Chapter Ten

Following the Christmas period and all that had ensued throughout, it was exciting for Clara to think of beginning work at the big house. Patrin and Jake helped her to move her belongings on the weekend before the children were due back from their holiday in Scotland. So far she hadn’t encountered Lord Stapleton since her interview with the man.

After all her bits and pieces had been moved into her quarters, there was just the unpacking of her clothing to sort out, which she could do at her leisure. She had brought along a few practical but smart gowns, skirts and blouses, along with one or two best garments for going to church or for special events or occasions. Mama had prepared her for all eventualities and had even managed to make her some new cotton night gowns which were so pretty that it seemed a shame to wear them to bed where no one would see them.

Deciding to wave Patrin and Jake off outside as they left on the cart, she stood at the rear of the property with tears in her eyes—it would seem an imposition for her to have moved herself in via the front door of the property as that was intended for the family and their guests. She did not belong in their world, nor did she belong with the servants really. She was in no man’s land. Sighing deeply, she looked at Patrin and Jake seated on the cart, with Jake at the reins. This trip it would be empty instead of laden with her luggage.

‘Thank you both for helping me. I hope I can repay you some day,’ she said.

Jake smiled. ‘No need at all,’ he said.

Patrin flashed her a cheeky grin which tore at her heart strings. ‘Maybe you can repay me by asking if there are any jobs going here?’

‘I will ask, but I can’t make any promises.’

He nodded and tipped his flat cap in her direction, before replacing it on his head. ‘I was only joking with you, but thinking about it, that might not be a bad idea.’

‘No, it isn’t. I promise I will ask when the time is right,’ she said brightly as she forced herself to sound cheerful at their departure.

She waved both of them off until the cart was a speck on the drive way. She turned around to enter the house via the kitchen when she saw Mrs Montgomery peering at her. The woman did not look best pleased. She seemed to have a look on her face as if there was something unseemly beneath her nose.

‘The children, Miss Masters,’ she said, ‘they’ll be back this evening. His lordship is expecting you to see to them in the school room from half past eight in the morning until three o’clock in the afternoon. You will be allowed a half hour break at half past twelve where you will be permitted to take your meal in your quarters.’

‘Will every day of the week have the same routine?’

‘Yes, apart from Sundays. The family attend church three times on a Sunday and you shall be expected to as well, apart from the last Sunday of the month when you are permitted a half day off.’

She nodded and smiled, though Mrs Montgomery did not return the smile.

‘Mrs Montgomery,’ Clara took this as an opportunity to enquire about work for Patrin, ‘would you happen to know if there are any jobs going here?’

The woman’s eyes enlarged. ‘For whom?’

‘For a friend of mine who is clever with his hands. He’s an excellent gardener and good at fixing things.’

The housekeeper sniffed loudly. ‘There might be. Have a word with Mr Postlethwaite, he’s the caretaker here.’

‘And how will I find him?’

‘He’s probably in his room where he keeps things needed for repair, it’s just offside the kitchen.’

Clara thanked the woman and went on her way. She didn’t know what it was about her but she just couldn’t warm to her. She didn’t seem like the rest of the staff, seeming cold and hard hearted.

She found the man, just as the woman said she would. He was in his room, hammering a nail into a piece of wood. He looked quite elderly as he worked away, his bald pate shining, his hands gnarled and rough from hard work. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbow and he wore a leather apron. The lack of hair on his head was made up for in bushy sideburns and a white beard. She knocked the door and he looked up at her and smiled.

‘And who might you be, young lady?’ he asked. His slate-blue rheumy eyes shining as if he was genuinely pleased to see her.

‘I’m Clara Masters, the new governess here,’ she introduced herself.

For a moment, his eyes looked a little guarded but then he smiled. ‘I’m sorry for being taken aback, young lady. No one has told me that another new one was to be taken on here.’

‘Oh, sorry about that. How many have there been then?’

‘Seven at the last count. They don’t last long with those Stapleton children.’ He lowered his voice. ‘They’re wilful, you see. No one has managed to tame the young beasts as yet. I thought the last one had as she was here for a while, but she left in tears one day and no one has set eyes on her since.’

‘That doesn’t sound very good, does it?’

He shook his head. ‘No. I’m afraid not. So how can I help you?’

‘I have a friend who is a hard worker, he can turn his hand to most anything. I was wondering if you need any help at all?’

‘Well, now you come to mention it, Mr Drummond, he’s the gardener, he’s been moaning about his back lately. He could do with a bit of help, just part time, mind you. Tell your friend to come and see me tomorrow.’

She nodded and smiled. ‘Thank you, Mr Postlethwaite.’

‘Don’t thank me, dear. I try my best here but they’re hard task masters and your friend might regret coming to work here.’

