A Most Unusual Governess (24 page)

Sarah was finding it difficult to concentrate. Nevertheless, she went on. 'But that still doesn't alter the fact that you told Dominic he would never be happy if he married beneath him.'

'I don't deny it.' There was a strange look - almost a gleam of humour - in James's eye, but Sarah could not for the life of her think of its cause. Tie wouldn't have been happy. Miss Yardley is a very vulgar young woman.'

'Dominic didn't think so,' remarked Sarah, thinking, And neither did Mrs Smith. Not knowing that the good Mrs Smith had never met her.

James looked at her curiously, stopping his stroking for the moment. 'Do you really believe I talked Dom out of offering for Miss Yardley simply because she wasn't his equal in rank?'

Sarah sighed. 'If outspokenness is my besetting sin, then pride is most definitely yours.'

James smiled. This was the open and honest person he had fallen in love with. And she had a point. But she did not know the whole story. You don't think she might really be vulgar?' he asked. You don't think she might really be beneath Dominic, not because she is not his equal in rank, but because her character is flawed as well?'

Sarah did not answer. She clearly thought that that would not be the case.

What if I were to give you the opportunity of finding out? Miss Yardley is in London. Nothing would be easier than for me to invite her to Randall House.'

Now that he knew the cause of Sarah's fears, he was determined to lay them to rest.

'And if she isn't vulgar?' asked Sarah. 'If her character isn't flawed? What happens then?'

'If you think Dom would be happy with her, then 111 withdraw all my objections to the match. Ill even stand up with Dom at his wedding.'

'And you will really be guided by me?'

'Haven't I been guided by you before? When you told me the children needed to play, didn't I listen to you? When you told me Lucy and Peter should join us at the boating party didn't I see your point of view? When you told me I must let the children arrange a concert, didn't I agree?'

'Eventually,' she conceded. She could no resist a smile.

James's mouth gave an answering quirk. Well, Sarah? Do you accept my challenge?'

Sarah did not hesitate, i do.

'I do,' he repeated. 1 like the sound of that.'

Sarah felt a tingle run down her spine.

He could not resist it. He leant forward and kissed her on her soft, fragrant cheek. Then it's agreed?'

'Agreed. And I look forward to hearing wedding bells,' she said significantly, thinking how happy Dominic would be when James at last gave his blessing to the match. James gave her a meaningful look. 'So do I, Sarah.'

And, as Sarah stood up and went over to join the two ladies on the sofa, he said again under his breath, 'So do I.'

'I must say, I think this is an excellent idea,' said Lady Templeton a few days later as she and Sarah, accompanied by Griselda, were admitted to Randall House. 1 have been longing to see the new drawing-room. It was such a wreck in James's father's time. Hannibal was a dear man, but he had absolutely no taste. Now with James in charge, I expect to see a vast improvement.'

James had wasted no time in sending out invitations. Lady Templeton had been delighted. Sarah, too, had been pleased. The listlessness that had assailed her in Bath had vanished and she was looking forward to meeting the elusive Miss Yardley. And, even more, she was looking forward to proving James wrong. Little knowing that James, too, was looking forward to the afternoon, because he was looking forward to punishing Sarah, ever so gently, for having doubted his motives for proposing to her.

'Miss Yardley isn't here, then?' asked Sarah, as James welcomed her into his splendid London home.

'Not yet. But you are early,' said James. I'm sure she'll be on time.'

Their voices were low. Of all those at Randall House that afternoon, only the two of them knew why the tea party had been arranged, and why Miss Yardley had been invited.

'But it's splendid, James. Simply splendid.' Lady Templeton looked appreciatively round the beautifully refurbished room.

'It is. It's lovely,' said Sarah. The drawing-room was painted in warm shades of cream, with a beautifully-painted green and cream ceiling. The white marble fireplace, with a large mirror above it, brightened the room whilst the inlaid console tables and low gilded chairs gave a restrained air of grandeur.

