Fenella J. Miller (5 page)

He was standing, one elbow on the mantelshelf, his ankles crossed, his face no longer angry but not friendly either. Cassie curtsied politely and waited, marooned in the middle of the carpet, to be given leave to sit.

Slowly he pushed himself upright and gestured at an upright mahogany chair on one side of the fire. Gratefully she settled herself and waited for the tirade to begin. She heard him sigh as he settled himself on the padded sofa.

‘I must apologise for raising my voice, I was anxious about Amanda, and fear that I overreacted.’

‘You have no need to apologise to me, sir, I am your employee, you may speak to me as you please.’

She saw a flicker of humour cross his face. ‘Good God! Are you telling me you’re not offended by my behaviour? You’re not going to run away?’

Cassie smiled at him. ‘No sir, I am not. I’m merely telling you that you don’t have to apologise.’

This time he laughed and the harsh lines of his face softened making him look younger, more approachable, almost handsome. ‘Well, I’m glad we’ve got that settled. I may be as uncivil as I wish, and you shall be suitably offended – that seems remarkably straightforward. I wish all my other dealings were so simple.’

Cassie felt herself warming towards him, he was a man of contradictions, but obviously loved his daughter, perhaps too much – so why did he abandon her so readily and leave her in the charge of a virtual stranger?

He stretched out his long booted legs stared down at them, lost in private thoughts. This gave Cassie the opportunity to examine him more closely. His features were not regular enough to be called handsome, but when he smiled he was definitely attractive. She thought he was about three and thirty, perhaps a little more, it was hard to tell as the hard plains of his face had no surplus flesh to soften them and this made him, perhaps, appear older than he was.

His breadth of shoulder was impressive, and he must stand two yards high in his stocking feet. A slight smile twitched the corners of her mouth, it was not often she came across a man who could look down on her. As if aware of her scrutiny his head suddenly shot up and she felt herself

flush from the soles of the feet to the crown of the head. Instead of being offended he leant forward, as if looking at her more closely.

‘Do you like what you see, Miss Roberts? Do I come up to snuff?’

Cassie hung her head in embarrassment. ‘I should not ... I should not have been staring at you in that way, sir, but you must remember we only met once, and that was so brief, I hardly had time to take in your appearance.’

As soon as the words left her mouth she knew they were inappropriate. What possible reason could there be for a lowly governess to be interested in her employer’s appearance?

He chuckled, the rich dark sound sending a different kind of shiver up her spine. ‘Look at me,’ he commanded softly.

She raised her head and found he was disconcertingly close, his direct blue gaze pinning her to her seat in a way that was both uncomfortable yet oddly pleasurable.

‘You are far too thin, Miss Roberts. I thought at first that you were plain, but now I see I am mistaken. Did they starve you in your last employment?’

Cassis almost choked. How dare he comment on her appearance in such a familiar way? Then the absurdity of the situation became apparent, she had only herself to blame, after all she had been looking at him in exactly the same way.

She settled back in her chair, prepared to enjoy the banter. ‘Not quite, sir, but I was always hungry, and rarely warm in the winter. I’m sure with Mrs Green’s, and your cook’s intervention, I shall soon regain my normal weight.’

He nodded, obviously satisfied with her answer. ‘Are you happy here, Miss Roberts? Do you intend to stay more than a few weeks?’

Puzzled, she tilted her head and looked at him in surprise. ‘Of course I’m happy here, sir, It is many years since I have been so happy. Your daughter is a delight to teach, my accommodation is as good as anything I could have expected, and my duties are certainly not arduous.’

‘And you shall not run screaming from the door if I shout at you occasionally?’

‘Shout at me? Good heavens! No, sir, that is your prerogative. I believe we’ve got that matter settled – you shall be as rude to me as you wish, and I shall be mortally offended.’

‘Excellent! I see we are going to deal well together, Miss Roberts. Now, tell me why you ventured into the village in a snowstorm?’ His query was mild, but she saw his eyes were watchful.

‘When I left, sir, there was no snow in sight, there was a clear blue sky and bright sunshine. Admittedly it was a trifle cold, but we were well wrapped up and the walk is no more than a mile or so. Your daughter was so excited to be going down there – she was able to buy a candy cane and a new ribbon for her bonnet.’

