The Governess

[lafeae]

With @Betty Bogey


There was a whistle of cold wind that blew through the old manor that morning. The sky was dim, the sun hiding behind thin clouds, as if it were afraid to come out. It had been that way for some time, it seemed. The sort of season for it. But Heath had no idea whether or not that was his own perceptions. He hardly ventured out anymore--there wasn't a need. Everything was arranged for him if he needed it. Servants would do the bidding.


Though lately, many had been let go. He couldn't stand the thought of being around those that were fond of old times, and kept only a skeletal crew of those that were more the quiet sort. Bow their head sort.


It had come to a point where he was getting busy, drawn back into society at the prods of his peers. Lonely, maybe, they saw. And in that, he had called upon a governess for the girls. Perhaps to draw heir minds away from the yesteryears, too. New faces were always good. So he waited in a front parlor for the sound of her to arrive.

 

[Betty Bogey]

Arabella Dowding sat in the back of the carriage. Her hands hidden by white gloves were folded neetly in her lap, resting on her grey redingote. She began fiddling with her fingers, a nervous habit she had since she was a little girl. She looked out the window as the country side passed by her, in an attempt to calm her nerves.


She had never had any experience as a governess, but she was the eldest of eight. Her parents worked everyday and she was often left to take care of them. She grew very fond of children and loved being around them.


The carriage stopped in front of the house. The driver opened the door and Arabella exited. She walked to the front door and brought her hand up to knock on it. She took a deep breath and knocked. She put a kind smile on her face, but there was still a touch of nervousness.

 

[lafeae]

The knocked spurred one of the passing servants, Ellie, to go to he door and peer through the peephole, though Heath was shortly behind her, waving her away silently. The girl moved aside and let The master open the double door, peering out the the woman before him.


She didn't seem to stand it in any particular way. A woman, with a simple face, but long lashes. His lips thinned a moment, anxious that he couldn't bring a voice. "I take it that you are Ms. Dowding?" He asked.

 

[Betty Bogey]

"Yes, I am," said Arabella calmly, yet there was a touch of nervousness in her voice. She dipped into a curtsy. "It is a pleasure to meet you. And are you Lord Lornhelm?"


Arabella rose from the curtsy and took a look at his face, a kind smile on hers. She thought he seemed handsome, but knew better than to say anything about it. He was her employer and she knew that he was off limits.

 

[lafeae]

"I am. A pleasure to meet you as well,"Heathclif moved out of the way of the door and allowed her access in the house. He wasn't sure why he could figure that she was anyone else. Hardly anyone came to the house unless they had been called upon. But there had been thieves who were either brave or stupid, riding out from their nearest villages to the manors as though they were some sort of initiation. "I thank you for coming as soon as you could."


Ellie had hid off to the side, head bowed, but was shifting her eyes to Arabella every so often. Usually Heath would toss any guests off to her and the others. "Please, come in, cold's been dreadful lately."

 

[Betty Bogey]

"Thank you, my lord," said Arabella kindly as she stepped into the manor. "You are very welcome. It was no trouble, at all. I am ever so excited to be here." She gave him a smile as kind as her voice. She may have usually been plain, but a smile always seemed to make her look the slightest bit prettier. She had learned that from her mother.


"If I may ask, my lord, where are the children?" Arabella asked, her voice still kind, but there was also a calming gentleness to it. She did sound the slightest bit nervous. She had worried what the children would think of her, and she hoped that she would be able to earn their trust.

 

[lafeae]

Perhaps the way Heath looked at Arabella was like the way one would look at a painting. It held it's value, and was meant for a purpose, but he couldn't figure out precisely what he was looking for. And the smile she produced made it even moreso in that fashion. All the better to look at, and yet, still somewhat perplexing.


"Upstairs, in their rooms I would imagine," Heath said, and he pointed towards the end of the hall before starting in that direction. "I have two girls, Emily who is eleven, and Mara who is six." The master of the house strode long, getting to the foot of the stairs and turning to be sure that Arabella was close behind. Somewhere in the mix, Ellie had disappeared into the bowels of the house.

 

[Betty Bogey]

Arabella followed closely behind him. She was beginning to get more nervous about what the girls would think of her. She felt bad for the poor dears. They'd have to grow up without a mother. Of course, Arabella Was meant to be a mother figure for them, but she knew that she would never replace the woman that gave birth to them.


While Arabella had taken care of her younger siblings, she still had her mother around. She knew she was never truly without her. Those girls were so young. The eldest was about a year younger than her youngest sibling. That was too young to be without a mother.

 

[lafeae]

"They've mostly kept to themselves--a few friends come by for them, but you saw how far out this is. They've developed a bond that...I haven't quite managed to grasp yet." Heath said it somewhat playfully as he lead Arabella upstairs towards the girls' rooms, knowing they were likely talking amongst each other in a language that was vaguely like French but not.


