Page 27 of The Defiant Governess
It was only when the door closed rather firmly that Saybrook permitted himself a smile.
Rain had been comingdown in torrents for the past few days. Jane’s mood had turned restless, for she disliked being cooped up inside. So when she rose at the end of the day’s lessons and saw that the downpour had finally ceased, she was determined to venture out for a quick ride, despite the fact that the day was still dark and overcast.
After throwing a cloak over her habit, Jane hurried down to the stables.
Henry eyed the skies doubtfully. “You are likely to get a soaking, Miss.”
“I shall make it short, I promise. And a little water won’t cause any harm. Besides, I must check the mill pond. I have noticed that it has a tendency to flood during rains.”
Sure enough, as she rode by the pond she noticed that it looked dangerously high. The steward must be alerted and told to send some men to open the sluice gates. Turning her mount back towards home, she set into a smart canter despite the mud. There was really no time to waste if a flood was to be avoided.
Jane handed her reins to a waiting groom and started back to the manor, composing a sharp lecture for Mr. Fielding. Ye heavens, it was his job to keep an eye on potential problems. He should have been aware of the danger.
Just as she came to the graveled drive she spotted a group of workmen heading toward the fields. Deciding that it might take her too much time to locate the steward at this hour, Jane took matters into her own hands.
“John,” she called to leader of the group. “You and your men must go right away to the mill pond to open the gates.”
The man looked momentarily surprised, but then he nodded at her tone of command. “Yes, Miss.”
Satisfied, Jane entered the house.
Saybrook caughta glimpse of the scene from the morning room where he was taking a cup of coffee and reading the paper. With a muffled oath, he slammed down his cup and raced outside. “Where are you men going?” he shouted.
They stopped in their tracks. The foreman turned to face him. “Why, my lord, Miss Langley told us to go open the sluice gates.”
“Have you forgotten who gives orders here?” he replied in an icy tone.
The man stared at his boots. “No, my lord. It’s just that in your absence, milord …” He trailed off in confusion.
“Yes, I gather that. But in the future you will act on my word, or that of Mr. Fielding,” he said less sharply. His temper was still sorely tried, but he regretted having vented it on those who were not to blame. “I have already taken care of the matter,” he added. “You may return to the work you were doing before.”
He turned on his heel and reentered the house. Brushing past a startled Glavin he threw open the library door. “Send Miss Langley to me,” he roared at the butler. “At once!”
When Jane entered the room, still attired in her damp habit, Saybrook was pacing up and down in front of his desk. “What in God’s name did you think you were doing, ordering those men to the river?” he snapped.
“With the storm of the past few days, if they didn’t attend to the sluices, one of the fields would be flooded. Your steward should have noticed ….”
“If they had opened the gates, more than a field would have been harmed—I ordered some men to strengthen the bridge below the pond first thing this morning, before we opened the sluices,” stormed Saybrook. “If those men had done as you ordered, people would have been killed!”
Jane’s mouth flew open. “I—I didn’t know!”
“Forgive me for not informing you, Miss Langley,” he replied acidly. “Somehow, I am under the strange delusion thatImake the decisions at Highwood. Is that clear?”
Jane looked a little guilty, and yet her reply was unapologetic. “In this case, yes.”
“Bloody hell,” he muttered through gritted teeth. “Do I have your promise not to take estate matters into your own hands from now on?”
The chin stuck out even farther. “Perhaps.”
“What! Why you … you impudent …” Saybrook's temper, frayed by the fear for his men’s safety, snapped. “Go to your room. And stay there until I send word that you’re permitted to leave.”
“H-How dare you treat me like a child!” she exclaimed.
“If you insist on behaving like a spoiled brat, you shall be treated like one.”
“Nobody haseversent me to my room!”
“A grave mistake.” He regarded her calmly. “For I’m sure you have richly deserved it on more occasions than this.”
