The Precious Secret of a Loving Governess: A Historical Regency Romance Book

by Abigail Agar

  After having completed all of that, Victoria was informed dinner was ready for the staff of the house and she joined them, indulging in foods that did not quite compare to her old finery, but maintained a better quality than she had been eating of late.

  Miss Franklin introduced her to all of the other staff members and they got to know one another through lively conversation. It was clear that the employees of the household were far more excitable than she might have thought.

  Victoria had sat through any number of proper dinners with her family, the quiet ones where she was more concentrated on which fork to use than whether or not there was any discussion. But here, among the housekeeper and maids and the cook and her assistant, things were rather different.

  They all asked her questions and she made it her duty to ask about them in reply, wanting to get to know them better than they might know her. Each one was lovelier than the last and Victoria was confident that she would have a great number of friends amongst them.

  Once she had eaten her fill, she felt overwhelmed by the fortune with which she had been met in having these luxuries again. Every bite had been savoured and every laugh appreciated. It had been years since she had felt this wonderful about a simple evening at dinner.

  “It was very nice to meet all of you,” she said to the staff as she departed the dining room.

  The staff seemed quite kind and she was thankful to know that she would not be alone in the house. Rather, there was an abundance of good people to keep her entertained and grant her their company. Victoria found herself intensely grateful for each of them and wondered if her entire life could have held such wonderful people had she been brought up amongst them.

  Those young women of society were harsh and cold, always seeking to better themselves by ruining the reputations of others. There had been a time, when she was very young, that Victoria did not mind listening to the gossip. But as she aged, and particularly once she found herself at the center of it, she had grown bored of such a petty indulgence.

  But Victoria finally retired to her room, exhausted by the events of the day and relieved that she might be able to get a fair bit of rest.

  The company she had been around was lovely and the kindness of them was thrilling, but it was the time to herself that she valued most. Putting on her nightdress and grabbing a book from the stack she had placed on her shelf, Victoria shifted the candle beside her to see the pages more clearly.

  The words on the page brought her peace and the silence was a great gift. Before long, she drifted into a deep, contented sleep. It was the very thing she would need for the day ahead.

  Chapter 5

  Making his way to say goodnight to his daughter, Reginald was looking forward to hearing her opinion on the woman who would be her new governess. He wondered if Marian would be happy with the arrangement or if she would be irritated by the fact that she seemed unable to have an edge over Miss Jamison.

  It had amused him a great deal and he was enjoying getting to know the young woman until she had asked her callous question.

  Aware that she was from nobility and likely had a reason for asking, Reginald couldn’t deny the fact that it had wounded him to have to hear it. She ought to have remembered her place rather than going so far as to inquire about his late wife.

  Nevertheless, he pushed past it all and made his way to Marian’s room so that he might give her a goodnight as he always did.

  “Come in,” she called when he knocked.

  “Good evening, my dear,” he greeted. “Are you comfortable?”

  “Of course, Papa,” she replied sweetly.

  No matter how she might speak to others, Marian knew how to get his attention. Reginald could hardly help how much he adored his daughter despite knowing that her behaviour was scarcely what it ought to have been. She was clever, but not always in a way that might make him proud. Sometimes, she was a great deal of trouble.

  “Did you have a good evening?” he continued in his questions, knowing what he was leading up to.

  “Indeed, Papa. Dinner was good as ever,” she replied.

  “And what of your new governess? What do you think of her?” he asked, finally.

  Marian crinkled her nose and looked as if she had eaten something sour. The displeasure on her face amused him but he refrained from laughing or giving even a hint of a smile.

  “What am I to think other than the fact that she clearly believes herself capable of controlling me?” she asked harshly.

  “Controlling you?” he inquired.

  “Of course. She was so intent on proving that she is clever that she didn’t even try to get to know me,” she complained.

  “I must disagree on that point, Marian. She asked what it was that you deemed excellent in a governess. You did not answer her, but that does not mean that she made no effort to learn what it was that you wished for. Do you really believe she does not care to learn about you?” he asked.

  She had no retort prepared for that, recognising that her father was correct. Once more, he was mildly amused.

  “Well, I still disliked her a great deal,” Marian said with a shrug of her little shoulders.

