The Governess’ Debut
by Wendy May Andrews
Published by Clean Reads
www.cleanreads.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation.
THE GOVERNESS’ DEBUT
Copyright © 2015 WENDY MAY ANDREWS
ISBN 978-1-62135-450-5
Cover Art Designed by CORA GRAPHICS
To Mum & Dad for being my biggest fans.
And to Andrew for being my very own real life hero. xoxo
Chapter One
Lord Victor Astley, the fifth Earl of Standish, was surprised by his own undisciplined reaction when the young woman was announced. He was always in control of himself and his environment. It was decidedly out of character that he would be unnerved by the presence of a young woman in his library.
“Miss Felicia Scott to see you, my lord,” Alfred, the earl’s aging butler, had announced in even tones, not revealing anything about his own reaction to the elegant young woman who had been recommended to fill the post of governess to the earl’s hoyden of a daughter.
The earl nodded to her from behind his desk, not bothering to come around to bow over her hand. “Thank you, Alfred. Please see that a tea tray is brought in momentarily.”
Felicia dipped into a respectful, deep curtsy, forgetting for a moment that her new position in the servant class did not require the varying degrees of courtesy. When it did cross her mind, she dismissed the thought, surmising accurately that the haughty looking earl would consider the extra depth to be his due.
Felicia had made every effort to appear as serious and trustworthy as possible. Her sober gown of brown worsted material was just perfect for whatever activities she would be involved in while chasing after a seven-year-old child. Realizing she looked quite young, she had scraped her thick, curling, brown hair into the severest hairstyle she could manage, hoping it lent her an air of maturity.
Of course, in her innocence, she was unaware of the things that were impossible to hide – her obvious breeding was evident in her proudly erect carriage. Intelligence shone from her wide, shining, green eyes as she glanced around the earl’s handsomely appointed library.
Her own governess had done her best to prepare her, but since this was the first time Felicia had applied for a position, she was somewhat uncertain as to proper protocol. The earl was still gazing at her with a rather arrested expression on his severe, but still handsome face, so she surmised that he was waiting for her to say something.
“Thank you for agreeing to see me, my lord.”
The earl blinked away his momentary inertia. Despite the glowing recommendations he had received, it was obvious to him she would be impossible for the position. He was uncomfortable with the strange reaction he had felt to her presence; besides, she was much too young. There was no way she would be able to control his daughter. He supposed he still had to interview her.
“How do you know the countess?” he asked politely after resuming his seat.
“I met your mother through my governess, Miss Miranda Masters. They know each other from their involvement in the foundling hospital. When I came to stay with Miranda she took me with her to help there, and Lady Astley was very kind.”
The earl’s mobile eyebrows rose slightly at this statement. He loved his mother dearly, but it was rare for him to hear her described as kind. She was a proud, stiff woman from his experience. But she did seem to enjoy her time spent at the foundling hospital, so he supposed there must be another side to her with which he was unfamiliar. He decided no further comment on the subject of his mother was required.
Still perusing the papers in front of him and not quite looking at her, he continued with his questions. “It seems you have been well educated. I see you attended the School for Young Ladies in Bath. I had thought to send Penelope there when she is of age.”
Felicia surprised the earl by jumping in with an enthusiastic endorsement. “The school is quite lovely. I missed home dreadfully at first, of course, but I would not trade my time there for anything. Lady Penelope would be lucky to have the experience.”
“Were you a scholarship student? I know some schools offer assistance to very advanced students.”
Feeling her cheeks warming with embarrassment, Felicia answered truthfully. “No, my lord. I did well enough in my studies to be sufficiently qualified to teach your daughter her lessons, but my tuition was paid by my father.”
“H’mm,” was his noncommittal comment before continuing. “You mentioned your governess, Miss Masters. She writes some glowing recommendations of you.” Turning his coldly piercing gaze upon her finally, he asked, “How do you come to find yourself seeking a position as governess in my household, if you were raised in circumstances where your parents could afford your own governess and send you to finishing school? Is this some sort of ruse to compromise me?”
A wave of hot color washed over Felicia, followed by her face turning sickly pale, and she leapt to her feet to defend herself. “This is no ruse, my lord. Have you never heard of people falling on hard times? It is really none of your business why I need a position.”
Realizing losing her temper with a potential employer was not going to help her get a job, Felicia tried to simmer down. She resumed her seat and continued in softer tones. “I am qualified and I come highly recommended. Is that not sufficient?”
The earl did not seem to think so. “You are rather young.”
“I am almost twenty, my lord,” she answered with a defiant lift of her chin and a proud dignity in her bearing.
Lord Astley could not restrain his mocking grin at her words and attitude, which caused his visitor to again flush to the roots of her severe hairstyle. He continued, “I love my daughter, but she is a handful. This is my third time to be interviewing for governesses since my wife died eighteen months ago. What makes you think you would be able to handle her?”