‘I see.’ He smiled. Cassie melted into her seat, warmed by the blaze. ‘In that case, I understand. Don’t worry, I shall not beg pardon, I have learnt how things must be between us.’

She stood, bringing the interview to an end. ‘Will you excuse me, sir? I must go back to my charge. She’ll be wondering whether … she will be waiting for me.’

He rose, towering above her, but she no longer found him threatening, merely large. ‘As the weather is so bad, I shall be dining at home tonight. I shall expect you to join me. I don’t keep country hours here, I prefer to eat late. I shall expect you in the drawing-room at six and thirty.’

She curtsied. ‘I shall be there.’

Closing the door quietly behind her, she leant on it, allowing her hectic colour to subside. She was not sure if she was looking forward to dining alone with her employer. He seemed far more threatening to her equanimity when he was being charming than when he was roaring and blustering.

Chapter Five

Later that day the snow became a full scale blizzard and by late afternoon there were several feet of snow in the places where the wind had blown it in from the open fields. Amanda pressed her nose against the steamed up school room window. Cassie heard her sigh deeply.

‘I don’t suppose we shall be able to go down to the village again for a long while, shall we, Miss Roberts?’

‘No, my dear, but at least your Papa will be obliged to remain here and not go away on business.’

The child turned, eyes sparkling with joy. ‘I had not thought of that, Miss Roberts, can I go down and see him now?’

‘Well, I see no reason why not, he did say if he was here you could go and find him at any time. I am to dine with him tonight and must repair to my rooms to get ready. I shan’t see you again until the morning. When you return from speaking to your father you must go at once to join Nanny, is that clear, Miss Amanda?’

‘Of course, I had forgotten you are to dine with Papa. Do you have something more elegant than the dress you have been wearing these past few nights?’

‘No, I’m afraid that I don’t. I am a governess, Miss Amanda, I do not own an elegant evening gown, it would never be used, even if I could afford to purchase one.’

The child pouted. ‘That’s a shame, I am sure that Papa would like to see you in something colourful.’ Immediately Amanda blushed, believing she had been impertinent. ‘I beg your pardon, Miss Roberts. Your grey dresses are very smart, please don’t think I am criticising your appearance in any way, but I believe that you would look lovely in moss green, or perhaps an autumn gold?’

Cassie laughed at her pupil’s imaginings. She’d never owned such finery, the last time she’d worn a dress that was not plain and serviceable and made from cotton fabric, was when she’d been living with her parents which was almost six years ago. ‘I have no such gowns, I’m sorry to say. Perhaps one day I shall own something that grand. My dear, if you’re going to go downstairs, you must run along right away. Nursery tea is served in less than an hour, remember, you must not be late.’

She heard Amanda’s footsteps clattering back down the passageway. Quickly she tidied the schoolroom. She had asked Molly to have a bath prepared, she was going to wash her hair and dry it in front of the fire then have it dressed in a more becoming style. Although she had no evening gowns of the sort that Amanda spoke of, she did have a lavender muslin, that fell prettily from a high waist and had a sash of purple which set it off nicely.

 * * * *

At six thirty precisely she arrived in the entrance hall and waited to be escorted to the drawing-room. The butler grandly threw open the door and announced her name as if she was a person of consequence. She saw Mr Anderson look up, he appeared to be as startled as she was by his butler’s performance.

However, he smiled and his manner was charming, as if he was indeed welcoming a lady into his presence. He stepped forward bowed formally. ‘Good evening, Miss Roberts, permit me to say that you look quite charming tonight.’

She dipped in a low curtsy and straightened, her eyes sparkling with excitement. ‘You may indeed, sir, it is not often that someone as unimportant as I receives a compliment from such a splendid gentleman.’

‘Come now, you’re doing it too brown, Miss Roberts. You might be a governess, but I would stake my life on the fact that once you were something else entirely.’

Her breath stopped in her throat. Had she given herself away so easily? She felt a telltale colour rising and quickly turned away as if deciding where to sit. Had he detected her unease? Seen guilt written on her face? She didn’t dare to look up, in case he asked a direct question and she was forced to lie.

