Chapter 3
Sofia tapped politely on the parlour door and was invited in. Mrs Sinclair was of middle years, fading blonde hair, pale blue eyes but still an attractive lady. There was no sign of Miss Sinclair.
Sofia wasn't sure if she should curtsy, but she seemed to recall that her aunt had said a polite nod of the head was sufficient for someone of equal standing. In order to avoid possible offence, she dipped.
'Good afternoon, ma'am, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a companion to your daughter.'
'You're very tall, Miss Brotherton, you didn't mention that in your application.'
For a second Sofia was confused and not sure how to answer. 'I beg your pardon, ma'am, I didn't see that my appearance or my height was relevant to the position.'
Immediately she regretted having spoken in what could be considered an impertinent manner. Was she going to be dismissed before she'd even started?
Mrs Sinclair nodded. 'Annabel is petite, you must be a head taller than her. It's going to look most peculiar when you're out together. As if you're taking a small child for a walk.'
'As Miss Sinclair will be dressed in the height of fashion, not as a child, then I don't think there'll be any confusion.' Again, she'd made a pert answer – she must learn to hold her tongue if she wanted to remain here.
'We shall see. Sit down, Miss Brotherton, and I'll tell you what your duties are.'
Sofia did as asked, sat with her knees together and her heels touching, back straight as she'd been instructed by both Elsie and her aunt.
'Good, your deportment is excellent. My daughter was expelled from her school for inappropriate behaviour and was severely disciplined by Mr Sinclair.
I believe she's learned her lesson but the school refuses to readmit her so she must remain in your care until Mr Sinclair is satisfied that she can rejoin the family without disgracing us a second time. '
'Yes, ma'am, I understand.'
'You will escort her everywhere, report back to me the slightest disobedience or misbehaviour. You can ride together every morning, walk into the town occasionally, oversee her pianoforte practice, and ensure that when she's out of her room her behaviour is perfect.'
Sofia thought Mrs Sinclair had finished and was about to comment but the lady continued.
'She will at no time speak to anyone apart from yourself, she will not mingle with anybody you might meet. Is that clear?'
'Yes, ma'am. Miss Sinclair's on probation and has to prove herself to be trustworthy. May I instruct her in watercolour painting and encourage her to read suitable books?'
'Yes, that will be acceptable. Mr Sinclair will punish my daughter again most severely if Annabel does not follow your instructions to the letter.'
Sofia was now feeling both apprehensive and sad for the young lady in question. She couldn't imagine what heinous crime the girl had committed to have been so brutally treated.
'Miss Brotherton, you must think me a callous parent indeed.
I'm the reverse, I love my children and want them to thrive and be happy.
My beloved daughter would have been sent away to an asylum for unbalanced young ladies if I hadn't pleaded with Mr Sinclair.
He only agreed to keep her here after punishing her in the worst possible way.
I'm desperate to keep her safe from such a dreadful thing a second time. '
Mrs Sinclair dabbed her eyes and Sofia realised things were not exactly as she'd thought. 'I promise that I'll do my best to keep your daughter safe. Does she know if she offends in any way again she will be sent away?'
'No, I was forbidden to tell her.' Mrs Sinclair nodded towards the door. 'Mr Sinclair will be home in an hour. That should give you sufficient time to introduce yourself to my daughter before he wants to speak to you.'
Sofia was on her feet immediately; the message was clear. She was to go upstairs and explain the situation to the poor girl before she could be forbidden by the father from doing so.
Mary had been hovering outside the door and must have overheard the entire conversation. 'I'll take you there now, miss, I reckon you've got time to go for a nice walk over the road. Miss Sinclair hasn't left her room for three weeks.'
The girl's bedroom was on the main floor, at the far end of the spacious corridor. Sofia was surprised Miss Sinclair hadn't been banished to the attics.
'Are the younger children on the nursery floor with Nanny?'
'Yes, it's the same floor as you're on, but the other end of the house,' Mary replied.
Sofia was horrified to see that the bedchamber door was locked, the large key hanging on a hook on the wall outside.
'Thank you, if you would be good enough to fetch my bonnet and pelisse, Mary, then I'll take your advice and the three of us can go for a short walk immediately.'