‘Oh?’

Then he chuckled.

‘Don’t take any notice of him.’ Clara turned around to see Cook behind her. ‘He’s pulling your leg, now don’t go frightening the girl before she’s even begun to work here, Arthur!’ Cook scolded playfully.

‘No, I was just jesting,’ Mr Postlethwaite explained, ‘Most are all right here, apart from snobby-nose Mrs Montgomery and those spoilt children,’ he muttered something under his breath as he shook his head.

‘Come and have a cup of coffee in the kitchen with me,’ Cook offered.

Clara chewed on her bottom lip. ‘I don’t know if I should as the housekeeper said I should keep to myself and stay in my quarters.’

‘Stuff and nonsense! She’ll have me to deal with if she says anything to you.’

Clara smiled. ‘Thank you, I would appreciate that cup of coffee.’

Soon, she and Cook were chatting away like old friends at the well-scrubbed pine table in the steamy kitchen as the maids worked around them, peeling potatoes, scrubbing pans and sorting things out for the evening meal. Hearing both the clatter and chatter in the background comforted Clara and reminded her of being in her kitchen back home with her family.

‘Those children are back this evening,’ Cook said in a surreptitious manner, then she raised her eyebrows as she enveloped her cup with both hands as if trying to warm them as the mere mention of those children had turned her fingers to icicles.

‘But surely they can’t be as bad as everyone is making out?’ Clara couldn’t believe that three children could be such a handful, after all she had young children living at home with her.

‘Oh they can and they are! Why do you think no governess has ever stayed here?’ She sucked in a breath between her teeth in a disproving fashion. ‘Amelia, she’s the eldest one, she’s a right little madam. She’s the worse of the lot. She had been the apple of her father’s eye but I think she plays up more now as he’s not taking much notice of her. Danielle, well she’s all right I suppose,’ she crossed her hands and huffed out a breath. ‘Quieter than the other two, very bookish. Like chalk and cheese the sisters are. James, he’s eight and can be as bad as Amelia sometimes, they’re right wicked together. But he’ll be off to boarding school soon. Though if you ask me…’ she looked both  left and right as if for fear of being overheard, then she said in a hushed whisper, ‘I don’t think a young lad ought to be sent away when he’s grieving for his mother.’

Clara nodded, though did not voice an opinion one way or the other. She decided to air on the side of caution for now until she knew she could trust the woman. She didn’t want to be part of any tittle tattle going on at the house as it could cost her job, especially if Mrs Montgomery heard of it. Maybe that’s why the woman had warned her to keep away from the rest of the staff.

She thanked Cook for the refreshment and was about to walk away from the table, when the woman caught her hand. ‘Take care, Clara,’ she warned. ‘Those kids are unworldly creatures.’

A shiver coursed her spine but she smiled and nodded at the woman.

Back in her quarters, she should have felt delighted as she was about to begin a new job and earn money to help the family but her mind seemed to cave in on itself, it was then she realised how lonely she would be in this new position. Still, there was no use in resting on her laurels, she needed to send word to Patrin for him to come to the house tomorrow morning to have a chat about some casual work. She wondered for a moment if Billy could take a letter to him for her. She’d pay him of course. There was some lovely notepaper and envelopes on the escritoire in her bedroom, so she used those, sealed the envelope and put it in her pocket to go in search of him.

She found him polishing the brass in the hallway and smiled at him. ‘Hello again, Billy.’

He returned her smile. He was a handsome lad but seemed a little clumsy at times, though a willing worker she had no doubt. ‘I wonder if you could take this letter with some urgency for me?’

He immediately nodded. ‘Yes, Miss.’

‘It’s to be taken to the Dowling’s farm about a mile away from here. You know where it is?’

‘I do indeed as the mistress, when she was alive, used to favour the butter and cheese from there.’

‘Please deliver it as soon as you have a spare moment, thank you. It’s a letter for Patrin who is staying there at the moment, he’s to come here early tomorrow to enquire about a job.’

Billy frowned for a moment, then Clara realised what was going on with him. ‘You have no fear, he’s not after your job. He likes gardening that sort of thing, fixing things. He’s an outdoors sort of person.’

Billy brightened up. ‘No problem, I’ll take it soon.’

She handed him a silver sixpence and he nodded his slicked back head at her. ‘Thank you, Miss. It’ll be delivered before this evening.’ He gazed at her for a long while which made her feel a little uncomfortable, so she thanked him and made her way back to her quarters. The black and white checked marble flooring and the curved walnut banister in the hallway were really spectacular in this house, and as she gazed up at the magnificent crystal chandelier above her head, she could do nothing but gasp.

‘Beautiful, ain’t it?’ She turned to see Mr Postlethwaite stood behind her with his hands behind his back.

