The River Maid by Dilly Court

Author:Dilly Court [Dilly Court]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2017-11-23T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

According to Alice, the schoolroom was apparently exactly the same as when she had taken lessons from Miss Potts. Alice strolled round the room, picking up small objects and putting them down again. ‘Goodness gracious, I’d completely forgotten these things,’ she said, smiling. ‘I haven’t been in this room for years.’ She turned to the tall, thin woman who had entered behind her. ‘You had a hard time trying to din mathematics and Latin into my head, Emmeline.’

Miss Potts nodded gravely. ‘You were not always the most attentive pupil, my lady.’

‘Sad but true.’ Alice turned to Essie and Sadie, who were standing to attention by the door. ‘This is Miss Potts, who will be your tutor for the next few weeks. She’ll assess how much or how little you know, but her main task will be to correct your grammar and to teach you etiquette, deportment and whatever social graces she thinks might be necessary. We’ve agreed that she will come here every morning from nine o’clock until midday. Does that sound reasonable to you, Essie?’

‘Yes, Alice.’ Essie’s initial reaction when Alice had broached the subject had been to refuse politely but firmly. However, since then she had given the matter a great deal of thought and she had to admit that it made sense. Her new fortune would only benefit her and those she loved if she knew how to handle it, and how to mix with people from all walks of life. She was no longer simply Essie Chapman, the boatman’s daughter, she was the wealthy Miss Esther Chapman, who had yet to decide how she would spend her money or where she would reside, but she also knew that there were plenty of people who would try to part her from her riches, and she must keep one step ahead of them.

‘I’ll leave you to your work, Emmeline,’ Alice said, smiling sweetly. ‘I’ll be out this morning, riding round the estate with Humphries, and I believe that Captain Falco has decided to accompany us. We’ll meet up at luncheon, Essie, and this afternoon I thought we’d take the carriage to Starcross Abbey. I’m sure you must be curious to see Raven’s ancestral home.’ She left the room, closing the door behind her.

‘Now then, ladies. Please be seated and we’ll make a start.’ Miss Potts took off her black bonnet and hung it on a peg together with her black cape. Essie noted her black bombazine dress that was threadbare in places and wondered how long the lady had been in mourning, but it was not the sort of question she could ask. She waited for Miss Potts to take her seat behind the large desk before sitting down next to Sadie.

‘I hope you don’t use the cane too often if I gets things wrong, miss,’ Sadie said in a low voice, her eyes filling with tears. ‘I ain’t too quick at learning.’

Miss Potts folded her wrinkled hands together as if she were about to say a prayer.

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