The Duke and The Governess (11 page)

Jessica smiled softly. ‘And where were you considering walking on Sunday?’ she asked cheekily.

‘I was wondering if you’d accompany me to church, Miss Jessica.’

‘I would be proud to walk to church with you on Sunday, Andrew.’ She said and smiled coyly.

~*~*~*~

Elizabeth Farrington was jumping up and down on her bed. ‘Now! I want to see Daddy, now!’ she demanded of her nanny. Mrs Beaton looked at the ceiling and counted to twenty, hoping that the child would wear itself out soon.

‘You’ll see Daddy sooner than you think if you keep on making all this noise, and I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of his wrath, my girl!’

‘What the hell is going on in here!?’ John Farrington shouted from the doorway and Elizabeth dropped onto her bottom and crossed her legs, smiling like an angel.

‘Hello, Daddy.’ She said demurely, making Mrs. Beaton’s mouth drop open in shock.

‘It’s obvious you wanted to see me, but I wonder whether you truly wanted a sore bottom as well.’ John asked as he walked into his daughter’s bedroom. ‘What seems to be the trouble?’

‘I wanted to ask you about this house party that we’re going to.’ Elizabeth said reasonably.

‘Very well.’ John said and perched on the end of her bed. ‘Fire away.’

‘Will I have to sleep with other children?’ Elizabeth asked softly, it was obvious that this was a new concept for her.

‘As
I
understand it you will be sleeping with Nanny.’ John said firmly.

‘Oh! Good. I wouldn’t want to share with just any old Lady.’ She smiled cheekily. ‘Will the Governess be nice?’

‘I understand she rules with a rod of iron!’ John said conspiratorially ‘But I believe she’s really a very nice woman.’

‘Do you know her, Daddy?’ Elizabeth asked picking up the conviction in his voice.

‘I do. I had the fortune to danc
e with her on her debut ball. She was really very pretty and I liked her.’

‘Why didn’t you marry her?’ Elizabeth asked innocently.

‘Because I didn’t get the chance. Your mother was too quick for me and she had her avaricious eye on my title.
She manoeuvred me into marriage before I could spit!’

‘That sounds really mean!’ Elizabeth said and shuddered.

‘I’m afraid your mama was mean, just ask Butcher about it. He’ll tell you that nothing was ever good enough for her and she complained every day about stupid, irrelevant things.’

‘I’m glad that mama didn’t stay around then, because I wouldn’t have liked her.’ He dropped a kiss on her head.

‘Now are you sorted for the morning?’ he asked looking up at Mrs. Beaton.

‘We are, Your Grace. Lady Elizabeth and
I
are all packed and ready to go.’

‘Good. So all I have to do now is prevail upon you to behave yourself.’ He looked at Elizabeth sternly. ‘You will give the impression that I’ve spoilt you if you throw tantrums like that when we’re away.’ He kissed her softly. ‘And I want Miss Jessica Gordon to like you and consider you the most well behaved girl she has ever seen.’ He held the bedclothes back for Elizabeth to scuttle under the covers.

‘I promise, Daddy. You’ll be proud of me.’ She gave him a genuinely happy smile.

‘Good. I love you pigeon.’ He kissed her again.

‘I love you too, Daddy.’ She sighed and Mrs. Beaton opened the story book.

John Farrington knelt beside his daughter’s bed, holding her hand until she dropped off to sleep. She was so precious to him and he found it amazing, because he’d hated her mother so much. But of course, once Victoria’s influence was gone from the house, everything settled back into the previous good cheer it had always been before and it helped to get rid of his mother
’s
moaning influence as well!
She was with Verity at her London residence.

He
went down to his study and sipped a brandy as he worked through the last of his correspondence. Anything that arrived the next day would be dealt with by his secretary. Sterling had all the details and was up to date.

At eleven o’clock he was just going to turn in when Edward arrived. He flew through the door, not even waiting for Butcher to open it. ‘You have to help me!’ he shouted.
His cravat was missing and his stained shirt was open at the front almost to his belly. His jacket looked as if he’d rolled around the park in it and there was
a nasty graze on his left cheek.

