Rumors Among the Heather

by Amanda Balfour

  Mrs. Parsons nodded in understanding. “A trip like that must have worn ye to a frazzle, my dear. Sit ye down with a nice cuppa hot tea while I dish up your breakfast.”

  By mid-morning, the skies were black again. The rain started shortly after noon. Mrs. Parsons prepared a cold luncheon for Julie, herself, and Robbie in front of the fire in the sitting room. Robbie entertained her with jokes and songs, and Mrs. Parsons told delightfully scary ghost stories, or “haint tales” as she called them. Julie could not remember laughing so much or having this much fun since before her father became ill. She spent a pleasant day, and some of her travel nerves were beginning to leave her.

  Four days passed before someone came to pick her up. A dour-faced man named Ribble loaded her trunk on his cart and took her down to the shore where they boarded a skiff headed for an island just barely visible from the shore on a clear day. With her courage waning, Julie clasped her hands together and sat perfectly still. As soon as the little boat’s sail unfurled, they were flying over the water toward her new home.

  “Ribble, how long will it take to reach the island?”

  “With a goodly wind to fill the sail, it will take the good part of an hour, I reckon.” Ribble sighed after the words were out of his mouth. He seemed to have exhausted his supply of words for the day. This did nothing to cheer Julie.

  The sky grew blacker as they neared the island, and just when she wondered if the world really could be flat and if they were going to run off the edge, Mother Nature provided a little magic. A low fog danced about the shoreline of the island, giving it the impression of being suspended between ocean and sky. She smelled the damp earth, heard the seagulls cry and the roar of waves crashing on the shore. Then they sailed through the fog and into the brilliant rays of the sun and the imposing view of the castle. She’d barely caught her breath before they passed from the sunlight into the obscurity of more fog and landed ashore. Servants were waiting to take her trunk, and a pony provided transport up the steep trail to the castle.

  Chapter Two

  “Ye’ll have to wait in there. I don’t know what’s to be done with ye,” uttered a harried castle maid. “Mrs. Highet will be in shortly. I’ll have to find her first. You sit down and wait here.”

  “I understand, but...” Before Julie could get another word in, the servant left, presumably to find Mrs. Highet, the housekeeper.

  She glanced around the dismal little sitting room and wondered what she should do now. A draft tugged at her skirts. The threadbare upholstery and the faded drapery covering the only window added to the shabby quality of the chamber. Dust covered everything, including the floor that badly needed scrubbing. A stale, moldy odor shrouded the area. So far the castle failed to live up to the stuff of little girls’ dreams. Julie began to wonder if this Lord Bonnleigh could afford to hire her. However, if he could provide a roof over her head and food, then she would have to accept—the alternative being starvation.

  An older woman came into the room, out of breath. “So sorry, my dear. I didn’t know if you would be here today or nae. I’m Mrs. Highet, the housekeeper, and you must be Juliana Hastings, the new governess.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Sorry about the disorder. I don’t know why the maid put you in this room. I haven’t had a chance to get to it yet. I haven’t been the housekeeper very long. I like everything to be in apple-pie order. Tsk, tsk,” Mrs. Highet said, looking around.

  “Perfectly understandable. When may I meet my charge, Mrs. Highet?” When the housekeeper did not answer, Juliana noticed the hesitation in Mrs. Highet’s manner. “Is something wrong?”

  “I’m sorry, my dear. You must think me a featherbrain, but I didn’t expect…and I’m sure his lordship didn’t expect… Oh, dearie me. You are much younger than I expected. This will not do. The Laird will not like this. Master Ian needs someone with experience to handle him. You see, it will not be easy, and I…” Mrs. Highet nervously clenched her fingers together.

  “Mrs. Highet, I assure you, in spite of my age, I do have experience. I would not have traveled all this way were I not prepared to satisfy Lord Bonnleigh’s expectations,” Julie replied.

  “My dear, I am sure you are capable, but I can’t take this responsibility. No, no, not after what’s happened in the past. You wait here, Miss Hastings, and I will talk to his lairdship,” Mrs. Highet said before abruptly leaving the room.