‘It is indeed. Breath taking in fact.’

He tapped the side of his nose with his index finger. ‘There’s plenty of brass in this household of course. Earned their money by land owning and of course opening the wool mill years back.’

‘I had no idea.’

‘Yes, the master’s grandfather started it all off, Lord William Stapleton. ’Course the present Lord Stapleton isn’t so bothered with it this day since his wife passed over. Leaves it all to the agent and the manager. He’s daft though if you ask me, he needs to regain control of the reins.’

Clara felt her cheeks grow hot with embarrassment with such knowledge about the man being imparted to her, but then again, his staff were bound to talk amongst themselves. She needed to err on the side of caution so she changed the subject. ‘Word is being sent to my friend Patrin for him to call in the morning, I’m sure he won’t let you down.’

Mr Postlethwaite smiled and nodded. ‘As long as he’s a good worker that’s all I care about. Well I best be off, there’s some furniture for me to fix in the library.’ Then he was gone as quickly as he’d arrived.

Suddenly there was a flurry of activity as some of the servants went rushing to the main door of the house, as if in panic. What was going on here? She followed after them to see they were all lining up outside the house.

‘It’s the master’s children!’ Maggie the kitchen maid shrieked. ‘They’ve arrived home. One of the servants was looking out of the top tower window and saw their coach arrive at the gate. We’ve got to line up to greet them!’

Clara’s stomach flipped over. Out of all the staff here, she was the one person who would be in closest contact with the trio and she wondered what she’d make of them and more importantly, perhaps, what they’d make of her. What would those children be like?

***

There was a feeling of terror in the air as Clara stood in a line with the rest of the servants, she was on the far end on the right and Mrs Montgomery was in the middle as if she would be the main one welcoming them back home. Were the children really as bad as portrayed by everyone? Surely not?

She noticed Maggie tremble beside her, but that might have been because of the cold and not because of the arrival of the master’s children. Well, she herself, intended being very open minded about them. After all, they had recently lost their mother and their father too in a sense of him being distant towards them.

A footman opened the coach door as the driver clambered down and prepared to unload their luggage from the back of the coach.

Meanwhile, there was a silence from the staff. Was that in reverence towards the children or apprehension about their return home? She wasn’t quite sure. And where was Lord Stapleton? Surely he should be around to welcome them back home?

A tall blonde headed girl stepped down from the carriage. She shooed away the footman’s offer of a hand of assistance, then she stood on the ground taking in the sweep of staff stood before her.

Mrs Montgomery stepped forward, breaking the silence. ‘Welcome back home, miss,’ she bobbed a curtesy and she noticed the other female staff followed suit and did the same while the men bowed their heads. Clara did nothing as she was caught out by this and wasn’t quite sure how she should act in front of the children. She would be their governess after all.

The girl’s icy stare sent a shiver down Clara’s spine, she was mentally appraising the staff, running her eyes across them all, then she made eye contact with Clara for the first time.

‘Good evening, Miss Amelia,’ Clara said curtly.

The girl looked her up and down.

‘And who might you be?’ she asked in a haughty fashion.

Clara swallowed hard. She did not intend to show any fear towards this child or else she’d have the upper hand over her. ‘I’m your new governess, Miss Clara Masters.’

The girl tilted her chin upwards and her china blue eyes flashed dangerously. ‘My governess? What nonsense is this? Papa swore he’d not employ another!’

‘Well he has and I am she,’ Clara said firmly and she smiled. It was then she noticed the other two children who had arrived to stand behind their sister. Hearing she was to be their new governess, a girl with dark ringlets and dark eyes stepped forward.

‘I am Danielle,’ she said. Her eyes showed avid interest. So this was the bookish, quieter one. Maybe she would welcome having a governess.

‘James’ said the little boy beside her. He had the cutest little elfin shaped face and looked like a miniature version of his father.

‘Hello Danielle, hello James,’ Clara greeted. ‘I am to be your new governess and I understand we shall be meeting up tomorrow morning.’

Amelia rolled her eyes. ‘This is absolutely insufferable!’ she groaned. ‘Another Miss Goody Two Shoes to try to control us. We don’t need anyone, we have each other!’

Everyone accept your father! The words were on the tip of Clara’s tongue, but she kept her thoughts to herself, then she said, ‘At any rate, we shall be meeting at half past eight in the school room tomorrow morning. So please be punctual.’

Amelia turned her back on her and stormed off in the direction of the house. The other two children looked at Clara for a moment as if unsure what to do next. Danielle smiled back at her, but James had tears in his eyes. He just nodded and followed his sisters up the steps and inside the house.

So those were the Stapleton children and the eldest was going to prove a handful by the look of it.

