Page 5 of Papa's Captive
Chapter 3
Disagreement vanished. The three young ladies heaped on the floor were suddenly of one accord, rushing to disentangle themselves in order to stand before their guardian. Backs ramrod straight, hands clasped, eyes downcast.
“Never in all my years of training young ladies have I witnessed such a display of unladylike, heathen behavior.”
Rosie dared a glance at the headmistress, her heart sinking at the profound disappointment etched in Miss Wickersham’s face. Rosie was not fond of anger and confrontation, but realizing she had disappointed Miss Wickersham made her feel like an ungrateful wretch.
Had it not been for Miss Wickersham and the shelter of Talcott House...she shuddered to think what might have become of her.
“Where is his daughter? She is as guilty as he.”
She forced the ugly memory away and returned her attention to Miss Wickersham. The headmistress wrapped her hand in a vise-like grip around Rosie’s upper arm and tugged her down the hallway, calling over her shoulder, “Lettie, take Lily to see Nurse Lister in case she has any injuries which need attention. Once that is completed, I want you both to report to my study. No shilly-shallying.”
Rosie sneaked a peek behind her. Lily opened her mouth to object, but soon closed it and headed in the opposite direction, toward Nurse Lister’s examination room. Despite her own trepidation over Miss Wickersham’s spidery grip on her arm and determined pace, Rosie found a small amount of satisfaction in knowing Lily was about to be poked and prodded on the often dour Nurse Lister’s exam table.
Crossing the threshold into Miss Wickersham’s study re-directed Rosie’s attention and a tingle of dread skittered over her backside. Miss Wickersham was not one to spare the rod and spoil the child. Even if the child was a young woman of twenty-one who was on the verge—or so she hoped...mostly—of marriage.
“I believe some time in the naughty chair would do you a fair bit of good, Rosie.” Miss Wickersham indicated the item of furniture with a nod. Miss Wickersham’s original naughty chair had been destroyed when Garland landed upon it in an incident certain to go down in the annals of Talcott House history as shocking and scandalous, though it had resulted in two marriages as well as Rosie’s own betrothal.
There had been quiet jubilation amongst the residents of Talcott House at the demise of the naughty chair, though there were several others throughout the premises. A houseful of young ladies from a variety of backgrounds produced ample need for more than one naughty chair. In fact, there had been a few incidents in Rosie’s time at Talcott House where there was a line of little ladies waiting their turn to make amends for their poor behavior by sitting silently on the designated piece of furniture.
Miss Wickersham’s new naughty chair was particularly uncomfortable, or so Rosie had heard. Being one of the better behaved occupants of Talcott House, she had little experience with the naughty chair, and her few infractions had diminished to almost nothing with Daisy’s departure.
Rosie moved obediently to take her position in the chair. The hard wood of the seat was uncomfortable and Rosie hated to imagine what it would feel like to a freshly punished bottom. She hoped she would not find out, though she held out small optimism of her hope being realized. Miss Wickersham was not known for looking the other way in the face of disobedience. Rosie’s bottom clenched as she wondered what punishment Miss Wickersham might mete out for a brawl such as the one she had instigated.
As she adjusted on the highly polished seat, Rosie noticed her feet did not reach the floor. In the past, whenever she sat in the naughty chair, her feet had settled easily upon the carpet. Had she shrunk? She shifted her position and stole a glance at Miss Wickersham who met her gaze with a devious smile. “Is there something amiss?” she asked, one eyebrow arching upward.
“I-I cannot touch the floor,” Rosie said, awash in confusion. If she had gotten shorter, would not her clothes have also been too long? How was such a thing possible? “Am I getting smaller?” she asked, her voice an anxious squeak.
“No, I had the chair crafted so as to make it a bit less comfortable. It is five inches taller than the old chair, so you will not be able to simply rest upon the seat and let your mind wander. It takes all of your attention to remain balanced with your feet off the floor, does it not?”
Relieved at knowing she was not withering away, Rosie sighed, then answered, “Yes, Miss Wickersham, it is exceptionally uncomfortable.”
