Chapter Seven #2
“Pish tush! Enough of this nonsense.” Lady Gosforth rose to her feet, leaning heavily on her cane.
“It’s late and I’m expected elsewhere for dinner.
You can dine here alone—my nephew is leaving for his club, or I’ll want to know the reason why—so you may eat yours on a tray in your room if you prefer.
Anything else you require, ask Sutton or ring for Peverill. ”
Confused by the old lady’s abrupt change in attitude, Tessa glanced at Lord Alverleigh. He winked.
“I told you,” he murmured. “Intimidating on the outside, but underneath . . .”
“You mean it was a test?” she said in a low voice.
“Stop whispering!” The old lady held out an imperious hand to her nephew. “Take yourself off now, Marcus. You cannot stay to compromise the gel. I’ll see you again in the morning.”
Lord Alverleigh bowed over her hand then did the same to Tessa, saying, “Sleep well, Lady Hewitt. You’re safe now.”
His aunt snorted. “Of course she’s safe. She’s with me, isn’t she?” And she prepared to go out for the evening.
#
TO HER SURPRISE, DESPITE the days she’d spent sleeping off the drug, Tessa slept like a log that night. No unpleasant dreams, no waking up in the night, startled out of sleep. It was the best sleep she’d had in ages.
The following morning Sutton woke her, bringing a cup of delicious hot chocolate and some sweet pastries and said, “One of the footmen took your dog downstairs to do his business, and Cook’s feeding him now, m’lady.
He’s got a way with him, that dog. And Lady Gosforth would like to speak to you in the sitting room at ten o’clock. ”
Just before ten, Tessa went downstairs. She found Lady Gosforth dressed most elegantly in shades of olive green and pale gray. A flamboyant feathered hat sat beside her on the settee. She scanned Tessa’s outfit with pursed lips.
“Good morning, Lady Hewitt, I hope you slept well.” Tessa barely had time to respond, when the old lady swept on. “I have an appointment with my mantua maker this morning. Run upstairs and fetch your hat and pelisse. We’re going shopping.”
“Why?” Tessa said, surprised into bluntness.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Lady Gosforth made a disparaging gesture with her lorgnette. “You can hardly go about society dressed like that.”
“I don’t intend to go about in society at all,” Tessa told her, “and if you are suggesting I need new clothes, I neither want nor can afford them.” The old lady opened her mouth as if to argue and Tessa added, “My clothes are suited to my future position, and I have all that I need.”
“Pshaw! As a companion?” She said the word ‘companion’ in the way some people spoke of earwigs.
Tessa inclined her head.
“Pshaw! I told you yesterday you don’t have the temperament for a companion.”
“And I said that it would surely depend on the employer—except that you cut me off and didn’t listen,” Tessa said.
“How do you intend to find such an employer? Wander the streets asking strangers? Or were you planning to vulgarly register yourself at some employment agency?” the old lady said acidly.
“Oh, register at an employment agency, is that what one does?” Tessa said, relieved to know. “I shall do so immediately.”
Lady Gosforth snorted and with a severe expression, trained the lorgnette on Tessa for a long few moments. Tessa sat, quite composed, and met her gaze, her chin held high. She would not be discomposed by a crabby old lady wielding a piece of glass.
Finally Lady Gosforth said, “That dress is horridly plain. Did you pick something off it?”
“Yes, some decorative piping.” It had been quite a smart dress, light gray with an elegant piping design in scarlet and white. Now it was simply gray.
“Why? You’ve ruined it.”
“I have learned that people expect a person in my position to dress plainly.”
She snorted. “Plain? That dress is positively drab.”
“The drabber the better. Most people prefer their subordinates to be almost invisible.”
The old lady narrowed her eyes. “Stubborn, aren’t you, gel?”
Tessa shrugged.
“Foolish gel, there’s no earthly point in ruining your clothes. What are you going to do about that face of yours—wear a bag over your head?” And with that, Lady Gosforth picked up her hat and sailed out.
#
SHORTLY AFTERWARD, Tessa left Alverleigh House, clutching a list of employment agencies that she’d talked Peverill into giving her.
He’d been quite uncomfortable about it, suggesting it was not the sort of thing a young lady like her should be doing.
“I need to earn my living, Peverill. I have no choice,” she told him.
“If you say so, Lady Hewitt,” he said, his expression wooden.
No doubt he knew her sordid little story—servants always knew everything.
