Chapter Five
Hattie woke feeling rested, joyful and eager to start her first day of real employ as governess at Blithe Manor.
She squealed with glee and almost jumped out of the most comfortable bed she’d ever slept in, keen to embrace the possibilities of the day.
The sun rested above the horizon, preparing for its daily climb, which was exactly how Hattie felt.
This was her favourite part of the day, when the world and her life were full of possibilities.
While she knew she was supposed to ring the bell for assistance with getting dressed and fashioning her hair if she needed it, she resisted the extravagance of it, wanting to simply enjoy and explore the beauty of her chamber alone.
The opulence of the fine details of the carved inlay front of the wardrobe that held her meagre clothes and even the small feminine brass pulls on her nightstand captivated her.
It was no wonder His Grace’s late mother loved the room so.
It was simply gorgeous in every detail and Hattie decided to openly revel in it for as long as she was allowed to stay here.
She completed her ablutions and stared out the large expansive window.
Morning fog and mist hovered over the serene lake at the back of the estate and the green grass glimmered as the first rays of light caught the fresh dew.
For a moment, she believed she was either back in Stow or in a beautiful daydream, living like a princess.
Or in this case like a governess with the chance of a lifetime.
A chance she would seize and make the most of.
She smiled and slipped on her now-glistening boots that she’d arrived wearing yesterday, covered in mud.
When had the maid returned them to her? She didn’t even know they had come and gone from her room.
She would have to ask Mrs Chisholm to thank them for restoring her shoes to such a state.
She’d never expected such care and kindness from the other servants and was grateful for it.
Hattie gathered a light shawl and wrapped it around her second-best gown as she was saving her best one for later and cracked open her chamber door slowly.
While she could hear the faint murmurings of servants working in other areas of the house, she knew it was still early enough for her to slip out of the room sight unseen and explore the lake and the beautiful grounds all on her own.
She smiled and felt giddy with excitement.
The first breath of cool fresh air filled her with joy and relaxation.
Finally, she was alone and able to collect her thoughts in one of her favourite places in the world: the outdoors.
The birds sang sweetly as if welcoming her and she began a soft hum in reply.
She plucked a sweet sprig of wild violet and twirled its light lavender petals against her fingertips.
Hearing a soft desperate quack in the distance, she stilled and listened.
Carefully she followed its plaintive cry and soon came across the smallest little duckling she had ever seen.
She bent down and the tiny yellow-tufted creature eyed her suspiciously, so Hattie stilled her advance and they stared at each other, sizing up one another’s intentions.
Hattie was relieved to see the young duckling unharmed, but it was still distressed. No doubt it wanted its mother and siblings. Hattie scanned the area around the lake, but didn’t immediately see either.
She smiled down at the little duckling. ‘Do not fret, sweet girl, I will find your mother.’ And she would.
She stood slowly so as not to startle the tiny creature and began her search for the mother duckling in earnest in the opposite direction.
The sunrise was cresting slowly and she lifted her skirts, taking great care with each step to ensure she didn’t crush some other fragile creature hidden in the lush brush and foliage surrounding the lake.
After reaching halfway around the pond, she finally spied a mother duck sitting upon a nest surrounded by her ducklings.
Excited by her find, she had not heard the approach of the Duke and his daughter until they were but a short distance away.
She stilled and set her features to appear as calm and confident as she could despite the quaking she felt in her legs.
She wasn’t sure if she was even allowed to be out here or if she should have sought out little Millie before she went outside for her own exercise.
‘Good morning, Miss Potts,’ His Grace began as they approached. His daughter Millie edged closer to him, clasping his hand tightly and eventually pressing her entire body against his leg when they stopped before her.
‘Good morning, Your Grace. It is a beautiful day, is it not? The grounds are quite impressive.’ She smiled and scanned the area, still entranced by the beauty of it. She would act as if what she was doing was acceptable and perhaps it would be.
His gaze set out around the lake, examining it as if for the first time. ‘Yes. It is.’ He smiled. ‘Millie and I come out every morning for a walk to see the ducklings,’ he said, gesturing behind Hattie. ‘I see you have found them as well.’
