Chapter Five #2
‘No, thank you,’ she replied, shifting away from him.
She wrapped her arms around her middle, avoiding his gaze.
‘I will be indoors soon enough.’ A soft blush filled her cheeks, making her look quite…
enchanting. He frowned and looked away. He had no need to notice anything about her.
The fact that he did was rather irritating.
What had begun as a joyful morning walk was turning into something rather odd. He had no idea what to make of it.
‘I hope you and Millie enjoy the rest of your walk. Thank you again for your help, Lady Millie,’ she said to his daughter and smiled before nodding to him and heading back to the Manor alone.
He watched her disappear over the small bank and soon she was far off in the distance and their morning duckling rescue was over.
Millie tugged his hand and pointed back to the Manor.
‘Hungry?’ he asked.
She smiled and nodded.
‘What shall we have this morning?’ he mused as they walked hand in hand, beginning the fun game of guessing what Millie wished for today.
‘Cooked oats?’ he offered.
His daughter scrunched up her face and he chuckled.
‘I thought not. Sausages and blood pudding?’ he asked, knowing full well her answer.
Her eyes widened and she shook her head.
‘Of course not. Perhaps some scones and jam?’ he asked.
She smiled and nodded.
‘Then, scones and jam it is.’
Far too soon, they were indoors and entered the drawing room.
They ate their first meal of the day far earlier than most in the ton, as William preferred dining earlier rather than later.
The sideboard was filled to the brim with its usual grand fare before half past eight.
Mrs Chisholm had the cook prepare the usual feast his parents had always enjoyed.
She refused to prepare less despite his objections.
Like most housekeepers, she believed food would heal their grief faster.
He smiled at her efforts, despite knowing food had provided no healing power for him and little Millie just yet.
The sound of Miss Potts’s footsteps at the other end of the hallway towards the door to the servants’ entrance reminded him he had forgotten to invite her to dine with him and Millie.
No doubt she had planned to eat below stairs.
He called out to her, ‘Miss Potts, please do join us.’ He needed to smooth over whatever had upset her and he also needed her to spend more time with Millie.
Them dining together would serve both purposes well.
She stopped and turned. A slight blush still warmed her cheeks. She walked over to him with a timid smile. ‘My apologies, Your Grace. I did not think dining with you would be…’
‘Appropriate?’ he offered, nesting his hands in his trouser pockets.
‘No doubt it isn’t in Society, but you may have noticed our household here is a bit more…
unconventional. If you would consider joining us for our meals, I think it would help Millie get to know you and feel more comfortable sooner.
Would you have any objection?’ He shifted on his feet.
He had no idea what he would do if she refused.
To his relief, she nodded. ‘I had not thought of that. Of course, Your Grace.’ Her gaze drifted past his shoulder to the drawing room and she lowered her voice. ‘I want to do everything I can to help her.’
And the way she said the words made him believe her down to his bones. It was a feeling he had not had in some time: trust mixed with hope. The woman made him hopeful. Unable to say anything else, he nodded and gestured for her to go through to join his daughter in breaking their fast.
He followed her in and began filling his plate, while Miss Potts stood holding an empty dish, studying her options.
He crinkled his brow. ‘If there is nothing to your liking, Miss Potts, I am sure the cook can prepare you something else?’
She started and turned to him, another flush of colour on her cheeks.
‘No, Your Grace. It is quite the opposite. There are so many delightful options that I do not know which to pick.’ She smiled and he was pleased that her good humour had returned and that, unlike the late Marchioness, Miss Potts was quick to recover from upset.
She glanced at Millie. ‘What do you suggest?’ she asked in a whisper.
William’s nerves bubbled up. He always hoped the magic question would arrive that would bring Millie back to speaking.
He waited with anticipation to see if she might answer Miss Potts.
Unfortunately, she didn’t, but she walked closer to her new governess and pointed to the plate of scones and jar of strawberry jam beside it.
‘Ah! A fine choice indeed. I believe that is what I will have,’ she replied with a wink. She added two scones to her plate followed by strawberry preserve and clotted cream to each and turned to him. She eyed the table, no doubt uncertain where to sit.
‘Perhaps a seat here,’ he said, pointing to the chair to the right of where he usually sat at the head of the table. ‘Just opposite Millie.’
She nodded and settled in, sitting quietly until he and Millie were seated at the table with her.
Tea was brought out and poured for them and they settled into a companionable silence as they ate.
Seeing Miss Potts in the very chair Cecily would have sat in would take some getting used to, but it was necessary.
Millie needed to recover and know she was safe and supported in order to find her voice again.
‘Do you have any specific items for our areas of study today, Your Grace?’ Miss Potts asked as she slathered her scones with a generous portion of strawberry preserve and clotted cream.
He almost smiled. It reminded him of his cousin.
Lady Buchanan also had a penchant for sweets for breakfast, but retained a fine figure.
It seemed Miss Potts was the same. He baulked at his own thoughts.
Why was he noting her figure? Lack of sleep had to be impacting his judgement.
There was no other explanation for it. She was Millie’s governess after all.
Miss Potts took a bite and he regrouped before answering, ‘Since you seem to enjoy the outdoors as much as Millie, perhaps some science and geography for this morning and some reading this afternoon. You could choose a new book from the library.’
‘That sounds like a fine schedule for us to settle into, does it not, Lady Millie? We can explore the grounds each morning and work on our geography, science and histories, then come indoors in the afternoons when it gets warm to work on our reading and mathematics. We could even schedule a nap to rest if you’d like.
’ She cast his daughter a wink before glancing over at Millie’s favourite bear that occupied the seat next to her. ‘Even bears need their rest.’
Joy exuded from her and her sunny personality soaked into the room, leaving him and Millie with smiles all around.
Millie even nodded and gave a giggle as if she, too, couldn’t wait for such fun to begin.
It filled William with a sense of peace and happiness he had not felt in far too long.
In that moment, he knew his instincts about Miss Potts had been right.
She was just the right fit for his daughter…
and perhaps even him. He cast the thought aside like the ridiculousness it was and enjoyed the rest of his meal.
‘Shall we walk off some of our lovely breakfast?’ Miss Potts asked Millie after their plates had been cleared.
His daughter nodded and smiled, clutched her teddy by the hand and slid down from her chair. She gave him a little hug before scampering after Miss Potts, clutching her hand, and leaving the room. William’s heart soared and he let out a long sigh.
Soon, he spied them through the window. They were walking through the grass heading back to the lake.
What should he do with his day? It had been some time since he had felt settled enough to wonder, let alone plan time for himself.
There had been task after task to manage over the last year.
With Cecily’s and his father’s passings and Millie to tend to while moving and inheriting a title and estate with its many responsibilities, William had lost a bit of himself.
Seeing Millie settled, even if it might be temporary, helped him feel as though he was regaining his footing, himself and his life.
He rose and decided to complete his outstanding tasks from this morning as he mused how he might have some of his own enjoyment this afternoon.
He was off to draft a letter to his cousin to head off any further matchmaking.
He knew Lady Buchanan. She believed silence was agreement and the last thing he wanted was for her to believe he was ready for a match with one of the ladies she and Mrs Chisholm had presented him with on their list. He shuddered.
Just the thought of such a match put an extra spring in his step and he hurried off to reply to her, so he could send out a messenger with the letter before midday. Time was of the essence.