‘Cor look at you, Miss,’ Maggie said when the children had departed, ‘putting those kids in their place, not many ever do that, not even Mrs Montgomery. Good on you!’

Clara really didn’t know what all the fuss was about as she was used to telling her brother and sisters what to do. If she was going to be their governess then she had to command their respect.

The staff began to mutter between themselves and Clara heard Cook say, ‘Here we go again, it’s back to the mad house now!’ and Billy said, ‘Now the peace will be shattered, I was enjoying not having that creepy trio around the place, haunting the corridors!’

Clara thought their comments sounded quite disrespectful. She caught the housekeeper’s gaze for a moment and the woman nodded and smiled at her as if in approval. Then she clapped her hands together. ‘Chop! Chop! Back inside all of you. There’s the evening meal to prepare and the children need settling in and their clothes unpacked.’

Cook shook her head as if she didn’t like being reminded that she needed to get on with things as those dreadful children were now back home once again.

***

A maid Clara had not seen before, delivered a tray of steaming oxtail soup and a bread roll to her quarters that evening. The girl dipped her knee as she laid down the tray on the table as a mark of respect, though Clara wasn’t used to such things, she didn’t complain. She wasn’t exactly a servant here so perhaps she needed to become accustomed to how things were from now on.

‘Thank you. What’s your name?’ She asked softly as she studied the girl who appeared about the same age as Amelia, but was waif-like in comparison. Her blonde hair wasn’t soft and shiny like Amelia’s, but thick and unruly looking and had been tied back with a blue bow from which it appeared it might spring loose at any moment. A smattering of freckles covered her small button nose.

‘I’m Dilly, Miss.’ She dipped her knee again. ‘I’m to be your private maid, Miss. Should you ever need anything.’

‘Well thank you, Dilly.’ Clara glanced at the steaming bowl of soup on the table and her mouth watered. It was apparent that Cook made some delicious concoctions in that kitchen of hers.

The girl made to leave the room and turned for a moment. ‘When you’ve finished your soup, Miss, Cook says I’m to bring the roast beef and vegetables next, following by a rice pudding.’

Clara smiled and nodded, wondering if she’d ever be able to eat it all but didn’t like to complain on her first day at the house.

‘I forgot to ask what you’d like to drink with your food, Miss?’

‘I have a pitcher of water here but I’d appreciate a coffee when the dessert arrives, thank you.’

The girl dipped her knee again and Clara noticed how ill-fitting her dress looked on her small frame. Didn’t they have a dressmaker at the house? She had brought a sewing kit with her that Mama had insisted on packing for her just in case any of her clothing needed repair; until such time as she could return home. Maybe she could do the girl a favour and take in some of the seams by inserting a couple of darts here and there to ensure a better fit, that way the dress would look more fitted on her form. That girl needed a good feed as well. She decided there and then that any food she had left over would go straight to her. No one need know as she was all alone on this floor and that was a strange feeling indeed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Eleven

Patrin arrived at the house very early the following morning at the back door of the property and Clara immediately took him to see Mr Postlethwaite in the store room. It was arranged that he begin work there that very day helping the gardener, Mr Drummond, with the weeding and trimming of the elaborate bushes and edges and other general work about the place as required. He was to be taken on for one week as a casual worker but Mr Postlethwaite said that if Mr Drummond was happy that would be extended to one month and reviewed again after that. Patrin was over the moon about it all and ran to find Clara in the kitchen where she was speaking with Cook.

‘So, you’re to be one of us now then, lad?’ Cook said, her face appeared to be ruddier than usual that morning and Clara wondered if she’d been at the gin bottle. Maggie had alluded that she took a tipple in the afternoons when there was a lull at the house between lunch and dinner.

‘Aye,’ Patrin beamed. ‘Thanks to this one here.’ He went to grab hold of Clara as if to wrap his arm around her waist, but then stepped back as if he had second thoughts of doing so in front of the staff.

‘Good luck to you, lad. There’ll be a cuppa and something for you to eat when you’re due a break,’ Cook said kindly. ‘Mr Drummond will inform you when as he comes in here himself.’

‘I’m so pleased for you,’ Clara said and she meant it. She liked Patrin a lot and knew that he and his sister could do with the extra money as now the weather had turned colder, they could hardly go around travelling to fairs and markets to make their money. Flori seemed settled at the farm and would be a great help to The Downings while Patrin would carry on helping there too for their food and board, but by working as a gardener here it would mean a few extra bob in his pockets to spend.

When he’d gone, Clara turned to Cook. ‘I’m expected in the school room in a few minutes,’ she said with more than a little apprehension in her voice.

‘Just keep a firm hold on those kids. The other governesses buckled,’ she said sagely.

