The Governess's Secret
Summary: When the Duke's daughter is left on his doorstep as a wee babe, he takes her in and decides to raise her. Fast forward four years and the search for a governess becomes something he never expected it to be.
1814
"Nik," his younger brother said as he tossed him the half-full bottle of bourbon.
"What is it, Kol?" The Duke of Claymoure questioned as he uncapped the bottle and threw back his head, putting the bottle to his full lips as he took a long sip.
"You do know that mother expects you to marry within a couple of months, right?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Married? Mother is hugely mistaken if she believes that I will do as she pleases. And anyway, I don't see why I have to wed when I wasn't even supposed to become the Duke in the first place ."
"True enough," he shrugged as he reached for a cranberry scone and bit into it with gusto.
As the Duke was about to say something, there was a knock on the door and then they heard the butler's footsteps.
About two minutes later, the butler was walking towards the Duke's study.
"Your grace," he called as he knocked on the door.
"Enter," Klaus commanded and as the door knob turned, the Duke put his index finger under his chin in curiosity. After all, it was half past midnight and most people were already in their homes.
"Your grace..." Frederick said as he walked further into his study with a basket in his hands.
"What in the world?" He questioned, the confusion evident in his voice.
"A wee babe, my lord." Frederick clarified and as the Duke looked into the basket, he felt a familiarity in his heart.
"Who left the babe?" He questioned as Kol walked over to his side and peered over his shoulder at the sleeping child with a full head of blonde hair and ivory colored skin.
"I have no idea, my lord... When I opened the door, the basket was the only thing on the step and I could not see anybody in the distance."
"Very well, then." Klaus nodded. "Please do ask Mrs. Lorelei to come into the study... I do not exactly know how to go about this, but perhaps Mrs. Lorelei will."
"Of course, my lord. I will return shortly." Frederick told him. "And, my lord... There is a letter in there for you."
"Thank you," Klaus said and with that Frederick disappeared out of the door.
"Is the babe your child?" Kol wondered, the curiosity evident in his voice.
"I do believe so, yes." He nodded.
"How do you know?" Kol asked as he ran his finger down the baby's cheek.
"A gut feeling, I believe." Klaus admitted as he took out the letter and set the basket with the sleeping child on the seat.
As Kol moved behind him, Klaus exhaled before he flipped the letter open.
It read:
Your grace,
On the fourth of November, the child that lays in the basket was born. She is our child, but I am afraid that I cannot provide for her at the present time... Although, I know that there is a good chance that you will send her to an orphanage, I hope you do not even though our daughter may very well be the reason as to why your carefree life is no longer just that.
I think that it would be best if you did not know who I was. But please do consider using the name I gave our daughter- Layla Eloise.
Thank you.
"Layla," Klaus said as he looked down at the child with a hint of a smile on his lips.
"Will you allow her to go by the name that her mother gave her?"
"I know that I should not because her mother has no right to naming her, but I cannot help but think that the name fits her perfectly."
"And the mother? Do you have any idea who she might be?"
"None," he sighed heavily. "I have been with a fair share of women throughout my lifetime and most of the times I pulled out, but I guess this time I did not."
"And if she is not your daughter by blood?"
"She is," Klaus said. "I know it and I know that when she gets older, you will understand as well."
"So, you will keep her then?"
"Layla is no dog, brother... I do intend to raise her, however, though I know I may not be the greatest choice."
"And what will happen when the mother returns for my niece?" His younger brother asked, his tone serious as he took another bite out of his scone.
"She will not be getting her." Klaus said with finality. "When she left Layla on my doorstep, she lost all of her parental rights."
"And if she left Layla because she had a good reason to?"
"I highly doubt that. I would not be surprised if Layla's mother turned out to be one of the whores I fraternized with which is why Layla will be raised respectfully and should she ever ask about her mother, I will say she passed away."
"The ton will know that she is your bastard, Niklaus."
"Not if I fabricate a story... One that says Layla was left an orphan when her parents died from disease somewhere in India and I decided to adopt her."
"And if they ask about who her parents are?"
"An old friend of mine- Lieutenant Cross and his genteel wife, Eloise." Klaus told him. "How does sound?"
