“Madam, I believe that is the first time you have called me ‘sir.’ You must be very worried indeed,” he said, chuckling. “Let me allay your concern. I confess I was most aggrieved at first. You are fortunate that I spent some time waiting for you to finish your lesson. It gave me the opportunity to think clearly.”
“And, what have you concluded?”
“You are a guest of undetermined duration. It was inevitable that you would meet my children. I only wished it was on my terms, but alas, I cannot alter that direction now.”
“No, I suppose not. The cat is out of the bag.”
“What cat?”
“It is an expression we use back home.”
“Ah, I see,” he said, though he did not seem to grasp the meaning of the phrase. He leaned back in the chair and appeared to tuck in for a long chat. “Were you a governess before you married?” he asked.
“I suppose that is what you would call it now.” She gathered it was time for yet another discussion of her past. “I was a teacher for a year before Alex and I married. Once the twins were old enough, I completed my master’s degree in education and had hopes of obtaining a job. Plans changed, though, after what happened.”
Benjamin’s face clouded. “I apologize if I have brought forth bad memories,” he said sincerely.
“It is fine,” she said, trying to sound less troubled than she was. “We made plans for our future. Unfortunately, things did not work out. You know as well as I do how that happens.”
“Yes, all too well,” he replied thoughtfully.
They sat in silence for a few moments. Tilly assumed the interview was over and rose from her chair. She immediately returned to her seat when she saw the look on Benjamin’s face.
Sighing heavily, he said gravely, “After all that you have learned of my past, I hope you can understand why I am so protective of my family.”
“Yes, I would expect nothing less,” she admitted. “Please understand that I am a stranger in a different time, though. This is hard for me too.”
“In your time, do people flit from one century to another?” he asked.
Tilly shook her head. “Although scientists have theories that time travel could happen, no one has proved it yet,” she said. “Of course, if someone had travelled from another time, I doubt they would admit it. They would be considered insane and locked away somewhere.”
“You do not seem insane to me,” he said so softly she was afraid she imagined it. “You seem quite rational.”
As if he reached a difficult conclusion, Benjamin exhaled slowly and said, “We must remedy the situation. Meet me in the family library tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.”
He strode to the fireplace and banked the fire. Turning to her, he grinned broadly, “Tilly, the hour grows late. Let us away to our beds. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
With that, he moved toward the door, leaving her to stare at his departing form.
Twenty Two
The next morning, Tilly and Sarah entered the library together; a united force against whatever repercussions might come. The maid was very upset when Tilly told her what happened, despite her assurances that all would be well. At least I hope so, she thought.
They found the boys lined up in front of a large window, their faces pressed against the glass. When Tilly asked what they were doing, Allan informed her they were watching their father. She looked outside and found Benjamin talking with two of the servants. When he glanced back at the house, they all scurried away from the window.
Several moments later, Benjamin walked into the library where everyone was scattered around the room. Allan, Angus, and Michael shared a chaise near a window and were studying a large atlas. Tilly and Sarah sat in chairs beside the fireplace. Stephen flipped through a picture book on the floor beside their feet. It seemed like an innocent scene, yet there was a palpable undercurrent of nervousness in the room.
Without further ado, he summoned his children to his side. They arranged themselves from eldest to youngest as if they had done this many times. He placed his hand on Allan’s shoulder and looked at Tilly, “Allan is my oldest son, age 10.”
She always admired Allan’s lovely crystal blue eyes, the color of the sky. They were so different from the mossy green of his father’s eyes. Now that he stood beside Benjamin, she noticed how tall he was. He almost reached his father’s elbow.
Benjamin walked down the line. He patted the cheek of the next boy, a short child with the same auburn hair and green eyes of his father. “This is my son Angus, age 8,” he said.
Approaching the next boy, Benjamin said with a smile, “Here is Michael.” He could have been Angus’ clone, except he was a few inches shorter than his brother. “He may be five years old, but he thinks he can do anything his older brothers can.”
When Benjamin came to him, the youngest boy made little grunting noises and grabbing movements with his hands. He obediently scooped the boy into his arms and said, “This wee rascal is Stephen.”
The boy grinned broadly at Tilly, revealing those charming little dimples she saw during their first encounter. She noticed his blue eyes were filled with mischief. He must be a handful.
As if reading her mind, Benjamin said, “Aye, this one is the wildest of them all. My other boys managed to survive age two without burning down the castle. I am not so sure about this one.”
At that moment, Mrs. Keith walked into the room. She carried an adorable, chubby girl on her hip. Benjamin nodded, and she gave the child to Tilly.
“And that is my precious Margaret,” he said softly, his eyes filling with tears. “She is the spitting image of her mother.”
Tilly ran a finger over the little girl’s soft, rosy cheek, earning herself a little giggle. The baby was gorgeous with her thick, curly red hair and blue eyes just like her brothers Allan and Stephen. She leaned forward and planted a little kiss on the child’s forehead. It felt so good to hold a little one again.
“Would you mind taking Maggie, Mrs. Keith?” Benjamin said gruffly. “The boys and I have things to discuss with Mrs. Munro.”