‘They are adorable,’ she agreed.
‘Millie, this is Miss Potts whom you met last night. Do you remember?’
Millie’s eyes widened, but she nodded before pressing her lips together and wrapping her arm protectively around her father’s knee.
Hattie stooped down to speak with her. ‘So nice to meet you again this morning, Lady Millie. I am so happy to spend some time with you. Perhaps you can teach me all there is to know about your home and the grounds? I love the outdoors. Do you as well?’
Millie studied her for a moment, then nodded with the hint of a smile.
Hattie smiled fully, encouraged by the simple acceptance.
‘Perhaps you and your father could also help me this morning. When I came out, I heard a little duckling quacking. She is all alone on the other side of the pond, which is why I was in search of her mother on this side. I need to reunite them, but I do not wish to scare her. Perhaps she knows you both well enough to allow you to move her without injury and bring her back over here with her mother and siblings?’
The little girl’s eyes widened with excitement and she tugged on her father’s hand, urging him to follow. His Grace smiled. ‘Of course, Miss Potts. Show us where the tiny creature is.’
Hattie nodded. ‘Follow me, then.’ She rose and began the trek back to the other side of the pond.
Soon they had reached the site where the small duckling continued to quack and shiver, cold and scared from being alone for so long in the cool, wet grass. ‘I do not know how to move her,’ Hattie said.
‘When I was a boy, we used to scoop them up in our coats and hold them close to our chest, which of course made our mother livid. They are not the cleanest of creatures.’
‘Oh? I will try that, then.’ Hattie removed her wrap and gently scooped up the duckling, humming to it as she slowly nestled it to her chest. Its tiny orange-webbed feet pushed against her chest with an urgent flutter until it decided to trust her and settled, releasing one final plaintive squeak.
The poor thing didn’t know what she was about.
Millie let go of her father’s leg and approached Hattie.
Gently, she ran her hand over the tiny duckling who chirped at the girl’s touch.
Millie laughed with glee and Hattie did, too.
She glanced up to find His Grace frowning at her, so she flattened her smile. ‘Let us bring her back to her mother. Will you lead the way, Lady Millie?’
The girl nodded, ran back to clasp her father’s hand and His Grace reset his features to a smile as if his daughter’s touch had yanked him back to the present far from his thoughts, wherever they had been.
Hattie walked slowly behind them. Why had he frowned at her so?
All she was doing was saving a little helpless duckling.
Just when she thought she might be beginning to understand him, she was thrust back into confusion.
Perhaps he was simply not a morning person as she was.
She shrugged and focused on murmuring to the wee duckling to keep it from jumping out of her arms and injuring itself.
After they reached the mother and her brood, Hattie slowly set down the duckling, which scurried back to its mother and siblings. A flourish of what Hattie assumed were happy greetings between them sounded, filling the area with quacks. She smiled and Millie squealed in delight.
‘I do not know much about ducks, but they seem happy now,’ Hattie said. ‘Where is the father? Out gathering food for the brood?’ She looked around the lake in concern. ‘Or did something happen to him?’ she added, dropping her voice low, so Millie might not hear.
‘No,’ His Grace replied. ‘Drakes, the male ducks, don’t stay after the ducklings are born. They leave. No doubt the father is long gone and on the hunt for another hen.’
For some reason, Miss Potts’s upbeat demeanour fell at the mention of drakes and a flush coloured her neck.
She had asked him the question. All he had done was simply answer.
The three of them stood watching the happy reunion until Miss Potts fractured the simple revelry and fell into an awkward silence.
He tucked his hands in his trouser pockets and tried to piece together what exactly he’d said to offend her and ruin her fine mood.
‘I think I shall return, Your Grace,’ Miss Potts said, rubbing her arms. ‘I am chilled. But thank you and Millie kindly for your help in reuniting that little duckling with its family.’ She looked everywhere but his face. What had he said?
‘Would you like my jacket to warm yourself?’ he offered without thinking, shrugging off his coat and holding it out to place about her shoulders.