Netherby Halls (8 page)

“I am sorry—did I startle you?” he inquired.

“No need to apologize,” Sassy said with a smile. “I
wasn’t paying attention and didn’t notice anyone about.” She eyed
him and wondered who he could be.

“Ah, but you see, I have been stalking you,” he said
teasingly and then laughed easily.

Sassy thought the sound warm and friendly and put up
a brow. “Stalking me, sir?”

“Indeed, I confess the whole. I was just about to
make my tracks to the stables and fetch my horse when I noticed you
walking and had an overwhelming fancy to desert my intentions of
going home just yet.” He bowed briefly. “I am Dr. James Bankes, at
your service, Miss Winthrop.”

“Oh,” Sassy said, recalling that Molly had mentioned
him in connection with the headmistress. “But how did you know my
name?”

He chuckled and said, “Ah, now there is a mystery
indeed. Do you like mysteries, Miss Winthrop? I own that I have a
certain fascination for intrigues and such. Take your appointment
to your new post here at Netherby, for example. A vicar’s daughter
with something of a living, and a guardian for protection, yet she,
this vicar’s daughter, prefers to leave her life of leisure and
work for her sustenance. Then if that is not enough to suggest a
mystery, add to it that she, this vicar’s daughter, is no doubt the
most beautiful woman in all the land and should have been snapped
up in marriage long ago. Now, Miss Winthrop, does not all that
confound you as a mystery?”

Sassy listened to this with growing unease. She knew
he was merely flirting with her, but how did he know so much about
her? And why did he seek her out? She couldn’t forget that Molly
had said the headmistress entertained him in her private quarters.
What did that mean exactly?

She felt a sense of wariness. Indeed, she could only
think all this information had come from the headmistress’s lips,
and this was an irritant she couldn’t shake.

Her chin went up as she turned and started back for
the school. She frowned at him as he fell into step beside her.
“Dr. Bankes, though I thank you for the compliment, and the pretty
tale, I take leave to inform you that my past, present, and future
are none of your affair. However, I feel it incumbent upon myself
to straighten a crooked painting and put a fallen chair to rights,
and therefore, I feel it necessary to give you the true facts. Yes,
I have what some might call a ‘living’, though the more realistic
might deem it
pin money
. Yes, again, the woman who was a
dear friend to both my parents offered to allow me to live in her
home when my papa died and then was kind enough to recommend me to
Lady Devine, but she
is not
my guardian, and I did not want
to impose on her kindness. Thus, I came to Netherby—your mystery is
now solved.”

“Not quite,” he said, appearing not at all abashed.
“That leaves still two unanswered points.”

“You amaze me, Dr. Bankes, for you already know more
about me than I could ever hope to learn about you—all in one
evening,” Sassy said dryly.

“That is because you are far more interesting than I,
Miss Winthrop. So, how is it you are not married?” he asked
brazenly.

“Outrageous! Very well, I shall tell you,” she said
with exasperation. “No one has had the good sense to ask me!”

“How remiss of the young men you have known. In fact,
I can’t believe that there were any young men in your town!” Though
he was obviously a flirt, his tone sounded genuine, and Sassy
laughed in spite of herself.

“In truth,” she said, “I suppose I didn’t have any
real male acquaintances, and when Mama died two years
ago—well … I lost interest in having a social life.” She
glanced at him then. The sympathy she saw in his eyes brought a
rush of heat to accost her cheeks. What was she doing, talking like
this to a total stranger, one who was friendly with the
headmistress?

She pulled at her collar, tugging it tightly around
her neck, and cast her eyes on the path ahead of her as she picked
up her pace.

“The breeze has gained some strength,” he said with a
touch of concern in his voice. “I had better accompany you back to
the school, as it is also getting late.’

“Thank you, Dr. Bankes, but there is no need for you
to walk all the way back with me.” Sassy was touched with unease.
He was charming and good looking. He seemed gentle and sincere, and
he also seemed interested in her. Still, she felt a tingle of
something she could not name.