"Pretty damned believable, if I can say so myself." Kol told him as the two brothers smiled at one another and then looked over to the sleeping babe that had her thumb in her mouth.
"Very good then," the Duke nodded as Mrs. Lorelei knocked on the door.
In the darkened garden of the Duke's home, Layla's mother placed her chin on her knees as she broke down softly. After all, the one person that she loved with every fiber of her being, she could not keep and did not know when she would see her beautiful daughter again.
For some reason, however, Layla's mother knew that her daughter would be safe with her father even though she barely knew him.
Perhaps, leaving Layla in her father's care was wiser than forcing the innocent child to be raised in poverty with no other family to speak of, but the mother that could not even afford to keep warm clothing on her back.
1818
"Niklaus!" Esther Mikaelson called out as she entered his study without so much as a knock on the door.
"Hello, mother… Do come in, please." Klaus said as he rolled his eyes and shared a look with his beautiful four year old daughter.
"Grandmama!" Layla cried out as she ran towards her grandmother and wrapped her hands around her leg.
"Hello, my beauty." Esther said, smiling down at her granddaughter with her eyes lit up. "How is your daddy treating you?"
"Good enough," she answered. "Daddy won't get me the doll I want, though." The blonde-haired girl said as she looked over at her father with a frown on her rosy-colored lips.
"Oh, darling…" Klaus said. "Since we are in London for the time being, I will surely get you that doll you have been nagging me about, but for now I need you to find your governess."
"But isn't Miss Abigail leaving tonight? She is getting married, isn't she?"
"Miss Abigail is leaving tonight and she is getting married, but I fear the conversation your grandmother and I are about to have is going to bore you to tears. Go on and practice your reading, okay?"
"Okay, daddy." Layla sighed as Esther picked her up and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Once Layla was standing on the floor, she made her way over to her father before he kissed her on her forehead.
"Run along, sweetheart."
With a nod, Layla made her way over to the door before she made her way up the stairs and into the teaching room.
"What brings you here, mother?" Klaus wondered, the curiosity evident in his voice.
"Darling, you have been the Duke for about four years now and you still are not married… You must marry and have an heir in case something happens to you and I do believe that I gave you more than enough time to think about it."
"I have an heir, mother." Klaus told her as he crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes at her.
"Niklaus, I know that Layla is your daughter, but the ton knows her as a child you adopted out of duty to your late acquaintance. And anyway, Layla is no boy which means you need a son, Klaus… One that is legitimate."
"Layla may be my illegitimate child, but if you so much as dare say that again, know that you will not be welcome in my home ever again. Layla is my daughter and I care not who her mother is which is why you need to stop trying to tell me what to do. Yes, you gave me four years, but perhaps you should allow me to decide when to marry one of those chits that frequent the ballrooms and musicales."
"Niklaus, I want to be able to see your wedding! I know not how much time I have left in this world and you dare to defy me yet again? How dare you!" Esther cried out.
"Mother, please." Klaus rolled his eyes. "You are only eight and forty and I do believe you have another three decades in this world before you succumb to the afterlife."
"Unbelievable!" Esther said, throwing her hands in the air.
"Mother, please… Layla's governess is leaving tonight and I still have not found a replacement, so please do leave me to my own devices."
"Of course," Esther sighed heavily as she turned towards the door. "But know that this conversation is not over and I will have you married off by the end of the season." The woman added before she left his study.
Once he was alone, the Duke huffed in annoyance before he penned a letter to a friend of his that was in charge of newspaper advertisements.
Then, he stood up and made his way up to the nursery where he found Layla and Miss Abigail playing with the puppy he got his daughter for her fourth birthday just three months ago.
"Having fun?" He asked, looking over at his daughter with a brilliant smile on her lips.
"Yes," Layla told him as Miss Abigail looked up at him.
"Very good," he smiled. "Miss Abigail? You are leaving us tonight, are you not?"
"I am, your grace… Please do forgive me, but my fiance does not want his future countess working. Why that is the case, I know not, but Liam is the love of my life, so hopefully you understand."
"Well, of course I do." Klaus reassured her. "It is unfortunate to see you go because you have been so very good with Layla, but you have your own life to think about. Worry not about it."
"Thank you, my lord." Abigail nodded. "May I ask if you found another governess to fill in my position yet?"
