The Unconventional Governess by Jessica Nelson

Author:Jessica Nelson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-01-04T16:15:52+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Henrietta grabbed the jar of chamomile and shook it until her forearms ached. She moved on to the next jar, until all of her tinctures had been shaken. Only a few more weeks and they’d be ready to mix into ointments, balms and other remedies.

“Do you have to shake them every day?” Louise sat propped on a stool, her legs swinging.

“If you want to do it right, yes.” Henrietta lined the jars neatly on the shelf. Cook had let Henrietta use the small room off the side of the kitchen as a place to mix and store her herbs. Many recipes required weeks of sitting in airtight jars before being ready for use.

“Dom said we shall be visiting London soon.”

“Yes, I meant to inform you of that,” Henrietta murmured, touching the feverfew she’d laid out on a cloth for drying. The plant bent beneath her fingertip, suggesting more time needed for adequate dryness. It had been several days since she’d seen the earl, and she was glad for it. Never had she felt so unsteady as when she’d left his office.

Apologize.

She did not want to. His challenge echoed within, stirring emotions she’d rather ignore. While she admired the way he’d seized control and demanded the apology, being on the receiving end of his authoritativeness rankled.

“Do you think I shall be able to attend a ball?” The uncertain waver in Louise’s voice pulled Henrietta from her thoughts. She crossed the room and sat down next to her.

“You are too young, as of yet, but perhaps in a few years. Your aunt may have a room above the ballroom, where you can watch the attendees.”

“Will you sit with me, if she does?”

Henrietta’s heart twisted at the somber loneliness in Louise’s voice. “I shall do my best,” she said quietly. “Shall we go search out new blossoms? Perhaps we will find a few caterpillars before they’ve all gone into metamorphosis.”

They headed to the gardens, which thanks to the added staff, appeared more manicured than when Henrietta had first arrived. Despite the changes, a lush wildness still remained. It was to the wildness that she and Louise traipsed in search of caterpillars.

“We will look for a guide to insects when in London,” she said, peering beneath a fuzzy green leaf. No caterpillar, but the striations on the leaf reminded her of veins in a human heart. “Look, Louise.”

The girl pattered over, dropping to her knees and dipping her head to peer at the underside of the foliage. Henrietta, on her knees also and propped on one hand, motioned Louise to adopt the same pose. “Do you see these lines here?” She drew her finger gently across the skin of the leaf, and Louise followed her movement. “When on the field, I met a surgeon who had previously performed...” She paused. The subject might not be suitable for a young girl. “That is to say, he had some experience with studying human hearts, and he showed me one. It was quite remarkable.”

“Where was

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