Chapter One #2
She shook her head. “Far be it from me to lower myself to use such vulgar parlance, we are not at the horse-racing track now, Marcus—but indeed, yes. It was of no avail.”
“Did you threaten to give her a poor reference? That can sometimes work,” he suggested hopefully.
“That would be very dishonourable. And desperate as we are, I forbear to stoop so low. I shall give her the reference she deserves, and since she herself admits she has been unable to make a single lesson stick with the child, she must content herself with the truth.”
“And you have spoken to Evelyn about this?”
She gave him a sarcastic look and did not bother to reply.
“What has she to say for herself?” he asked, his irritation with his ward, who also happened to be his niece, mixing with his anxiety for her future.
“Same as always: hardly anything, except to state that she has, and I quote, ‘no need of a foolish governess,’ and that she has, ‘learnt more from Tim the stable boy about horses and animals and plants than she has ever learned in a classroom or would ever care to learn.’ Words to that effect at any rate.” She sipped her brandy with a weary air.
“That’s all very well. I have no objection to her learning about horses and nature and such like, but why can she not understand there is more to an education than that?”
“Well, you were a boy once. I do not seem to remember you liking being cooped up in a stuffy classroom, learning about kings and queens and the location of India on the world map any more than she does. I hated it myself, for I was once a child too.”
“Pardon me if I find that hard to believe, Mother. I rather thought you had been assembled in a modiste’s back room somewhere, packed in a fancy box tied with a bow, and delivered to my grandparents as a fait accompli,” he observed drily.
“I shall ignore that unkind remark. In any case, as far as Evelyn is concerned I feel we should not be hypocritical about this, dear. The child has suffered a great shock in losing her father so suddenly at such a young age. It stands to reason that she would be affected by it. That is why she has retreated into herself, just as her mother dear Diana has.”
“We have all suffered a great shock, Mother,” he protested weakly, feeling afresh the ache of Trevor’s loss.
“Yes, dear, but you are a grown man. Evelyn is still a child who had her beloved Papa snatched away from her in an instant. How can she be expected to cope with that at her tender age?”
“So, what do you suggest then?” Marcus took a long swallow of brandy.
“My feeling is that she requires nurturing, kindness, and understanding as well as an education. She needs someone who can bring a little light back into her life and help her engage with the world again.
“By the same token, she must have a governess to educate her and turn her into a lady. Somehow, we must find someone who can provide all of those things, someone sensitive and gentle as well as knowledgeable. Perhaps an impoverished lady or a parson’s daughter.”
“And where do you propose finding such a paragon? I will be surprised if any of the acquaintances we have used in the past will even agree to take on the task since all the governesses they have previously supplied us have all fled in defeat.”
“It is a conundrum, dear, I admit. But one we must solve, nevertheless. We need a special someone, and I shall inform our acquaintances that we are prepared to pay them a large sum if they can find her for us, and she does not bolt within the first three months.”
“Should such an enticement not be based on a measurable improvement in Evelyn’s attitude and work?” he asked doubtfully.
“If that occurs within three months of the appointment, then I suggest we secure the person responsible for it until her services are no longer required by doubling her annual salary, with additional annual increments to follow, contingent on continued good performance. And perhaps the promise of a small pension at the end of her service.”
“My word, you have thought this through,” he said, staring at her in wonder.
“One of us must, Marcus.”
“Well, it sounds like an expensive business to me.”
“It has already been an expensive and troublesome business, Marcus. You complain about the weight of your responsibilities as duke. You have said yourself that we have been here many times before, and each time, it only adds to the matters pressing upon you.
“I advise avoiding another repeat of the problem altogether by making a financial outlay now that will ensure success this time. Evelyn needs stability, someone who is going to stay around. Besides, at the very least, your mood will not get any gloomier through having to worry about it.”
Marcus had to agree. “Very well. Spend as much as you wish, but may I leave the matter of finding this angelic personage to you?”
The Dowager drained her glass, placed it on a nearby occasional table, and rose.
“I hoped you would say that, dear. Of course. I shall begin my enquiries first thing in the morning.” She paused to smooth her skirts before adding, “Mind you, it may take a while to find this special person. I may have to interview quite a few before we find her.”
“Well, what shall we do about Evelyn’s education in the meantime? We cannot just let her do nothing.”
“I shall give her some lessons myself, in deportment, etiquette, the piano forte, and hire tutors for dancing and drawing. She likes drawing. That will at least make her happy. Perhaps you would like to step in and tutor her in the more academic subjects in the interim.”
The very idea filled him with alarm. He had not exactly been the ideal student himself and was unsure that he could manage to impart any sort of information into his niece’s consciousness at all successfully.
Besides, when would I have the time? It all sounds too much like extra work piled upon me when I can hardly keep up with my own.
That was what he thought, but what he actually said was, “Er, if necessary, yes, I shall step in, of course. But the important thing is to find this new governess as quickly as possible.”
“Then, as I say, I shall begin the search on the morrow. Now, I shall leave you to your own devices. I shall be going out shortly to play cards at Lady Crawshaw’s soirée.
Do not forget to say goodnight to Evelyn at bedtime.
I do not want her to think you are angry with her, so please try to behave normally. ”
“I have no idea what you mean by that, Mother, but I will certainly make sure to kiss her goodnight,” Marcus replied, thankful the matter had been settled and did not, for the moment at least, require any more effort on his part.
“Enjoy yourself at Lady Crawshaw’s.” He got up and went to open the door for her.
She swept across the threshold. “I shall, dear. Good night.”
Left alone with his thoughts after she had gone, Marcus poured himself another brandy before resuming his seat. He felt unutterably weary and despondent when he thought about his little niece. How cruel fate was to have snatched her father away when she had been so little.
He could only hope that his mother would be successful and find this paragon of virtue who would both educate Evelyn and bring light back into the bereft child’s life.
While he had full confidence in his indomitable mother’s capabilities to do almost anything she set her mind to, at the same time, he could not help but doubt that such a ‘special person’ as she had described actually existed outside of story books.