Clara nodded and her stomach flipped over. She’d barely eaten any breakfast but she had used her time wisely to prepare the school room with note books, fountain pens, pencils and wooden rulers. She’d also discovered a large globe in one of the cupboards along with some maps. So it was her intention to expand their minds and speak about a country she’d always longed to visit someday, France. She was interested in Paris, in particular.

She thought after discussing the geography of the place, they could talk about the sort of food eaten there. Mama and Papa had gone to Paris on honeymoon and she’d been enthralled to hear them speak about the place. The cuisine in the street cafes or their visit to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, and their walks along the River Seine as they stopped to observe the street artists at work. To her, Paris seemed such a romantic place. She could speak a little conversational French as she’d been taught it at school but had little chance to use the language. Maybe she would tie it all in with a language lesson for the children too.

She glanced at the wall clock, it was now twenty five minutes past eight o’clock and as yet, there was no sign of the children. She’d give them a few more minutes but if they didn’t show up then she was going to have to go and find them herself. She was not going to allow Miss Amelia to have the upper hand as she reckoned, if she started out firm but fair as a governess in this house, then those children would know where they stood with her. It was important for them to have rules and boundaries to adhere to.

She pottered around arranging and rearranging their notebooks and pens, then she selected a couple of dictionaries from the bookcase. Those would help them if they became stuck on the spellings of any new words or needed to comprehend what they meant. Maybe she’d even give them a spelling test to see how much they already knew.

Huffing out a breath, she glanced at the wall clock. They were now five minutes late and her hackles were rising. This really was too much to bear.

You’d at least think they’d afford me some respect on my first morning as governess!

She flounced out on to the landing and glanced up and down the corridor in the hope they were on their way, but there was no sign of them. Then out of a room a fair distance down the corridor, she watched as Mrs Montgomery emerged, locking the door behind herself afterwards. The woman stood for a moment, then rattled the doorhandle as if checking it were locked. She appeared flustered upon seeing Clara and she replaced the large metal key in the pocket of her dress. That was odd as it wasn’t one of the keys that hung on the chatelaine around her waist. What was she doing on this floor anyhow? After all, Clara had been informed she would be the only person to inhabit it, apart from when the children took their lessons. Clara walked towards the woman.

‘I…er…didn’t see you there, Miss Masters,’ she said nervously, her face flushed from the neck up.

Clara smiled, not wishing to make anything out of what she had just witnessed. ‘Good morning, Mrs Montgomery. Have you seen the children this morning?’

She shook her head. ‘No, aren’t they in the school room then waiting for lessons from you?’

‘No, and I specifically told them when I met them yesterday what time they are to attend. Where is Lord Stapleton, maybe they’re with him?’

‘He’s in London on business today, his coach left early this morning to make headway before all the heavy traffic commences.’

‘I see.’ At least he wasn’t around to tick her off for not having a firm grip on his offspring, she thought. ‘Any idea where I could look for them?’

Mrs Montgomery frowned and looked at the ceiling, as if in thought. ‘There’s a tree house near the lake that they love but have you tried their bedrooms first?’

‘No, I haven’t. Thank you. I’ll check their rooms in the first instance and if they’re not there I shall check the tree house.’

‘They are up and about as they were at the breakfast table about half an hour ago.’

Clara chewed on her bottom lip. They were obviously avoiding her but the question was, why?

***

It was a full hour later before the children were discovered, not in their rooms nor in the tree house but in the maze area of the grounds and it was Patrin who discovered them and brought them to her.

‘I found these scallywags running amok in the maze this morning!’ He declared with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Amelia had a stern look on her face but Danielle looked as if she had been pulled through a hedge and covered in muck, James on the other hand looked quite pristine except that his bottom lip was trembling as if he’d realised he was in trouble a long time back.

‘Thank you so much.’ She looked at Patrin and nodded for she did not feel much like smiling, the adrenaline that had been pumping around her veins ensured that. ‘But how did you discover them?’

‘It wasn’t hard, believe me. I was clearing up some branches in the wheel barrow, they’d fallen from the tree in the high winds last night, when I heard lots of screams and shouting. This lot were just running wild. I could not believe that they were doing such a thing when they should have been having lessons with you this morning.’

‘Quite right too,’ she said and then stared at the three of them.

Amelia glared at Patrin through squinted eyes as if to say, ‘I’ll have your job for this,’ but Clara realised no wrong had been done towards the children and it was they who were in the wrong not she or Patrin.

Clara then raised her voice so she scared even herself. ‘Return to the house this very minute and I want you washed and changed and sitting at your desks in ten minutes time or your father will be informed of this morning’s misdemeanour!’ She stood and pointed at the house.

James began to cry and Danielle looked distressed. ‘Now see what you’ve done!’ Amelia shouted at her, but nevertheless, she accompanied her brother and sister back to the house.

