Excerpt from The Governess -- finishing Chapter 6 and all of Chapter 7:
Following a different path back towards the direction of the manor house, Carly realized that she had wandered far in her explorations. As she came around tall flowering hedges, the entire house came into view. Impressive! Breathtaking! From here, she could see the house’s Elizabethan design and beautiful architecture, except for what was hiding behind grand, old trees that looked centuries old.
“My dear sister, how I wish you were here to enjoy this view with me. How nice it would be to talk to someone else besides myself.”
Discovering the history of this place might be exciting, she thought, for she could see more than one choice of architecture in its additions. Maybe the children would enjoy the exploration of it as well. She hoped so. Amongst the many levels of windows, her eyes rested upon those of the attic that she was sure could not be in use with so few family members present to support.
Certainly the staff was plentiful, but with so many floors and wings to fill, well, one can only imagine how many inhabitants would have to be in attendance to occupy all this space. It seemed a dreadful waste to her, however magnificent. And to think that both her parent’s had grown up in family homes such as this? It was astonishing to contemplate!
Taking her time to return to the house, Carly continued to enjoy the beautiful day. What she did not notice was that she was being observed. Lord Huntington was watching her from the massive windows of his study.
Chapter 7
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Creighton watched the graceful manner of his new governess as she walked the grounds. He also had not slept well the night before, for her angelic beauty had haunted his dreams—vividly!
Cursed women! They are all the same!
Instinctively, he knew this was not true. He fought the twinge of guilt that followed his thoughts. Shrugging it off, he continued his assessment of her. Today she wore a beautiful green muslin gown that looked like she was ready for a picnic. He could almost imagine a basket swinging on her arm filled with May’s delicious apple pie, fresh cheese and bread, and cold chicken. His stomach growled. Good grief, he thought. The straw hat she wore complimented the look; although, today…
…Today, she wore her hair down.
Only a ribbon held it back under her hat. Voluminous curls reached down to her waist.
That hair was going to be the undoing of him!
Fidgeting at the window, as if he would reach out and twist a strand around his finger, he could not keep his eyes from following her every move.
As she came closer, he noticed that the gown was a little on the short side and a bit snug, same as the magnificent gown of last evening. Making a mental note to do something about this, he continued to watch as she leaned over the lilac bushes to smell the purple and white blossoms and plucked from them an abundant sampling to keep and inhale freely the fragrance at her leisure. Next, she picked daffodils to add to her bouquet after first sampling their aroma.
Numbed heartstrings strained against his chest.
He wondered at her simple pleasure in enjoying nature. The young beauty stopped and rested for a moment on a bench under a tree, and he watched as she looked out over his extensive grounds with a look of delight and abundant joy on her face, raising her small bouquet of flowers to her nose now and then.
How did she find such simple happiness? He knew of her circumstances. The deaths of her father and mother had compelled her into a life of servitude, forced her to come under his care and attentive eye, yet here she sat calmly smiling in a strange place and in unfamiliar circumstances, as if life held no misfortune for her. She was a curiosity to him; prim and proper, elegant and graceful, scared yet spunky, sad yet happy.
Last night at supper, she had stood up to him with amazing self-control and eloquence, putting him quite well in his place. It had been invigorating! And then in the library. Blast! He could not allow himself to start thinking on that subject again!
She was standing and walking closer this time, only yards away actually, taking pleasure in more flowers, adding here and there to her spray of spring colors. The soft smile on her face, he could tell, was not an intentional smile, but one of contentment and happiness that came from within. She surprised him.
Why did this peace intrigue him so? Wanting to know her, to hear her voice, to feel from her…something… aggravated him immensely! Brusquely stepping away from the window, he determined that he must go for a ride and get his mind cleared. Cleared of her!
Carly saw movement from the corner of her eye. Quickly looking up, she saw draperies swishing back into place at one of the windows. She had yet to learn the exact layout of the house’s numerous rooms so was uncertain which room the windows were in. Had someone been watching her? Who could it have been and why? Shivers reverberated up and down her spine to think that someone could have been spying on her this whole time and she had not known it. When she had seen the draperies move, all the fear and trepidation of last evening came rushing back. She suddenly felt tense and on edge, the memories of how Lord Huntington had stared…had touched…
Carly recalled his large fingers, how they had caressed her cheek. She found herself stumbling over her own feet in her efforts to forget last evening. Mulling over Millesant’s tales of death and disappearances had not added to her relief in any measure. Concentrating on the beauties available to her in the manor house and the gardens, Carly had managed to push aside disturbing images and thoughts of the day before. But now, she shook her head in exasperation. Praying in her heart again, she reminded herself, Have faith, Carly. All will work out.
Having never been under someone’s employ or dependent on total strangers before, Carly now faced her greatest test of faith. Would she find the resources within herself to remain faithful to the guidance she had received so far? Breathing deeply, and forcing herself to relax, she remembered loving parents who had taught her spiritual strength and tried their best to prepare their daughters for this day without their guidance. She only hoped she would be up to the challenges ahead. The trial of our faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth… These new experiences certainly were a trial, but she was resolute to remain faithful, as this scripture suggested. God would not desert her…she had faith!
A new resilient calm encompassed her. Carly smiled, grateful for the peace she felt. She entered the house in search of a vase for her selection of bright, cheerful flowers. Thinking pleasant thoughts, she said, “Heaven is not so very far, after all, is it?”
Smiling contentedly to herself, she made a mental note to remember to take a flower basket with her next time, and perhaps take the children into these extensive gardens to pick flowers, understand their names, and make beautiful bouquets together. Finding her way back to the wonderfully aromatic kitchen, she asked Penny in passing, “Mightn’t there be a vase to fill with this lovely spray of spring’s abundance?”
Penny exuberantly showed Carly the wide-ranging, beautiful collection of vases and pots. “You are very welcome to use them at any time, especially if you would grace the kitchens with the refreshing clusters as well.”
Ah ha, she thought to herself with glee! More welcomed places for flora! Optimistic again about her future, she joyfully found her way to her chambers where she put the fragrant, sumptuous flowers to be enjoyed for several days to come.
Hope you enjoyed reading with me today! I'll be back on Monday with more from Carly and Creighton...
Have a great day!
Ellise :)
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