A muscle in William’s jaw flickered before he nodded. “Of course. I’d be happy to loan you as many books as you like.” He motioned toward the library.
“You’re so kind.” She smiled and slipped her hand through the crook of his arm as they walked into the library.
Julia’s eyes widened, then she quickly shifted her gaze away. There was no doubt in her mind now. Alice Drexel was definitely flirting with William.
Ann appeared at her side. “Shall I take the children upstairs?”
Julia nodded. “Thank you, Ann. It’s time for me to meet with the young ladies.”
The nursery maid nodded and led Andrew and Millie up the steps. Mr. Lawrence directed the footmen to remove the trunk and boxes from the great hall. Sarah left to discuss dinner details with Mrs. Emmitt.
Julia approached Katherine and Penny. “We have an hour until tea. Shall we meet in the drawing room for a French lesson?”
Katherine and Penny exchanged a quick glance, then Katherine turned to Julia. “Penny and I have a Christmas project we need to finish and some gifts to wrap, so we were hoping we might skip our lessons today.”
Julia searched Katherine’s face. Were they actually making preparations for Christmas, or was this just another excuse to avoid their studies? She chose to give them the benefit of the doubt. “All right. We’ll set aside our lessons.”
The girls exchanged happy smiles and hurried up the stairs.
Julia gazed at the tree again and smiled. Preparing for Christmas seemed to be drawing the family closer. She noticed the little golden bird Millie had placed on the tree first had fallen off and landed on the carpet. She picked it up and hung it on the tree again.
“Well, it seems you and I are the only ones left to enjoy all these splendid decorations.” David crossed the hall and joined her.
An uneasy sensation prickled through Julia. She reached out and adjusted one of the red bows on the tip of a branch. “It is a beautiful tree.”
“Yes.” He tipped his head and studied her. “Beautiful.” A slow, suggestive smile eased across his features.
She stepped to the left, intending to walk past him. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go check on the children.”
He matched her steps, blocking her path. “Won’t you stay and spend a little time with me?”
She swallowed, her mind searching for an excuse. “I’m sorry, but I have some duties I need to attend to.”
“But this is our chance to get to know each other.” When she didn’t answer, he chuckled. “What’s wrong? You’re not afraid of me, are you?”
She raised her chin, meeting the challenge in his eyes. “No, but I think it’s best if we end this conversation now.”
His charming smile cooled. “You would not want to displease me, Miss Foster. I have a great deal of influence with my brother. And I’m sure you don’t want to risk losing your position.”
She locked gazes with him. “Unless you move out of my way, I will tell Sir William exactly what you’ve said, and I don’t believe he will approve.”
David laughed, but he stepped back. “My, my, you’re certainly not afraid to speak up for yourself, are you?”
She shot him a heated glance, then spun away and marched up the stairs. His laughter followed her as she passed the landing. She gripped the railing and continued on, determined to put as much distance between herself and David Ramsey as possible.
William walked into the library with Alice by his side. The way she had slipped her arm into his seemed a bit forward, but perhaps that was an America custom. Still, it left him ill at ease and unsure of what she would say or do next.
“I’d love to learn more about British history.” She glanced at the shelves and then looked back at him, her eyes bright. “Is there a book you might recommend?”
He took a step away, removing his arm from hers. “I’m sure we have several, but I must say I am a bit surprised. I would’ve thought you’d ask for a novel or a book of poetry.”
“You mean because I’m a woman or because I’m American?”
His face warmed. “I’m sorry. That was rude of me to make an assumption about your interests.”
She laughed softly. “Please, don’t apologize. Most women would prefer a novel or poetry, but my father is a great scholar, and he passed his love for learning on to me. History, philosophy, literature—I enjoy them all.”
William nodded. “Science and nature are my preferred subjects, but I do enjoy historical biographies. There’s much we can learn from the great men and women of the past.”
“Yes, as they say, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” She smiled and cocked her head, a question in her eyes.
“That’s a Spanish philosopher, isn’t it?”
“Yes, George Santayana. My father and I recently began reading The Life of Reason.” She laughed softly. “There are actually five volumes. I’m not sure we’ll get through them all, but it’s quite interesting. Have you read it?”
“No, I’m afraid not. But I agree with him about the importance of learning from our past mistakes.” His wife’s face flashed through his mind. He pushed the image away and focused on Miss Drexel. “We must take those difficult lessons to heart and not repeat them.”
“That’s good advice.” She looked at the shelves again. “So, what shall I read? I want to understand the English and be well informed when I go to London in the spring.”
“I wish I could convince my young cousins to take their education more seriously. They seem to be continually distracted by dress fittings, riding lessons, and calling on friends.”
“Oh, they’re young. I’m sure their interests will expand in the next few years.”
“I hope so.” He scanned the shelves and pulled out a thick leather-bound volume. “Here we are, Hardwick’s History of the British Empire.” He held it out to her. “That should do the trick.”
Her eyes widened. “My goodness. It looks quite heavy.”
“It is, but it’s a classic … and a concise history.”