‘Well done, Miss Masters,’ Patrin said, cocking her a cheeky grin. ‘Round one to you!’

The rest of the morning the children were quiet, far too quiet for Clara’s liking. They did everything she instructed them to do but didn’t ask any questions, just answered them. They were speaking when they were spoken to and nothing else. Clara couldn’t help but feel that Amelia was planning something, but she said nothing about the situation and dismissed them for luncheon at half past twelve.

The three of them were highly intelligent but how could she work here if they didn’t properly engage with her during lessons? She had an idea how she could pique Danielle’s interest and maybe James’s too, but sadly not Amelia’s. She had not a clue how to deal with the girl. She was fast becoming a woman in every sense of the word physically, but inwardly still bore some childish traits.

It did not get any better following luncheon either. Amelia bore a sulky expression on her face as if punishing her. So finally Clara said, ‘I shall be seeing each one of you individually in my quarters for a little chat to find out more about you. When I take one of you out of the room, the other two must carry on with the work I’ve set for you and I shall expect it completed on my return. The three children stared blankly at her, but replied, ‘Yes, Miss.’

Divide and conquer, Clara thought to herself.

Firstly, she took Danielle to her room, to prevent Amelia from planning anything behind her back with the girl. She figured that was best. Quite cleverly, she left a book she enjoyed lying around on the table between the two armchairs. That book was Heidi by Johanna Spyri. It was a book she’d read herself a few years back when it was first published and she’d brought it with her from home. It no longer had the dust cover on it as it was worn out from constant thumbing through it as it was a favourite with all the family. But remaining on the green cover was an etching of a young shepherdess who held a crook and beside her a herd of goats. It was enough to catch Danielle’s attention as she seated herself. Her eyes were constantly drawn to it.

She’s positively salivating at the mouth! Clara thought gleefully. Finally after asking her a few questions about herself and receiving one word answers in return, she said, ‘I see you are interested in my book?’

Danielle was on the point of shaking her head, when instead she replied, ‘Yes, Miss. I wondered which one it is?’

‘It’s Heidi by Johanna Spyri. Have you heard of it? It’s about a five year old Swiss child who goes to live with her uncle on the mountain…’

Danielle’s eyes enlarged. ‘Yes, Miss.’

‘Would you like to borrow it?’

‘Oh, could I, please?’ Danielle was beaming now.

‘Yes, as long as you take good care of it. The book has been in my family for some time and is a firm favourite of ours.’

‘I will. Thank you.’

Clara handed the book over to her. ‘So, you’re an avid reader then, Danielle. What is your favourite book so far?’

The girl looked up at the ceiling as if deep in thought before replying. ‘I think I’d have to say  “Oliver Twist”, Miss. I love anything by Dickens. Every Christmas when Mama was alive we used to put on a play over the season. The staff used to come and watch it too. But this year, we won’t be able to…Papa doesn’t want any merriment in the house now but putting on the play would be like Mama was a part of our Christmas.’ The girl began to weep so Clara draped her arm around her and hugged her close, knowing all too well what losing a parent felt like. Without the girl realising it, she wiped away her own tears with the back of her hand and then said, ‘You’d better return to your desk now and carry on with the exercise I set you, but before you do that please send James to see me.’

Danielle smiled and nodded, her eyes still glazed with tears, and with the book tucked under her arm, she returned to the school room.

James was easy to talk to, he wanted to discuss trains and ships and boats and all the countries he’d like to explore when he grew up.

‘So, you’d like to go on plenty of adventures then, James?’ Clara asked him.

‘Yes, it would be whizzo to go to somewhere far away like Africa or India. I could see all those wild animals but I wouldn’t want to shoot any.’

‘You like animals then?’

‘Yes, I do.’ Then quite suddenly his face clouded over. ‘But Papa won’t allow us to have any pets. Only Mr Granger the gamekeeper has any animals. He’s got two hunting dogs and I forgot, Mr Snelgrove at the lodge has a parrot that someone gave him. But apart from those, there are no other animals except horses in the stable.’ James now sounded so sad that she felt like giving him a hug, but she restrained herself from doing so in case he shouldn’t like it.

Those poor children. The dogs weren’t exactly pets either as they were working dogs. ‘What sort of animal would you have liked as a pet, James?’

His eyes lit up. ‘A puppy or a kitten, I suppose. It would be whizzo if you could ask Papa if I could have one. He might listen to you, Miss Masters.’

Clara sighed inwardly. Now what had she started, she was almost sorry she’d mentioned any pets, yet what harm could it do to ask his lordship if his son might have a pet? He could only say no.

‘I’ll make no promises, James,’ Clara said firmly, ‘but the next time I speak with your father I shall mention the matter to him, but he might not agree.’