“Good,” Miss Wickersham said. “That was my intent.” The headmistress walked slowly around Rosie, studying her. “It seemed to me that the young ladies of Talcott House were becoming a bit too comfortable with the naughty chair. And as you well know, I always insist that all proper young ladies sit with both feet flat upon the floor.”
“I can assure you, Miss Wickersham, no one will become comfortable with this chair.” Rosie adjusted herself again but the edge of the hard, wooden seat cut into the flesh of her bottom.
“A good punishment is meant to focus the miscreant’s mind upon the deeds which have caused their poor behavior. I have found that simply sitting in a comfortable chair loses its effectiveness over time.”
Rosie replied, “Yes, ma’am,” and put her attention on maintaining her balance. With a small shift of her hips, she found purchase and remained steady, much to her relief.
Miss Wickersham paced the floor in front of Rosie, her feet making no sound as she moved to and fro. “I shall acknowledge, Rosie, that I was quite surprised when I heard the sounds of a scuffle and found you involved. Of all my charges, I would give you the highest marks for self-control. I often lamented that you were unable to impart any of your skill in that area to Daisy, but alas, there was no cure for her.”
Unsure whether Miss Wickersham expected a reply, Rosie kept silent.
Miss Wickersham stopped in front of Rosie and held her gaze. “So, tell me, what got you so worked up today that you not only lost your composure but it appears you gave Lily a number of hearty slaps as well.” Miss Wickersham bent her knees so she was eye to eye with Rosie. “It strikes me that there is more to this story. What started this altercation in the first place?”
Sharing confidences with Miss Wickersham was not something Rosie wished to do. However, the weight of her worries over Lord Caldwell’s absence combined with the lack of any of her confidants led her to let down her guard. “Lily said my hesitation to set a date for our wedding had no doubt caused Lord Caldwell to lose interest in me. And then she said she and Lettie wish I would leave the room and no longer share that bedchamber.” Rosie glanced up at Miss Wickersham, her eyes filling with tears. “But I was there first with Cammie and Cynny and Daisy. We shared that room. It's my bedchamber. It's my home.”
“I see,” Miss Wickersham said, straightening and looking thoughtful. “Tell me, Rosie, why have you been so reluctant to set a wedding date with Lord Caldwell? Usually I arrange all of the matters for the brides and their grooms, but it seems over the last few weeks things have gone completely off-kilter. Arranged marriages where the bride and groom did not even meet until their wedding day have given way to lengthy courtships with regular calls from gentlemen here at Talcott House. It is not how I would wish it to be done and I have made ample exceptions for Lord Caldwell. However, if you do not wish to have his attentions then those accommodations for him shall cease. And I shall set about finding a proper husband for you.”
“Oh no, no! Please Miss Wickersham.” Rosie sat up straight and nearly toppled off the chair, having forgotten about the delicate balance she had acquired on the seat’s edge. It was not until Miss Wickersham mentioned the possibility of finding another man to be her husband that Rosie honestly and truly understood the depth of her feelings for Lord Caldwell. Oh, if only he had not stayed away for so many days that she now believed he no longer cared for her.
Her own stubbornness and pride had deprived her of the opportunity to be with the man she loved. If not for her hesitation, she could already be a married lady right now, living in a grand house with a loving husband and holding tea with Daisy, Cynny, and Cammie on a regular basis. Instead, she was seated on the naughty chair in Talcott House, likely about to receive a stinging dose of Miss Wickersham’s ruler on her poor bottom cheeks.
Rosie was torn. She realized now how much she absolutely did care about Lord Caldwell and how extremely sad she was to think she would not have the opportunity to see him again and express her true feelings. If only she had another chance, she told herself, she would assure him of her sincere affection for him, even if he rebuffed her due to her long silence on the matter.
On the other hand, there was a bit of relief mixed with her heartache, for she knew he would now be safe from the shameful ruination she would surely bring upon him and his illustrious family history.
