"This is truly a miracle, Your Grace," Quintin insisted, removing some clean dinner clothes from Watson's wardrobe. The Duke started to undress beside the bed, preparing to wash himself with the warm water while the steward prepared everything else. Even as he did so, he found his mind wandering, wondering,Might she be the very woman we have been searching for all these years?
It was astonishing to think that one so young had so easily gotten through to his daughter where five other governesses had failed.
"Your Grace, are you well?" the steward asked after several moments and Watson realised he had been staring off into space. Quickly, he straightened up and dabbed his washcloth in the warm water.
"Yes, just tired after a long day."
"I think a nice hot meal and some good news from your daughter will help with that," the steward insisted with a smile. "By the way she was chattering as she went up the stairs, I imagine she has much to tell you."
All of it good, I hope, Watson thought, scared to get too excited about the sudden change in his daughter. For all he knew, it might be one of her new games, a way of lulling them into a false sense of security before she pulled the rug out from beneath them again.
No,he decided firmly, determined not to be so negative.Amy would not do that, and they both seemed so happy in the drawing room!
All Watson could hope for as he dressed for dinner was that it would last.
Chapter 5
Matilda was almost prepared for dinner with the Duke and his daughter when there was a knocking on her chamber door. For one wild moment she imagined it was someone come to tell her that the Duke had changed his mind and did not wish for her to join them at the dining table.
It was a painful thought, one she thought causes far more of a reaction in her than it ought to have, and she quickly forced it away. Heading to the door, she pulled it open, slightly relieved to see Helen standing on the other side.
"Miss Stuart…Helen, can I help you?"
"May I come in for a moment?" the pretty personal maid asked, standing with her hand clasped before her and looking quite contrite. It was then that Matilda started to worry that maybe it was Amy who had changed her mind.
“Of course,” Matilda responded, trying not to fret too much on why the personal maid had come. “Is Lady Amy well?”
She stepped out of the way of the door as she asked the question and gestured Helen into the room. The personal maid smiled and nodded as she slipped into the room beside her and closed the door, “Lady Amy is well. In fact, that’s why I came.”
Matilda was quite confused by the confession after having expected the worst.
“I am unsure as to what you mean,” Matilda admitted, still feeling a little wary. Though the day had gone much better than expected, she could not help but feel as if it had been too good to be true. After all she had heard about the previous governesses, she could not help but feel as though there were some nasty trick being made upon her and she was just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
She was most surprised when Helen swept forward and wrapped her into a tight embrace. For a few moments, she stood rigid and unsure of what to do. Then, finally, she wrapped her arms around Helen in return and gave her a good squeeze.
“What was that for?” she asked, still quite confused, though also quite glad at the friendliness of the personal maid compared to all the other maids in the household.
When the personal maid pulled back to hold Matilda at arm’s length she was smiling from ear to ear and she exclaimed, “I just wanted to congratulate you on such a successful first day!”
Matilda was more than a little relieved and perhaps even a little proud at the woman’s words. She could not help but smile in return and ask, “Did any of the other governesses get this treatment on the first day?”
“Oh! Heavens, no!” Helen gasped, shaking her head as though the thought horrified her. “All of the previous governesses were stricter than a sea captain and twice as salty.”
The two women laughed at that as if they were old friends, and Matilda started to feel more at home than ever before in any of her previous positions.
“I think that was Lady Amy’s problem,” Helen admitted when their laughter finally subsided. “Her governesses were so strict and never let her do anything she wished to do and so, she began to rebel quite quickly.”
Even as she spoke, Matilda nodded in agreement, already having been quite sure as to why Amy had been so disruptive and rebellious toward the other governesses. She had been able to tell from the other women’s letters that they were the kinds of governesses who were used to having things their way and getting their young charges to do everything just so.
“And that is the exact reason why I decided to take a different approach,” Matilda stated, still unable to stop herself from smiling. Though she rarely had any serious trouble with her charges, she was even prouder of this first day than any other. “Lady Amy is clearly bright. Most of the time I have been here so far, she has had a book in hand.”
Helen nodded her agreement. “Yes, Lady Amy is remarkably bright, and I do believe you may well have gotten through to her. All she has done since I came to help her dress for dinner is you and all she has learned today.”
Matilda’s heart swelled with both pride and relief. With a shrug, she said, “Her love of reading just needs channeling into the correct studies.”
“Well, I would suggest that you continue to channel that way if you know what is good for you!” Helen chuckled and again she hugged Matilda as if she could not quite thank her enough for easing the tension that had been surrounding her young mistress for so long. “I am so relieved that you finally agreed to come.”
With a deep sigh of relief, Matilda responded, “As am I.” and for once her words were nothing but truth. After the day she’d had, her reservations at taking the job were starting to fade and she had to admit that she’d actually had a good day where she had been expecting to hate every moment of it.