Prudence (7 page)

Julius took it gratefully and drank deep. Laying it down, he found himself once more able to speak, if with a trifle of hoarseness to his voice.

‘Remind me to increase your wages!’

Jacob grinned. ‘Thank you, sir. Are you fit now, sir?’

‘Thanks to you, yes. But what was that infernal screeching?’

The footman shrugged, looking concerned. ‘I couldn’t rightly say, sir. Sounded like it come from the east side. Mebbe one of the young ladies, sir?’

‘What, the twins? No, the pitch was not high enough.’ As he spoke, he was making for the door. ‘But it was certainly from that direction.’

In the hall, Julius found Creggan already halfway up the stairs. The butler, carrying a double candelabrum,
was accompanied by his groom, armed with a broomstick.

‘What in Hades do you think you are doing, Beith?’

The servants halted, turning. The groom brandished his weapon with relish. ‘Might be marauders, guv’nor.’

‘Female ones, I presume.’ Julius headed for the stairs. ‘Take it away, you fool! I will investigate.’

Shaking off the footman, who offered to accompany him, Julius took the candelabrum from his butler and swiftly made his way towards that side of the house he had given over to the use of his sister’s family. As he got to the stairway and began to negotiate the narrower passage, a sound of frantic hissing reached his ears.

He quickened his steps, passing down the corridor beyond the rooms occupied by his nieces, drawn by the growing sound of half-whispered pleadings.

‘Out, I say! Shoo! Shoo!’

Light spread from an open doorway ahead. A few strides, and Julius stopped short on the threshold.

Within the room, he beheld Miss Hursley, clad in a grey dressing-gown as unprepossessing as the garments he had previously seen her wear, and engaged in a losing battle to rid her bedchamber of a pair of fat and recalcitrant frogs.

The augmented light distracted Prue. Looking up, she perceived her employer standing in the doorway. Her heart sank and she spoke without thinking.

‘Oh, dear.
Must
you discover me in so ridiculous a situation, Mr Rookham?’

Julius strolled into the room. Doubtless immobilised by the sudden access of additional light—for the bedchamber was scantily illuminated by a single candle by the bed and another on the mantel—the frogs sat blinking in the middle of the wooden floor. From the four-
poster beyond, where the figured blue wool curtains hung untidily open as if they had been wrenched aside, the kitten was watching with apparent interest, adding its mite with a disapproving hiss. Julius looked down at the culprits.

‘I suppose I need not ask how it comes about that you have been invaded by these revolting amphibians?’

Prue sighed. ‘You have guessed it, I dare say.’

‘It rather leaps to the eye, does it not?’

His features were thrown into partial shadow by the candles he held, but she saw the quiver at his lips, and a little of her dismay abated. It gave way to an unaccountable flurry at her bosom, and it was with slight breathlessness that she answered him.

‘It is rather obvious, perhaps.’

Mr Rookham eyed the invaders. ‘Of course, had I not come upon you attempting to persuade them to remove themselves, I might well have thought otherwise.’

Prue blinked. ‘I don’t understand you, sir.’

His brows rose. ‘Don’t you? Do you tell me that your predilection for rescuing beasts in distress does not extend to frogs? My dear Miss Hursley, how unkind. Merely because the creatures are ugly is no reason for you to leave them to a cruel fate.’

Torn between indignation and laughter, Prue let out a gurgle. ‘I confess I do not like them. But if they will only remove from here, I have no quarrel with them at all. Besides, they are not the ones in distress!’

‘Ah, then I gather it was you who emitted that shriek of terror?’

Recalling it, Prue’s cheeks grew warm. ‘Did I disturb you, sir? I am so sorry.’

‘Disturb me?’ Mr Rookham stirred one of the frogs
gently with the toe of his boot, but it did not budge. ‘Why, no, Miss Hursley. Had it not been for the prompt action of my footman, I should at this moment be as undisturbed and motionless as this frog.’

‘Mr Rookham, what in the world are you talking about?’

He looked up from contemplation of the frog. ‘Your scream, Miss Hursley. I happened to be in the act of drinking wine just at that moment, and I nearly choked to death.’

A wave of consciousness swept over Prue. She gazed at him aghast. ‘Oh, Mr Rookham, no! Oh, dear.’

‘Yes, I believe my reaction was a trifle more violent than that,’ he said in a musing tone. ‘Which was why, I imagine, it did not immediately occur to me that the annoyance must have emanated from you. Had I stopped to think about it, however, I have no doubt that—’

‘Oh, you are being deliberately provocative!’ interrupted Prue with a good deal of heat. ‘I wish you will not be tiresomely teasing, sir, and help me instead.’

