Nell (4 page)

‘You are not come to be governess to me, Miss Faraday. You need not think to begin your reign by reprimanding your employer!’

Nell had to laugh. ‘Indeed, no, sir. But I wish you will tell me about my charge.’

She then wished she had not spoken, for again he po
kered up. Heavens, but the man was difficult! She put a tentative question.

‘Did I understand correctly that the child will need careful handling? I assure you I am not inexperienced, sir. I do not wish to boast, but I have for years past been relied upon to pour calm on troubled waters, and to deal with the more difficult of my younger companions at the Seminary. Indeed, one of my particular friends has been much in my charge, for she cherishes ambitions that have no place in her future.’

Jarrow listened with impatience. If she supposed such actions fitted her to deal with Hetty, she much mistook the matter! God, why had he engaged her? It was never going to work. He should have known it. Fate was merciless, and there could be no quarter. The bitterness erupted.

‘Miss Faraday, I would not wish to belittle any particular assistance you may have rendered among no doubt troublesome chits, but you can hardly have had experience of dealing with what now lies before you. Unless you happen to have spent some time in an asylum for lunatics?’

N
ell stared, unable to credit the evidence of her own ears. If Lord Jarrow had said what she thought! There was a blaze in his eyes and a white shade around the tight-lipped mouth. For an instant, it struck her that it was her employer and not his daughter who was—as he had intimated—insane. The absurdity of this thought brought her out of the shock. Wrath replaced it.

‘Am I to understand, sir, that you believe Miss Jarrow to be deranged?’

He flinched, turning his eyes away. But Nell was too angry to heed his hurt.

‘If that is indeed the case, I can only say that the matter should have been made clear and laid before Mrs Duxford at the outset. To have concealed such a thing must be detrimental both to your daughter and to any female who had taken on this post!’

Jarrow shifted uncomfortably. ‘I know it.’

‘Then why—?’

He turned on her. ‘Because it is not what I know to be the case. It is only what I dread!’

‘Heavens, but
why
?’

Jarrow shrugged. Why beat about the bush? She must
discover it sooner or later. Yet he could not bring himself to make a recital of those disquieting signs that tortured him. He prevaricated.

‘There is reason enough. We have—’ he drew a painful breath ‘—instances of insanity in the family.’

She was looking at him in a stricken sort of way. God, but he had thrown the cat among the pigeons now! He must do what he might to mend it. Only the words that came out of his mouth did little to further that intention.

‘You need have no apprehension. You will not be expected to deal with the violence of Hetty’s tantrums.’

Nell glared at him. ‘Tantrums? Is that all? And upon this you base the wicked supposition that the poor child has lost her wits?’

‘It is by no means all! But let that pass.’

Watching as he shunted restlessly across the passage and back again, Nell’s temper began to cool. Had it been shock that had caused her to lose her sang-froid? It had been the crowning horror to a singularly difficult day! But she had been wrong to attack him.

‘I should not have spoken to you so. Only what reason have you for supposing Miss Jarrow to have inherited the trait?’

‘She may not have done so. My hope is that she will grow out of it, but it cannot be gainsaid that there is room for doubt.’

‘But why do you fear it, sir? What manifestations have you seen?’

He halted before her, the dark eyes hard. ‘I would prefer to let you see for yourself. You will find out soon enough.’

But this would not do for Nell. ‘Sir, I must insist upon knowing at least what I may expect. You spoke of tantrums, but—’

‘Miss Faraday, I will say no more! I would not wish to prejudice you either one way or the other. Indeed, I will welcome the opinion of an outsider when you have had an opportunity to judge of Hetty’s condition.’

There was some sense in that. Yet it laid her open not only to unknown horrors, but also to dealing awry with the child due to ignorance. ‘Surely there must be something I should know—at least that which may help me to deal with the situation when it arises?’

Lord Jarrow shook his head. ‘Duggan knows just what to do, and she will call upon my aid if she cannot manage.’

Nell was not at all satisfied, but it would be futile to argue. It was evident that her employer’s mind was made up. She temporised.

‘May I not meet the child then? Hetty, I think you said?’

‘Henrietta. She is likely preparing for bed. For tonight, you need only make yourself at home. I dare say you will wish to wash away the stains of travel. Do not trouble to change, however. We rarely do so. Dinner was put back to await your arrival, but we dine in half an hour. I will come myself to fetch you.’

Nell began to offer a word of thanks, but Lord Jarrow was already walking away. She watched him turn into the tower curve, and nearly opened her mouth to call him back. How dared he leave her flat after what had passed? The least he could have done was to try to calm such spectres as he had raised! Then she recalled that he was her employer and there was no question of his daring anything. He might do as he chose.

