Page 69 of The Governess and the Rogue

Bea suppressed a smile. When she and Jack had returned from their rendezvous by the stream, they’d breakfasted with the family before repairing to the drawing room where Jack had dispersed his trunkful of gifts. Among them had been a miniature tea set for the girls.

“I would be delighted,” she said. “You must let me know when⁠—”

“Now,” Charlotte said.

“Oh!” Bea cast a glance down the staircase. No one was waiting for her there. Not Jack, anyway. After giving his gifts, he’d gone off with his brother for another of their talks.

Bea had spent what remained of the morning in company with Hannah—and what seemed to be an ever-expanding pack of dogs—being given a tour of the house and grounds.

“My husband and Jack have much to catch up on,” Hannah had explained. “Estate matters and so forth. It needn’t trouble you.”

Bea hadn’t been so sure of that. Indeed, she suspected, just as she had last night, that she was the chief topic of conversation between the brothers.

Hannah, for her part, had done her best to dispel Bea’s worries, keeping her busy in the house’s picture gallery, music room, and library, and tramping through the uncommonly beautiful (if somewhat muddy) rose gardens.

Bea had only come upstairs to change her gown before the other Beresfords arrived. According to Hannah, they were due any moment.

“I’m not sure your mother can spare me,” Bea said to Charlotte.

“Mama can certainly spare you,” Charlotte replied with all the airy certainty of a seasoned society hostess. “I would invite her, but we already have too many guests.”

Another smile curved Bea’s lips. “Do you, indeed?”

“Agatha is pouring. And there’s Frances, Wilhelmina, and Gertrude.” Charlotte set her hand on the doorknob. “If you want anything to eat, you must come now. Wilhelmina has already had two of the sandwiches.”

Bea came to a decision. It wasn’t a difficult one, given the inducement. “Very well,” she said. “After you.”

Charlotte beamed. She opened the door a crack and, angling her body sideways, slipped into the room.

Bea followed via the same method into what appeared to be the children’s nursery. It was the size of two large rooms put together, decorated in shades of pale pink, with rosebud-patterned paper hangings and diaphanous ruffled curtains. The furnishings were all child sized, including the linen-draped table by the window. Charlotte’s new tea service was arrayed there, along with an iced ring cake, a plate of sandwiches, and a tiered tray of petit fours.

Agatha stood beside the table, filling the cups from the dainty painted porcelain teapot.

But it wasn’t that which startled a laugh out of Bea.

It was the sight of the three small dogs milling near the table—a fawn pug, a black terrier, and a curly-tailed ball of brown fluff—each of whom wore a cap similar to the ones worn by Charlotte and her sister.

Agatha shot a severe look in Bea’s direction. “Don’t laugh at them. You’ll hurt their feelings.”

“They don’t like their caps,” Charlotte explained. She hurried forward to adjust the one on the pug’s broad brow. “Except for Frances. She loves to dress up. Don’t you, Frances?”

The pug cheerfully licked Charlotte’s cheek.

“Forgive me,” Bea said. “I didn’t mean to offend them.”

“Mama says we mustn’t remark on people’s appearances,” Agatha said. “Except to compliment them.”

“Wise advice.” Bea joined them at the table. The curly-tailed dog jumped up on her skirts, giving a bark of greeting. Bea reached to pet its head. “Will you not introduce us?” she asked the girls.

“That’s Gertrude,” Charlotte said. “And this is Wilhelmina. She doesn’t like to be petted. She only attends for the cakes. See?” She offered one of the petit fours to the terrier. The small dog snapped it up, narrowly missing the little girl’s fingers.

“Goodness!” Bea exclaimed. “Do be careful!”

“Papa says Wilhelmina’s manners are atrocious,” Charlotte said. “But Mama and Grandmama say we must be patient with her.”

“Do you have any other dogs I should be aware of?” Bea asked. “I thought I’d seen all of them.”

There had been the three large dogs last night. And then, during her tour of the house and grounds, Bea had met two more.