She unlocked the door, her hands trembling, worried about what horrors she might find within. 'Miss Sinclair, might I come in? I am Miss Brotherton, I'm to be your companion so you can be released immediately.'
She'd remained outside the door allowing the girl to come to her. She doubted that Annabel had been allowed any privacy or freedom for the past three weeks.
The door opened. Standing in front of her was a beautiful young lady, no more than five feet tall, but that added rather than detracted from her loveliness.
'Miss Brotherton, I'd no idea you were coming. Are you saying that I can go out of the house right now as long as I'm with you?'
'Indeed I am. How quickly can you find a bonnet and a wrap?'
'Do I need to change my gown?' The girl gestured at the pretty sprigged muslin in the same modern style that she was wearing herself.
'No, you look enchanting. Your hair's somewhat dishevelled, but I'm sure we can pin it up under your bonnet. I think you need to have gloves as well. Everything must be exactly so.'
The girl was a quick study and understood immediately. 'I'll be every inch a demure young lady, believe me, Miss Brotherton, what I have endured these past few weeks has been enough to convince me that I must never transgress again.'
Mary arrived with Sofia's outdoor garments and minutes later the three of them were escaping down the back staircase. They fled through the side door that led to the courtyard and breathless and giggling only slowed their pace when they were outside on the pavement.
'I thought we could stroll in the meadow, Annabel, and you can tell me all about yourself and introduce me to any of the horses that belong to your family.'
Sofia had decided to address her charge by her given name but would insist she remained Miss Brotherton.
The fact that she was only two years the girl's senior made such a move imperative.
Her height, she believed, gave her a much-needed air of authority.
The fact that she'd scraped her hair back in an unflattering bun added to the erroneous impression that she was several years older than her actual age.
'I don't recognise any of the horses grazing there, but then I've scarcely lived in Bath as I've been away at school in Switzerland.'
'I hadn't realised you'd been attending school abroad.' Sofia immediately began speaking in French, all three girls were fluent in that language as their mother had come from France herself.
Annabel replied and smiled happily. 'This way we can communicate with no fear of anyone understanding what we say. I'm the only one in my family with any linguistic abilities.'
'That's excellent. Your mother wanted me to tell you that if you so much as put a toe out of place your father will have you locked away in an asylum somewhere.'
'I don't doubt it. There's something I should tell you, nobody else will do so, they wouldn't dare. I'm not my father's daughter, my mother had a histoire d'amour, and I'm the result.'
This explained everything. 'The unusual circumstances of your birth are not your fault. I'm impressed that your mother was allowed to keep you at home – in my experience such events are hushed up and the resulting baby fostered.'
Annabel smiled sadly. 'Nobody knew, especially not my father. It only came to light four years ago when my actual father died unexpectedly and my mother's heartbreak raised suspicions and it all came out.'
They were now in the field and had to pick their way carefully in order to avoid the cowpats and horse dung. Sofia was relieved that only the horses took an interest in them.
This had become more than a way of helping her own family. However unpleasant anybody made her employment, she'd remain so that she could keep this sweet girl safe from Mr Sinclair.
*
James was interrupted as he was coming in from his morning gallop two days after he'd discovered that he was the guardian of three unwanted female wards by his secretary.
'My lord, I've the most exciting news. I took the liberty of riding into Bath myself and speaking to my…' He hesitated and flushed before continuing. 'My uncle, who is one of the partners at your new law firm. It seems that I've already located one of your missing young ladies.'
James frowned. 'Missing? I wasn't aware that any of them were missing. What in God's name are you drivelling on about, Smithers?'
'I'm sorry, I've started my tale in the middle. It seems that my uncle was aware there was another family with the same name as yours. He hadn't heard that this Mr Brotherton was deceased, indeed was most surprised to hear so.'
'Get on with it, man, I'm standing here in my disarray and am waiting to remove my boots.'
'I beg your pardon, sir, I'll try and be concise. There's a family that lives on the Royal Crescent and they've just employed a companion to their eldest daughter and I'm reliably informed that this young lady's name is Miss Sofia Brotherton.'
'God's teeth! How the devil did this information come your way – or should I say the way of your uncle?'