Feeling on surer ground, Felicia answered calmly. “According to my own governess I was a handful at your daughter’s age. Miranda did a remarkable job of holding onto her patience with me, and she managed to prepare me for life at school. I am uniquely qualified to be governess to your daughter, as I have been in exactly her position myself.”
Again the earl’s eyebrows rose sardonically. “You were an earl’s daughter whose mother died when you were six?”
“No, my father was merely a baron, but I am an orphan now.” Hearing the tremble in her voice, Felicia cleared her throat delicately before continuing. “I was actually referring to my being a rambunctious child with a governess. I think I should be able to figure out how to counteract any of her efforts to outsmart me, since she should not be able to come up with anything I did not try myself at her age.”
Lord Astley had to admit to the sense in her reasoning, but he still felt resistant about having the pretty young woman on his staff. He was about to voice objections, but his daughter barging into the room closely followed by his harried looking housekeeper interrupted them.
“I am so sorry for interrupting, my lord. I just could not stop her and really I have so many things to do. I think it would be better if one of the young maids were to try to keep an eye on her.” The aging housekeeper looked to be at the end of her endurance. The earl was about to speak in irritation, but they
were both brought up short by the interaction between the little lady and the earl’s visitor.
“Who are you?” demanded the young child imperiously.
“My name is Felicia, what is yours?”
“I am Lady Penelope,” she declared with pride.
“I am happy to meet you, Lady Penelope,” answered Felicia, keeping a straight face and serious voice with a degree of difficulty. “Was the matter terribly urgent that you wished to discuss with your father? He and I were having a discussion, but if your matter is urgent I could wait for a moment.”
The little girl blinked at Felicia while suspicion and hesitance warred on her face. She realized her father would not like to be interrupted while in his library, but she could not make herself wait.
“It is a terribly important matter,” she declared.
“Should I leave?” Felicia asked curiously.
“Are you going to be my latest governess?”
“Possibly.”
“Then you need to know what I think, too. I do not want to read!” With that statement, the young lady crossed her arms belligerently while sticking her nose in the air in an obnoxious manner, and her firm little chin, so like her father’s, took a stubborn position.
Felicia just barely managed to contain her mirth. “You do not wish to read?” she asked incredulously. “Why ever not? Reading is one of the very best activities there is.”
Penelope looked at Felicia with surprise and suspicion. The earl watched the interchange with intense curiosity. If the young woman could manage his daughter, the job would most definitely have to be hers.
“I don’t want to read!” Penelope repeated even more insistently without adding any more explanation.
“But you still have not said why, surely you must have a reason to refuse.” At this point Felicia was actually finding the obnoxious child rather endearing. Miranda had told her the earl’s daughter was seven years old. Felicia did not have an overabundance of experience with children, but from what she’d seen at the foundling hospital, seven was a delightful age. Children were ready to be reasoned with and often had the most amusing explanations for everything.
“Reading is boring. Besides, my papa is an earl so I really do not see why I would need to read.”
Felicia was unsure what the connection was between the two thoughts, but she decided to try a different tack instead of pursuing this particular line of reasoning.
“But your papa is a very busy man. He will not always be available to read to you. And would you not want to grow up to be as smart as him? You really need to start with reading, if you want to learn other things.”
It had obviously never been suggested to Penelope that being as smart as her father was a possibility. She gazed at Felicia, suspicion and assessment clear in her eyes. “Are you as smart as my papa?” was the youngster’s question.
With a charming, husky chuckle, Felicia cast a rueful glance at the earl. He was again struck with awareness of her loveliness, waiting with a sense of anticipation for her answer. While her eyes twinkled with merriment, Felicia leaned toward Penelope and said in a loud whisper, “We could certainly never tell him so.”
Lord Astley was taken aback by her effrontery, but had to acknowledge that clearly she must be as smart as him since she had managed to contain the scene his daughter had wanted to cause. But the young woman had not finished with his daughter.
“Look at all these books your papa has, do you not think it is important for an earl to know many things? As his daughter, I would think it is your responsibility to try very hard to learn many things, too. In my mind, you owe it to your position as an earl’s daughter not to be ignorant.”
Little Penelope had met her match. In her seven years of life, everyone had cajoled and flattered her rather than being straightforward and honest. She gazed at Felicia for a long moment.
“I’ll think about it,” was her uncommitted answer before she turned on her little heel, grabbed the housekeeper by the hand, and walked back out of the room.
She left silence in her wake. The earl gazed steadily at Felicia, his face impassive. Felicia smiled cheerfully, having enjoyed her encounter with the child.