  Reginald sighed, wondering if he might ever find a way to appease his daughter. She was eternally unhappy and ungrateful despite having everything that he was capable of giving to her. He couldn’t imagine how he might one day convince her to have an attitude worth being proud of.

  He wished that he could understand what it was like for her as a child living with the grief of loss and all that had been taken from her when her mother had passed away. As it was, he knew only the loss of his wife. It was not the same, he knew.

  “I did…” Marian began, trailing off as if she didn’t want to say what she had been about to.

  “You did what?” he asked.

  “I suppose I did find her to be very pretty. I mean, that is hardly important in a governess, but she was certainly more beautiful than the last one. Not half so piggish,” Marian commented, insulting her former governess.

  “Miss Firth was hardly piggish,” he laughed, unable to stop himself.

  “You know she was, Papa. That nose and her belly? She was the very image of a pig,” Marian said again.

  Reginald knew that this was simply another example of why his daughter needed a good lesson in manners. It seemed as though Marian was constantly trying to disturb things and cause problems for others. She found it entertaining to insult those she interacted with, to his eternal dismay.

  “We do not compare people to pigs, Marian,” he told her sternly.

  “Whatever you wish, Papa,” she replied.

  “Now, I should like to tell you a story about our Miss Jamison,” he began, thinking that perhaps Marian needed to hear what her future could possibly hold.

  She rolled her eyes as if not wanting to hear it, but conceded to her father’s wishes.

  “Once upon a time,” he began, as if he were going to tell her some grand fairytale. Marian immediately took on a dreamy look, excited to hear a story of romance and adventure.

  “Once upon a time, Miss Jamison was just like you. She grew up in a grand estate like this one, with a governess of her very own. Oh, she was tutored by the very best of teachers. A brilliant mind and a wonderful life indeed, she had. In fact, she was even wealthier than we are,” he noted, wide eyed.

  Marian looked at him with suspicion, not believing a word he had to say about the governess. He sensed the doubt in her mind and was glad for it. Her doubt would make the reality even stronger and more real for her. She would recognise how the mighty could fall.

  “You do not believe me?” he questioned.

  “Not at all, Papa. If she were as wealthy as we are, why ever would she become a governess?” she asked, giving the last word a nasty sound, as if it tasted bad in her mouth.

  “Well, that is a part of the story and I cannot ruin it by telling you the ending before we have got there,” he whispered.

  “Then what it
is? Tell me,” she urged, desperate to know about the fall of another.

  “Our Miss Jamison, as I said, was even greater than and wealthier than we. But her father, you see, made some terrible decisions. He did not love his family as he ought to have. And because of that, he made a grave mistake,” Reginald said.

  Marian was holding her breath, curious what that mistake might have been.

  “Of course, before any of that happened-”

  “Papa, you must tell me his mistake!” Marian urged.

  “I shall, I shall,” he promised, building the suspense.

  “But first, I have more to tell you about Miss Jamison. You see, her mother and father ensured that she was given the very best and made into quite the grand young lady. Because of that, she knows exactly how to turn other young ladies into grand women of society to be proud of. That is why I have chosen her for your governess,” he explained.

  Marian looked agonised at having to wait to learn more about the scandal of Miss Jamison’s father, but Reginald did not mind so much. He needed his daughter to listen and to pay attention before he could tell her the rest.

  “So you must listen very closely to her. You understand what I mean by that? You must not be cruel to this one because she is exactly the sort of woman I would like to see as your governess. She shall make you a grand lady. No one shall be able to come against you,” he said, invoking a notion that he had long since deemed important to his daughter.

  “No one can come against me?” she echoed.

  “Not if you listen very closely to Miss Jamison. Truly, she shall be a wonderful tutor for you and turn you into the greatest woman in all of England. But you must be kind to her, you must obey her even. I know how very difficult you find that, but you must do it if you wish to be the sort of woman that I know you are capable of becoming,” he told her.

  “I shall listen to her, Papa. I promise,” Marian conceded.

  “Very well, I am glad to hear it. And I shall hold you to that,” he warned.

  “But please, Papa, you must tell me. What is it that her Papa did? Why is she a governess if she is supposed to be a grand lady of England?” she pushed once more.