  * * *

  Lord Bonnleigh kept Julie waiting in the dim, musty room for over an hour. When the door opened with a creak, Julie stood up. Lord Bonnleigh strode into the room, walking past her without speaking. He came to a stop in front of the only window and looked her over as if he were appraising cattle for market. He put a quizzing glass to his eye and looked her up and down. The arrogance of his gaze stirred Julie’s memory, as well as raised her ire. She remembered those hard icy blue eyes from the Sixpence Inn. At about the same time, Lord Bonnleigh dropped his glass and cleared his throat before looking away.

  When he did speak, he continued to look away from her. “Miss Hastings, I presume.”

  “Yes, your lordship.” He did not mention their last encounter, and neither did she—she needed this job.

  “My housekeeper is under the impression that you are too young for the position of governess, and I must agree with her,” he said.

  “My lord, I have traveled a long way to accept this post. I do not wish to lose it.”

  “I did not expect you to be so young. I’m afraid this will never do. I need someone with experience. I’m away a great deal and do not wish to put the responsibility of caring for my nephew in the hands of a mere child.”

  Julie bristled. “With all due respect, Lord Bonnleigh, I am not a child! I have been out of the schoolroom for quite some time. I wrote to you of my qualifications, and I have come in good faith. If my qualifications were not satisfactory, you should have told me before I made this arduous journey. I could have taken another position.”

  “There is nothing wrong with your qualifications. It’s just that I expected someone older, with more experience. Of course, I will pay for your return passage. Your remaining is out of the question.”

  Julie studied Lord Bonnleigh before she spoke. He appeared to be in his late thirties, but it would be hard to say. He was in good physical condition, but the lines of boredom and age were faintly etched across the smooth planes of his face. Her disgruntled host was tall and handsome—despite his coldness. He stood before her dressed like any other country gentleman, but no country gentleman could have worn his buckskins and russet coat with such unstudied elegance. Although lean, he possessed a powerful set of shoulders. Unlike the fashion of the day, he tied his unpowdered hair back with a ribbon. His countenance resembled a general inspecting his troops. Her gaze traveled to Lord Bonnleigh’s startling cerulean eyes. An extremely uncomfortable and unexpected silence followed.

  “If you’ll forgive my plain speaking, Lord Bonnleigh, I must be permitted to plead my case,” Julie said at last.

  “And if you’ll forgive my plain speaking, Miss Hastings, there is nothing more to be said.”

  “I’ve come a long way. Surely a few more minutes won’t matter one way or the other.”

  He nodded for her to continue.

  “It’s somewhat unorthodox, I believe, for a Scotsman’s child to be taught by an Englishwoman. I take it you have had some problem finding a governess,” Julie pressed and waited.

  “Get to the point, Miss Hastings. I’m a busy man,” he replied tersely.

  “My point is I am here and ready to fill the position you advertised, and I was given. You owe me a span of time, at the very least, to prove I can fill the position to your satisfaction,” Julie pushed.

  Matthew studied the young woman dressed in a plain dress with a white collar—the prim black color he always associated with governesses. Her hair was anchored severely at the nape of her neck. A waste of effort to make herself look plain and much older. Only a blind man would
consider her as such. She could not hide her beauty nor the rich, luxurious hair the color of copper. Her complexion, a rare hue of peaches and cream, paid tribute to softly molded lips and a straight nose. Black eyelashes and eyebrows accented her fine-boned face. Her emerald-green eyes fascinated him. One could almost say captivated, but he would not. He did not desire to start another affair. Matthew forced himself to turn away in order not to stare into their depths.

  “Miss Hastings, you appear to have accurately summed up the situation. Since I’m pressed for time, I don’t have much choice. Against my better judgment, I will allow you to stay for a trial period of six months. I’ll be away for that amount of time at least, and upon my return I’ll decide your fate.”

  ”Thank you, my lord. That will be satisfactory.”

