilhelmina?’
The little girl wrinkled her nose. ‘There was a battle when Queen Margaret brought her army and rescued King Henry, but he could not have been a very good king, because Edward beat him at the Battle of Barnet.’
‘Yes, and where else might we be travelling?’
‘Derby,’ said Wilhelmina, swinging her legs. ‘Where the rebels turned back in the ’Forty-five and they were followed back into Scotland, where the King’s brother followed them and killed them all!’
The Major raised his brows. ‘A very bloodthirsty summary.’
Juliana chuckled. ‘More interesting than mere dates and places, Major.’
‘Undoubtedly. And from there, Minna?’
‘Macclesfield,’ cried the little girl. ‘Where there are mills that weave fine silks for Aunt Louisa’s shawls!’
Major Collingham laughed and patted her head. ‘Very good.’ He looked hard at Juliana. ‘Perhaps Gwendoline was not paying attention today.’
‘No, Major, I cannot blame her—for she was sewing a fine lawn handkerchief for Lady Varley as I talked. After all, it was never intended to be a serious lesson.’
Wilhelmina tugged at her father’s sleeve. ‘When we were out this morning, Miss Wrenn gave us a whole sixpence each to spend, as long as we could reckon up the pennies we had in change. And I did, Papa.’
He lifted her into his arms. ‘How clever of you. Now, ten more minutes while we drink a dish of tea, then bed for you, children.’ He set her on her feet and smiled over her head at Juliana. ‘Congratulations, Miss Wrenn. You make the journey sound exciting, even to me. I have no doubt Gwendoline will take more interest in future.’
‘I have always maintained that girls should be taught to know their way about,’ declared Lady Varley, pouring tea into the delicate porcelain cups. ‘Gwendoline, my dear, please take this cup to your father. Thank you. Yes, girls need to be able to read and write, and to reckon a column of figures, but beyond that there is little value in book learning for them.’
‘But, ma’am, how are they to stand their ground with their brothers, or their husbands, without a matching education?’ objected Juliana.
Lady Varley shook her head. ‘A man doesn’t want a clever wife, Miss Wrenn. He wants a dutiful one. Gwendoline, this cup to Miss Wrenn, if you please.’
‘An educated woman may still be dutiful,’ put in the Major.
‘Unless her husband is particularly dull-witted,’ murmured Juliana.
Major Collingham laughed.
‘A clever woman will learn to have her own way,’ replied Lady Varley, ‘but she does not need an education for that.’
Juliana looked up. The Major was watching her, and she found herself responding to the smile in his eyes. Gwendoline approached with a cup of tea, but as she reached out for it, the girl stumbled and the contents of the cup were thrown over Juliana’s best grey gown.
There was an immediate commotion. The Major berated Gwendoline on her clumsiness and she burst into tears. Giles came forward to defend his sister, while Lady Varley bewailed the broken cup.
Juliana stooped to collect up the pieces.
‘Pray, Major, do not scold her. I am sure it was an accident. Master Giles, ring the bell and fetch a servant to clear up this mess, if you please.’ She rose, looking down at her wet gown and trying to hide her dismay. ‘Let me take the children upstairs, sir. It is their bedtime.’
He was still looking thunderous.
‘Very well. Leave them with Nurse and give your dress to Mrs Hartley. She will know what to do to clean it. You will then put on a fresh gown and come back here.’
Lady Varley stared at him. ‘Damon!’
‘Really, sir,’ stammered Juliana, ‘I should retire—’
‘You will come back, Miss Wrenn.’
His tone was implacable and she knew it was useless to argue. Closing her lips firmly, she nodded, took Wilhelmina by the hand and led the two girls out of the room.
Her silence as they went up to the schoolroom seemed to unnerve Gwendoline. She said, ‘It was an accident, you know.’
‘If you say so.’
‘Will the stain come out?’
What do you care? thought Juliana, and immediately scolded herself for being as childish as her charges. She said, ‘I hope so. I do not have the luxury of another silk gown.’
‘We could buy you one in Macclesfield,’ suggested Wilhelmina.
Juliana squeezed her hand and forced a smile. ‘Yes, we could. In the meantime, let us hope the housekeeper is as good as your papa says.’
She handed the children over to Nurse and went off to change into her only other evening gown, a cream robe with long sleeves caught up with lime-green ribbons. It was the last gown her father had bought for her, and she had been saving it for a special occasion. It occurred to her that there would not now be any special occasions, for a while at least. She threw a black silk shawl about her shoulders and looked at herself in the mirror.
‘Far too bright for mourning.’ She sighed. ‘However, he insists I return, so it will have to do.’
Pausing only to say goodnight to Amy and Thomas, who were already in their beds, she ran lightly down the stairs and back to the drawing room. There was a martial light in her eyes as she walked in, but the