He gave an exaggerated start. ‘Help you? When you have done your best to send me to an early grave?’

‘Mr Rookham, pray stop! I don’t believe you choked at all. You are saying it merely to put me at a disadvantage.’

Julius regarded her with satisfaction. He had succeeded in thoroughly ruffling her feathers. Yet if he were to speak in a way that made her believe him, he was sure she would be altogether distressed. He smiled.

‘Shall I rescue you, damsel in distress?’

A huge sigh erupted out of her. ‘Would you, indeed? I own I should much prefer not to deal with them myself.’

Julius moved to the dresser and laid down the candelabrum. As he did so, one of the frogs made a sudden spring.

‘Take care!’ cried Prue, backing away as it landed again not a foot from Mr Rookham’s boot.

From the bed, Folly arched his back and emitted a growling protest, hissing distractedly and galvanising the second frog. It took a leap in Prue’s direction. She gave a gasp and withdrew circumspectly to the head of the bed.

Julius stepped into the fray. ‘Open the window!’

Prue hastened to obey, pulling the heavy drapes aside and throwing up the sash window. She heard movement behind her and, by the time she turned, saw that Mr Rookham had grabbed one frog in either hand, seizing them in scientific fashion behind the head. At a mewl from Folly, she glanced to the bed and found the kitten now prancing on the pillow, as if he knew that entertainment of a high order was about to be provided.

Prue stood aside to let Mr Rookham by, shifting back to the bed. In mingled triumph and dismay, she watched as he unceremoniously flung the frogs out into the night.

As he pulled the window shut, relief flooded her, not unmixed with guilt. An involuntary sigh escaped her and she sank on to the bed, automatically reaching out a hand to Folly, who danced over and butted at her fingers.

‘Well, Folly seems to feel it a victory, but I confess I am sorry for them, poor little things.’

Mr Rookham turned. ‘I might have known it! Unless you are referring not to the amphibians, but to my erring nieces?’

‘Oh, no,’ said Prue, gathering up the kitten and cuddling him. ‘I was just thinking how uncomfortable it must be for the frogs upon landing.’

‘On the contrary. They have extremely strong hind legs, and will have taken flight when they found themselves in the air. You had better spare your sympathies for Dodo and Lotty!’

‘Oh, no, no. I shall not speak of it to them at all.’

‘You may not, but I shall,’ said Julius grimly. ‘Though I am inclined to do more spanking than speaking!’

Horrified, Prue jumped up in haste, the kitten leaping from her hold. Folly bounced on to the floor and ran to sniff at the place where the frogs had been. Prue barely noticed.

‘Pray do not say so! I am persuaded you cannot mean it.’

‘I most assuredly do,’ he averred, making for the door.

Prue sprang forward to bar his way. ‘Mr Rookham, I beg you won’t do anything of the kind! It is merely a prank.’

‘A prank that frightened you into screaming.’

‘Yes, but that was only because I came upon the creatures unexpectedly when I drew back the curtains of the bed. Once I realised what they were, I knew at once how they must have come there and—’

‘Only an idiot would not have known!’ interrupted Julius without ceremony. ‘And since neither twin emerged from their bedchamber on hearing you scream, there can be no doubt of their guilt. They could not have slept through that!’

‘No, indeed, for they are only just down the corri
dor,’ agreed Prue, suddenly frowning. ‘The only wonder is that Yvette did not hear me.’

Julius gave a grim laugh. ‘No wonder there. My sister tells me that Yvette sleeps like one dead. Nothing wakes her. Well for my nieces, I may say.’

Prue gazed at him, a horrid thought assailing her. ‘Why? I know she is strict, but surely she would not—’ She stopped, seeing the answer in Mr Rookham’s face. ‘She beats them? How dreadful!’

A trifle of impatience showed in his face, and he shifted away towards the dresser where he had laid down his candles.

‘My dear girl, how in Hades do you suppose those two imps are to be controlled? Or do you imagine my sister is so cold-hearted as to allow her daughters to be treated with cruelty?’

Prue had moved with him, too upset to consider how she spoke. ‘How can I say, sir, when I do not know your sister?’

‘You may take it from me, then.’

She gazed at him in defiance. ‘May I? Barely a moment ago, you threatened to spank them!’

‘It was no mere threat, I assure you. And I don’t mind telling you it would give me a good deal of pleasure!’