Turning into the bedchamber given over for her use, she sighed as she shut the door. Why in the world had she not taken up the promising position that had been
offered to her on the very day the Duck had received Lord Jarrow’s letter? Had she been blinded by her own pride, or seduced by an ambition that must be counted as silly as any that Kitty had voiced?

‘A widower, Nell! And a baron too. The two of you alone together in a Gothic castle! What could be more romantic? I do wish the Duck would let me go instead. I know you will never take advantage of such an opportunity, whereas I should be at pains to make Lord Jarrow fall in love with me!’

But it had not been the impossible dream of romance that had lured Nell. Nothing could have been further from her mind. It was the idea of a challenge that had caught at her. Not for Helen Faraday the cosy domesticity of a country house, with two or three sedate little girls to be brought up to take their chances in the marriage mart. Oh, no. She must needs throw away a secure tenure in a respectable family, which could have kept her employed for the next fifteen years. Instead she had opted for the glimmer of danger, the excitement of chance and hazard. What a fool, preening herself upon her capabilities of management! Allowing her head to be turned with the oft-repeated notion that Nell—and only Nell!—could be counted upon to deal with the
difficult
girls. And it had brought her to this!

‘I have a good mind not to unpack you at all,’ she informed the two portmanteaux. They, naturally enough, returned no answer. Nell sighed again. ‘All the same, I shall have to do so, for I need my night things. It is far too late to run away today.’

Yet as she lifted the first one on to the bed and began to undo the straps, that devil of pride within her raised its head. After all, even if Henrietta did prove to be unbalanced, she was only a little girl. Was it beyond Nell’s
powers to learn how to deal with her? She did not think so. Besides, she did so hate to be thought incapable!

She thrust the portmanteau open with determined hands. His lordship supposed her to be too young, did he? A little demonstration for his benefit might not go amiss.

The butler served the meal, receiving dishes from an unseen minion outside the dining-room door. Contrary to Nell’s expectation, the atmosphere was both lively and convivial, for which she undoubtedly had to thank the presence of Lord Jarrow’s brother-in-law.

Mr Beresford—Bartholomew by name, ‘but everyone calls me Toly’—had greeted her with a jocular reference to her continued presence in the house.

‘By Jove, Eden! Haven’t you managed to scare her off yet?’

‘Toly, do try for a little conduct,’ had begged Lord Jarrow in a weary tone.

‘But, m’dear fellow, I am positively bowled over!’ He had executed a neat bow. ‘How de do, Miss Faraday? Deuced glad to see you here. Prettiest sight this barrack of a place has seen in a twelvemonth!’

He had continued in this strain as he bustled to a chair opposite his own, pulling it out for Nell and begging her to be seated. She was more bemused than gratified by this show of attention, wondering a trifle uneasily at the wisdom of dining alone with two gentlemen. Her position in the household should preclude any charge of impropriety, and she must suppose that any other arrangement would cause difficulties for the shorthanded staff. Better two gentlemen than one. And since it seemed to be Mr Beresford’s mission to be as amusing as possible, she was at least spared the difficulty of finding inoffen
sive topics upon which to converse with her touchy employer.

His lordship had not, true to his promise, made any adjustment in his dress beyond, as Nell suspected, donning a fresh neckcloth and retying his hair. She could not think, on the other hand, that Mr Beresford was accustomed to sport a satin waistcoat and a suit of black broadcloth throughout the day in the country. Nell was glad she had ignored Lord Jarrow’s instruction—only because she had felt grubby from the journey—and exchanged the warmer gown of brown kerseymere for one of green dimity, its design modest as befit her station, but with a hint of current fashion in the raised waistline. Nell had prepared her wardrobe with care, riding a neat line between simplicity and elegance. Circumstance had forced her to earn her bread, but it would not force her to be drab!

It was noticeable that Mr Beresford did not hold mourning as strictly as his brother-in-law, for his neck-cloth was snowy white and the waistcoat grey. Nell judged him the more handsome of the two for the planes of his countenance were more uniform and better rounded, and he had not the other’s marks of a troubled existence. He had hair as dark as Lord Jarrow’s, although it was shorter, sitting just on his collar, with an unruly slick that fell forward across his brow. He smiled a good deal and had an open gaze, with an odd trick of widening his eyes in an unblinking stare whenever he laughed. Nell found it disconcerting.

