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Chapter 11
Lucy entered the dining room as Edward was holding out a chair for her sister. Lucy saw Louisa wince a bit as she took her seat, but heard her thank him and lift her face to accept a quick kiss from her husband as he pushed her chair to the table.
“Ah, there you are, Lucille,” he said, even as he moved around the table and pulled out a chair for his ward, directly across from his wife. Lucy remained silent as she took her seat and draped her napkin across her lap. Edward seated himself, and picking up a small bell, gave it a short shake, signaling that they were ready for dinner to be served. As the kitchen maids brought in the bowls of soup, he turned to Lucy. “How was your tutoring session, Lucille? It must have been very uncomfortable sitting on your welted bottom. Was Professor Lloyds able to teach you anything?”
Wishing her situation could remain private was obviously a waste of effort as Lucy saw the momentary hesitation of the servant in placing her bowl before her. It was quite clear his words had registered. Forcing herself to not look up to see whether the servant’s expression showed pity or pleasure, Lucy thought of the session, remembering both the patience and kindness of her teacher.
“Yes, Edward, he was wonderful. He explained several formulas to me and has given me lessons to study.” Edward’s eyebrow lifted at her words. She knew he rather doubted her assurance of her ability to comprehend mathematics, but did seem pleased that she’d been given additional work.
“I understand that he also allowed you to sit upon a pillow which—”
Lucy knew immediately which of his staff had seen fit to tattle on her. Setting down the spoon she’d just lifted to take her first sip of soup, she said, “Edward, I wish to speak to you about your housekeeper. She—”
“I’ve not finished speaking, Lucille, and you will not interrupt me, young lady!”
Lucy’s gaze flew to her sister and though Louisa didn’t speak, there was a warning to be seen in her eyes. Lucy looked back at Edward and slowly nodded. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to interrupt. It’s just tha—”
“And yet you are still speaking. Be quiet and simply listen, unless you want me to turn you over my knee right here!”
Lucy felt heat flood up from beneath the bodice of her gown to spread across her face. Servants again paused for a bare instant as if fearing they’d get in the way of whatever action might be about to take place at a table meant for eating. Not wishing to provide additional fodder for the gossip that would spread throughout the estate, Lucy’s fingers tightened around the heavy silver of her utensil and gave her guardian a nod, slowly closing her mouth.
“Much better. I do not permit comfort after a punishment, Lucille. Sitting on a pillow is not allowed and you should have refused it. Headmaster Thorne had good reason to cane you and you are to feel that reminder for as long as possible. Sitting on a pillow, rubbing your bottom, lying on your tummy all negate the lesson, and that is not the objective, now is it?”
Lucy discovered that her mortification could indeed deepen. To be speaking of such things—especially seated at the dinner table, with servants coming and going freely from the room appalled her. She again looked at Louisa, only to jump in her seat when Edward said firmly,
“Your sister is not speaking to you, Lucille. Keep your eyes on me when I am talking to you!” He waited until she raised her eyes to his, and though she blinked furiously to keep the welling tears at bay, she had absolutely no doubt that he not only knew she was embarrassed, but she realized he obviously believed that humiliation was as good a lesson as a nice, hard caning.
“I’m pleased to hear that you believe you have learned at least something from Professor Lloyds. You shall spend every hour until your exam studying.” Before she could even nod, he corrected himself, “Well, certainly not every hour as you do have an appointment in my study after dinner.”
Lucy heard her sister’s quick intake of breath and couldn’t help but slide her eyes to her sister. Though Louisa looked uneasy, she just quietly continued to eat her soup.
Lucy looked back at her guardian. “An appointment, Edward? I’m not sure I understand the necessity of an appointment.”
Edward chuckled, and after taking a bite of the mushroom soup she’d yet to even taste, he wiped his mouth with his napkin and leaned back in his chair.
“It is not necessary for you to understand, Lucille; it is only required that you keep your appointment. I’m sure all will become clear at the proper time. Now, since you have found Professor Lloyd’s tutoring to be helpful, you should be pleased to know that he has agreed to continue your lessons.”
Lucy was confused. “Continue?”
“Yes, I have engaged him to attend you several hours this weekend in an effort to assure you learn enough to be able to pass your exam on Monday. Your actions have brought great disgrace upon my household, and no more shall fall upon it. You must study hard, and I believe his presence during your study hours will do nothing short of guaranteeing success. Your transgressions today prove that you obviously can’t be trusted to your own devices, now can you?”
Lucy felt her face flush again, feeling she was being treated as a small child instead of an adult woman. She again glanced at Louisa, but only saw pity in her sister’s eyes.
Lucy dropped her gaze to her soup bowl and answered, “I promise to study, Edward. It’s not necessary for you to spend money on a tutor.”
“Lucille, it is not your duty to worry about my finances. Your only responsibilities are to behave and to learn your lessons. Your lesson in obedience will be continued in the study after supper, and your lessons in mathematics will continue first thing tomorrow morning.”
Suddenly the agenda of her appointment became clear. Lucy felt her bottom clench at his announcement, and her fear grew. Though Edward spent a great deal of time behind the doors of his study, she had never been invited inside. Her face burned as she remembered that there had been more than one occasion where she thought she had heard the sound of crying from the room. When she had dared to speak to her sister about her fears, Louisa had immediately assured her that she must be mistaken. Suddenly Lucy was positive that she had been correct.
Bad things happened in the study. Unpleasant things that caused shrill cries and muffled words. Her heart began to pound, and she kept her eyes on her soup bowl, feeling as if she were going to faint. She didn’t see the satisfied look on Mrs. Bremmer’s face as she walked into the dining room behind the serving girls. As her untouched soup was removed, the main course taking its place before her, she saw Mrs. Bremmer bend to speak softly with Edward. “Excellent,” he said at whatever she had whispered. “Please place them in the armoire as I shall have need of both after supper.” Mrs. Bremmer nodded, straightened to look between the twins and left the room.
Clenching her fists in the folds of her napkin, Lucy wondered what new evil the woman had seen fit to fill her guardian’s head with. Looking across the table she saw that Louisa’s eyes had widened and were following the servant’s departure. When she darted a quick glance at her husband, her cheeks blooming with color, Lucy shivered. And when her twin suddenly pushed her plate away, Lucy had the uneasy feeling that while she might be ignorant of what the conversation had entailed, she was positive that Louisa was not. While Lucille had never crossed the threshold of Edward’s private domain, she knew that Louisa had spent several hours in the room behind heavy closed doors. Remembering her sister’s cries, her demeanor in the headmaster’s office, her very tone when pleading with her husband, Lucy knew for certain exactly who had issued the cries she’d thought she’d heard coming from her guardian’s study.
Is that what an appointment with the lord of the manor meant? Further discipline? Her bottom clenched beneath her dress at the memory of the caning they’d shared. Surely Edward couldn’t think that she… that they… hadn’t been punished enough, could he?
Edward looked at his wife and shook his head. “Eat your supper, Louisa, you’ll need your strength.”
“I’m full, sir.”