“I have serious doubts that you will last very long, but as you can see, we are rather desperate. The last governess walked out without any notice, and the rest of my staff is struggling to fill in. How soon would you be able to assume the position?” The earl had many misgivings about the wisdom of allowing this particular woman into his home, but he arrogantly determined that he would be able to manage.
“I could return within two hours with my things,” Felicia calmly announced.
The earl was surprised and pleased by her reply. He stood to shake hands with his new employee. “Welcome, Miss Scott. I wish you every success.”
Felicia shook the earl’s hand and also dipped a quick curtsy, her own proper upbringing coming to the fore.
“When you return, the housekeeper will show you around and help you get settled, and then you can get better acquainted with Penelope over dinner.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Felicia turned and exited the room without a backward glance.
Chapter Two
“Oh, Miranda, the child is delightful. I can see why Lady Astley described her as a handful, but I think the poor dear is just missing her mother, and no one has seen fit to take a firm hand with her because of her loss.”
“I am glad you feel optimistic about it, but are you completely sure you want to take the position? This is not the life your dear parents would have wished for you. They left me very well provided for, of which I will be eternally grateful. It would be my pleasure to keep you with me for as long as you need.”
Felicia turned to her dearest friend with as wide a smile as she could muster. “Miranda, you are a dear, but I refuse to be a burden on you. My parents may have been generous with you but I strongly doubt they set you up in a position to be able to support the both of us for the rest of our days.”
After a brief sigh she continued. “After John gambled away what was left of my portion and then ran off to the Americas, leaving me to fend for myself, it was such a kindness for you to take me in. And it is a comfort for me to know your door is always open to me, but I need to make my own way in the world now.”
Miranda continued to look at her old charge with concern etched on her face. “What did you think of the earl? From what I have heard he can be rather fearsome.”
“I can see why he has such a reputation. He does not strike me as someone who goes out of his way to secure anyone’s good opinion. But he was polite with me. And since he has provided me with a well-paid position, I cannot speak ill of him.”
“Is he as handsome as they say?” Miranda asked with a different kind of concern coloring her voice.
Felicia could not prevent the blush that quickly stained her cheeks, which caused Miranda to quickly ask, “You are not in danger of forming a tendre for the man, are you?”
“I think if he would smile he would be considered very handsome, but since he seems to be much inclined to frown, my heart should be quite safe. Truly Miranda, you are worrying for nothing. As long as I can contain his daughter and do not need to run to him with complaints, I strongly doubt I will have any contact with the earl. It is highly unlikely he will be trying to socialize with his daughter’s governess.”
Miranda had to be satisfied with that, but she continued to fret, nonetheless. She threw her arms around Felicia, giving her a fierce hug. “Promise me you will consider this your home and you will come to me with any problems or concerns.”
Felicia returned the older woman’s hug with as much enthusiasm. “I promise. Now you have to let me go. I gave my word I would return shortly to begin my responsibilities. The poor housekeeper looked to be at the end of her rope with trying to keep an eye on Penelope while also getting her own work done.”
Miranda shook her head. “How did you turn out to be so willing to take on responsibility whil
e your brother has none?”
Felicia laughed lightly, not wanting to dwell on the matter. “It’s a conundrum,” she agreed.
***
Before long, she was back at the earl’s elegant home, faced with a new dilemma: should she enter by the front door or go around to the servants’ entrance? A governess holds a strange position in society – not quite a servant, but not on equal footing with her employers either. Felicia dithered a moment longer before marching up to the front door.
She was welcomed with enthusiasm by Alfred. “It is good that you returned, Miss. Lady Penelope needs you.” He did not go into detail, merely summoning a footman to carry her bit of luggage while he rang for the housekeeper.
“Oh deary, you came back!” declared the housekeeper with glee. “I am Mrs. Hill. Let me show you to your room. It is so good that you came back, everyone will do their very best to make you comfortable, Miss.”
The rather rotund older woman bustled along beside Felicia, chattering the whole way as she showed the new arrival around the extensive house. “Here is the morning room, deary, is it not lovely? The late Lady Astley had it redone just before she took sick. This is where Lady Astley, the earl’s mother, comes to see Lady Penelope, so you will become familiar with this room a little. Since her ladyship passed, the countess thinks it’s her place to ensure her granddaughter is getting her lessons. Lady Penelope doesn’t much like it, I must warn you.”
Felicia did not have much to contribute to the conversation, which was just as well, since Mrs. Hill continued on without even much of a breath. “Now down that hallway are a couple other rooms that are of course kept clean and tidy, but they don’t get much use nowadays, so I won’t even bother showing them to you at this point. When the little lady grows up, no doubt we shall be using them a bit more. Here is where his lordship likes to take his breakfast, and next-door is the dining room. And of course, you are no doubt familiar with his library, since you were just there this morning.”
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