‘Would you like some sherry wine? I think it is vile stuff myself, but ladies seem to like it.’

She settled herself gracefully on an upright wooden chair before answering. ‘No thank you, sir, I am of the same opinion. I require nothing at the moment, thank you.’

He sat down opposite, stretching out his legs, his black trousers and evening slippers making his limbs seem even longer.

‘Well, that’s exhausted that topic of conversation. Now, let me see, what shall I try next? The weather is decidedly unpleasant, don’t you think, Miss Roberts?’ He stared at her earnestly, a wicked twinkle in his eyes.

She responded in similar style, enjoying the badinage. ‘Indeed it is, Mr Anderson. I have never seen snow like it in my life.’ Hastily she withdrew a handkerchief from her reticule pretending that she needed to blow her nose. She made a poor job of hiding her giggles.

‘Is something wrong, Miss Roberts? Are you unwell in some way? You appear to be having difficulty breathing?’ His enquiry was mild, but it was enough to release the pent-up laughter.

Cassie was tempted to stuff the handkerchief in her mouth for that was the only way she could think of to prevent her mirth from bursting out. Instead she allowed a gurgle to escape, and looking up at him, shrugged her shoulders. ‘I’m sorry, sir …’ she spluttered, ‘but this is absurd.

Why are we pretending to be something we are not?’ As soon as she’d spoken, she knew her words were unwise, giving him permission to enquire further into her past.

She was saved from interrogation by Foster appearing at the double doors that led into the dining room. ‘Dinner is served.’

Her employer rose and offered her his arm. She was obliged to take it. As she rested her fingers lightly on his forearm she felt his muscles tense at her touch, and something, she didn’t understand what, ran through her body making her feel strangely hot and flustered.

He escorted her into the dining room and up to a chair to the left of his, which was placed at the head of the enormous table

‘There you are, Miss Roberts. I insisted that we sat together, I have no intention of shouting down the table throughout the meal. I hope you approve of the arrangements?’

‘It is not my place to say, sir, but I’m sure whatever you arrange everything will be exactly as it should be.’ She kept her eyes lowered, not daring to see his expression. A footman jumped forward and assisted her in to her seat, then took out a crisp damask napkin and laid it across her lap.

The butler stepped forward and half filled her crystal glass with deep red wine, then moving with exaggerated dignity, he filled his master’s glass to the brim.

‘I have dispensed with formality, Miss Roberts.’ Cassie’s head shot up and looked at him in astonishment. His lips twitched. ‘Well, what I should say is that I’m not having several courses with removes. I have selected a simple meal which we shall have served to us. I hope this meets with your approval.’

He stared at, daring her to answer in a similar vein to her previous comment. She grinned. ‘As long as there is plenty of it, sir, I have no objection in what order, or what fashion it arrives in front of me.’

His shout of laughter echoed down the large empty room, startling the footman, who slopped soup over the edge of Cassie’s bowl on to the pristine tablecloth. The outrage of the butler at such clumsiness made her want to laugh again. She didn’t make the mistake of catching the eye of her dining companion. When their bowls were full, the footman and Foster retreated to the far end of the room, almost out of earshot.

She picked up her spoon and before dipping it in aromatic broth sniffed appreciatively. ‘It smells quite delicious, you have an excellent cook here, Mr Anderson. I have never eaten so well in my life .’

‘And you are already looking better for it, Miss Roberts.’

This time she did meet his glance and what she saw there made her cheeks colour for the second time that night. She dropped her gaze and drunk her soup in silence. It was impossible to converse normally, the lurking presence of the butler and footman made her feel uncomfortable.

They didn’t eat entirely in silence, however, Mr Anderson made suitable remarks, and she answered politely. But she was relieved when the final dish was finished and she could excuse herself.

‘I shall leave you to your port, sir, thank you for inviting me to dine with you, it has been a most enjoyable experience.’

He stared thoughtfully over the rim of his class. She noticed it had been refilled many times during the meal. ‘The evening is not over yet, Miss Roberts. I shall join you very shortly in the drawing-room. I shall expect you to be there .’