The final touches need adding,' said James. He turned to Sarah. 1 was hoping you might have some ideas.'

Sarah felt a warm glow of happiness as he asked for her opinion. 1 think the Sevres vase would be better on the console table,' she said. It's overshadowed by the landscape at present. And a bowl of flowers would look lovely on the escritoire.'

His eyes twinkled. It shall be just as you say.

Sarah laughed. It seems I am now giving you orders, my lord,' she teased him.

Who better?' he smiled in return.

Hearing their banter Lady Templeton caught Griselda's eye, and both ladies smiled. So far, the day was going very well!

Sarah spent a very pleasant ten minutes discussing the colour of new carpets and curtains with James, before Lady Templeton brought their attention back to the present by remarking, 'Miss Yardley seems to be rather late.'

'So she is.' Sarah looked at James, but instead of looking concerned he looked, if anything, pleased. Sarah began to find her confidence in the unknown young lady slipping away. Could she be mistaken in her ideas about Miss Yardley? Was it possible that Miss Yardley might be a truly vulgar young woman who would appear in a transparent gown and with a heavily rouged face?

But she need not have worried. Miss Yardley, when she at last arrived with her father some half an hour late, was a lovely young lady. She was demurely dressed in a beautiful sky-blue day dress, trimmed with fringing in a darker blue. The waist of the gown was high, as was the neckline, which revealed nothing it should not reveal, and it was finished off with a white ruff.

All in all, as Sarah looked at her, she was well pleased.

Miss Yardley's first words impressed her still further. In a melodious voice Miss Yardley apologised for her late arrival.

Good manners as well as beauty, thought Sarah. Dominic has chosen well.

She glanced at James, expecting him to look chagrined, but he looked no such thing. Instead there was a hint of a smile lurking at the corner of his mouth.

Ah! It is to be a battle of wills, thought Sarah. So be it! Let it begin!

We set out in good time,' explained Miss Yardley, as the footman came in with a tray of china cups and saucers, and a large silver teapot. 'Such good time, that we just had time to call in at the draper's — Grafton House, I expect you know it - on the way. Didn't we, Pa?'

'Aye lass, that we did.'

Miss Yardley's "Pa" was a bluff Lancastrian. He had a red face and a portly figure, which had been squeezed into white silk knee breeches, a patterned waistcoat, and an old-fashioned, full- skirted coat reminiscent of those worn in his youth. But despite his expensive clothes, Mr Yardley remained what he was: a bluff, self made man, who verged on being uncouth.

Sarah could see at once why James objected to him. Without polish or education, he was clearly out of place in the elegant drawing-room. As she watched him pour his tea into his saucer and blow on it noisily, Sarah thought she could see why James objected so strongly to Miss Yardley becoming Dominic's wife.

But Miss Yardley was not responsible for her father's failings, and although Sarah had to admit to herself that the loud slurping noise coming from Mr Yardley's direction as he drank his tea was rather off-putting, she was determined that Miss Yardley should not be punished for having such a - she searched her mind for a kindly description - for such a colourful father.

'And would you believe it?' Miss Yardley went on, sipping delicately at her own tea. They were just unpacking the best assortment of silks and satins you ever did see. So of course I said to Pa, "I just can't afford to miss this opportunity". Didn't I, Pa?' She went on straight away, without giving her father time to put down his saucer and reply. There was a rose pink satin I just had to have, wasn't there, Pa?'

Sarah's smile, which had become somewhat fixed, began to fade. That Miss Yardley should have been delayed was unfortunate, but it seemed that she had not been delayed at all. Instead she had delayed herself, and had caused considerable inconvenience to her host by refusing to put off her shopping trip.

'And do you know,' went on Miss Yardley, that adorable satin was only eighteen shillings a yard. Wasn't it, Pa?'

'Aye, lass, that it was.'

'And a darling spotted muslin, only eight shillings a yard. And a primrose silk, though that was more than a pound a yard. Still, as I said to Pa, "a ball gown's not a ball gown unless it's over a pound a yard." Didn't I, Pa?'