She reluctantly returned Maggie to the housekeeper. She was confused at his sudden shift in mood but said nothing.
“Let us all take a seat,” he said, motioning to the chairs around a table in the center of the room. He deposited Stephen into one of the chairs. For once, the child did not squirm.
Everyone else looked very guilty as they took their seats. “Despite my command, it seems my boys have deliberately disobeyed me, Mrs. Munro. Allan gave you leave to use the classroom and loaned you his books,” he said. He gestured toward his other children. “Angus and Michael followed you in secret. And wee Stephen was apparently the boldest one, meeting you not long after your arrival.”
“It is not as if anyone was doing anything bad,” Angus protested, his arms folded tightly at his chest.
“Why is it so awful?” Tilly asked angrily.
“Aye,” Allan said, ready for an argument. “She is a nice lady. I learned a lot more from one lesson with her than I ever did from that old cow, Mrs. Donnelly.”
To prove his point, he retrieved a book from the bookcase. He returned to his seat and opened it. Tentatively, he read aloud the first two pages. While he stumbled over a few of the big words, he used the techniques Tilly taught Sarah to correctly pronounce the words. When he finished, he smiled triumphantly at his father.
Benjamin took a seat at the table, a stunned look upon his face. Tilly was thoroughly confused. She leaned over and asked Allan what happened.
“He has struggled for the last six months to read that book,” Benjamin said. “Mrs. Donnelly said it was too advanced for him. What did you do?”
“Nothing special,” she said, shrugging. “He overheard me reviewing the basics of reading with Sarah.”
“Who is Mrs. Donnelly?” she asked. She felt a little kick in the shin and looked at Sarah who gave a look that quelled further questions. She would learn more on the topic later.
Benjamin cringed involuntarily. “She was their governess and, apparently, not a very good one,” he said. “A new tutor will be here any day now.” Staring at Tilly, he added, “His arrival will resolve the matter of Allan’s education. I still require a governess for the other children.”
“Stephen is too young for formal lessons but will protest if he is not included,” he said, rising from his chair. “Can you handle my active boys, Mrs. Munro?”
“Why – yes, of course.” Confused, she asked, “Do you want me to be their teacher?”
“Yes. Your maid may attend the lessons as well. I will ask Mrs. Keith to assign her housemaid tasks to someone else. She will devote herself solely to you as a lady’s maid.” He strode toward the door. “You can use the family library and classroom for your lessons. The boys know where all the materials are. Feel free to start today.”
Tilly, Sarah, and the children sat in stunned silence.
∞
By the end of the day, Tilly was exhausted – and happy. For the first hour, the boys were on their best behavior while she assessed their levels in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Unfortunately, they quickly grew bored. It soon became very hard to keep their attention. In that regard, it was not much different from the challenges of a 21st century classroom. She enjoyed herself, though. After all, had she not planned to return to the profession anyway? Perhaps not in 1801, she thought.
She wearily returned to her chamber with Sarah and prepared for dinner. “Are you more exhausted after a day spent with the children than spent doing your normal work?” she asked, noticing the tired look on Sarah’s face.
The maid laughed, a rare sound that always pleased Tilly. “Aye, milady,” she replied. “I never thought it was possible.”
“They will settle by the end of the week. Children usually spend the first few days determining how much mischief they can cause.”
“They were always very mean when Mrs. Donnelly was here.”
Tilly hoped they would discuss the former governess. She was glad Sarah mentioned it first. “Please tell me about her,” she said. “I sense a lot of animosity toward the woman.”
Sarah lowered her voice, even though no one was in the room with them. “She was sent here by milord’s father, Malcolm. He knew her late husband, a merchant in London.” She smirked, “Apparently, when the man died, he did not leave her much money. His Grace thought she could be a governess for his grandchildren.”
“Oh, so she was here for a long time?”
“Yes, many years. They say she had designs on His Grace, that she took the job thinking he would be here on a regular basis. She hoped to be his wife someday if he spent time with her.”
“But, he never paid her any attention. She was just another servant,” Sarah continued as she helped Tilly into a clean gown. “She became very bitter. She was nice to the children – in front of His Grace and their parents. When they were not about, she was very harsh.”
“That is most unfortunate,” Tilly murmured. “Was she dismissed because of it?”
“Oh, no,” she said, shaking her head and grinning slyly. “Milord was heartbroken over his wife’s death. She saw an opportunity. She at least had the decency to wait for a few months. Then, one night, she crept into milord’s room. When he retired for the evening, he found her waiting for him, naked, in his bed.”
“I take it he was not happy about the situation?” Tilly giggled.
“We could hear the yelling all the way down in the servants’ quarters!”
The ladies laughed for several minutes. Sarah wiped the tears from her eyes. “She was sent away that very night.” She paused. “I hear she is still in the village. Some say she believes milord will change his mind and send for her.”
“When did this happen?”
Sarah thought for a moment. “Oh, it was over three weeks ago. Milord was most upset. He left the castle the next day. He said he needed some time alone.” She brightened. “And, then he returned with you!”
