by Danni Roan
Slowly shaking his head, Cecil pushed the dream away. The visions of wide-open spaces and vast expanses of land tantalizing and just out of reach.
“I can’t,” he answered simply. “What I need is people who can help me adjust to this life. Will you please help?” The man’s bright eyes were imploring and struck deep in Hester’s heart. “You’re the first person the children seem to respect. You don’t seem to be terrified or horrified by them. They’re only children, and they have lost everything they ever knew.” He paused, shifting restlessly from his place at the mantel and pacing to the sofa, then back again. “I need someone who has the fortitude to see to Beverly and Jonas, while I muddle through the rest.”
“You’re asking me to continue as their caregiver?” Hester glanced at her uncle who sat swirling the cold tea in his cup.
“Yes, when can you move in?”
Hester blinked for several seconds as his words sank in. “Move in?”
“Yes, you’ll need to be here with the children all the time. I’m often out and Mrs. August lets them do anything they want. You’ll have your own room, board, and wages.”
Hester looked at her uncle who suddenly seemed old and tired. “I can’t leave my uncle,” she protested.
“He can come too,” Cecil moved to stand before the young woman with the lovely face and kind eyes. He knew his voice sounded desperate, but he couldn’t hold back. In the three months since he had moved into his brother’s home, they had been through nine nurses and the staff had been whittled down to the few loyal diehards like Mrs. August, Cook, and two young doormen who were over paid, by any standard.
“Me? What could I do?” Hyke said. “I’ll admit it will be a hardship if Hester comes to live here, but I’ll muddle through.”
“Uncle!” Hester protested rising and walking to him. Squatting before his chair she rested her hands on his arm. “You know I won’t leave you. Mr. Payton will simply have to let me come and go as I see fit.”
Cecil raked his hands through his hair. This was not going the way he had hoped. Miss Johnson had, in one day, managed to get more from the children than all the others before. She had given them a sense of purpose, and he needed her there at his side.
“You can work as the butler,” Cecil blurted turning to Mr. Johnson. “Mrs. August can help you learn your responsibilities. It will help me as well. I can’t have Joe and George answering the door as well as dealing with their other jobs.”
“I,” Hester turned back to her uncle. “What do you say?”
Hyke scratched at his neat beard. He had never even been in a fancy house like this. What did he know about being a butler? Of course it was an opportunity that could change Hester’s life. A job well done here could mean a better position in life later. “I guess we could give it a try.”
Cecil sagged against the fireplace, thankful for the support it offered. They would stay. A glimmer of hope sprang into his heart at the knowledge he had another ally in this daunting endeavor.
“Wonderful!” he all but shouted. “Hurry home and be here first thing in the morning. No wait.” He waved a dismissive hand, hurrying to the hall and calling the young man who had opened the door hours earlier. “Joe, fetch the carriage and see the Johnson’s home. You’ll call on them first thing tomorrow and bring them and all their worldly possessions back here.”
The young man nodded hurrying to comply.
“Tomorrow you will move here,” Cecil said striding to Mr. Johnson and taking his hand, then moving to Hester and grasping her hand. “We’ll arrange everything. I know you’ll be happy.”
The smile and sense of hope filling Mr. Payton’s eyes shot through Hester in a wave of delight. Her hand, warm in his seemed to thrum with a heat she had never known before. “Thank you.”
Mr. Payton bent at the waist, brushing a kiss across Hester’s hand. “No thank you.”
Chapter 7
By the next day, Hester was settled into the big house in a whirlwind of activity. The doorman, Joe, had collected them early that morning, helping to load their meager possessions into the coach and whisking them off to the big house. As positions went, Hester couldn’t have asked for better, but a strange unease accompanied her as she took up her new post.
Mrs. August gave Hester a hard look as her things were deposited in the room formerly occupied by the respectable governess who had fled the day before.
“I can’t say I agree with Mr. Payton’s decision,” the housekeeper grumbled as she showed Hester to her new room. “It’s not right a girl like you taking a place like this. There are other women far more suited to the job.”
Hester bit her tongue not willing to upset the housekeeper further, even as a smart retort lingered on her lips. If there were others so well suited to the job, where were they? It seemed that so far none had had tenacity to hold their ground. Hester hadn’t asked for any of this, but she wasn’t about to turn down a position she was fully capable of filling, or the generous pay and provision it afforded.
Mrs. August opened the door to a simple, yet well appointed room, with a large bed, cupboard, and wash stand. “I’ll be keeping an eye on you,” the sharp faced matron snipped, letting Hester proceed into her new accommodations before closing the door behind her with a resounding click.
Hester sagged against the wall of the pretty room, already exhausted before the day had begun. That morning she had put on her best dress and polished her shoes before the sun had reached the horizon. Now she wanted nothing more than to put her things away and gain some perspective for the job at hand. Organizing her room would help her feel settled and at peace, she was sure.
