His Unusual Governess

by Anne Herries

  ‘I have no idea where she went, but I imagine she was tricked,’ Sarah said. ‘Francesca spoke about her feelings this morning and I am quite certain she would not have chosen to run away—with Mr Monks at least.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I think she loves someone else. She is not sure that he cares for her and Monks has been flattering her, but she would not have gone off with him.’

  ‘Who does she imagine herself in love with?’

  ‘I’m not sure I should say.’

  ‘I need to know. This is important—it isn’t that scoundrel Sir Roger?’

  ‘Good gracious, no. She dislikes him. You must not breathe a word—but I rather think she hoped for an offer from Sir Freddie.’

  ‘Good grief.’ Rupert looked stunned. ‘I had no idea. He’s perfectly suitable if he would offer for her—but why did she go with Monks? Miss Rowton said she was not abducted.’

  ‘Do you not think she may have been tricked?’

  ‘Tricked …’ Rupert’s expression grew darker. ‘He made her think something was wrong … good grief! Do you suppose he told her you had been taken for the worse? She would have gone with him then without a thought for herself.’

  ‘Oh, no, I do hope it was not that.’ Sarah was stricken. ‘Yes, I believe you may be right. How wicked he is—but why would he do such a thing?’

  ‘Monks is deep in debt. Sir Freddie warned me of it the other day, felt I should be on my guard. No doubt the scoundrel knew his chances of getting her to marry him were nil so he decided to snatch her, but did so by a trick rather than risk her screaming and bringing me down on him.’

  ‘You must find her, Rupert,’ Sarah said, jumping up from the bed. ‘If you are quick all may not be lost. If you wish, I will pretend to be ill and you can say that she came here to me—but you must go now, without delay.’

  ‘I have already lost time. I thought you would know.’

  ‘Believe that she has not gone willingly.’

  ‘I’ll kill him,’ Rupert growled. ‘If he touches her, I’ll tear him limb from limb.’

  ‘Go quickly, please. I shall remain in my room in case we need the excuse, but I shall be anxious.’

  Rupert turned, saw the letters she’d written on the desk and picked up the one addressed to him. He turned to her, accusation in his eyes.

  ‘What is this?’ Without waiting for an answer he broke the seal and scanned it. ‘Damn you, Sarah! Were you planning to leave without a word? What scandal is Grey supposed to have revealed to me?’

  ‘He has not done so?’ For a moment relief flooded through her, but she knew it was a mere respite. If Sir Roger had not yet spoken, he was waiting for the right moment.

  ‘He has threatened to ruin me by revealing a scandal I knew nothing of—something from my mother’s past,’ she said, unable to meet his eyes. ‘Please, do not bother with this now. Francesca needs you. I give you my word I shall not go until she is safe back where she belongs. I am not worthy of your notice. Francesca is all that matters here.’

  ‘For the moment that is true,’ he said. ‘But if you break your word I shall hunt you down and you will be sorry. Have the decency to tell me when you are ready to leave and I shall arrange for you to be taken wherever you wish to go.’

  ‘Yes, thank you. I could not bear to leave now while Francesca is in such danger. I pray you are in time.’

  ‘Amen to that,’ he said and was gone. She heard him shouting at one of the footmen and she went to the window in time to see him leave the house. As she watched, another gentleman went out to him. They spoke for a moment and then went off toward the stables together.

  Sir Freddie must have offered his help. Sarah felt a choking sensation in her throat. It seemed as if that kind gentleman cared enough to join in the search. She could only hope that the two of them would be able to catch up with Mr Monks and stop him carrying out his wicked plan to force Francesca to marry him because she was compromised.

  All her thoughts now were for the girl she loved, the scandal that had threatened her forgotten as she felt fear for Francesca.

  She regretted the impulse that had made her write the letters. Crossing to the desk, she tore Francesca’s into little shreds. The situation was changed. Francesca would need her now and her own reputation might be stained beyond redemption.

  Rupert would not allow her to marry that odious rogue, would he? She knew that marriages had been forced on an unwilling girl for less, but surely he would not condemn her to a marriage that could never give her happiness?