“Thank you. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.” She accepted the book and placed it on the settee. Her gaze shifted to a small table nearby, and she smiled. “What an unusual table.” She leaned down and inspected it more closely. “Why does it have so many drawers with letters painted on them?”
“It’s called a rent table. My ancestors used it to collect the money owed them by their tenant farmers. The alphabetized drawers kept everything in order.”
She smiled up at him. “How clever.”
David strode through the doorway, his face flushed. “That little governess of yours is quite the flirt.”
A shock wave jolted William. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, never mind.” David straightened his jacket and brushed off his sleeve. “It’s not important.”
Irritation flashed through William. “If a member of my staff has acted in an inappropriate way, I want to be informed.”
David huffed. “No need to worry, William. I’ve set her straight. She won’t try that again, at least not with me.”
William studied his brother. The accusation seemed out of character for Miss Foster. She had never been flirtatious with anyone at Highland. At least he had never seen it.
But he was not the best judge of character, especially where women were concerned. His late wife had kept her unfaithfulness secret for more than a year. He had not believed the rumors until he found the love letters from Sir Charles Hollingsford two months after her death. Pain twisted through him, and he gripped the back of the chair.
David turned to their guest. “So, Miss Drexel, what have you and my brother been discussing?”
“Please call me Alice. All my friends in Philadelphia do.”
David nodded. “We’re glad you consider us your friends, and we’d be happy to call you Alice. And you must call us David and William.”
“All right. Thank you, David.” She sat in a chair near the center of the room. “You know, be
fore I left home, everyone told me the English were cold and unfriendly, but that’s certainly not true. You’ve all been so terribly kind. I adore Katherine and Penelope, and your sister Sarah is one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met.”
“I’m quite fond of her as well,” David added with a grin.
Alice laughed. “They also said the English have no sense of humor, but that’s not true either.”
“I’m glad we can challenge those dreadful myths and set the record straight.” David took a seat across from her. “I’d hate to think we’d all been painted in such broad, negative strokes.”
“Well, I will sing the praises of the English wherever I go.” She turned to William. “It’s quite a treat for me to visit you at this time of year and experience a real English Christmas.”
“We’re glad you could join us.” William’s thoughts shifted to his plans for Christmas Day. Lord and Lady Gatewood, along with Alice, would join them for a special holiday dinner, and he planned to include the children and Miss Foster as well.
Thoughts of Miss Foster brought David’s comments to mind again, and his shoulders tensed. Could it be true? Had Miss Foster flirted with David? His brother’s easygoing personality always had charmed the ladies. But that was no excuse. It was improper for any of the staff to flirt with family members. But if he were honest, what bothered him most was that Miss Foster might prefer David to him.
With that revelation came another wave of clarity. He didn’t just admire Miss Foster or appreciate the way she cared for his children. He had grown quite fond of her. His chest tightened and felt as though someone had wrapped heavy bands around it, making it difficult for him to draw in a deep breath.
How could he have let this happen? When had he dropped his guard?
“I hear you have something called crackers, and everyone wears colorful paper hats. It sounds quite merry.” Alice tipped her head and smiled at him. “Is that right?”
William blinked and quickly replayed her words. “Yes. Christmas is always a special time.”
But he couldn’t quite bring himself to smile. With Highland’s uncertain future heavy on his mind and the unsettling awareness of his growing feelings for Miss Foster, the possibility of a merry, carefree Christmas seemed to have vanished like mist rising off the pond.
TWENTY-TWO
Julia checked her reflection in the children’s mirror and released a soft sigh. Though it was Christmas Eve, she wore a plain navy skirt and white blouse, as she did most days. But honoring the Lord and celebrating His birth didn’t depend on how one was dressed. It was a matter of the heart. Still, she couldn’t help wishing she had something nicer to wear. She owned only one piece of jewelry, the gold cross necklace her parents had given her on her eighteenth birthday. So she had put that on this morning, hoping it would brighten up her plain outfit.
“Do you think Papa will like our present?” Millie lifted the small gift-wrapped box by its bright red ribbon.
“Don’t drop it!” Andrew scowled. “A compass is no good if it’s broken.”
“I’ll be careful.” Millie adjusted her hold on the box.
“Maybe I should carry Papa’s present, and you should take Aunt Sarah’s.” Andrew pushed the other gift across the table toward his sister. “There’s no chance you could break a shawl.”
Millie sighed, but she handed their father’s gift to Andrew and took the other in its place.
Julia lifted the basket of cards the children had made for the staff, then held it out to Millie. “Would you like to carry this down or shall I?”
“I can do it. It’s not heavy.” Millie took the basket.
Julia’s heart warmed as she thought of how the children had put so much creativity and effort into making the cards and choosing and wrapping the gifts for the family. They seemed to have taken her encouragement to heart and were as excited about giving gifts as they were about receiving them.
The clock struck three, and Julia collected the presents for Katherine and Penny. “Time to go.” She guided the children downstairs to the great hall where they were to meet the rest of the family. As soon as everyone was assembled, they would all go down to the servants’ hall for the staff Christmas party. All the indoor and outdoor staff, as well as their families who lived on the estate, had been invited.
