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That told her nothing.
His voice stiffened. ‘You should ask Lord Brentmore about his wife. It is not my place to discuss such matters.’
She thought she was discussing Lady Brentmore and her children. Not the lady’s husband.
‘Was Lord Brentmore here when his wife died?’ She hoped so for the children’s sake.
‘He was abroad.’ Mr Parker took another bite. ‘Finishing up his diplomatic mission.’ He followed with a sip of wine. ‘He did travel back as soon as he could.’
That was something, at least. ‘I did not realise he was involved in diplomacy.’
‘During the war and Napoleon’s first exile.’ Mr Parker relaxed. ‘Very hush-hush, you know.’
She had a sudden vision of the marquess moving through dark alleys, meeting dangerous men. ‘He was away a great deal?’
‘For very long periods. I managed his affairs for him and the estate business while he was absent.’ He said this with a great deal of pride.
She supposed that the marquess’s absence from his children might be forgiven while he performed the King’s service. Perhaps she could not expect that every father show the same sort of devotion Lord Lawton lavished on Charlotte. Anna’s father certainly never showed her much affection. He’d always resented her living with Charlotte in the House, she’d supposed.
But surely the marquess must see how painful it would be for his children to lose their mother and their governess. Why had the man not come to comfort them? Why had he sent his man of business instead?
She only hoped her woeful lack of experience would not cause the poor little ones more trouble and sadness.
For the rest of the meal, Anna fell back on the conversational skills she and Charlotte had practised to prepare for Charlotte’s come out. Making pleasant conversation when one’s nerves were all in disorder was an achievement, indeed.
By the last course, however, all she desired was solitude. ‘Mr Parker, I wonder if you would excuse me. I am suddenly very fatigued. I believe I shall retire for the night.’
His expression turned solicitous. ‘Of course you are fatigued. A day’s carriage ride is vastly tiring.’
She rose from her chair and he stood, as well.
‘In fact,’ he went on, ‘I will bid farewell to you now. I am leaving as soon as the sun rises.’
She extended her hand to shake his. ‘I wish you a safe trip.’
She returned to her room and readied herself for bed without summoning Eppy to assist her. After washing up and changing into her nightdress, she extinguished the candles and sat for a long time in a chair, staring out the window overlooking extensive gardens, landscaped so naturally she wondered if they had been designed by Inigo Jones.
Beautiful, but unfamiliar.
She took a deep breath and forced her emotions to calm. She must accept what she could not change.
* * *
The next morning Anna woke to the sun shining in her window. She rose, stretched her arms and gazed out her window. The sky was clear blue and cloudless and the country air smelled every bit as wonderful as at home—at Lawton, she meant. This was home now.
When a maid entered to feed the fire in her fireplace, Anna introduced herself and asked the girl to have Eppy attend her when it was convenient.
A quarter-hour later, Eppy knocked on her door. ‘Good morning, miss,’ she said cheerfully. ‘Are you ready for me?’
Anna had already washed and donned a gown. ‘I just need a little assistance with the laces.’
‘Certainly!’ Eppy tightened her laces.
Anna looked over her shoulder. ‘Are the children awake?’
‘They are indeed, miss. Eating their breakfast in the nursery.’ She tied a bow.
‘I am anxious to make their acquaintance.’ Best to jump in right away.
Eppy frowned. ‘You are supposed to tour the house. Mrs Tippen was very clear about that.’
‘Do the children know I am here?’ she asked.
Eppy lowered her head. ‘I told them. I could not keep it secret any more.’
‘You did right, Eppy,’ Anna told her. ‘But I’ll not keep them wondering another minute. The tour of the house can wait.’
She followed Eppy to the nursery.
‘I’ve brought someone to meet you,’ Eppy called out as she entered the room. She turned to the doorway. ‘Your new governess.’
Anna put on a brave smile. ‘Good morning! I am Miss Hill.’
All she saw at first were two small faces with wide eyes. Both sat ramrod straight in their chairs. The little boy was dark like his father; the girl so fair she looked like a pixie.
Anna approached slowly. ‘I’ll wager you did not expect a new governess today.’
The girl relaxed a bit, smiling tentatively.
Anna turned to Eppy. ‘Will you do the introductions, Eppy? I should like to know these children.’
Eppy hurried over.
‘Miss Hill, may I present Lord Calmount.’ She squeezed his shoulder fondly. ‘We call him Cal.’
‘You call him Lord Cal,’ the girl corrected.
Eppy grinned. ‘That I do, because I’m your nurse.’
‘Do you know what you wish me to call you?’ Anna asked the boy.
His eyes remained fixed on her.
His sister answered. ‘He likes Cal or Lord Cal.’
Anna smiled at both of them. ‘Very well.’
Eppy put her hands on the girl’s shoulders and shook her fondly. ‘This little imp is Lady Dorothea—’
‘Dory,’ the little girl piped up.
‘Dory,’ Anna repeated. She looked at each one in turn. ‘And Lord Cal. I am delighted to make your acquaintance.’
Lord Cal remained as stiff as before, but little Dory now squirmed in her chair.
‘What plans did you have today,’ Anna asked, ‘if I had not arrived so suddenly?’