Prue did not know whether she was more angry or distressed. She had thought him so kind a man. Now here he was, talking casually of a beating as if it was a thing of no moment. And to speak of enjoyment in it!

Amusement crept into Mr Rookham’s features. ‘I see that I have become a monster in your eyes, Miss Hursley.’

She dropped her gaze from his, for she could not
deny it. She moved away a little. Suppressing the instinct that urged her to rail at him, she tried for a neutral note. But her throat was constricted.

‘I cannot approve of—of the infliction of p-pain, sir, even in p-punishment.’

‘Then I fear you are destined to be ridden over roughshod for the duration of your stay here.’

His tone was cool and impersonal, and Prue felt suddenly distanced. She could not look at him.

‘Then it must be so. If that means I have proved myself to be unsuitable for the position, then let that be so as well.’

T
here was a short silence. Miss Hursley’s movement away from him had left her in shadow, but Julius eyed her profile with dawning respect and an odd sensation in his chest, a swell of emotion he could not name. Without thought, he moved closer. Reaching out long fingers, he tilted her chin, forcing her to look at him. The grey eyes were unexpectedly bleak.

‘What a tender-hearted creature you are, Prudence.’

He did not know that he had used her name. Nor was there thought behind his further words.

‘You are a rare specimen, my dear girl. But you have it wrong. Do you think you have entered a den of unkindness?’

He released her, noting the change in her expression, as of a lift of hope. His lips twitched.

‘Use your eyes, Miss Hursley. Do the twins behave as if they had been ill treated? A more exuberant pair of monkeys I have yet to meet. It is only the threat of Yvette’s hairbrush that keeps them in check.’

Prue blinked. ‘Hairbrush?’

‘Yes, I believe she had kept it for years, purely for the purpose of serving as a useful deterrent. Trixie in
formed me that a few judicious applications at the start of Yvette’s rule were sufficient to ensure obedience. It is rare that she finds herself obliged actually to use it.’

Once more, Prue found herself overcome by indignation. ‘But you said—’

‘Yes, I did say that she would beat them, and she would,’ averred Julius impatiently. ‘If that is what it takes to stop them from playing tricks upon their new governess.’

Prue drew herself up. ‘Then I beg you will refrain from informing her, sir. If I cannot succeed by my own methods, I had rather fail. Besides, such a proceeding could only serve to undermine my authority.’

‘Yes, if you had any.’

The grey eyes took fire but, not much to his surprise, she said nothing. He watched her stalk to the door, and turn, frigidly polite.

‘I thank you for your assistance, sir, and I will bid you a very good night.’

He grinned. ‘Dismissing me, Prudence? And with such a convincing air of authority. I am suitably chastened, and hasten to obey.’

Receiving only a dagger look, he picked up his candelabrum and went to the door, where he paused, regarding her mutinous features with an air of bland indifference.

‘One thing more, Miss Hursley.’

‘Sir?’

‘The next time you feel inclined to create such a commotion, pray save it until after the dinner hour. I do so hate to waste good port.’

Consternation spread across her features. ‘Did you really choke?’

‘But I told you I did.’

‘I thought you were teasing me. How dreadful! Oh, dear, are you sure you are all right?’

‘As you perceive.’

‘Mr Rookham, I am truly sorry!’

‘Don’t be, since it was not your fault.’

But a glow of satisfaction entered his breast. Had he not known how penitent she would become? Only her expression was already altering to anxiety.

‘You won’t say anything to the girls, will you?’

‘And undermine your authority? I should not dare!’

With which, he left the room quickly before she could retaliate. The door snapped shut behind him, and he could have sworn he heard a muted squeal of frustration.

The gardens were far more extensive than Prue had supposed when she had arrived at Rookham Hall. Accompanying the two girls upon an exploratory ramble, she was delighted to be taken first towards the water she had glimpsed through the trees. It proved to be an extensive pond, inhabited by various fauna, including frogs.

She had said no word of her adventures upon the previous evening, preferring to pretend that nothing untoward had occurred. The twins had probed, with an airiness that was singularly unconvincing.

‘Did you sleep well, Miss Hursley?’ asked Lotty with a smirk.

Dodo smothered a giggle. Prue glanced briefly at her, and then back to her sister.

‘Very well, I thank you, Lotty. Did you?’

Lotty looked her in the eye. ‘I was woken by something.’

Prue assumed a sympathetic mien. ‘What a shame. Did you manage to get back to sleep?’