It was obvious he did not approve of her seeking employment—servants often had firm ideas of what was appropriate for the aristocracy—but he made a list for her in small, neat writing and she went off with it feeling almost triumphant.
She took Billy with her, on a lead made of a long ribbon.
His presence and his bright eyes helped to keep her spirits up.
Though it had to be said that he did not like being on a lead.
He plonked his bottom on the ground and refused to move.
It was rather like dragging loaf of bread for a walk.
But with coaxing and encouragement he eventually got used to it.
At the first employment agency on the list, she had to wait for almost an hour before a dauntingly formal matron consented to interview her.
There were several others before her, waiting, looking nervous, or hopeful.
One by one, they emerged from their interview looking excited or crushed. Her own nerves grew.
But she was clean, literate, polite and willing to work hard; surely there would be a position for her. Finally, it was her turn to be called.
A grim looking matron seated behind a desk gave her a long, searching glance, taking in, Tessa felt, every tiny detail. She made a few notes on a ledger in front of her. She did not invite Tessa to sit.
“You wish for a position as a lady’s companion?” she said eventually.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You have a character?”
Tessa blinked. “A character, ma’am?”
“A character reference from a previous employer.”
“No. I haven’t been employed before. This will be my first position—I’m a widow—but I’m willing to work hard.”
The woman sniffed and made another note. “We have nothing for you.”
“Oh, but—”
“Did you not hear me, gel? We at the Howard Agency deal only with applicants of the highest standard. You do not meet those standards. Send in the next applicant.”
When she left the building, she found Billy sitting beside the gas lamp she’d tied him to, untethered, the lead chewed quite through. “Oh Billy.” She laughed and retied the ribbon again, much to the dog’s disgust.
After that she had several more crushing interviews each by equally intimidating women who seemed to sum her up at a glance and decide she wouldn’t suit.
Some of them didn’t even bother to interview her, just glanced at the form she had filled out and dismissed her, some politely, some brusquely, making it clear that she’d wasted their time.
It was quite confusing. When they did bother to ask her questions, they’d shaken their heads at her responses and cut her short. She’d been too honest, she decided in retrospect. She’d do better tomorrow.
She returned to Alverleigh House with dragging feet, Billy trotting ahead without a lead. He’d made his point.
Greeting Peverill with a bright smile, she went upstairs to her room and sat down to write herself a glowing ‘character’ from the widowed Lady Holgrave in her best copperplate handwriting.
She would not give up so easily.
#
“YOU’RE WANTED DOWNSTAIRS, m’lady,” Tessa’s maid said.
“Thank you, Sutton but I don’t really feel like afternoon tea,” she responded. She was weary and dispirited and not in the mood to endure—or attempt to parry—the old lady’s sniping.
“Lady Gosforth particularly requested your presence, m’lady.”
“Very well. I suppose I’d better go then.” Sutton tidied her hair and helped her into a fresh dress, and Tessa went downstairs.
“Well, miss, what did you get up to today?” Lady Gosforth greeted her. “Spent the day lolling on your bed, eating sweetmeats and reading some silly novel, I suppose.”
“On the contrary, I visited a number of employment agencies.”
“Did you now?” A finely plucked eyebrow rose, and the lorgnette was trained upon her. “And how did you fare?”
Tessa would die rather than tell this old woman how miserably she’d failed. “Quite well. I left my name with several very respectable agencies, and they will contact me when a suitable position arises.”
“Indeed.” It was a skeptical sort of ‘indeed.
“Yes, it was most gratifying.”
The old lady opened her mouth but before she could speak the drawing room door opened, and a footman carried in a tray bearing the tea things. And to Tessa’s relief, Lord Alverleigh strolled in after him.
When the greetings were done, Lady Gosforth busied herself pouring tea. “Well, Marcus, what brings you here?” she asked handing him a cup of tea.
“Do I need a reason to visit my own house? And to enquire after my beloved aunt and my valued guest?”
His beloved aunt gave him a withering look. “I have been shopping and visiting friends. Your ‘guest’ has been out most of the day visiting employment agencies.” Sounding as if Tessa had been visiting dens of iniquity.
For a moment she thought he’d frowned, but one blink and it was gone, and he was asking Tessa, “Did you have any luck?”
“They took my details but there are no suitable positions at the moment.” It wasn’t exactly a lie.
He put down his teacup. “I thought you might like to go out for some fresh air, but if you’ve been out most of the day attending interviews. . .”
She didn’t hesitate. “No, thank you, I’d love it.”