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"When she was smaller, Lady Amy would often hide herself away in the walled garden and pretend to be a fairy," Quintin continued with obvious affection. "She would worry us all to death and sometimes we would even find her asleep beneath the apple trees."
Matilda felt for a moment that Lady Amy might be a girl after her own heart. She had so often taken herself off into nature to hide from the hustle and bustle of her busy family, to avoid the constant chatter of business talk that went on between her parents as they tried to ensure the good fortune of their family-run business.
She too would often fall asleep leaning against a tree trunk with a fairytale book in her hand. Yet she could not help but think now of how much trouble a governess would be in if they could not say with certainty where their charge was and she could imagine, after all she had heard about Lady Amy, that the girl would likely have taken great encouragement from the fact.
What was it that one governess called her?Matilda asked herself, trying to recall a specific letter she had read,an absolute nightmare.
"There are all kinds of wildlife and livestock running about the place," Quintin continued as if he meant for her to fall in love with the estate before she ever even laid eyes upon it. "The Duke has hundreds of acres of land to explore on your days off."
It was clear from his speaking that Quintin had been paying attention during their meetings to discuss the position itself. He had obviously taken the time to absorb several things about her, learning her love of nature and the simple things.
"I am sure I shall have a wonderful time," Matilda insisted. Though her family were wealthy with a larger amount of land than was usually owned by those without title, Matilda had always found that the nobles she worked for had residences beyond compare, each larger and grander than the last. She had little doubt that Thistledown Manor would disappoint. After all, she had worked for many a noble, but never a duke.
"Mr Burns, the butler, is a fair and kind man," Quintin continued, "And Mrs Stevenson, the housekeeper, is quite strict but so long as you stick to the rules, she is quite fair also."
"That is good to know," Matilda said with an agreeable nod of her head.
"There are several maids, footmen and other servants all willing to lend a helping hand should you require," he added.
Matilda could not help but laugh as she responded, "Quintin, you are well aware that I have already accepted the position, are you not?"
The old man's cheeks flushed as if he were slightly embarrassed, and he quickly nodded. "Yes, and we are most glad to have you, Miss Percival. I mean, Matilda."
Though she was still quite anxious at the thought of leaving her family, never having gone further than ten miles or so to find her work, she found that conversing with Quintin had at least eased her nerves a little.
Though she was well aware that she would have her work cut out for her with Lady Amy, she was certain that she would not be the first child to test her patience. After all, what child was overly pleased about being told what to do when they did not necessarily want to do it?
As if he meant to ignore her comment, Quintin continued, "The Duke has a grand library also. I remembered that you said you like to read. His Grace is quite happy for servants to read from his personal library so long as any book taken is logged in the ledger and returned in a timely fashion.”
Matilda’s stomach flipped with excitement at this. She had been in a great many grand houses, seen so many beautifully large libraries, and yet rarely was able to flip through the musky pages unless it was during a lesson with one of her charges. That left little room for her to actually read the books which interested her rather than the ones which had been chosen as suitable for the learning needs of the children.
Matilda merely smiled at Quintin, allowing him to continue in his description of the house, its fine artwork and extensive buildings, and all those who lived upon the estate. She was quite content to listen to him, learning about the place that would practically become her home if all went well.
If Lady Amy does not take a disliking to me as she has so many others,she realised, slightly concerned. She had yet to meet a child that she could not win around to her side and yet she was certain that the Duke’s daughter was going to be one mighty big challenge for her.How am I supposed to get on with a child who has been an uncontrollable terror toward her many previous governesses?
***
Before she knew it, she realised that they had arrived. Fluttering her eyes open, feeling as if she were just coming up from deep water, she realised that she must have nodded off at some point during their journey. She could only hope that Quintin had not been mid-sentence, or even mid-question, when she did.
"Ahh, you are awake," Quintin smiled, adjusting himself in his seat as if he had been peeking out from behind the net curtain once more.
Stifling a yawn, Matilda stretched her back and apologised, "I am dreadfully sorry, Quintin. I must have been more exhausted than I realised."
Stroking her hair to ensure that it had not fallen from the pins and ribbon that were holding it back, she could only hope that she would be presentable for the Duke and his daughter as the terrain beneath the carriage appeared to change from hard packed earth to crunching shingle.
"Not to worry, Matilda. I am well aware what the rocking of a carriage can do to one who is unused to long journeys," Quintin assured her. "Besides, you did well to get some rest while you could. You will have a busy few days ahead of you while you try to settle in."
Though he spoke the words kindly and clearly meant no malice toward her, Matilda could not help but feel apprehensive once more.
It was not until Quintin leaned over and pulled back the drapes of the window that Matilda's apprehension was overwhelmed by sheer astonishment. "Take a look at your new home."
Nothing that Quintin could have told her would have ever prepared Matilda for the sheer grandeur and beauty of Thistledown Manor with its vast manicured lawns surrounded by fields and several copses of trees. The manor house itself appeared to span the entire horizon, almost blocking out the rolling hills beyond it. The driveway was lined with huge trees, pruned to perfection, and offering plenty of shade from the summer sunshine which, even though it was well past its highest point, was still blazing down on them.
The air in the carriage was feeling thick and heavy even with the window open and the drapes protecting them, and Matilda suddenly wished she were instead walking beneath the thick green canopy, tilting her head up toward the dappled light and enjoying the sound of bugs and birds as they went about their lives among the leaves above her head.
The light changed once more as the carriage drew to the end of the driveway and came around a large water fountain in the centre of the circular forecourt. The statue at the fountain's centre was of a beautiful Roman woman pouring water from an ornately carved vase.
Every fine little detail suggested to Matilda exactly what she would find inside the manor. The place was even grander than Quintin had led her to believe.How is it possible that I have come to live in a place like this?she thought in utter astonishment.