  She supposed that Mr Monks believed Francesca would inherit a small fortune from her grandfather and that might well be the case. He had other relatives, of course, but John and Francesca were the children of his only daughter and must surely be his favourites. It was the reason she had been abducted of course.

  Sarah was anxious for the girl she loved. Rupert’s fury on discovering her letter would have had her shaking in her shoes at another time, but for now she could only worry about Francesca. Where had Monks taken her—and what was she doing now? She must have been so frightened when she discovered that she’d been abducted… .

  ‘I demand that you take me home,’ Francesca said, raising her head in a way she imagined Sarah would approve. She had been told about men like this and if he thought she was going to weep all over him and beg him to marry her, he was wrong. ‘You lied to me. I thought I liked you. I might even had agreed to marry you, had you asked—but to tell me Sarah was dying and then to drive off with me to goodness knows where is outrageous! I shall not marry you now if you keep me here for a month.’

  James Monks glared at her. ‘Damn you, Fran, I thought you would find it amusing to be abducted. Sir Roger put me up to it. He was thinking of abducting Miss Hardcastle, but then he asked her instead and what she said … well, he gave up. Told me she wasn’t worth the effort and he would find another heiress. He mentioned you and I told him he’d have you over my dead body. Why won’t you let me take you to Gretna? I know you’d like me if you gave me a chance.’

  Francesca stared at him. He was almost begging her. She’d been frightened at first, but now she saw he was weak. He wouldn’t dare to harm her because of what her relatives might do to him.

  ‘Abduction is a hanging offence, you know.’

  He stared at her, his eyes popping. ‘It was an elopement. You know it was, Francesca. You didn’t really believe Miss Hardcastle was dying. She’s been fine for days… .’

  ‘You frightened me and I shan’t forgive you for that,’ Francesca said. ‘I love Sarah—she means a lot to me and I really did think something might have happened to her. Now, please, take me home.’

  ‘I can’t,’ he said, sounding desperate. ‘I have to keep you here until someone comes. Your family will send someone to look for you—and we shall be forced to marry to save your reputation. I’ll be good to you, Fran. I promise.’

  ‘Do not call me Fran,’ Francesca said. ‘My name is Francesca. Indeed, I would prefer to be called by my father’s name, if you please—because our friendship is at an end. I do not wish to speak to you again and I shall never marry you. You may keep me here for a month, but it makes no difference. I don’t like you and I will not be your wife.’

  ‘I could force you,’ he said and his tone was suddenly ugly. ‘I could seduce you. You would be ruined. I dare say you would marry me soon enough then.’

  ‘I care nothing for my reputation. I would rather never enter society again and live in obscurity with a man I love rather than marry a rogue like you, sir.’

  ‘I suppose that’s what she taught you,’ Monks said, scowling. ‘Sir Roger tried to blackmail her into taking him, but she faced him down, told him to go to the devil. I thought you would give in… .’ He sat down, putting his head into hands, then lifted it to stare at her in desperation. ‘I shall be ruined if you do not marry me. They will throw me into the debtors’ prison and throw the key away.’

  ‘I am sorry for you. If yo
u had spoken to Lord Myers, he might have arranged a loan for you, perhaps.’

  ‘Couldn’t do that … one gentleman to another.’ He stood up and raked his fingers through his hair, his cheeks flushed. ‘What the hell do I do now?’

  ‘I suggest you take me home,’ Francesca replied haughtily. ‘If you do that immediately, I shall tell everyone I was needed urgently at home, but we had an accident and the chaise overturned. We shall pretend that you were unconscious and I had to wait until you recovered… .’

  ‘Would you do that?’ He looked at her hopefully. ‘I’ve made a mess of this, haven’t I? It is all Sir Roger’s fault for putting the idea into my head.’

  ‘What did he say to Sarah? What did he think she had done that he could blackmail her over?’

  ‘I have no idea.’ Monks shrugged gloomily. ‘He was in a temper and went off without finishing his tale—just said she was a stubborn wench and he would get even somehow.’

