108. An Archangel Called Ivan by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: M-Y Books
Published: 2013-11-11T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOUR

It was not until late in the afternoon after they had explored the garden and the greenhouses that Lord Wilson sent for Arliva.

She walked along the passage to his sitting room feeling a little nervous in case he should think that she was too young to be Governess to the children.

When she entered the room, he was seated on a sofa with a rug over his knees and she realised that he was very much older and weaker than she had expected.

When she stood in front of him, he began,

“So you are the new Governess. I hear that you are turning the place topsy-turvy.”

“It is not quite as bad as all that, my Lord,” Arliva replied, “but I think that everyone had forgotten that the children are now too old for a nursery.”

“So you had them moved downstairs into the best rooms,” Lord Wilson said. “Do you really think that will improve their brains?”

He spoke in a rather gruff but not offensive tone.

Arliva gave a little laugh.

“I hope so, my Lord, but I expect you know as well as I do that children have to be enticed into learning not forced into it.”

“I wonder who told you that,” Lord Wilson asked.

There was silence for a moment.

And then unexpectedly he enquired,

“Where do you come from?”

As the question came as such a surprise, Arliva told him the truth.

“I come from Gloucestershire, which is where I was born.”

“Gloucestershire,” the old man said slowly. “I had a friend there at one time. Lord Ashdown was his name. He made a great fortune for himself very cleverly and I wish now that I had followed his advice.”

For a moment because he had mentioned her father, Arliva thought that he had recognised her.

Then she realised that he was looking back into the past and that he was more or less talking to himself.

“If I had gone into the Diplomatic Corps,” the old man was saying, “like old Ashdown, then I would be a millionaire today. Although what I would do with it, I have no idea.”

Arliva thought it best to be silent for the moment and only after what was quite a long pause, did she say,

“I do think, my Lord, that the children should have friends of their own age and it is certainly important for Johnnie to be in touch with other boys before he goes to Boarding School.”

“And where do you think you would find them?” he asked. “When my son was alive, there used to be people coming in for luncheon, inspecting the horses and admiring the garden. Where have they all gone to? They cannot all be dead!”

Arliva knew the answer to this one was that they found the old man, who was clearly almost in his dotage, too dull to bother about.

Then she said,

“I hope you will not mind, my Lord, if I ask other boys and girls in the neighbourhood to come to luncheon or tea. Then to ride or swim with your grandchildren.”

“If you can find them, you ask them,” he replied.

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