‘Why Edward, w
hatever is the matter?’  The Duke asked, knowing full well his creditors were after him.
Edward was a gambler. His obsession with cards and dice would put the most profligate rake to shame. John was well aware of Edward’s ability at cards and his debts were caused by an inability to leave the table
, rather than incompetence. His reckless wagers, and the book at White’s was full of his wagers on the most irrelevant bets, had finally caught up with him
. On more than one occasion John had seen Edward escorted from
a gambling den
as the sun was rising over the city and he was making his way to the House.

‘I need some money.’ Edward blurted abruptly and it was impossible to miss the sweaty face and shaking hands. ‘I need .....’ he didn’t finish the sentence as he saw Butcher out of the corner of his eye and it made him jump.

‘How much do you owe?’ The Duke asked coldly, standing in the hall way, feet apart
, arms crossed over his chest,
as if ready for a confrontation.

‘Thousands.’ Edward gabbled. ‘I don’t know how it happened, but suddenly I was in deep and now I can’t get out!’

‘How much to keep them at bay for a month?’ The Duke asked and looked down at his feet.

‘I can’t get anymore time. I’ve already kept them on the hook for a year!’ he almost shouted.

‘That’s unfortunate.’ John said firmly. ‘You should have brought this to my attention before you reach
ed
this stage.
I’m afraid there is nothing I can do to help you, now.’

‘But you’re a Duke!’ Edward bellowed. ‘I risked everything believing you would help me!’

‘Then you are a fool
.’ John sighed and nodded at Butcher, who opened the front door. ‘I’m sorry, Edward. But I cannot save you from your own stupidity. You gambled and you lost. I have no responsibility to pay your debts.’

‘But you were married to my sister!’ Edward shouted even louder.

‘Do not shout in this house!’ John said forcefully. ‘My young daughter is asleep upstairs and I will not have her disturbed by this disgraceful behaviour.
’ He sighed. ‘Your sister is dead. If you cared about her at all, it was as a financier for your gambling. Now you have run out of ready and it’s time to pay the piper!’ He nodded again at Butcher. ‘N
ow you must
leave.’ And he gestured to the door.
He was aware that Edward was taller, but seemed even more cadaverous.

‘You mean b
astard!’ Edward spat bitterly. ‘After all I’ve done for you, you turn me out in the cold?’

‘You haven’t done anything for me accept steal from me and embarrass me. I’m sure Victoria would have cut you off at the knees years ago, now be gone!’ and John put his palm on Edward’s chest and firmly pushed his back towards the door.
Edward stumbled through the door and looked in horror as Butcher closed it firmly in his face and locked it.

‘Should I shoot the bolts, Your Grace?’ Butcher asked and the Duke nodded.

‘Do the back door as well and impress upon the staff not to leave the outer doors unlocked.’ He sighed. ‘In fact you’d better have a couple of footmen on patrol all night tonight and for the next few days. Until Edward has either settled his debt with his life or has been arrested by the Bow Street Runners.’

‘I wouldn’t put it past him to come in here and steal all the silver, although Mrs. Bennett has managed to secrete it all away in the cellar.’

‘No, I wouldn’t either. But we are going to Worcester tomorrow and I wouldn’t like to leave this place unprotected.’

John sat in the hall and watched the footmen start their patrol of the downstairs
and then he went up to bed.
Masters was waiting as usual and helped John out of his tight fitting jacket.

‘Are you looking forward to the house party, Your Grace?’ Masters asked curiously.

‘Actually I am.’ John replied and smiled so
ftly as he stripped off his shirt. Masters offered up the night shirt and John slipped it over his head. ‘If I’m right, I’ll see Jessica Gordon tomorrow.’ he murmured as he sat and offered his boot for removal.

‘Really?’ Masters said in surprise. ‘I thought she was widowed, Your Grace. Surely she wouldn’t be allowed to attend a house party?’ He yanked the other boot off and John stood to remove his britches and stockings.