“No need?” His brows went up. “Miss Winthrop, it
would be a gross impertinence for me to voice my thoughts regarding
my wishes on your behalf. So, I shall say simply that it is my
earnest desire to further our acquaintance and I mean to do so by
walking you to your school’s front door.” He shrugged, and his
smile was both attractive and seductive all in one as he added,
“Besides, I must take that direction if I am to collect my saddle
horse and make for home.”

She laughed at that. “Dr. Bankes, I must say I find
it vastly amusing to hear you speak of impertinence in such a
fashion, for you have been just that from the moment you introduced
yourself.”

He laughed as he slowed to a stop, and when she
turned to look inquiringly at him he took her gloved hand and bent
to kiss her wrist, saying as he lifted up from that audacious
maneuver, “You aroused my curiosity.” He said as he eyed her
meaningfully. “And more, and I hope to renew our lively
conversation in the very near future. Shall I hold such a hope in
vain?”

He was being blatant in his flirtation, for they had
only just met. Her brow was up, her voice quiet as she answered
this. “Did you not say you enjoy mysteries, Dr. Bankes?” With that
she moved away from him, for they had arrived at the wide stone
steps to the front doors. Without looking back, she took the steps
and let herself in.

Inside, she found Molly rushing towards her and
saying, “I lock up at this hour, Miss Winthrop, but I’ll get ye a
key for the future, though I’ll thank ye not to mention it to the
headmistress. She wouldn’t like ye to have one, but it would make
it easier on me and the staff.” She smiled warmly. “Then ye can pop
in and out whenever ye like, for I’ve noticed ye enjoy yer
walks.”

“Thank you, Molly. That would be so convenient,”
Sassy said, marveling at the girl’s speed, for once again she had
disappeared down the corridor.

She crossed the central hall to the staircase, but a
voice at her back called her to a halt.

“Miss Winthrop!” Miss Sallstone’s tone was severe and
her face no less so as she stood in the archway of her anteroom
doorway. “Please step inside, as I would like a word with you.”

Sassy felt her heart rate increase and silently
chided herself. She had nothing to concern herself about. She had a
good rapport with her students and had been working very hard.

Miss Sallstone’s slender arms crossed themselves at
her heaving breast, and her expression was stormy. “I do not like
to have to reprimand you so soon after your arrival,” she said, her
voice harsh. “However, your thoughtless behavior tonight leaves me
no choice.”

Stunned, Sassy frowned as she shook her head
slightly. “My thoughtless behavior? Whatever are you referring
to?”

“Stupid child, you don’t even realize, do you? Good
Lord, I am referring to your strolling about in the dark with Dr.
Bankes!”

Sassy’s chin went up. She didn’t need to explain
herself to this woman. This had nothing to do with her job. “I
understood the evening hours were my own, Mistress Sallstone.” She
felt her cheeks burn.

“And so they are, but that has naught to do with
discretion, and it is discretion we are referring to here. Our
teachers are expected to conduct themselves in a manner beyond
reproach.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” returned Sassy,
refusing to allow the woman to lecture her. “I do not believe I
conducted myself in a manner that could be considered a deviation
from what is seemly.” Her temper almost got the better of her at
that point, and she had to force her fists from going to her hips.
“I should like to point out to you that, firstly, I was strolling
on my own, and on school grounds, and in full view. Dr. Bankes—who
I assumed from his air and his knowledge of my name and
circumstances, was an accepted visitor at Netherby—introduced
himself to me and then walked me back to the front doors. I see no
impropriety in that, madam!”

The headmistress’s cheeks blazed bright red. Her eyes
were full with a loathing that surprised Sassy. She knew the woman
did not like her, but this, this was unexpected.

“I shan’t argue the proprieties with you, Miss
Winthrop. While you are a member of my staff you shall observe the
standards I set forth. In the future you are not to go off at night
alone with a man—even if that man is as respectable as our Dr.
Bankes.”

Sassy saw at once that the woman meant to cower her
with the threat of dismissal. She was in a precarious situation but
could not, would not allow her to dictate to her when she knew she
had done nothing wrong. “Again, I have done nothing wrong. I
repeat, I was out for a stroll and bumped into Dr. Bankes, who
kindly walked me to the front door. We did not hide ourselves
behind a bush. We did not have a clandestine meeting.” After a
deliberate pause, she said meaningfully, “Nor did we meet behind
closed doors!” Sassy eyed her grimly and shook her head. “What is
interesting is the fact that Dr. Bankes had been given a great deal
of personal information about me—
by someone here
. I feel
your concern is unfounded, as I know full well what conduct is and
is not
becoming to a lady.”