“Hester,” the door burst open and Beverly waltzed in, her brother on her heels. “Mrs. August told us you had arrived. What will we do today? Did you decide who won last night? Can we go to a show?”
The children’s questions bounced around the room like a ricocheting bullet, puncturing the spot just between Hester’s brows and bringing on a frightful headache.
“Slow down Beverly,” Hester sighed. “I’ve only just arrived. I’m sure in time we’ll get to all your questions. Have you had breakfast yet?”
“No, no one brought our trays.”
Hester nodded, looking longingly at the two small bags that had been left on the four poster bed. Putting her belongings away would have to wait. The children would have to come first.
“I believe you are old enough to eat in the dining area,” she said. “Come along, and we’ll see about some food. Two growing children like you need to eat properly.” Hester stretched out her hands waiting until the children grasped them then stepped back into the hall, a look of determination on her face.
The trio had just started toward the stairs when Hester glanced through the open door of Jonas’s room and pulled them all to a stop. “Jonas, where is Hebbie today?” she asked.
“In my pocket,” the boy answered.
“I’m sure Hebbie would much rather have his breakfast in the comfort of his own home,” she said. “Please put him in his jar and offer him a grass hopper or whatever you have then we will proceed.”
Jonas dropped his head but did as he was told, gently pulling the little black snake from his pocket and placing him gently into the jar before opening a match box and shaking a cricket into the jar.
“Thank you,” Hester smiled warmly at the boy. She would have to make a point of knowing where the slithering reptile was at all times before someone came to harm, most likely Hebbie himself.
“You’re here!” Cecil stood from the end of the table folding the paper he had been reading and dropping it onto the floor. “Good, good.” He didn’t seem to know what else to say and simply stood there staring for several seconds. “Where’s that pretty dress from last night,” his words tumbling out.
“That dress was not mine,” Hester said calmly, worried that the man was displeased with her appearance. “It has been returned to its rightful place.”
Cecil didn’t know what to say,
but judging by the state of Miss Johnson’s simple black dress, this job had come along at the right time.
“Say good morning to your uncle,” Hester said, a soft smile tugging at her lips.
“Good morning,” Jonas said his eyes never leaving the trays of food on the side board.
“Good morning uncle,” Beverly added her greeting before following Hester to the buffet.
“How come we never got this stuff before?” Jonas asked grabbing a plate and beginning to load it with bacon, eggs and ham. “All we ever get is toast and porridge.”
“To have a nice breakfast,” Hester began, her stomach rumbling at the sight of the food, “you must have nice manners as well.”
Jonas hesitated turning a questioning look on Hester. “Am I going to lose points for taking too much?” he asked, looking down at his heaped plate. Thinking about the game that he so desperately wanted to win had pricked his conscience.
“No, but you must have a seat at the table and at least try to chat with your uncle. That is only polite.”
Cecil looked at the woman, surprised at her words. She certainly didn’t behave like any of the other women who had declared themselves capable of caring for the children. “Right,” he agreed, taking his seat. “What shall we talk about?” Cecil looked at his nephew who shrugged. “Perhaps you could tell me about this game.”
“Hester says that whichever one of us wins the game gets to choose a day out.” Jonas looked between Hester and his uncle then turned his attention to devouring his breakfast.
As the family began to eat, the silence grew awkward, and she could see that Mr. Payton had no idea about how to converse with the children in his care.
“Shall we discuss lessons?” Hester suggested, pouring tea. “What lessons have the children had? Do they have teachers? Children, what is the state of your education?”
Beverly looked at her brother then back to Hester giving a shrug. “We haven’t had any since Mama and Papa died.” The girl’s frank words and matter of fact manner hit Hester in the heart.
“We will have to see what’s to be done about that then.” Hester lifted soft brown eyes to Mr. Payton, pleased when he nodded.
“I don’t like lessons,” Jonas said. “They’re boring. Can’t I do some more cleaning or something that will earn points?”
Hester didn’t reply right away, as she cut into her eggs lifting a bite to her mouth. “I’ll have to give some consideration to it,” she finally spoke. “Tell me what classes you like best.” Hester’s dark eyes pinned the boy to his seat and he squirmed slightly.
“I like riding,” he finally grinned. “I like going fast in the carriage as well.”
“I’d rather be in the garden,” Beverly added absently. “It used to be beautiful when Mama tended it, and I was learning about flowers and herbs.”
Hester smiled, satisfied with the answers. It was a beginning. She had a plan, and after breakfast, she would begin, hopefully, with very little interference from Mr. Payton.
