The Governess

[Betty Bogey]

"Very well, my lord," said Arabella. "I believe that I will be able to handle it. My lord, is there anything in particular I should know about? Either the girls or the house? About the way things are done around here?"


Arabella knew that most nobles houses had very strict rules about almost everything. She was determined to keep her position and she was determined that she follow any rules so that she would be able to stay.

 

[lafeae]

"We have a very consistent schedule. I wouldn't call it strict. They are up by six in bed by nine. Breakfast is at seven for them, I tend to be up a bit earlier. Lessons will go until lunch at one, and then, depending on your curriculum, whenever that may end, dinner by six."


There wasn't much deviation. Time was something that Heath held onto very tightly, because sometimes it was the only thing that he could control. "As for the house, please, stay out of the attic, and if you must come to my quarters, t had better be urgent."

 

[Betty Bogey]

Arabella nodded as she listened to him. "Very well, my lord," said Arabella obediently, determined to keep her position in the house by following his rules.


Arabella was a bit curious as to why she wasn't allowed in the attic. She hadn't had any intentions of going there, of course, he wasn't to know that. Once again, she nodded.

 

[lafeae]

Heath took her around and went to a small room, pulling out a ring of keys and opening it up. "I'll get you a set of these here as soon as I'm able. There are plenty of locked doors in this place--all open to you and the girls, of course, sometimes I just don't see the bother in a large house like this."


He pushed the door open to the room. It was plain. With a small bed and nightstand, a dresser, and a mirror in the corner that needed dusting. "One of the maids will tidy it up for you, as well. Make yourself comfortable, and once you do, come downstairs. I don't expect anything to start until tomorrow, so you can just acquaint yourself with everything in the house."

 

[Betty Bogey]

"Thank you, my lord," said Arabella kindly, giving him a small curtsy and walking into the room. As plain as the room was, it was still grander than anything Arabella had ever slept in.


She shared a bedroom with her three younger sisters when she was living at home. Her room was always a mess, no matter how hard Arabella tried to tell her sisters to pick it up, but this room was clean for the most part. She like the thought of having a room to herself. Arabella set her one piece of luggage, a medium sized suitcase, on the bed and opened it, beginning to take her stuff out and place them in the dresser.

 

[lafeae]

"If I may ask...where do you come from?" This whole time it had been formality. What to be done and when it would be done. How to do it. Meet the girls with the response that he appropriately expected from them. Later, he would have to speak to them if they even allowed him to. Emily was likely going to coddle her younger sister and say that they were fine, they didn't need anyone to make them feel better. They were ready for bed. It had been that way for quite a while. Heath hoped, one night, he would hear something different from him daughters.


For the moment, his eyes cast to the floor, to his shoes, before he looked up quickly and gave her a momentary smile. His attempt at small talk was horrible at best. He felt like she had already mentioned it, or he had already asked. But everything was being a master to the maids, a father to the daughters, and there hadn't been anyone to speak to. She wasn't on his level, really, but to the point of isolation, he didn't particularly care.

 

[Betty Bogey]

Arabella looked at him, surprised by the question, simply because she wasn't expecting it. "London, my lord," said Arabella. After a moment, Arabella spoke again."Your girls are very lovely, my lord," said Arabella kindly. "They will grow up to be the most charming of young ladies, I'm sure."


It felt odd commenting on that, and she hoped that it wouldn't be out of place for her to do so. It would be hard losing the job after not even a day, simply because she had accidentally spoke out of turn. But, she was the one who was to be looking after the children. However, it was going to be her job to educate and take care of his children, and he should be informed about them

 

[lafeae]

"If you do well enough, I'm sure they can somewhere. God knows it's not going to be me to make charming ladies out of them," said Heath. Hearing that she was from London was somewhat of a surprise. Why would she have to come all the way out to the country in order to find work? There had to be someone there that could use her. But he wasn't going to question the fortune he had to get someone out in the first place.


Stepping back out of the room, Heath searched for something to say, but he kept his face calm in light of that. There was nothing to ask that wasn't too prodding, especially so early on. He didn't want the woman running away from him all of a sudden. "Like I mentioned, make yourself comfortable. I'll be downstairs, maids are around if you have questions as well." And he turned away from her to start going down the hall. His step was slow though, because he anticipated...something. That was just his gut.

 

[Betty Bogey]

Arabella curtsied respectfully as he left. She began unpacking and putting her clothes away. Her thoughts were filled with the thought of whether or not she would be able to fulfill her duty and turn Emily and Mara into the women she knew they could be. She hoped that she would be able to do that. And she hoped that she would be able to get the girls to trust her.


She hoped by being patient and gentle with the girls might get them to trust her. She knew that it would take time before there was any chance of her getting through to the girls. She would take all the time she needed before getting the girls to trust her. She did not care how long it took, just as long as it happened one day.