Tilly was quiet while she considered the new information.
Twenty Three
Benjamin did not sit at the opposite end of the table during the evening meal. Instead, he sat to Tilly’s right and entertained her with stories about how his children tortured Mrs. Donnelly. She was most amused by Angus’ penchant for placing frogs in unlikely places.
When the last course was consumed, he helped her from her chair. “Mrs. Munro, would you accompany me to the family library?” he asked. Casting a sidelong glance at Mr. Murphy, he added, “I have a book I want Allan to read.”
She took his arm and allowed him to guide her down the stairs toward the library. When they entered the room, they found Mr. Murphy had somehow arrived before them. The butler busied himself by instructing the servants how to prepare a fire and light candles.
Benjamin escorted her to a seat, then excused himself to look for the book. He returned moments later with a hefty volume that resembled the thick ledgers she spotted on the bookcases around her. He took a seat opposite her and waited until the servants left the room before he spoke. “This book is a compilation of our family’s stories. A distant relative prepared it some fifty years ago.”
She accepted the book from him. Its leather binding was cracked, and she could see wood peeking from the torn brown cover. She was very careful as she flipped through the dry, yellowed pages. Disappointed, she observed, “Oh, no, the book is written in Latin.”
“You cannot read Latin?”
“It is not commonly taught in schools, so I never bothered to learn it.”
He retrieved the book from her and placed it upon a table. “We shall save it for the tutor then,” he said. “Knowledge of Latin is a requirement for the position.”
“Do you mean I cannot be the governess?”
“I only mean that the new tutor can supplement your deficiency. Based upon Allan’s improvements alone, I see you possess many other skills.”
She did not like to think she was deficient in any areas of teaching. She conceded his point, though. She decided to change the subject. “Would you like a drink?” she asked. She walked to a small table where Mr. Murphy had placed a bottle of whisky and glasses before he left.
Taking his silence as assent, she poured their drinks. She handed him a glass as she returned to her seat. Tilly noted the smile of satisfaction that spread upon Benjamin’s face when he took a sip.
“How was your day?” she asked, taking a sip from her own glass and savoring the warm feeling as the liquid tumbled down her throat. In the last few weeks, she had grown accustomed to the taste of whisky. She especially enjoyed the brand served at the castle.
He seemed surprised that she was interested. Benjamin ran a hand over his face. “Sometimes, my duties require a great deal of attention,” he said, his voice weary. “It can be exhausting.”
“What were you doing?” she asked. She studied him carefully. He tended to be evasive whenever he discussed “castle business,” as she called it.
“A tenant wishes to buy the plot of land on which his farm is located. We had matters to discuss.”
“I thought your father owned all of the property. Does he allow you to sell land?”
Benjamin eyed her suspiciously. “When he dies, I will inherit everything,” he said. “It is important that I familiarize myself with the affairs of the estate.”
“So, you cannot legally sell the land until your father dies?”
“I never said I was selling property to a tenant,” he said, leaning forward in the chair. “I cannot sell that which is not mine.”
“I did not mean to imply that you were,” she said. She was surprised by the shift in his mood. “I was just curious.” She swallowed the rest of the whisky and rose to refill her glass. “By the way, whatever your plan is, you should know it will save the estate.”
He grabbed her arm. “What plan is that, lass?” he asked. “How do you know what the future holds?”
Tilly winced at the pressure from hi
s hold. She stared into his eyes. They were bloodshot from fatigue. For the first time, she noticed the deep lines on his face. “When was the last time you slept, Benjamin?”
“Answer me,” he demanded, a hint of danger in his voice.
She pulled her arm from his grasp and shook it to restore the blood flow. “What is wrong?” she asked.
“You must be a spy for my father,” he said irritably. He stood, placing his glass on the table between them. He glared at her. “Do you send him messages about the goings on at the castle? Do the two of you work in secret to thwart everything that I do?”
“No, of course not! I told you where I came from. Don’t you believe me?”
Shaking his head, he slumped in the chair and ran his hand through his hair. “Tilly, your story defies all logical explanation. You must know that,” he said. He sighed heavily. “I am so tired of worrying about everything – the estate, my family…you. I just wish I knew the truth about you. Perhaps then I could have some peace.”
She strode to the table and refilled her glass, keeping her back to him. She felt a friendship forming with Benjamin. She began to trust him and desperately wished he would return the favor.
“My friend Beth planned this trip,” she said. “It was the one-year anniversary of the accident. She probably didn’t want me dwelling on it, so she whisked me away on an adventure.”
She took a sip of whisky. She heard him rise from his seat and felt him standing behind her. “Between Beth’s ‘required reading’ and the places we visited, I learned more than I ever wanted about Scottish history,” she said. “Many of the great estates are gone. As you know, land was seized by the English after the ‘Rising. Some families who still held land sold it to the English. Others tried unsuccessful sheep or timber operations. Because of the lack of work and the famines that ravaged the country, families moved. They sought better lives by emigrating to England and America. Whole villages were wiped off the map. Even in my time, large sections of Scotland remain unpopulated.”
Through the Mist: Restoration Page 16
