A Very Unusual Governess. Sylvia Andrew

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      Edward waited until they had gone, then said, ‘There’s obviously some misunderstanding. I can’t have heard properly. Would you oblige me by sitting down and telling me everything, Lady Penkridge? Slowly.’

      His visitor settled herself, then began, ‘You can imagine, Mr Barraclough, the confusion caused by Julia’s accident—so unexpected and so immediately before the packet boat left Antigua. The Barracloughs were deeply worried. It was really impossible to change all their plans completely. So, since I was coming back to England on the same packet, I volunteered to bring the girls with me. It was a great relief to them, as you can imagine. Julia cannot possibly look after her nieces until she can walk. So, it was agreed that I should bring the girls and hand them over to you to look after until their aunt is able to travel.’

      Edward considered this for a moment. Then he said carefully, ‘You mean that I am to be responsible for my nieces? I alone? Without any help from my brother or his wife?’

      ‘You will have Miss Froom.’

      ‘Miss Froom!’ There was a short silence during which Edward struggled to find some way of expressing his feelings which would be acceptable to the ears of a gently bred female. He failed.

      Lady Penkridge went on in an encouraging tone, ‘Julia is in good health. It shouldn’t take long for her leg to heal. Perhaps only six or seven weeks.’

      ‘Six or seven weeks! Only six or seven!’ Edward’s feelings got the better of him. ‘This is a bachelor’s establishment, Lady Penkridge. How the devil do you suppose I can keep Lisette and Pip here for six days, let alone six or seven weeks? I refuse! I damned well refuse!’

      Lady Penkridge replied coldly, ‘Your sister-in-law had the gravest doubts about your willingness to help her, Mr Barraclough, though she did not allow this to deter her. But I confess that your lack of sympathy surprises me. It is of course out of the question that Lisette and Philippa should remain here. I have taken a suite of rooms at the Poultney on Julia’s behalf, and your nieces will stay there in Miss Froom’s charge until you can arrange to transfer them to the house in the country where they were due to stay. The place is called Wychford, I believe.’

      ‘Yes, yes, I know it. We had settled on a six months’ tenure there some time ago. But it is in the heart of the countryside, over twenty miles out of London. I have other engagements, invitations I have accepted, commitments that would make it impossible for me to spend the autumn at Wychford. You must make other arrangements, Lady Penkridge.’

      ‘I, sir? I’m afraid you are under a misapprehension. I brought the girls to England as a favour to your sister-in-law. But I now have to think of my own concerns. You will have to cancel these commitments of yours. I leave London in two days’ time for the north.’

      Edward gazed at her blankly. ‘You can’t!’ he said.

      ‘I can and will. I agreed to bring the girls to England, but my task ends there. As Julia said to me, they will now be entirely your responsibility.’

      ‘My responsibility! Oh, yes, I can imagine Julia said that! This is all her confounded doing!’

      ‘Mr Barraclough! Are you completely devoid of feeling? Your sister-in-law is at this moment lying on a bed of pain—’

      ‘That is nothing compared with what she has done to me! And what was Henry doing all this time? Why hasn’t he come up with a better solution? Dammit, he’s the girls’ guardian!’

      ‘Your brother was naturally more concerned about his wife. And, as I understand СКАЧАТЬ