More Than a Governess

‘If you please, ma’am,’ said the maid, coming back into the room, ‘there is no doll in the schoolroom, nor in the children’s bedrooms either. And Miss Wilhelmina and Miss Gwendoline have gone out with the new governess.’

Lady Varley shrugged. ‘No matter, I will ask the children about it when they come back. Now, can we get on?’

The fitting had just finished and the gown was being packed away when a footman entered with a letter for Lady Varley. She snatched it from the tray, her brow clearing as she recognised her husband’s distinctive scrawl.

‘It is from Sir James. At last. I have been waiting to hear how the family goes on without me.’ She looked at Madame Fleurie. ‘I take it we have done, now?’

‘Indeed, madame, thank you for your time.’ She ushered her assistant out of the room, stopping at the door to turn back. ‘And if I may remind my lady, you will not forget the doll?’

‘Yes, yes, I will see to it,’ responded Lady Varley, impatiently waving her away.

She barely waited for the door to close before she tore open the letter and immersed herself in news from her home.

Juliana returned from her shopping trip feeling that she had achieved a great deal. She had made her purchases and placed orders for several books at Hatchards in Piccadilly, but, more than that, she thought that her charges had begun to accept her. Wilhelmina was no trouble at all; she and Amy had become firm friends. By the time they returned to Burlington Street, Wilhelmina was chattering away to Juliana as though she had known her all her life. Gwendoline was more reserved, but she had been perfectly well mannered during their excursion and Juliana was encouraged to think that the child was unbending a little towards her.

With the move to the north so imminent, Juliana did not attempt to establish a routine to the afternoon lesson, but chose instead to show the children maps and pictures of the north country, well aware that such a long journey to a place they had not seen for many years must be exciting and somewhat unnerving for her charges. She asked Mr Brasher for details of their route, and used the guidebook she had bought to describe the various towns they would pass through.

Juliana dined in the schoolroom again with the children, although Giles did not join them. He dined instead with his father and aunt, and Juliana found him in boisterous good spirits when she brought the girls to the drawing room later. He teased Wilhelmina about her freckles and then drew Gwendoline to one side, whispering to her to make her giggle. Juliana was aware of Lady Varley’s frowning looks and knew she would be expected to act. She waited until she was sure the Major was engrossed in conversation with his sister, then walked over to the youngsters. Giles rose as she approached.

‘Gwendoline, you know how impolite it is to be whispering thus. If it is such a good joke, then let us all share it.’ She spoke quietly, but her words made the girl scowl.

‘It is no crime to talk to my brother!’

‘No, indeed.’ Juliana’s smile embraced them both. ‘But when you are in company, you are insulting those around you by such secretive behaviour. Master Giles must know that, even if you are not quite old enough to appreciate it.’

Her mild rebuke hit its target. Gwendoline flushed and her brother muttered an apology.

The entrance of the tea tray caused a distraction. Lady Varley called Gwendoline over to help her prepare the tea. Juliana watched her go and turned back to Giles.

‘If your sister resents me, I am sorry for it,’ she said gently. ‘However, your father hired me as 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.