A trifle nonplussed, the child nodded. Dodo’s brown orbs went from Prue to her sister, and back again. She choked off another snigger. Prue turned to her.

‘Are you quite well, Dodo?’

Dodo gave a gasp, coloured up, and shrugged. ‘’Course.’

‘Good.’

Prue rose, crossing to the window. ‘It is a fine day. Perhaps we might go out, since it is Saturday, and you can show me the gardens. We shall do our spelling as we go.’

She turned in time to catch the look exchanged between the twins, and silently congratulated herself on the success of her tactics. If nothing else, she had puzzled them. They could not refer to the frogs without confessing their knowledge of the event, and so they were cheated of crowing over her.

As they came out of the Hall through a side door, the twins exclaimed at seeing their uncle about to set off somewhere in his phaeton.

‘He is going for a drive!’

‘Shall we ask him to take us?’

Prue seized them both. ‘You will do no such thing. In the first place, Mr Rookham is likely on business of his own. And in the second, we have our lesson to do.’

‘Oh, bother!’

As Prue attempted to silence their vociferous protests, the groom was seen to let go of the horses’ heads, and leap up behind as the phaeton took off, rapidly gathering speed. Prue watched it out of sight around the bend in the drive, momentarily lost in a memory of that first horrid meeting.

‘Uncle Julius drives ever so fast.’

‘He’s faster than anything!’

‘Don’t you think so, Miss Hursley?’

Prue came to herself with a start. Fast! What would they say if she was to reveal that their uncle’s speedy progress had been responsible for Folly’s sojourn at Rookham Hall?

‘I think we should get on with our walk,’ she said firmly.

But as they started off down the open lawns that led through clumps of trees, Lotty nearly succeeded in robbing Prue of her poise.

‘When I was awake last night, Miss Hursley, I thought I heard Uncle Julius talking in our part of the house.’

Prue’s heart skipped a beat. But she must not hesitate! ‘Did you, Lotty?’

‘I heard him too,’ piped up Dodo, encouraged by her sister’s effrontery.

‘Dear me. Perhaps you both dreamed it.’

It was lame, and Prue knew it—even without Lotty’s look of scorn. But the memory of her encounter with Mr Rookham was anything but comfortable. Horribly aware of having spoken much too freely, she was still more troubled by the warmth that overtook her at the remembrance of his untoward familiarity. At the moment of his touching her—she could almost feel still the pressure of his fingers upon her chin!—she had been too upset to realise what he was doing.

But when he had left her—with so teasing a remark that she had been moved almost to slamming the door!—she had been overtaken with a dreadful sense of having behaved with impropriety. As for Mr Rookham, what had possessed him to conduct himself
towards the governess in that disrespectful fashion? And twice he had called her Prudence!

At the memory of his smile, of his gentleness, Prue had found herself trembling so much that she had gathered up Folly, cradling him to her bosom for comfort. Taking a not unnatural exception to being squeezed so tightly, the kitten had squirmed to be free. But when Prue had clambered into bed, leaving the candle alight beside her, Folly had been willing enough to play at cat and mouse, pouncing on Prue’s foot as she moved it here and there underneath the covers.

She had participated absently, lying upon her pillows in a state of suppressed agitation, as in her mind she had gone over every detail of what had occurred during Mr Rookham’s untoward visit. Folly had long tired of the game and curled himself up in a doze by the time Prue had become sufficiently calm again to blow out her candle and contemplate sleep herself.

It had not been until this morning, when the twins presented themselves in the schoolroom with the light of anticipation in their faces, that Prue had recalled that her fracas with the frogs had been the cause of her employer’s descent upon her.

‘This way, Miss Hursley!’

Coming to herself, she discovered that the twins had run on ahead, and the gleam of water had widened into a pond so large that it was almost a small lake.

‘This is pretty indeed!’

The pond was set in a half-surround of trees, their leaves just now in bud, with a profusion of reedy shoots, and purple iris peeping here and there. Within the pond lay vast flat leaves of water lilies, and the busy sound of insects crept through the still air, together with an intermittent croak.

‘Look, Miss Hursley! Frogs!’

Prue bit her lips upon the exclamation that rose to them. She looked where Lotty was pointing, and observed one of the slimy green creatures on the bank, half in, half out of the water. It was slimmer than those which had been placed in her bed, but there could be no doubt that this pond was where the girls had found its sturdier brethren.

Dodo was at her side, smirking. ‘Don’t you like frogs, Miss Hursley?’