It heard through the walls, and Heath kept himself stepped back out of the doorway. "What sort of plan did you have for them? For studies?"

 

[Betty Bogey]

"Well, I plan on teaching them arithmetic and penmanship," Arabella said. "And perhaps teach them to play piano and speak Latin. Was there anything you'd like me to teach them, my lord?"


Heath was the girls' father. If there was anything he thought his children needed to know, she would of course take that into consideration. She was sure she would be able to teach them whatever it was.

 

[lafeae]

"I don't want you teaching them piano," Heath said, and he was rather strong on that opinion, flicking his gaze over to her and then back to the girls. As soon as Arabella walked about the house, she was would see the piano that sat alone in a room with several mannequins, the top of it locked away. "Perhaps something else....painting or dance if you can. If not, I'll have someone else called for that."


Heath thought about his words; by no means did he wanted to offend Arabella into thinking that she wasn't wanted. It was nothing like that. Instead, he simply wanted them to be creative. "Or poetry. If you wouldn't mind. Just not the piano."

 

[Betty Bogey]

"Very well, my lord," said Arabella obediently, not feeling or sounding the slightest bit offended. He was the father after all, and she would respect his wishes. She knew she would be able to teach the girls in the courses he would prefer they learn. "Painting and dancing and poetry will not be a problem. I will be sure to instruct them in such courses."


"Is there anything else you would like me to teach them, my lord?" Arabella asked. "I am sure that whatever else you'd like them to learn, I will be able to teach them."

 

[lafeae]

"Depending on your strength in history, that wouldn't be so much of a problem, either," said Heath. There wasn't much that he wanted from Arabella, though every bit that she provided was certainly going to be a big help around the manor. Ultimately, his daughters needed someone more than him. They seemed resentful in some way, quiet towards him, with only the politeness dictated by society that children should have towards their parents.


"If you would like to speak with them, I will leave you all be. I'll have Ellie come and show you to your quarters when you're ready." Heath informed. The more he lingered, the more guilt grew in his heart. It was as if he was replacing their mother with someone so strange and foreign. There laid a fear that they would close off to him completely after this.

 

[Betty Bogey]

"History will not be a problem at all, my lord," said Arabella. Her mother, on her days off, would teach Arabella, and Arabella would teach her younger siblings. She ha known a wide range of subjects and knew she would be able to teach the children almost anything.


"I think that would be a good idea, my lord," said Arabella. She was a bit anxious about meeting the children. She did not know how they would react to her. She remembered how her mother worked more and more as Arabella grew older and Arabella's siblings considered Arabella more of a mother than their actual mother. She just hoped that she would be able to get through to the children, like her mother was unable to get through to hers.

 

[lafeae]

Heath backed away from the doorway, like a shadow hiding in the cracks, letting his daughters meet Arabella on their own. They knew she was coming--the surprise wasn't going to be there, but he didn't want to feel like the one forcing them together. This was something they would have to work out all by themselves.


But he stayed close. At the corner of the hall was a chair, and he took his place at it, pulling a small book out of the folds of his coat, and keeping his ear turned towards the door.


Inside, the girls sat at a short table, a china set splayed out across with small finger-cakes on plates. They spoke to eat other softly, like mice squeaking amongst themselves, in something that resembled French. Every so often, they giggled between bites of cake and sips of tea. They had dressed themselves like small princesses, wearing white a light blue shades with long skirts, flat bonnets with bows that went down their backs. They paid no mind to Ellie, who had managed to make her way to their room and sat in the corner. Briefly, they gazed over to see that there had been someone in the doorway, but said nothing about it, going back to their pretend world.

 

[Betty Bogey]

Arabella walked into the room. She smiled upon seeing the girls. They looked adorable to her. She remembered seeing some of her younger sisters playing like that when they were little. She had wanted to play with them, but she couldn't as she had siblings younger than them to take care of. But from the experience she had with children, she knew that an easy way to win them over was not to treat them like children, but rather small adults. She hoped that method worked like it had worked on her younger siblings.


"Hello, young misses," said Arabella gently with a kind smile on her face. "My name is Miss Arabella Dowding. Can you tell me your names?" If she hadn't had enough time with children over the years, it would have sounded like she was talking down to them, but with the skill she had acquired over the years, she managed to make it sound like she was talking to them like they were not children, but rather equals.

 

[lafeae]

It was Emily who turned first, dropping her hand from the teacup and into her lap. While Mara didn't seem to mind that there was someone with them, even reaching over and grabbing a small stuffed animal that was sitting in a chair adjacent to them, Emily had a skeptical look in her brow. "We can. I'm Emily. Are you the lady that Daddy hired?" she asked, and she cocked her head a little bit.