‘She won’t be attending anything, except the children, Masters.’ John said with a chuckle. ‘You’ll probably see more of her than I will. She’s the Governess.’ And John slid between the crisp cotton sheets and Masters adjusted the eiderdown over him and part drew the bed curtains.
He heard the Duke inhale sharply and yanked the curtains open again. He’d forgotten that the Duke didn’t like the curtains shut, ever since Victoria Asquith had surprised him one night. He still shuddered as he remembered the sight of the Duchess spread-eagled on the bed, where she had trussed herself after dribbling honey over her body. He had opened the curtains, rather than the Duke and as she looked up lasciviously at Masters, he almost vomited on her. He had moved away from the bed abruptly and the Duke had seen the shocked look on his face before he looked at the bed. Even Masters was surprised at the look of revulsion and disgust on the Duke’s face before he yanked the curtains closed and dismissed him. Masters had dutifully stood outside the suite and listened to the arguments as they hurled accusations and threats at each other for an hour. He hoped that Jessica Gordon would be a better wife and a better Duchess.

‘Then I’ll give her my full appraisal, Your Grace.’ He smiled in the darkness as he snuffed the last candle. ‘But you’ve loved her for so many years I really don’t think my opinion will matter. Goodnight, Your Grace.’

‘Good night, Masters.’ John said dreamily.
He cuddled up on his side, with his arms around his pillow and smiled that he would see Jessica Gordon the next day, unless something tragic happened. His mind su
ddenly went off at a tangent as
he had a picture of Edward stealing into the house and snatching Elizabeth from her bed
. With
out even stopping to put his dressing gown over his nightshirt, he ran to the nursery, scooped the sleeping child out of her bed and walked back to his room, making sure Masters put a footman on the door. He laid the sleeping child in his bed, climbed in beside her and cradled her delicate body in his arms. More than once he woke in the night sweating. He was amazed at just how much heat she produced. But he groaned loudly when she jumped on him in the morning.

‘Daddy! Did I spend the night in your bed with you?’ She demanded shrilly as she knelt on his chest.

‘You did my little pigeon.’ He murmured. And then he squealed as she tickled his ribs and he reciprocated, until she was breathless and scrunched in a ball at the bottom of the bed, begging for mercy.

There was a polite knock and John grabbed Elizabeth by the arm
s
and dragged her back up the bed. Sat her up and pulled the sheets over her chest. He did the same and then said ‘Come In?’

Elizabeth giggled as Mrs. Beaton walked through the door
saying good morning
. ‘I feel like a Duchess.’ She said to her father. ‘Can I sleep with you every night?’

‘No. Last night was special, because I missed you so and I was afraid.’
He lifted her hand and stroked her fingers.

‘Afraid?’ Elizabeth asked as if this was a
nother
new concept, her daddy being afraid of anything. ‘What were you afraid of?’

He kissed her hand and stroked it over his cheek.
‘I was afraid Uncle Edward would come into the house and take you away.’

‘But why would he do that?’ she said confused. ‘He’s never done it before.’

‘No a
nd I didn’t want to give him the opportunity to hurt you, so you stayed here. But tonight you’ll be at the house party and Mrs. Beaton will be in your room with you!’
He placed her hand back in her lap.

‘It’s time Lady Elizabeth was in her own suite, Your Grace.’ Mrs. Beaton said firmly.

John looked at Elizabeth and they both giggled. Then Elizabeth smiled and said ‘Very well, Nanny. I’m coming.’ She planted a huge sloppy kiss on her father’s cheek and climbed out of the huge ducal bed and was escorted back to the nursery by Mrs. Beaton.

At breakfast, Mrs. Beaton finally tackled the Duke about Edward.

‘He arrived here last night all hot and bothered because his gambling debts are finally catching up with him.’ The Duke sighed. ‘I didn’t want him to have the opportunity to snatch Elizabeth for
a
ransom. That’s why I took her from the nursery and put a footman on the door.’