Prue swallowed down a rise of resentment. She must not allow their taunts to affect her. She summoned a calm tone.

‘I am not fond of them, Dodo.’

‘Then you would not care for a pet frog,’ stated Lotty, smiling with odious superiority.

‘I prefer Folly, I admit.’

The kitten had been left behind, for fear of his becoming lost in this alien garden. He had been introduced to the outside world only for short periods in the twins’ charge.

‘Oh, well, Folly prefers you, too,’ said Dodo sulkily.

Prue thought it better to ignore this. The twins appeared determined to force her into a reaction. Prue was equally determined they would not succeed. She took refuge in education.

‘How do you spell frog, Dodo?’

Prue almost laughed out at the disappointment that spread across the child’s face. But she was able to spell the word. Looking about her, Prue subjected the two of them to a barrage of spellings, using the everyday objects that surrounded them.

Drawing away from the pond, she requested them to lead her elsewhere so that she might find new words.

‘We’ll take you to the gardens,’ said Lotty.

‘I thought these were the gardens.’

‘Pooh!’ scoffed Dodo. ‘This is nothing. Uncle Julius has about fifty gardens.’

‘What a fibber you are, Dodo! ’Course he hasn’t.’

‘Well, he has lots and lots.’

Lotty turned to Prue as she led the way through two clumps of trees. ‘Did you know that Uncle Julius is mad on gardens?’

‘Is he? How is that?’

It was as well, Prue felt, that Lotty had looked away again, for she was convinced her consciousness at this further mention of him must be evident in her cheeks. How she managed to speak with such apparent unconcern she would never know.

It was Dodo who answered. ‘No reason. He just likes gardens. Mama says gardens are his pashing.’

‘His what?’

‘She means passion,’ explained Lotty. ‘Dodo, you iggorant noodle, you don’t know any words!’

‘It is ignorant with an “n”, not iggorant,’ Prue pointed out. ‘And I do wish you will not scoff at your sister.’

At which, Dodo at once began crowing in delight, while Lotty pouted. It was therefore Dodo who gave the first explanation as they arrived at a bank of laburnum tunnelling through into the picturesque world of Mr Rookham’s gardens.

Prue became rapidly bewildered as she was led down walkways, and up wide stone steps. Around walls of hedge they went, down a wide grass area flanked by a stone wall.

‘This is the bowling green.’

Up another set of stairs, and she found herself confronted by a barrier of trelliswork that stretched in two directions.

‘We can’t go in there,’ announced Lotty, whose sulk had not lasted much beyond the tunnel. ‘That’s going to be the treillage garden, Uncle Julius says, and we’re not allowed in because it’s full of wood and nails.’

‘And we might get cut, he says,’ added Dodo. ‘But you can peek through because there’s no flowers yet either.’

Prue declined to peek, having a lively apprehension of her employer’s likely remarks should he chance to discover she had done so. The rose garden was also skirted, being another forbidden area. But the twins fell in delight upon a closed-in terrace that featured an old covered well upon a paved centre, and a few wild rose bushes scattered about. The trees and shrubs of the enclosure gave the garden an air of wildness, and a great oak in one corner completed the picture.

The effect was altogether pleasing, and while Dodo and Lotty created echoes down the well, Prue wandered about, finding that the place lent her a feeling of tranquillity.

Of which, she reflected, she was much in need. For she found herself taken up by the hint of romanticism hidden in Mr Rookham’s character. Surely the man who had so strong a feeling for gardens as to cause the creation of such beauty must possess an unusual degree of sentiment? A thought which Prue found distinctly disturbing to her peace of mind. It would be better, perhaps, if she did not learn too much more of her employer.

No further attempt was made by the twins to draw Prue on the subject of frogs. But their assaults upon her defences were not at an end.

Twice during the following week, Prue found a scattering of ink spots on the paper in the bureau that had been placed for her use in her little parlour. On the next Monday evening, she almost jumped out of her skin upon lifting the cover of one of the dishes sent up for her consumption at dinner. For beneath it was a plateful of worms.

Prue could only be glad that she had not screamed. It was a truly disgusting trick to play, and she was certain that not all her pleadings would have saved the twins from Mr Rookham’s just revenge.

She was about to ring the bell, having slammed the cover back down and risen hurriedly from the table, when she recollected that to call one of the servants could only mean discovery for the girls. They could not, she believed, have effected this prank with the assistance of Mrs Wincle in the kitchens. Nor indeed any of the servants.