  ‘Then he must have been the one who shot her.’

  ‘It might have been him, but I thought he’d left the district.’

  ‘Take me home. I have to tell Rupert—and the sooner we get back the better. You’d better wrap your cravat about your head if you don’t want my friends to kill you. Rupert wouldn’t have made me marry you, you know. He would just challenge you to a duel and send me abroad with Sarah until the scandal died down.’

  ‘In that case we’d better leave now,’ he said. ‘I don’t suppose you could forgive me and …? No, I didn’t think so. I can only say I’m sorry.’

  It was almost dusk. Sarah was standing at her bedroom window when she saw the chaise draw up outside. Her heart started to race and she leaned forwards as she saw the man get down and help the girl out of the carriage.

  ‘Francesca! Thank God—oh, thank God,’ she whispered and went quickly out of the room.

  She had reached the top of the stairs when Francesca burst in. She looked up, screamed Sarah’s name and raced up the stairs to her. Sarah opened her arms to receive her.

  ‘I thought you were worse,’ she sobbed against her neck. ‘I thought you were dying.’

  ‘What happened, dearest? As you see I am fine now, even though I had a little headache this morning. Mr Monks exaggerated the situation—is that what happened, my love?’

  Francesca looked at her, took a deep breath and nodded. ‘Yes,’ she said in a voice that carried to the people gathering in the hall below. ‘I asked to be brought here to you quickly. Mr Monks was kind enough to oblige. We went at such a pace that the chaise overturned. He was thrown and hit his head and lay unconscious for more than two hours. By the time someone came and helped us, half the day had gone. That is why we are so late… .’

  ‘You have had a terrible experience. Mr Monks is at fault for driving so carelessly. Are you hurt, dearest? Is there anything else you should tell me—in private, if you wish?’

  ‘Nothing at all. Mr Monks was good enough to bring me back, though he has a terrible headache.’

  ‘Where is he now?’

  ‘I left him outside. I could not wait to see if you were well.’

  ‘As you see, I am back to normal. Come into my room, dearest. I shall send for some tea and Mrs Brancaster will bring you some sandwiches.’

  Francesca opened her mouth and shut it again. ‘Thank you,’ she said meekly. She turned to look at the people in the hall. ‘I am sorry if anyone was worried. It was all a mistake.’

  Sarah could feel the girl trembling as she drew her inside her room. She led her to the bed, sat her down, then looked at her. ‘Now tell me the truth, my love.’

  ‘He told me you were dying and abducted me. He thought Uncle Rupert would make me marry him for the sake of my reputation. I told him I would rather be ruined and I would go abroad with you—and if this causes a scandal I shall. You wouldn’t desert me for a little scandal, would you?’

  ‘No …’ Sarah looked at her and, seeing the girl’s determined pride, she laughed. ‘No, my dearest, that would be foolish. We shall neither of us let the gossips hurt us. I am not going to run away as if I’ve done something terrible and neither are you. We shall carry on as we are and those who do not wish to know us may do the other thing.’

  ‘You haven’t done anything wrong, have you?’

  ‘I learned something recently—something that I did not know when I came here. My mother was not the lady of gentle birth who loved me and married my father. She loved me as her own until the day she died, but she was not my birth mother.’

  ‘That is sad, but it just shows how kind she was to take you in. Who was your mother?’

  ‘I am told she was a prostitute my father paid to have his child,’ Sarah replied. ‘I am told she died of a disease women of her profession sometimes get in later life… .’

  ‘Oh, how awful for her—and for you to be told that,’ Francesca said and hugged her. ‘I was told Sir Roger threatened to blackmail you, but you faced him down. He gave Mr Monks the idea, you see. How horrible some men can be.’

  ‘Yes, they can,’ Sarah agreed. ‘But others are very different. Both Sir Freddie and Rupert have gone to search for you. Rupert swears he will kill Mr Monks, but when we tell him there is no scandal he might be prepared just to land him a facer … I believe that is the word gentlemen use for knocking someone down.’

