“Tell me everything that happened last night, from beginning to end,” the duchess begged as she and Jeanne walked. “Were the children disappointed that I didn’t come?”
“Yes, Your Grace. They were quite concerned about your well-being.”
“They are such sweethearts. I hope you gave out all the little treats Cook sent.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“I’m so glad you and Robert agreed to take over the class. Some of the older students were progressing quite well. Martha should be nearly finished with the book I gave her for her birthday. Perhaps I should ask Phillip to search for something a bit more challenging. And then there’s little Andy. How is he coming along?”
“Very well, Your Grace. He correctly recited the entire Lord’s Prayer last night.”
“Wonderful. And the Cosgrove girls, are they doing better at forming their letters?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Excellent. Now, what went wrong?”
“Wrong?”
“Something happened that you were not pleased with. What was it? Was one of the children rude to you?”
“No! Not at all, Your Grace.”
“I know Robert is not entirely… comfortable working with children. He was reluctant to tutor Bertie Crabtree, but seemed to warm up to him, and Bertie has made so much progress that Phillip has offered to send him to boarding school and even university when he’s ready. But these little ones now…they just need someone to show them someone cares. They need encouragement.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” Jeanne agreed wholeheartedly. If only she’d had someone to encourage her for the past ten years.
“We do our best to feed them and teach them some skills that might help them to succeed, but they need more than that,” the duchess continued. “I feel bad that the school has to discontinue while we are at the Bartlett estate in Lincolnshire. And I feel even worse that I can’t be there now. If you and Robert hadn’t agreed to step in, I would have been at my wits’ end.”
“It’s our pleasure, Your Grace.” She wasn’t sure how she was going to put up with the pompous Robert, but for her mistress she would endure his snide remarks about the less fortunate. He truly had no idea what it was like to have absolutely nothing. He acted as if it was their fault that they didn’t have enough food to eat or clean clothing to wear. Sometimes she wanted to wring his handsome neck.
“Does Robert have a plan for the next lesson?”
“Er — I’m not sure. We have agreed that I will take the younger children for the reading and writing instruction. He seems to relate to the older students better. I’ve been working on forming letters — in the air, in the dirt, on the walls with their fingers — and then when they understand the movements I give them the chalk.”
“Excellent idea. How did you think of it?”
“That’s how my father taught me.”
“Your father was a wise man. And what does Robert do while you’re with the young ones?”
“He has the older students practicing the letter sounds and reading from the horn books.”
“I’m sure you and Robert are doing a wonderful job. I’m thrilled we were able to get the horn books for all the children this year. It’s a marvelous teaching tool.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“I’ve been thinking about the annual Christmas party. If this little one arrives as soon as the doctor thinks, I won’t be able to leave the baby. But I’d love to have the children here. I’m going to see what Phillip thinks. I’m sure he’ll agree to let me invite them. We’ll have a nice dinner for them, and gifts. I think it would be wonderful, don’t you?”
Wonderful wasn’t exactly the word she would use, but it wasn’t her place to disagree. The duchess truly loved her pupils and missed them dearly, despite her excitement about the baby.
Amelia stared, and Jeanne remembered she’d asked a question. “Er, I’m sure the children would consider it an honor to attend a party here. When and how would you like us to issue the invitation?”
~~~~
Ten children from Cheapside coming to a Christmas party at the Bartlett townhouse?
She understood why the duchess wanted to do it. With her confinement, it would be impossible to plan the annual event at the church. If there was to be a party, it would have to be here.
She could just imagine what Mr. High-and-Mighty would say about that. If he weren’t so wretchedly good-looking, she’d punch him. Maybe she would anyway. Then he wouldn’t be so handsome and she could stop thinking of him.
After going back indoors, the duchess decided to write. Jeanne gathered items to be cleaned and mended and went down the servants’ stairs to the laundry room. She worked quickly, finding comfort in the familiarity of her job. Getting stains out of hems and stitching minor tears were things she knew how to handle. Dealing with Mr. Townley was another matter.
Finished with her task, she made her way to the stairs.
Hearing footsteps behind her, she shifted to the right side of the steps to let the other person pass. But instead of going around, the footsteps slowed down and a sense of foreboding crept up her neck.
“Good afternoon, Miss Brown.”
Oh my. How can such an irritating man have a smooth velvety voice? “Good afternoon, Mr. Townley,”
“I must speak with you. The duchess has informed me of her plans for the holidays.”
Jeanne stopped at the landing so that she could turn and face him. “Which plans?”
“Her Grace’s plans to have a Christmas celebration for the children at the church school.”
“Yes, of course.” That wasn’t news. The duchess had hosted a Christmas party for her students every year since she’d begun teaching at the church.
“She plans to entertain them here.”
Jeanne simply nodded, waiting for him to get to the heart of the matter.
“I spoke to the housekeeper about taking extra precautions while preparing the house for their visit.”
Jeanne frowned. “Wouldn’t she go to the duchess for instructions?”
“Of course the duchess will decide how the house is arranged, but we must do our best to see that valuable items are not anywhere to be seen.”
Her jaw dropped. “I beg your pardon?”
“While the children are here, we must be sure they don’t touch anything. I’ll alert the rest of the staff to be on the lookout for any missing items.”
Alert the staff? Does he think of these children as nothing more than hoodlums? Jeanne took a deep breath, reining in her temper. She kept her voice low, knowing the tirade she wanted to deliver would serve no purpose. “If you’re concerned, perhaps you should speak to Utley. He would be the one to instruct the staff, not you.” She spun around and marched away before she said something she’d regret. Townley and the duke had known each other all their lives — one word from him and she’d lose her position. She would do well to remember that.