‘Thank you, Miss.’ James beamed broadly and now she hoped she hadn’t excited him too much in case his father refused him a new pet.

A pet would really be a good thing for James right now as the boy was obviously missing his mother as all three children were. Clara decided she might just as well go the whole hog and mention the play situation too at the same time. Why shouldn’t the children be allowed to perform plays as they had when their mother was alive? What did she have to lose by asking?

You position here! A little voice reminded her.

Finally, Amelia arrived to see her but the girl was sullen and Clara could find no common ground with her whatsoever. She could sense from the very beginning the way the girl’s arms were folded tightly across her chest that she was going to find it hard work. Still, she figured it was probably best not to push such things, so after a time of getting nowhere, she dismissed the girl and sent her back to the school room.

When the day was over and Clara collected the children’s work books, she was astonished to see how neat Amelia’s hand writing was and how her answers were all correct. She was obviously a talented girl and Clara now wondered if she had any other talents. She decided she’d give the girl a chance to prove herself, if she could only find that common ground as she had with the other two, that would make life a lot easier. Maybe she could ask the staff some questions but then again, if Mrs Montgomery heard her prying, she might get the wrong impression. It had been an eventful first day as governess at Stapleton Manor House and as she was getting ready for bed that night and she took her hot chocolate offered to her on a tray with biscuits from young Dilly, she offered her one.

The girl’s face flushed but she took the biscuit anyhow and slipped it into her pinafore pocket.

‘Dilly?’

‘Yes, Miss?’

‘The room on the end of the landing, what’s in there?’

The girl blinked several times. ‘I don’t rightly know, Miss. It’s always kept locked. To be truthful I’ve often wondered meself. Anything else I can get for you, Miss?’

‘No, Thank you, Dilly. That’s all for now. Goodnight.’

Dilly dipped her knee. ‘Goodnight, Miss.’

When the girl had departed, Clara guessed she couldn’t wait to munch on that biscuit, well away from the prying eyes of the other staff. It was odd though that she didn’t know what was kept in that room. Maybe only Mrs Montgomery knew for sure and she guessed the woman wasn’t about to tell. There was a secret in that room, that was for sure and Clara intended finding out what it was.

***

The following morning, Clara spoke to Cook on the quiet in the corridor.

‘Do you know anything about a room on my landing? It’s on the end?’ She asked.

Cook shook her head vigorously. ‘I tend to keep to my domain down here,’ she said. Then sniffed loudly as if somehow offended at being asked such a thing. ‘Why do you ask, anyhow?’

‘It’s just that I caught Mrs Montgomery coming out of there yesterday and she seemed to be acting in a very furtive manner and looked a bit taken aback that I’d caught her. She didn’t use one of the keys on the chain around her waist either, it was a different, separate one which she slipped into her pocket afterwards.’

‘Well, I never,’ said Cook and she tutted as if she’d been knocked down by a feather. ‘That is most odd but if you ask me, that woman is a furtive sort anyhow. Never lets the rest of the staff in on her plans. Maybe she keeps some sort of storage stuff in there. Stuff she don’t want the rest of us to lay our mitts upon—supplies and such. I can’t blame her I suppose as over the years we’ve had one or two with light fingers working at this house. ’Course they don’t last long if they’re up to that sort of thing…So maybe she’s keeping some household goods under lock and key until required.’

Clara nodded. ‘Maybe you’re right. That might make sense.’

Cook pursed her lips in a prudish fashion. ‘Any more trouble afterwards yesterday with those kids?’

Clara smiled. ‘None whatsoever, though Amelia is very difficult to converse with. Do you find that?’

‘Yes, very much so. She was a bit like that before her mother’s death but she’s gorn right wayward now since the woman died.’

Now was Clara’s chance to find out more about her. ‘What was the children’s mother like?’

‘Lady Arabella? She was a fine sort. A proper lady in every sense of the word and I don’t mean due to her title either. All the staff liked her and her children adored her as did his lordship of course, well seemingly on the surface but who knows what went on behind closed doors in their upstairs quarters. But one thing I’m telling you…he ain’t been the same since she passed away. All the fun and joy has been sucked out of this place, before her death the walls echoed with laughter here. She always made a big thing about Christmas celebrations and tried to include us staff too. There were plays and pantomimes, sing songs with her at the piano, such fun we had playing parlour games and the like.’

‘Really?’ Clara blinked. She could not imagine that at all—the staff joining in with festivities. Then she lowered her voice a notch. ‘How did she die then? I’ve heard it was sudden?’