Cecil watched Miss Johnson with the children wondering what she was about with all of the questions. Already, he had learned more about his niece and nephew in that short conversation than he had in the months he had been living in their home.
He smiled at Jonas’s enthusiasm for riding and wondered where the boy had to go riding in the city, or if he could arrange lessons for the boy.
Beverly’s interest in plants also surprised him. She had never indicated such a thing, not even taking note of the flowers that were delivered to the house each week.
“And what about you Mr. Payton?”
Hester finally asked, as Jonas returned to the sideboard for more bacon. “What things do you enjoy?”
Cecil turned from filling his plate and stared at Hester for so long she was certain he wouldn’t reply. He seemed startled by her question, surprised that she would ask.
“I like riding.” His words were flat.
“Perhaps you can take Jonas out one day after he has finished his lessons. It’s important to encourage someone’s interests.”
Why hadn’t he ever thought to ask the children about what they wanted? He had simply stepped into his role as guardian without a thought to who the children were. He knew that they had been devastated by the loss of their parents, and not wanting to cause them undue stress, he had not insisted that they return to their studies.
“Perhaps I will.” He would need to talk to one of the men about horses and a place to go riding. "The weather is getting fine again, and I must admit it would be a relief to get out of the house.”
Beverly looked up, hope shining in her dark eyes. “Uncle, do you think we could go to the botanical gardens one day? I’ve always wanted to go.”
Cecil looked at Hester then back at his niece. “That will be up to Miss Johnson,” he quipped. “As your new caregiver, she’ll be responsible for organizing such outings.”
“Does that mean you won’t go with us?” the little girl asked, her eyes growing cold.
Hester looked up, seeing Beverly withdraw, and quickly intervened. “I’m sure your uncle would be pleased to go with us one day,” she caught Cecil’s eye holding it. “Today we will work out a schedule for school, chores, and outings. We’ll set points for each one, and when you reach them, we will take the outing of the winner’s choice.”
“Uncle Cecil will be too busy,” Beverly said now toying with the food on her plate. “Father was always too busy to go out with us.”
“I’m sure that your uncle will find the time to go with you if we make a plan. Isn’t that right Mr. Payton?” Hester again captured the man’s eyes waiting until he nodded.
Beverly smiled brightly. “Papa never had time to go anywhere with us then when he did go out, he only ever took Mama. There are so many things I’d love to see in the city. Shall I write them down?” The girl turned to Hester, pleading in her eyes.
“Then it’s settled,” Hester said. “We’ll make a plan together. I’m sure there is much that Mr. Payton has never seen here in the city as well.”
“Can we go to the zoo?” Jonas piped. “I want to see all the snakes they have there.”
Cecil laughed at the boy’s enthusiasm. It might be interesting going to the zoo and seeing the strange animals collected there. He wondered what manner of beasts would be on display, curious, yet troubled by the idea of wild things caged.
All too keenly, Cecil Payton felt the restraints of the gilded cage he now lived in. He had responsibilities here, and there was little he could do to escape, but perhaps he could make the best of what he had available, creating a life, if not happy, than at least tolerable.
Hester finished her breakfast, wondering how her own uncle was getting on with his new job. He had been taken to his room on the top floor by one of the doormen on arrival, and she hadn’t seen him since. She hoped that he had comfortable accommodations, and that she would see him soon.
Noting that the children had finished eating Hester finished her tea and stood. “It’s time to begin,” she smiled. “We’ll start by making a list of the things we need then organizing our chart.”
“I’m sure it won’t be easy to find all of the things we need to make a beginning,” she smiled nodding as Jonas puffed out his chest. “I believe that will be our first task.
“I’ll find anything you need,” he boasted. “I know everything about this house.”
“Do not,” Bev shot back.
“Do too,” Jonas’s voice grew louder.
“Come,” Hester laughed. “We need pencil and paper. Who can get that first?”
The children dashed from the room racing to who knew where as Hester headed for the door.
“So that’s your secret?” Cecil said. “You’ve got them competing.”
“They need something to do,” Hester said. “Even children need to feel that they are loved and have a reason for living. You have two very bright and able children there Mr. Payton. I’ll do my best to help them understand that.”
Cecil nodded, pondering her words as the young woman walked out the door. He had been so preoccupied with trying to live up to his brother’s responsibilities; he had let the children go their own way.
It was time to do something about that.
Chapter 8
“I feel like an organ grinder's monkey,” Hyke grumbled as Hester helped him with his bow tie. “I don’t know anything about being a butler.”
“You’ll do fine,” Hester grinned. “This could be the answer to our prayers. We have a roof over our head, a full belly, and people who need us to work for them.”
Hyke dropped his chin looking down on his niece. “You’re a good girl Hester,” he said patting her shoulders. “I hope you can manage those children. They seem a bit touchy.”