  Reginald sighed, eyeing his curious daughter with wonder. How had she become such a pushy child? Had he indulged her too much? Had he been so upset about her mother and felt so sorry for her that he had allowed all of this to come about? Or was it her own grief that left her searching for his attentions even when they were not positive?

  “Well, Miss Jamison was doing very well for herself, but her Papa made very poor decisions. He wasted his money. He used it for immoral purposes, even. And in the end, it hurt his wife and daughter. They lost everything because he was so selfish,” Reginald told her.

  “You told me one time I was being selfish,” Marian said with downcast eyes.

  “Yes, and I am sorry for that. But you must understand how important it is that we are not as selfish as he was. We must be kind to others and treat them well,” he told her.

  “Yes, Papa,” she replied with a bored yawn.

  “Because of his selfishness, they now have nothing at all. Her father is known for being a bad man, a man who allowed terrible things to come upon his family. Her mother lives in a very small house and Miss Jamison had to become a governess instead of a grand lady. So you see, you really do have to treat her very well,” he pressed once more.

  “I understand,” Marian nodded.

  “Very well, then. So long as you understand. You know, it is good to treat people well. It is what your mother would have wanted,” he reminded her, invoking the woman of whom they scarcely spoke except when Marian pushed for it.

  “You think Mummy would have wanted me to be a good girl?” she asked.

  “Absolutely. And she would be proud of you for being kind to Miss Jamison,” he told her.

  “Then I shall be kind to her. I would like best to make Mummy proud. And if she would want this then it is what I shall do,” she decided.

  “I am very glad to hear it,” Reginald replied, sighing and thinking it must be time for him to leave her to sleep.

  “Can you tell me more about her? Some days I cannot even see her face anymore. I try so hard, but I don’t always remember what she looked like. She had light hair, did she not?” Marian asked.

  “Yes, my dear,” Reginald replied sadly. “Very light hair. Almost white. And extremely beautiful.”

  “What colour were her eyes?” Marian asked.

  “Ice blue,” he answered.

  “Like yours and mine?” she continued.

  “Oh no. You and I have eyes that are paler, and more grey. Your mother had eyes that seemed to glow in their colour. They were quite astounding, really. Some people even called them disturbing somehow. But I thought they were beautiful,” he said again.

  “I wish I could remember her more clearly,” Marian lamented.

  “I wish you could as well. Every little girl should be able to remember her mother and I am very sorry that you feel you are forgetting her. But remember, although she is not here with us, she is watching over you,” he said, wishing it were true.

  “You think she is?” Marian asked.

  “Of course, my dear. Nothing could keep her from watching over you. You are too beautiful and wonderful in every way. Now, you really must get some sleep,” he told her, to Marian’s dismay.

  “Alright, Papa,” she whined.

  “That’s my good girl. Enjoy your rest and have the sweetest of dreams,” he said, hugging her once more. Then, sighing and leaving the room for her to go to sleep, he wished he could have hugged her for just a little bit longer.

  Reginald made his way to his own room and found himself struggling to get any rest at all. The only thing he could think of now was the fact that his daughter had been right about Miss Jamison’s beauty, and his own sadness that she could not remember her own mother.

  Still, with everything that was changing in the home, he was glad that his little girl might finally get the attention she craved.

  Chapter 6

  Victoria woke ready and excited for the day ahead when she would begin lessons with Marian. She knew that it was likely going to prove difficult, but didn’t mind that so much. She was feeling a great deal more confident about everything and was certain that she could get the child to give her at least some attention during the course of the tutoring.

  After breakfast, she ran up to her room to grab all the materials she had prepared and returned back downstairs to place them in the study room before calling for Marian to be brought to her.

  When the child came, sidelined by Miss Franklin, it was already quite evident that she was not looking forward to the day of her lessons. Victoria could see the distrust on her face and the little desire she had to be anywhere near the school room.

  “Good morning, Miss Marian,” she greeted politely, standing firm but smiling at the child nevertheless.

  “Good morning,” Marian mumbled in reply.

  “Louder,” Miss Franklin urged.

  “I said good morning,” she repeated at a higher volume.

  “Very good, Miss Marian,” Victoria encouraged. “Now, shall we get to our lessons?”

  “If we must,” the child sighed.

  “We must. Now have a seat,” she instructed.