‘Yes, you heard right. She fell from her horse, Gideon, when she was out riding him. Bad luck it were as she struck her head on a rock. Devastated the master was. I can still remember him now carrying her lifeless body back to the house. Of course a doctor was summoned but it was too late by then. Now the poor horse is stabled but no one is allowed to ride him, though the stable boys allow him to run in the field for exercise every day. I think the horse misses her though.’

‘Have any of the children ridden him?’

‘No. And to be honest with you,’ she drew Clara by the arm into an alcove not for anyone to hear, ‘it’s Miss Amelia what misses riding that horse. Her mother had taught her to ride and promised the horse to her, but she won’t look at him now.’

‘Is that so?’ said Clara smiling inwardly. So it was the horse that might make some common ground between herself and the girl. ‘Thank you, Mrs Cantwell, you’ve been most helpful.’

Cook raised a puzzled brow. ‘’ere what have I done? I only told you a few things and don’t go repeating what I said mind in front of old big ears!’ She wagged a playful finger.

‘Big ears?’

‘Mrs Montgomery,’ she sniggered which caused Clara to giggle. She forced herself to wipe the smile off her face. She’d never be able to look at the woman in the same way again. Big Ears indeed!

The school day with the children went well. They were interested to hear more about Paris and France in general. Clara told them all about the new Eiffel Tower there and showed them a picture of it that she had been given by a local artist who had been there. He had made lots of sketches. She couldn’t imagine anything so tall.

‘I think I’d love to go to France,’ said Danielle dreamily. ‘I’d love to sit outside one of those street cafes and eat croissants with a big cup of hot chocolate.’

‘Me too!’ piped up James, but Amelia said nothing, though she did attempt to copy the picture of the tower and a very good likeness it was too.

‘You’re very talented, Amelia,’ Clara said leaning over her desk. ‘Have you always liked to draw?’

She nodded.

‘Go and fetch your sketch pad!’ Danielle shouted.

Amelia looked at her crossly but said nothing in reply.

‘You often sketch then, do you?’ Clara wanted to now.

‘Yes, Miss.’ Danielle answered for her sister. ‘She’s good at drawing horses.’

Clara took a chair and seated herself beside Amelia. ‘Is that right, Amelia? You like drawing horses?’

She looked up at Clara, her eyes moistened with tears. ‘I did, but not any longer!’ Then she slammed her exercise book shut and stomped out of the room.

Danielle made to get out of her chair but Clara held up her vertical palm towards the girl to indicate she was to stay put. ‘But Miss…’

‘It’s best she is left to cry it out,’ Clara said firmly. ‘Have you seen her cry at all since your mother died?’

Danielle shook her head. ‘James cries a lot in bed at night, don’t you James?’

James nodded his head. ‘I always pray for God to send Mama back home to us,’ he said, then he sniffed and she hoped he wasn’t about to cry too, but then he smiled and asked, ‘Do you think if I keep doing that, he’ll send her back home? I’m trying to be a good boy, Miss.’

A feeling of great compassion swept over Clara, as her heart went out to all three children, particularly Amelia who seemed to be having the hardest time dealing with things. She was at an age when she really needed her mother. What would her father know about her developing into a young lady anyhow? He was cold and distant. Come to think of it she hadn’t even seen the man since the children had returned from Scotland, though she had been aware from the other staff, that he had been around but out on business much of the time. What kind of man was he when the children were hurting inside so much?

A half hour later and Amelia had not returned to the school room so Clara went in search of the girl. She wasn’t in her bedroom but Clara found her sitting outside on a wooden bench near the lake, it was perishing cold, but she’d brought the girl’s cloak along with a thick woollen blanket from her bed.

The girl wasn’t even aware of Clara’s presence as she stared into the distance at the lake and the mountains beyond.

‘Is this where you always come when you need to be alone?’ Clara asked softly.

The girl stayed motionless almost as if she was a stone statue as she replied without turning to look behind her. ‘Yes, Mama and I would sit here, it was our thinking bench,’ she said.

‘May I join you then and we can think together?’

‘If you must…’

‘Thank you, Amelia. I’ve brought your cloak and a blanket from your bed.’

As Clara approached she looked up and she smiled. She looked so different when she smiled and it gladdened Clara’s heart. Maybe this was a breakthrough at last? She draped the thick navy cloak over the girl’s shoulders and laid the blanket across her lap, then she seated herself beside her. Clara was so pleased that she’d dressed well for the weather, she wore her own thick woollen cape and mittens but there was a sharp nip in the air and as she gazed across the lake, she noticed that parts of it were freezing over.

They sat in silence for a while but it was not uncomfortable at all. Then she squeezed Amelia’s hand and said, ‘I think we’d better return to the house now and I’ll order 4 cups of hot chocolate to be sent to the school room.’

The girl looked at her and asked, ‘Can we have some currant buns too, Miss?’

‘I think we can manage that,’ Clara said with a smile.