Page 51 of A Governess' Forbidden Flame
Anna sighed, her eyes sparkling with the vague haze of a distant memory. “There was a girl from the village who used to come here with her mother about a year ago, who helped out in the manor, but they stopped coming because we didn’t need any more help here at the manor. We used to play together sometimes. She was very nice. I liked her.”
“I have an idea,” Amelia pondered cheerfully. “We could go to the village, perhaps as soon as next week, like a little trip, just the two of us. And we could try to find her in the village to see if she might consider coming to the manor occasionally, so you two could play together.”
“Really?” Anna’s eyes lit up. But immediately, that sorrow crept up on her again. “But…what if Uncle says no?”
“Your uncle is a reasonable man, my dear. We’ll talk to him and explain everything,” Amelia assured her. “Even he must know that a girl needs a companion.”
“You are my companion,” Anna reminded her.
“I am,” Amelia nodded. “I am your governess, but I am also your friend, and you can talk to me about anything. I will always listen to you and offer sound advice. But a girl needs someone her own age. There is nothing like it, I assure you. Penelope is my sister, but she is also my best friend. And, Rosalind and I have been friends since we were little girls as well. Throughout the years, our bond has only grown stronger.”
Anna smiled in agreement. “That is what I want.”
“We’ll arrange for it then, my dear,” Amelia assured her, walking over to her and putting her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Now, how about we head to the dining room and have something nice for breakfast? I have planned a nice day filled with fun activities for us.”
Anna suddenly frowned. “Are the cousins leaving today?” she whispered those words, looking around.
Amelia had to admit that she was looking forward to the same thing. “I think so,” she whispered back.
Anna leaned closed, whispering right into Amelia’s ear. “Good. I don’t like them.”
“Me neither.” Amelia chuckled, leading Anna toward the dining room.
The day promised wondrous things, and she didn’t want to miss a single one.
Chapter 26
Sebastian stood sternly in his study, the air heavy with an unexpected announcement. Amelia and Anna, summoned at his request, entered cautiously. His countenance was grave as he shared the unwelcome news, hoping they would take it more lightly if they heard it from him.
“Ladies,” Sebastian began, his voice carrying the weight of displeasure, “it appears that fate has dealt us an unfortunate hand. My cousins will be extending their stay for another day or so due to a carriage mishap.”
Amelia’s brow furrowed, and Anna’s eyes widened in surprise. The atmosphere in the room turned somber as he continued, “Their wheel requires mending, and we must extend our hospitality until the repairs are complete.”
A collective sigh escaped the trio. The prospect of enduring the presence of these uninvited guests cast a shadow on them all. Sebastian, usually a very composed person, couldn’t conceal his discontent, and he knew that they felt the same.
“I understand that this is not ideal,” he conceded, his gaze shifting from Amelia to Anna. “However, we must make the best of an unfortunate situation. They are…rather odd. I think we can all agree on that. But, I trust you will maintain our household’s grace and poise during their stay, which will hopefully be short.”
“Of course.” Amelia nodded, and Anna followed suit.
Sebastian sighed heavily, raking his fingers through his hair. “Now, I must fetch the wheelwright from the village and start the process.”
“The village?” Amelia and Anna exchanged a meaningful glance, then they both looked in his direction.
“What is it?” he wondered, sensing that the two of them had an idea. He just wasn’t certain whether he would like it or not.
“We were just thinking about going to the village in the next few days,” Amelia clarified.
“To find Elizabeth,” Anna added hastily for clarification, which actually had the opposite effect on her uncle.
“Elizabeth?” Sebastian’s brows knitted in confusion. “Who is Elizabeth?”
“Mrs. Huxley’s daughter,” Anna continued with the explanations. “Remember, Uncle? I used to play with Elizabeth while her mother was helping in the kitchen.”
Sebastian’s mind was hazy on the subject, and it took him a few moments to remember. Indeed, Mrs. Huxley did come, along with a few other women from the village, when they needed help around the manor house. Truth be told, they had not asked for any help from the village in a long time. That was partly due to the tragic events that happened in the manor, and some of the villagers were more superstitious than others. It was much easier to simply stop asking for help and keep to themselves.
“All right, all right,” he said, shaking his palms in the air. “You want to go to the village to look for Elizabeth?”
“Yes,” Amelia responded instead of Anna. “And this seems like the perfect opportunity to do that, to fetch the wheelwright and to…escape the house for an afternoon.”