  “You’ll want to see your charge, no doubt.”

  “Naturally,” Miss Hastings replied primly.

  “I feel it only fair to tell you he is nine years old and can neither read nor write. I don’t know why this is so. His mother took it upon herself to tutor him before she died, so he should have the rudiments of book learning. There have been six governesses in the last year and not one has left an impression on him, but he most certainly has left one on each of them. You see it will not be an easy thing to be his governess. I dare say you’ll find six months a lifetime. I need not remind you we have a bargain, and I expect you to be here when I return. If you last six months, it will be five months longer than the last two governesses.”

  “I have given my word, my lord. I do not take my duties lightly.”

  “Are you always so straightforward and persistent, Miss Hastings?”

  “Only when I need to be. Now, about your nephew. You didn’t say in your letter. Is there some difficulty with the child? Is there a mental problem or handicap which makes it impossible for him to learn?”

  Matthew ran his fingers through his hair nervously. “If you count stubbornness as a mental problem, then I would say yes. Since his parents were killed in an accident a year ago, he has refused to leave his room or to tolerate his tutors. He goes for days without talking. He is incorrigible, I’m afraid. Do you still want this position, Miss Hastings?”

  “I have yet to find a perfect child. There is always some sort of problem, but I like a challenge. Your nephew sounds like just what I need. I’ll certainly give it my best try, and I appreciate your telling me about the other governesses.”

  Her upturned, unguarded expression made Matthew’s mouth go dry. “You know, you shouldn’t look at a man in just that way. He might get the wrong impression,” Matthew teased.

  Her green eyes flashed, and her back stiffened. “My lord, if I may be blunt, I’m not here to flirt. I’m not some debutante in her first season. I am here to do my job to the best of my ability. I hope we understand each other.”

  In spite of himself, this woman who dared to stand in front of him and speak her mind so bluntly intrigued Matthew. Plainly, she had been brought up to be genteel. Even so, it must have been a trial for her parents to compete with her temper.

  “Why do you need a challenge at this moment? Surely your parents or guardians balked at the idea of your coming to the ends of the earth, as it were, to become a governess. Running away from a broken heart, Miss Hastings?”

  “My reasons should hardly concern you,” she snapped. As he watched, her face turned a becoming shade of rose. “I am truly sorry, your lordship. Please forgive me. I did not mean to snap at you. My tongue is my biggest sin. I have not found a way to master it,” she pleaded.

  Matthew watched her, a smile playing about his mouth. He clamped down on his impulse to laugh. “What did your family say when you told them you were coming to Scotland to take employment?”

  The rose faded from her cheeks, and her gaze took on a distant, almost sorrowful look. “I have no family except a cousin. My father was the vicar at Wintersea, and he passed away in June and left both myself and my cousin Hannah to fend for ourselves. My cousin married shortly thereafter, so his death did not affect her as much. My father, bless him, gave no thought to tomorrow, and so I had to find my own way.

  “I’m afraid he believed quite literally in the passage from the Bible that says: Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? Or, what shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew, chapter six, verses thirty-one through thirty-three.” She curtsied like a Sunday school child reciting her verses.

  He could not help but laugh at the mischievous look in her eyes. He accepted what she said, but could not picture her as a country parson’s daughter. So beautiful a woman should surely be married with children of her own. For some unknown reason, he felt a burning desire to know everything about her.

  Just looking into those brilliant green eyes, he felt an unaccustomed flutter in the region of his heart. He had become bored over the years with comely girls who possessed more hair than wit, and practiced women who wanted nothing better than to spend his money and be seen with him in public.

  He’d worn an impenetrable armor from an early age. And Matthew had not lived six-and-thirty years to let his guard down now. Still, Miss Hastings was different, and different always constituted trouble. In the end, any thought of a relationship would fail as all the others had. He had no time for dalliance. However, something told him it would be anything but boring.

  “If you’ll follow me, Miss Hastings, I’ll take you to meet young Ian.” He held the door as she preceded him into the hall. “You mentioned you have experience. How did one so young acquire this experience?”

