A Governess of Wise Years by Murdoch Emily E K

Author:Murdoch, Emily E K
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2022-03-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

February 5, 1816

It was starting to get rather annoying. He had never noticed his servants in this way before. He had grown up in Byhalden Lodge, and because of his two older brothers, had never expected to live here forever.

Thomas and Mallory, named for his father’s penchant for medieval literature, had been two strapping lads when their rather scrawny youngest brother had been born. Edwin could well remember his father saying, not in a cruel way, that of all his sons that he expected to outlive, it was Edwin.

His father had died later that year, and the three Bysshe brothers had grown up relatively in harmony. There were always little scuffles between brothers, but Edwin could recall no great enmity between them. Thomas, the eldest, had no concern with his brothers staying at the lodge as long as they wished.

“Just because you’re not the heir,” he had always said with a smile, “doesn’t mean you should be homeless.”

It had been a rather unpleasant shock to hear of Thomas’s death by a fever, a gangrenous wound weakening him within a matter of days. Mallory had inherited, and to much surprise, had succumbed just a year later to an agony in his side.

Edwin had never gained a clear idea from the doctor who came from York precisely what was wrong with his brother, but he had, to his great pride, been there with his brother when the end had come.

And that had left Edwin. Their mother, having died so many years earlier, Edwin slipped into the role of the Bysshe at the lodge, and the same servants who had watched him grow—or more likely, their children—had continued on with their tasks, keeping the house running as only a well-organized set of servants could.

But he did not actually know them. Edwin was not certain he could pick out a single name of a Bysshe servant, save for Mrs. Jenner and Harris, who arguably did not count.

It was just part of being a part of this family—of any family of a servant rank. One’s house was full of servants. By numbers, he supposed it was more their house than his own.

And he had never noticed them. Well, Harris brought him things when ordered, and Mrs. Jenner made a fuss of ensuring he did not spot a single maid going around lighting fires, but that was all.

Until now. Until one of them in particular.

Edwin gritted his teeth as he tried to put all thought of Miss Vivienne Clarke from his mind, but it was impossible. Wherever he went, there was Vivienne. No matter how he attempted to avoid her, his efforts were futile.

She was truly everywhere. If he went to the garden to sketch, she was there. If he went to the drawing room to think, she was there. If he went to the library to retrieve a book, anything to rid his mind of the thoughts of her, who was he to find there?

Never on her own, of course. Edwin had to give her that; she was almost always with Laura.

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