Dangerous Lord, Innocent Governess. Christine Merrill

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      And was met by blank looks in return, and mumbled introductions, up and down the table.

      ‘Where did the previous governess eat?’ she asked by way of conversation.

      ‘Which one might you mean? There have been three since the lady of the house died. And many more before that. They all ate in the little dining room in the nursery wing.’

      ‘So many.’ It did not bode well for her stay here. ‘What happened to them? I mean, why did they leave?’ For the first sounded far too suspicious.

      Mrs Sims frowned. ‘Of late, the children are difficult. But you will see that soon enough.’

      And there was mention of the difficulties again. But in her brief meeting with them, they had not seemed like little tartars. ‘I am sure they are nothing I cannot handle,’ she lied, really having no idea how she might get on with a house full of children.

      ‘Then you are more stalwart than the others, and more power to you,’ said the butler, with a small laugh. ‘The first could not control them. And the second found them disturbing. The third…’ he gave a snort of disgust ‘…had problems with little Sophie. Thought the poor little mite was the very devil incarnate.’

      ‘Sophie?’ Having met the girl, this was more than hard to believe.

      ‘The master caught Miss Fisk punishing the girl. She had been forcing Sophie to kneel and pray for hours on end, until her little knees were almost raw with it. And the older children too frightened to say anything about it.’ The housekeeper shook her head in disapproval. ‘And that was the last we saw of Miss Fisk. Lord Colton turned her out of the house in the driving rain, and threw her possessions after her. He said he had no care at all for her safety or comfort, if she did not care for the comfort of his children.’

      ‘Served her right,’ announced the upper footman. ‘To do that to a wee one.’

      ‘You’ll think so, if he finds reason to turn you out, I suppose?’ asked another.

      The boy smirked. ‘I don’t plan to give him reason. I have no problem with the children.’

      ‘Or the neighbours,’ said another, and several men at the table chuckled.

      ‘The neighbours?’ Daphne pricked her ears. ‘Do you mean the Duke and Duchess?’

      The housekeeper glared at the men. ‘There are some things, if they cannot be mentioned in seriousness, are better not mentioned at all.’

      The butler supplied, in his dry quiet voice, ‘Relations are strained between our household and the manor.’

      ‘But Lord Colton seemed to get on well enough with the Duchess.’

      ‘There is nothing strange about that, if you are implying so.’ The housekeeper sniffed. ‘The master has no designs in her direction.’

      ‘No,’ said one of the house maids with a giggle, ‘his troubles were all with the Duke. Her Grace wishes to pretend that nothing is wrong, of course. But she was not here for the worst of it. If she had seen the way the Duke behaved with Lady Colton…’

      Now this was interesting. Daphne leaned forwards. ‘Did he…make inappropriate advances?’

      A footman snickered, and then caught himself, after a glare from the butler.

      But a maid laughed and said, ‘It was hard to see just who was advancing on who.’

      ‘Remember where your loyalties lie, Maggie,’ murmured Mrs Sims. ‘You do not work at Bellston Manor.’

      Maggie snorted in response. ‘I’d be welcome enough there, if I chose to go. My sister is a chambermaid at Bellston. And she has nothing but fine words to say of his Grace and his new Duchess, now that our mistress…’ the girl crossed herself quickly before continuing ‘…is no longer there to interfere.’ She looked at Daphne, pointing with her fork. ‘When her ladyship was alive, I worked above stairs, helping the lady’s maid with the ribbons. And let me tell you, I saw plenty. Enough to know that his lordship is hardly to blame for the way things turned out in the end.’

      ‘Then you should know as well the reason we no longer see his Grace as a guest in the house.’ The butler was stiff with disapproval.

      Daphne’s eyes widened in fascination as the conversation continued around the table.

      ‘It is a wonder that Lord Colton did not take his anger out in a way that would be better served,’ said a footman, ‘on the field of honour.’

      ‘Don’t be a ninny. One does not call out a duke, no matter the offence.’ The upper footman nodded wisely. ‘There’s rules about that. I’m sure.’

      ‘In any case, weren’t all the man’s fault.’

      The housekeeper sniffed again, as though she wished to bring an end to the conversation.

      ‘Just sayin’. There are others to blame.’

      The housekeeper tapped lightly on her glass with her knife. ‘We do not speak of such things at this table, or elsewhere in the house. What’s done is done and there is no point in placing blame for it.’

      The table fell to uneasy silence, enjoying a meal of beef that was every bit as good as that which she had eaten at home above stairs. Daphne suspected that such meals had gone a long way in buying the loyalty of the servants, none of whom seemed to mind that the master had murdered the mistress.

      One by one, the servants finished their meals and the butler excused them from the table to return to their duties. But Daphne took her time, waiting until all but the butler and housekeeper were gone. If there was information to be had, then surely they must know, for it seemed that they knew everything that went on in the house.

      But before she could enquire, the housekeeper spoke first. ‘Why did you choose to eat below stairs, Miss Collins?’

      ‘I thought, since I am a servant, it was appropriate.’

      The housekeeper gave her a look to let her know that she had tripped up yet again. ‘A servant now, perhaps. But a lady above all, who must be accustomed to a better place in the household than the servants’ table.’ Mrs Sims looked at her with disapproval. ‘And a lady with a most unfortunate tendency to gossip. It is not something we encourage in this house.’

      ‘I am sorry. I was only curious. If I am in possession of all the facts, I might be best able to help the children.’

      The butler responded, ‘I doubt there is anyone in possession of all the facts, so your quest is quite fruitless. But I can tell you this: the less said about their mother, the better. She was a hoyden, who got what she deserved.’

      Daphne let out a little gasp. ‘Surely not. The poor woman, God rest her soul.’

      The housekeeper drew herself up with disapproval. ‘You think that knowing the truth will help the little ones? Then here it is, or all you need to know of it. What happened to our mistress was the result of too much carrying on. The children are lucky to be rid of her, however it happened.’

      So Mrs Sims suspected something was strange about СКАЧАТЬ