  ‘Yes, it is.’ Francesca giggled. ‘I’ve heard them say it when they think one is not listening. He deserves it—but he did bring me back. He could have refused. He could have forced me …’

  ‘Had you been another sort of woman he might have,’ Sarah said and smiled. ‘He thought you a silly girl, but you’re not. You are a young woman and perfectly able to stand up to a rogue like him.’

  ‘Yes, I am,’ Francesca said and smiled. ‘I wasn’t until you came. I should probably have run off with him for real—but you taught me about truth and honesty and thinking before doing something silly.’

  ‘Oh, my love, you make me want to cry,’ Sarah said and blinked hard. ‘I am so very glad you are back and unharmed.’

  ‘So am I. In future I shall think carefully before I get into a gentleman’s chaise alone.’

  ‘Had he been a proper gentleman it would not have happened—there lies the difference. You might travel anywhere with Sir Freddie and he would not lift a finger to harm you.’

  ‘If only he liked me enough to …’ Francesca sighed. ‘You did say he was helping to search for me?’

  ‘Yes, he is. I’m not sure when they will be back. I think we should ring for our refreshments and then I’ll ask Mrs Brancaster to tuck you up in bed, my love.’

  ‘I ate some sandwiches at the inn he took me to. I am not hungry.’

  ‘I couldn’t eat a thing all day for worrying,’ Sarah said and smiled. ‘We’ll have a light supper and you will be all the better for it. Do not argue, Francesca—in this case I know best.’

  Francesca laughed. ‘You win. Are we truly going to London together?’

  ‘Yes, if Lord Myers agrees. I must, of course, tell him the truth—though I think Sir Roger may have done so already.’

  ‘No, I don’t think so. Mr Monks said he left in a temper without telling him the rest of it. So if he didn’t tell him, I doubt he told anyone. I think he realised that it was a waste of time. Who would care when we all love you so much?’

  ‘Dearest Francesca …’ Sarah was thoughtful. ‘I wonder why Rupert did not come to see me? I thought it was because he knew that I was the child of …’ She caught her breath because it still hurt so much.

  ‘It was because he was concerned that he might compromise you, of course,’ Francesca said. ‘He did visit twice late at night, because I saw him leave when I came to sit with you. Agnes said he gave her a guinea not to mention it to anyone.’

  ‘Oh …’ Sarah’s heart lifted a little. ‘It was good of him to be concerned for me.’

  ‘He likes you. I’ve told you before.’

  ‘Perhaps …’ Sarah shook her head. ‘It isn’t
important. For the moment I want you to eat your supper and be tucked up safe in your bed—and then we can all sleep soundly.’

  Chapter Thirteen

  Sarah was in her dressing robe and on the point of going to bed when she heard footsteps outside her door. Someone knocked and she rose from her stool, going to open it. Rupert stood there, his hair windblown and his look frustrated rather than angry.

  ‘Is it true that she got that scoundrel to bring her home?’

  ‘Yes, perfectly true.’ Sarah hesitated, then stood back. ‘You had better come in—oh, do not look so worried. We must discuss this in private if you want to save Francesca’s reputation.’

  Rupert followed her in. He nodded as she locked the door. ‘You do not wish to be disturbed—tell me the worst. Did he violate her?’

  ‘Not at all. He did lie to her and make off with her, but only to an inn some twenty miles or so distant. It was his plan to keep her there until you arrived to force him to marry her.’

  ‘He was far off there. She would have been a widow before she was a bride.’

  ‘Fortunately, Francesca managed to keep her head. She told him that she would not marry him whatever he did and that you would kill him unless he brought her home. It seems he did not have the courage to force her, and after begging her to marry him without success, he brought her home and left again as swiftly as he could.’

  ‘I’ll thrash him when I catch up with him.’

  ‘Not if you care for Francesca’s good name. He brought her home because I was suddenly taken ill and their chaise met with an accident. He was thrown and rendered unconscious and it was some hours before he recovered enough to bring her home. That is her story and, if you do nothing to convince the gossips it is a lie, I think we shall brush through well enough. Besides, if Sir Freddie cares enough I believe her future is settled.’