  “My father tutored between eight and ten village boys. When he would be called away or needed to study for his sermons, I took over his classes.”

  “I see. You did not try to obtain a position in England?”

  “That would have suited me, of course, but there were no advertisements for a governess in a location I would have liked.” Julie felt her cheeks burn as the lie rolled off of her lips. She knew her father would not approve but she could not take a chance of loosing this position.

  They continued down the long maze of passageways. “Watch your head here. My ancestors have added on through the years and not always in proportion to the rest of the castle.”

  Going through the passageway a little too close together, Matthew caught a whiff of jasmine, and he suddenly wondered how her thick coppery hair would feel between his fingers.

  “You are very beautiful, Miss Hastings,” he said softly.

  A look of annoyance crossed her face. “So I have been told. Please do not let it concern you, my lord,” she stated casually as if it were the most commonplace thing to say.

  Startled, Matthew did not know what to say next. The women of his acquaintance would have swooned at such compliments coming from him, and none half as beautiful as Miss Hastings. This lass would certainly take a much different approach than he usually tried. What a pity he did not have the time or the inclination to find out what key opened her heart. It annoyed him for even thinking there was a key.

  “I only meant one as lovely as you hardly stays single for very long. You must have left many young bucks saddened at your departure from Wintersea. Surely, your beauty must have stirred one of them into asking for your hand. I wonder you did not accept.”

  “You’re a man of the world, from all accounts, so you must know there is no market for penniless women, no matter how pretty they are,” she said with a look that could slay even the bravest of men.

  “So cynical for one so young. I don’t believe I have ever encountered a more unusual female, or should I say unorthodox.”

  The bitter edge to his words surprised Julie. She noticed again how startling his blue eyes were. She did not understand why she kept looking at them—perhaps in search of some warmth. Involuntarily, she shivered. He seemed to have everythin
g he needed—good looks, wealth, and a position in society. She wondered what could make a man like this become so jaded. Julie jerked her fanciful thoughts back and tried to change the subject to the safer one of his nephew.

  “I would not say cynical, only practical. And practical is what I must be. Tell me about your nephew.”

  “Ah, here we are at the schoolroom and his self-imposed prison. I’ll introduce you and then leave you two to become acquainted. I must leave for a short time. I left someone waiting in my office. Now to my nephew. Allow me,” he said as he opened the door for Julie.

  She stepped into a pleasant room, probably the most charming in the castle so far. A fair sea breeze blew through the open windows, and sunlight lent its dazzling light to the room. Her charge sat in the darkest corner of the room. He looked small for nine years of age. Julie immediately took pity on him. He looked so lost and forlorn. “Ian, here is yet another new governess, Miss Hastings.” Lord Bonnleigh’s announcement fell into the silence of the room.

  Ian did not move or acknowledge his uncle’s words. He continued to stare at the floor. Lord Bonnleigh walked over to the lad, lifted him up, and brought him to stand in front of Julie.

  “Your behavior is intolerable. If you don’t get on with Miss Hastings, I’m bound to send you to boarding school and wash my hands of you. Do we understand each other, Ian?” Without waiting for an answer, her new employer left the room.

  Julie looked at Ian, but he did not say anything. He only hung his head. Her heart went out to him. “I have come a long way to be your governess. I do hope we get on. I would hate to lose my job.”

  He gave no response to indicate he’d heard her but continued to stare at the floor. Julie took a deep breath and continued, “Lord Bonnleigh tells me you lost your parents almost a year ago. My mother died four years ago, and my father died three months ago. I’m sorry for your loss. I miss my parents very much too.”

  At her words, he looked up at Julie for the first time. “You’re very pretty, not like the others, but it doesn’t make any difference. I can’t read, I don’t like numbers, and I’m never going to leave this room until I die.” He spoke with such force Julie took a step back. He crossed his arms over his chest, and fierce blue eyes stared stubbornly back at her.