Mara pouted and hugged the stuffed-animal close. "This is Buppy," Mara said, and without hesitation she held the small toy out to Arabella, shaking one of its paws in a wave towards the governess.

 

[Betty Bogey]

Arabella caught Emily's tone, but she chose to ignore. She understood that Emily would probably feel like Arabella was replacing her mother. Arabella smiled kindly. "It is very nice to meet you, Miss Emily. I hope that we can be good friends. And yes, I am."


Arabella smiled at Mara. "Well, it's good to meet you, Buppy. And you must be Miss Mara, am I right? I hope that we can be good friends, as well."

 

[lafeae]

Mara was nodding quickly, not really charmed that Arabella was around, but happy that they had someone they might be able to play with. "Ellie never wants to play tea. Do you want to play tea?" Mara asked. She had returned to holding tight to Buppy, almost squeezing the small stuffed-animal's head off.


A small sigh went through Emily, her lips flattened out. "It's very nice to meet you too; I don't think that she wants to play tea. I'm sure Daddy still wants to talk to her." Emily suggested. Her hands squeezed together in her lap, a ripple of fear going through her in some way. Her lips pressed together tightly. She couldn't really explain what she was feeling. A tightness in her chest, like she was ready to cry. And Mara was too young to understand.

 

[Betty Bogey]

Arabella smiled kindly. "I am sorry, Miss Mara, but Miss Emily is right," said Arabella regretfully. "I am afraid I must speak with your father. But I promise I shall play tea as soon as I am done, all right?" Arabella liked the thought of playing tea. She never was able to play tea as a child, she was always busy taking care of her siblings.


Arabella noticed Emily. "Miss Emily, are you all right?" Arabella asked gently. Arabella would accept Emily's answer. Sheknew better than to push Emily, but rather give her space. Pushing Emily could easily lead to Emily becoming angry. She did not know Emily very well, though, to judge her.

 

[lafeae]

"I'm perfectly well," said Emily, though it was said softly, with her eyes focused towards the table. Her hands released from where they were pressed tight. She was a lady, after all. Ladies always smiled, and they were always happy. "Father dislikes waiting...c'mon Mars, let's go downstairs and see if we can help Monsieur, alright?"


Emily stood and reached out her hand to her little sister. The younger girl reluctantly attached to her older sibling and got up as well. Emily gave a short curtsy to Arabella, which Mara tried to copy, before they walked by her and out the door.


Heath took notice, and a small sigh rippled through him, waiting for some kind of response.

 

[Betty Bogey]

Arabella nodded at Emily's response. She could easily tell that Emily was upset. She had gone through the same thing with some of her younger siblings when a new sibling was born and they got used to having their mother home again, only to have her return to work only three months later. When she saw her siblings like that, she confronted them about it and gave them their space, and could only wait until they came around. She had learned that being gentle and not pushing them would help. She didn't know if Emily was the same. She could only hope.


Though, she did not know how long it would take Emily to come around, if she came around at all. Her siblings would see their mother at night, if they had managed to stay awake long enough. Emily was a different case, however. Emily would not see her mother. Arabella could not imagine never seeing her mother again. Even though Arabella had not been close to her mother as children, she still loved her. She could not imagine Emily losing her mother at such a young age.


She watched as the children leave the room and walked up to Heath. "The poor dears," she muttered.

 

[lafeae]

Heath stood as everyone emerged from the room, considerably less happy than they were before. It didn't surprise him much. What else did he expect of the girls than to be upset with someone else thrown into their lives? But hey couldn't stay hidden away forever.


As they walked hand-in-hand down the stairs, Heath wondered where they would go. They almost exclusively kept to their room, as though it were a place of sanctuary. "They've been oddly resilient," Heath replied. "But it would not surprise me if I'm missing their signals. The times I try, well," he cleared his throat. "Best I don't. It goes no where. Would you be interested in seeing your quarters now?"

 

[Betty Bogey]

"Yes, my lord," said Arabella. "And I have experienced such behavior before with my own siblings. It will take work, giving them their space, yet also not ignoring them and showing you care."


Arabella realized what she was saying and blushed furiously. "I am sorry, my lord, I did not mean for that to sound as insulting as it did."

 

[lafeae]

Heath looked sideways to her--there was a hint that she wasn't trying to be backhanded, she was merely giving her opinion. And in a time like this, Heath could understand. But he still kept himself quiet and put his hands at his waist. Forming the words was hard--because admitting he had done wrong wasn't really an option.


"That's what you're here for. Come with me. You'll be sleeping close to the girls in case they need anything in the middle of the night. I'm not so far away either, though I trust you to be able to handle most of the things by yourself." Heath mentioned. Arabella had formed her opinion of him. The cold, distant, uncaring type.