‘Cal said you came last night,’ Dory said. ‘He peeked out the door and he said you were our new governess, but how he knew we were to have a new governess, I cannot say.’ Her expression turned solemn. ‘Our other one died.’
Anna matched her seriousness. ‘I know that. That must have been dreadful for you.’
The girl nodded.
Anna sat in a chair opposite them. ‘Lord Cal was very clever to learn of my arrival and to figure out who I was.’
A look of anxiety flashed through the boy’s eyes.
She faced him directly. ‘I greatly admire cleverness.’
She thought she saw surprise replace the anxiety in his eyes. Eppy had not been exaggerating about him being very quiet. Up close he appeared to be a miniature version of his father. The same eyes that bore into you. The sensitive mouth. The nearly imperceptible cleft in his chin.
The same austere expression.
She smiled at him. ‘Lord Cal. You look a great deal like your father.’
He glanced away.
‘Do you know our father?’ Dory asked, eyes wide again. She acted as if her father was some mysterious legend she’d only heard about.
Anna turned to her. ‘It was your father who decided that I should be your governess.’
The girl’s eyes grew even wider. ‘He did?’
‘He did,’ Anna said firmly. She pointed to their breakfast plates with remnants of bread crusts and jam. ‘I see you are finishing your breakfast. I have not yet eaten my breakfast. I wanted to come meet you right away.’ She also needed a tour of the house and grounds. ‘I will leave you for a little while, but I have an idea, if you both should like it.’
Dory leaned forwards, all curiosity. Cal at least turned his gaze back to her.
‘I must have a tour of the house and grounds and I wondered if you would come with me. I would love to see this lovely place with you.’
Dory popped up. ‘We would!’ She thought to check with her brother. ‘Wouldn’t we, Cal?’
The boy apparently gave his sister his approval, although its communication was imperceptible to Anna.
Proud of herself for thinking of bringing the children on the tour with her, Anna left them to go in search of her breakfast and the waiting Mrs Tippen.
The footman in the hall directed her to a parlour with a sideboard filled with food. Although the parlour had the same wainscoted walls as the rest of the house she had seen, it had a large window facing east. The room was aglow with sunshine. She selected an egg and bread and cheese, and poured herself a cup of tea.
No sooner had she started eating when a scowling Mrs Tippen entered the room. ‘I expected you earlier.’
Mrs Tippen’s disapproval continued, apparently. What could be the source of such antipathy? The woman did not even know her.
Anna understood the servant hierarchy in country houses, having grown up in one. She knew a housekeeper would consider herself second only to the butler in overseeing the servants, but a governess would not be under her control. Was that what Mrs Tippen resented?
Anna lifted her chin. ‘Good morning, Mrs Tippen,’ she said in as mild a tone as she could manage. ‘If there was an urgency about touring the house, I was not informed of it. In any event, my duties are to the children. I needed to meet them right away.’
The woman sniffed. ‘I have many responsibilities. I will not be kept waiting by a governess.’
Anna gave her a steady gaze. ‘I grew up in a house much like this one and I am well aware of the housekeeper’s responsibilities. I did not ask you to wait for me, however. It matters not to me when I see the house and grounds. Name me a time convenient to you—’
‘A half-hour ago was convenient for me,’ Mrs Tippen snapped.
Anna held up a hand. ‘You will address me respectfully, Mrs Tippen. As I will address you.’ Goodness. She sounded exactly like Lady Lawton reprimanding a servant. ‘I will be ready in an hour for the house tour. If that will not do, name a time and I will accommodate you. We are done discussing this, however.’
Mrs Tippen turned on her heel and left the room.
Anna took a sip of tea and fought to dampen her anger. The last thing she desired was to be engaged in a battle. She was no threat to a housekeeper. She was no threat to anyone.
An hour later Anna and the children waited in the entrance hall. Anna half-hoped Mrs Tippen would not show. In that event, Anna had already decided she’d ask the children to show her the house. She wished she’d thought of that earlier. It would certainly be more enjoyable than enduring Mrs Tippen’s company.
It was Mr Tippen, the butler, who presented himself, which was hardly better than his wife. Mr Tippen reminded Anna of an engraving she had once seen of Matthew Hopkins, the witch-hunter. Mr Tippen resembled him, with his long, narrow face and pointed chin. Put him in a capotain hat, cover his chin with a beard and the picture would be complete.
He frowned down on the children.
Anna spoke up in their defence. ‘The children will accompany me on the tour, Mr Tippen.’
His nose rose higher. ‘The marchioness preferred the children to stay in their wing.’
‘The marchioness?’ Anna was confused.
‘Lady Brentmore.’
But Lady Brentmore was dead. How insensitive of him to mention her in front of the children.
Anna straightened. ‘I am in complete charge of the children now, am I not?’
One corner of his mouth twitched. ‘So Mr Parker informed us.’
‘Well, then.’ She smiled. ‘Shall we get started?’
Lord Cal stared at the floor, looking as if he wished it would open up and swallow him.
Dory took Anna’s hand and pulled her down to whisper in her ear. ‘You were insolent to Mr Tippen!’
She whispered back, ‘Not insolent.’ What a big word for a five-year-old. ‘I am in charge of you. Your father said so.’
Cal’s head snapped up.
The little girl’s eyes grew wide. ‘He did?’