“Put your gifts over there with the others.” Julia pointed across the hall to a cloth-covered table by the Christmas tree.
Andrew’s eyes widened. “Look at all the presents! Do you think some of them are for us?”
Julia laughed softly. “I’m sure there are a few for you and Millie.”
Andrew and Millie peeked at the tags, searching for gifts with their names on them. Julia placed Katherine’s and Penelope’s presents on the table. She hoped they would like the leather-bound journals she had helped the children choose for them.
Her relationship with the girls had been slowly improving over the last few weeks, ever since the children’s bout with scarlet fever. She hadn’t won Katherine over completely, but at least they were able to get through their lessons most days without too much resistance.
Penny had definitely softened toward Andrew and Millie. She often stopped in the nursery to see them, and she’d even stayed to read them a story last week. Katherine had joined her that day, and Julia was pleased that she also seemed to be forming a closer attachment to the children.
Andrew turned and looked up at her. “Will there be any other children at the party?”
“I believe Mr. Dalton’s niece, Abigail, is coming. She’s about Millie’s age.”
Millie’s eyes lit up. “I saw her in the garden when we first came to Highland.”
“No boys?” Andrew crossed his arms.
Julia held back her smile. “I believe I heard Mr. McTavish has two sons. But I’m not sure how old they are.”
“I don’t much care their age, as long as they’re boys.”
Julia smoothed down his wavy red hair. “I’m sure they will be happy to meet you.”
Sarah walked down the stairs. “Hello, my dears. Are you ready for the party?”
“Aunt Sarah, we have a gift for you!” Millie ran to meet her at the bottom of the steps.
“Not now, Millie,” Andrew called. “We don’t open gifts until after dinner tonight.”
“I know. I just want to show Aunt Sarah her present.” Millie took Sarah’s hand and led her to the table. “It’s that one, right there.” She pointed to the gift.
“How thoughtful.” Sarah bent and kissed Millie’s cheek. “I’ll look forward to opening it later.”
“Miss Foster took us shopping in the village last week, and we bought presents for everyone.” Millie twirled and spun toward the tree, and Andrew joined her.
Taking the children to Fulton in the governess cart had been a fun adventure for them all. They finished their Christmas shopping in less than an hour, so Julia took them to her parents’ cottage for a short visit. Her parents had been delighted, and her mother had served them tea and ginger cakes, then sent them off with oranges as a treat for the trip home.
Julia’s brother, Jonathan, was due to arrive home today, and she could hardly wait to see him. She would love to be there to greet him, but that was not possible. She would see him and her mother at church on Christmas Day. Then she hoped to see her family on Boxing Day.
Sarah approached Julia. “How do I look?” She ran her hand down the skirt of her dark green dress. It was made of a lovely silk fabric with a subtle stripe that gave it a pleasing texture. The small ruffles around the double collar and at the bottom of the skirt added a special touch to the design. “Is this is too elegant for the servants’ party?”
“No, you look lovely.”
Sarah leaned closer. “I’m going to meet Clark’s mother and his niece for the first time.”
Julia smiled. “I’m sure you will make a very good impression.”
Sarah squeezed her hand. “I hope so.”
Katherine and Penny
walked down the stairs. Katherine’s royal blue dress highlighted her fair complexion and golden brown hair. Penny’s light green dress with ivory lace insert at the neck looked pretty as well. Both girls seemed in good spirits and ready to enjoy the holiday.
William walked out of his library. The children ran to greet him, but his expression remained sober while they chattered about the Christmas gifts.
Julia’s concern grew as she watched him. She loved celebrating Christmas, and she couldn’t imagine why he would be downcast on such a special day. A sudden thought struck, and her heart clenched.
Was he thinking of past Christmas celebrations and remembering those who were no longer with him: his parents, his older brother … and his wife? Sympathy flooded her heart. If only she could reach out and comfort him.
But she could not, and that truth pierced her heart. She needed to banish those thoughts and concentrate on the children. She had been hired to care for them, not their father. She must remember that. But it was becoming more difficult every day to ignore how much she cared for William.
He took his watch from his vest pocket. “I suppose we should go down.”
Julia glanced around the group. “Shouldn’t we wait for David?”
He swung toward her, and his eyes narrowed. “David?”
Immediately she realized her mistake. “Forgive me. I meant Mr. Ramsey.”
Sarah placed her hand on her brother’s arm. “It’s all right, William. We all call him David.”
“It’s not the proper way for her to address him.” His troubled expression hinted at something more behind his words.
Julia swallowed. Certainly she’d crossed the lines of propriety, but even so, it seemed odd for him to be so upset about her mistake.
“Honestly, William”—Sarah gave his sleeve a gentle tug—“please don’t take offense. Most of these rules of address are out of date. It’s Christmas Eve, and time we were all on more friendly terms.”
The Governess of Highland Hall: A Novel Page 24