'Aye, lass. You did,' said her father ponderously, looking at his startled audience with satisfaction.

That they were startled at his daughter's vulgar catalogue of prices he did not realise. He thought they were startled and impressed over the amount of money he and his daughter had to spend.

Your gown is silk, is it not? said Miss Yardley shrewdly to Lady Templeton. And a veiy fine silk, too. It must have cost all of - no, don't tell me,' she said, putting out her hand as if to forestall Lady Templeton.

'I wouldn't dream of it,' remarked Lady Templeton dryly.

But her dryness was lost on Miss Yardley.

'It must have cost all of... I should say it must have cost all of thirty shillings a yard,' went on that indefatigable young woman.

At this point, Sarah caught sight of James out of the corner of her eye. The smile which had lurked at the corner of his mouth ever since he had suggested she should meet Miss Yardley was threatening to become a smirk! The sight of it steeled Sarah. She had been on the point of dismissing Miss Yardley as one of the most vulgar young women she had ever met, but James's smug expression strengthened her backbone and made her determined to discover that Miss Yardley had hidden qualities which would make her eminently suitable to being Dominic's wife.

'Have you visited any of the museums whilst you have been in London, Miss Yardley?' she asked, deftly turning the conversation away from the price of cloth.

Why, yes, of course,' said Miss Yardley, happy to fall in with this new line of conversation. We have done most of them already. Haven't we, Pa?'

That we have,' said her father, who had now finished his tea and was sitting with his legs out wide, straddling the elegant Hepplewhite chair as though it was a barrel-chested horse.

'But do you know, Miss Davenport, what I really long to see are the Nell Gwyn marbles. I do assure you they are all the rage. We are paying them a visit next week, are we not, Pa?'

Sarah worked hard to keep a straight face at this gaffe, a task made all the more difficult because she distinctly heard James splutter with laughter before quickly turning the laughter into a cough. But, despite Miss Yardley confusing Lord Elgin, a renowned traveller and collector of fine antiquities, with Nell Gwyn, the mistress of Charles II who, alas! had been dead for more than a hundred years, Sarah refused to admit that she had been wrong. Miss Yardley had made a mistake, she told herself. Anyone could make a mistake. And that was all.

And so she replied kindly, 'Ah! The Elgin marbles.' She corrected Miss Yardley without seeming to do so.

But Miss Yardley was having none of it. She had never taken kindly to being corrected - which was why she had remained ignorant on so many topics - and she was not going to be corrected now. It never once occurred to her that she might be wrong. Indeed, she did not care whether she was wrong or not. All she cared about was that she got her own way. So that she looked at Sarah haughtily and remarked, 'Oh, no, Miss Davenport. The Nell Gwyn marbles. Everyone has heard of the Nell Gwyn marbles. Isn't that so, Pa?'

'Aye, lass. Nell Gwyn. Just so.'

Why, even my sister Charity has heard of Nell Gwyn, and she has not even seen the marbles, having just suffered her second confinement.'

Ladies' confinements were not generally mentioned in mixed society, but Sarah took up the subject nevertheless, hoping against hope that in a love of children she might find Miss Yardley's redeeming feature. 'She is well, I hope?'

'Oh, yes. Charity is always well. Though why she must always be having children is beyond me, I'm sure. Nasty, bawling things.'

Here her father unexpectedly chimed in. 'Nowt wrong wi' tlittle 'uns. 'Appen you should be thinking of a few yoursen.'

Miss Yardley shuddered. They do nothing but cry until they are fully five years old,' she declared.

Sarah gave an inward sigh but made no attempt to put her right. She knew that Miss Yardley was not interested in children. She also knew that Miss Yardley did not want to know at what age children generally stopped crying. No matter how unwillingly, Sarah had to admit that Miss Yardley was indeed both ignorant and vulgar.

She had to admit defeat.

* * * *

'So, shall we give Miss Yardley and Dominic our blessing, Sarah?'