Sassy was fully aware that she had sealed her fate
with the headmistress. No doubt, a letter of complaint would go out
to Edna Devine in the morning.

* * *

The little vicar’s daughter has a great deal to
learn if she thinks she can buck
me.
Bianca narrowed her
eyes as she studied Miss Winthrop and tried to make a decision
about what next she should say and do. The chit was not biddable
and therefore could be a problem. She paced and put her hands
together as she thought things through.

She had sensed from their first meeting the girl
would be trouble in every imaginable way. The first thing she would
do in the morning would be to send off a note to Edna and recommend
the girl be dismissed. That would get rid of the threat Miss
Winthrop posed to her … situation.

“Heavens, you do have a temper, another facet of your
character that makes you unsuitable for Netherby. I was trying to
point out to you that the older girls might notice you with the
doctor, and as they are impressionable, it wouldn’t do, as they are
bound to see romance in the slightest things.”

“I see,” Miss Winthrop allowed.

Bianca could see that Miss Winthrop had not been
taken in by this. “I caution you for your sake as well as
theirs.”

“
My sake
? Are you saying that the good doctor
is a libertine?” Miss Winthrop asked, obviously skeptical.

“Good gracious, no. Would I allow him here if he
were? No, it is just, well, solitary walks should be taken in the
daylight hours.”

“As I am teaching most of the day, that is not quite
possible.” Miss Winthrop was unrelenting. “But tell me, madam, is
one of the girls ill?”

“Why no. Whatever makes you ask such a thing?’ Bianca
realized her mistake as soon as the words were out. Miss Winthrop
was a clever little bitch she was going to have to get rid of, and
soon.

“I assumed so because of Dr. Bankes’s presence here.
Isn’t it rather late for him to be out at Netherby without
cause?”

Bianca tried to hide the anger from her eyes as she
calmed herself to answer, “Well, actually, I don’t like to speak of
it, but I have terrible headaches and find sleep a chore. The
doctor was here dropping off a portion of laudanum.”

“Then, please, do not let me keep you from your
rest,” Miss Winthrop said as she turned towards the exit. Though
the words were polite, Bianca seethed at the impertinence in the
chit’s tone.

“Good night, Miss Winthrop. Do take our talk
seriously. You would be the better for it.”

She watched the set of the girl’s shoulders and made
up her mind. One way or another, Miss Winthrop was going to have to
be eliminated!

~
Nine ~

WHEN SASSY’S CLASSES were over, she went looking for
Miss Graves. She found her having a cup of tea in the library and
approached her tentatively, unsure of the reception she would
receive. To date, none of the other teachers had been friendly.

“Sit, Miss Winthrop, and tell me—what is it?” Miss
Graves motioned to a chair.

Sassy took up a chair. “I would like to skip lunch
and head into town to fetch some fabric to make curtains for my
bare window,” she explained.

“Your window …? My goodness, of course, dear.”
She frowned and put a finger to her thin lips. “Puts me in mind of
something odd. I seem to remember that Miss Saunders, your
predecessor, had purchased a length of fabric for that very
purpose.” As she sighed heavily and touched her lace-covered gray
hair, a sad look came into her faded eyes. “I suppose she took it
with her when she left us. Shocking thing … and so very
difficult to believe. You see, Miss Saunders was such a nice young
woman—oh, not in her first blush but younger than the Tyler sisters
and I—and we had become friends, you see. She left without saying
good-bye, and that was certainly not like her at all. She was not
the sort to run off with a man, and I find it difficult to believe
that she would just up and leave like that.”

“Well, perhaps, she didn’t have a choice,” Sassy
offered, “and perhaps, just perhaps, she did meet someone?”

“No! I refuse to believe that. She just wasn’t that
sort, and also, though not quite unattractive, she was not the girl
a man would try and sweep off her feet, if you get my meaning. Not
the sort to turn men’s heads—and no dowry.” Miss Graves sighed. “A
sad mystery to me.”