The food was simple fare, but well cooked. A roast, from which Lord Jarrow carved, formed the central dish. Two pies—one of them broken—flanked it, together with a platter of sliced cold meat, boiled spinach and stews of both mushroom and cucumber. That this was
the normal diet of the household became obvious from Mr Beresford’s remarks.

‘Ah, still working our way through the pork, are we? Keston, has that wretch at Park Farm no notion of slaughtering cows?’

The butler had picked up Nell’s plate, and was holding it while his lordship placed several slices of meat upon it. ‘I believe this is the last of the pork, sir. Mrs Whyte has the intention of sending for beef tomorrow.’

‘Thank heaven for that!’ Mr Beresford turned mock indignant eyes upon Nell. ‘You will scarcely credit it, Miss Faraday, but we have had nothing but pork for at least a se’ennight. Mrs Whyte attempts to dress it up, but I am not deceived.’ He took up his knife and pointed.

‘That pie is ham, for I remember it well. And if those slices are not brawn, you may call me a dunderhead. What is in the new pie, Keston, or dare I ask? Not pork, I beg of you!’

‘Artichoke bottoms, sir.’

Mr Beresford made a disgusted sound and laid down his knife. ‘There now, Miss Faraday, you have a delightful choice. Pork, pork, pork or artichoke!’

Nell accepted her plate from the butler with a smile. ‘You will not find a sympathiser in me, sir. I am used to the plainest of food, and have besides been taught to appreciate whatever falls to my lot.’

She did not think the statement merited the loud guffaw that emanated from Mr Beresford, and noted the frowning glance thrown at him from the head of the table.

‘It wasn’t a joke, Toly. Miss Faraday hales from an orphanage of sorts.’

Dismay spread over the other man’s countenance and Nell felt obliged to interrupt a flood of apology. ‘I beg
you will not mention it, sir.’ She turned to Lord Jarrow, bottling up an unwarranted rise of spleen. ‘You paint a false portrait of me, my lord. While it is true that the Seminary was set up to aid orphans, we were never treated as charity cases. Indeed, Mrs Duxford was at pains to give us respect as females who had a rare opportunity to be useful in the world.’

Mr Beresford’s jaw dropped. ‘Gad! If I didn’t know better, ma’am, I’d take you for a governess! A rare set-down, Eden.’

‘And well deserved.’ Jarrow directed a rueful smile at the girl. ‘I did not mean to belittle you, Miss Faraday. My sole desire was to silence my rattlepate of a brother here.’

He eyed Toly’s grinning enjoyment. Damn the fellow! Was this determination to be the life and soul of the party due to Miss Faraday’s undoubted attraction? He had best find an opportunity to warn him off. The last thing he needed was to lose her services through unwanted attentions from his brother-in-law. Not that she had yet had a chance to prove herself up to the difficult task.

While she made a selection from the dishes Keston presented—taking, he noted, sensible portions without showing greed—he watched her surreptitiously. Her attention, as she began to eat, was held by Toly’s constant flow of spirits so that she was mercifully unconscious of his interest. Since, despite the deprivations to which his household was subject, he refused to dine in near darkness, both wall-sconces and two large silver candelabra were lit and set upon sideboard and table. There was thus sufficient light to see Miss Faraday’s features clearly, although her profile was for the most part turned towards him.

It was a singularly interesting profile, with a line of
strength in both jaw and nose. But the golden hair, which she had somehow piled into a knot behind, softened her face. It had been unruly before, likely from the exigency of a day of travel, but its neatness now did nothing to dull its effect. She could never survive the life to which she was condemned, for men were never going to leave her alone. A recollection of some of the things she had said to him caused an inward smile. Not that Miss Faraday would fall readily. She would give as good as she got. Perhaps he need not trouble to speak to Toly after all.

As if she felt his regard, she turned her head and Jarrow quickly withdrew his gaze. He signed to Keston.

‘Will you take wine, Miss Faraday?’

Nell was given no opportunity to answer, for Mr Beresford immediately broke in.

‘You had best do so, Miss Faraday. About the only worthwhile boast this mouldering ruin has is the quality of its cellars. Thanks largely to mine host here’s dear father, who thoughtfully laid down several pipes of the best claret long moons ago.’

The butler was already pouring, and Nell signed to him to stop when the glass was only half-full. ‘That will be sufficient, I thank you.’

‘Well, you may give me a refill, Keston. At least it will serve to take away the taste of pork.’

His laughter jarred. Already tired of the incessant humorous assaults upon her employer’s dwelling and the dull nature of the repast, Nell wondered at Lord Jarrow’s patience. In his shoes, she would have been tempted to ask why his brother-in-law remained if the castle was so odious to him.