"I haven't, actually." Klaus sighed heavily. "But I have given an advertisement, so hopefully somebody will turn up."
"Yes, I have no doubt in my mind that somebody will." Abigail told him, a smile on her lips.
"Layla?" Klaus said.
"Yes, my lord?" The little girl questioned as she looked up at him with eyes that mirrored his own. Although, all of his family knew that Layla was his biological daughter as well as his servants, Miss Abigail did not even though she has been with them for about a year.
"How is your reading come along?"
"Very good," she smiled. "I was reading to Miss Abigail, but then Maxy entered which is why we took a break."
"No need to explain, Layla." He reassured. "Don't you worry about it." He added.
Layla nodded as she kissed her puppy on the forehead and smiled triumphantly.
"But now, I must be off." He told them. "I wish you the very best in life, Miss Abigail. It has been an honor to have you here."
"Thank you, your grace. It has been an honor working with Layla as well."
"Very good," he smiled. "Have a good day!" He called out as he left them to their own devices.
Two days later, Klaus had his face in his hands because after interviewing about ten women for the governessing position, he was quickly starting to realize that it was far more difficult than he thought it would be. After all, many of them were qualified enough, but when Layla met them, she simply looked at him and shook his head.
As he took a sip from the glass of bourbon, there was a knock on his door.
"Come in," he called, sounding exhausted.
Frederick entered and he nodded at his employer in greeting before he began speaking.
"My lord, a lady is here because she would like to have an interview with you about the governessing position."
"Send her in," he sighed.
With a slight nod, Frederick shut the door and returned moments later with a woman standing behind him.
"That will be all, Frederick." He told him and then the two were left alone in his study.
"Your grace," the woman curtsied before she straightened herself out.
She wore a gray gown that seemed to have seen better days and her hands rested on either side of her body. As his eyes roamed up to her face, his breath caught in his throat. The woman that stood before him was a beauty of the first class with her curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her nose looked straight and elegant and her lips- oh, her lips- were a rosy color and though they were not very full, he couldn't help but want to bite down on her bottom lip with his teeth.
"You are here for the governessing position for my charge?" The Duke questioned, shaking the sensual thoughts from his head.
"Yes, my lord." She answered, nodding slightly.
"What is your name?"
"Caroline Forbes." She responded, keeping her back straight.
Forbes, he thought… That last name rang a bell, but he could not remember for the life of him why that was the case.
"Very well," he nodded. "Miss Forbes, do you have any references?"
"Yes," she told him and he motioned for her to come closer.
Once in front of him, she handed him the sheet of paper and stepped back.
"You used to be the governess for an earl and his countess?" He questioned, the curiosity evident in his voice.
"Yes, my lord… I was the governess to their two young daughters."
"And why did you leave them?"
"I, um… Well, I really do not wish to speak about it, your grace." She told him and he realized just how uncomfortable she looked.
"Fine," he shrugged. "Just a minute." He told her as he stood up and walked to the door before he called for his butler.
"My lord?" Frederick said.
"Bring Miss Layla to my study, please." Klaus said.
"Yes, your grace." The elderly man nodded as he made his way up the stairs.
Then, Klaus entered his study and noticed that the beautiful woman was still standing in the exact same spot.
"You may sit, if you would like." Klaus told her even though she was nothing but a servant.
"Thank you," she told him, a little smile on her lips.
The two sat in a comfortable silence for about three minutes and then Layla entered with Maxy behind her.
"Miss Layla," Klaus said as he presented the blonde woman that was now standing and seemed to have gone pale.
"Are you alright?" The four year old wondered as she walked over to the blonde with curiosity in her blue-gray eyes.
"Wonderful," Caroline nodded as she shook her head slightly before she looked down at the little girl.
"You are pretty." Layla told her, a smile on her lips.
Obviously relaxing, the woman bent to the little girl's eye level and smiled at her genuinely.
"As are you, Miss Layla." Caroline told her. "May I call you Miss Layla?"
"Of course," she nodded. "But I would like it if you just called me Layla or Eloise."
"Eloise?" The woman questioned as she looked up at the Duke with something that looked like respect.
"Yes," Layla said. "Eloise is my middle name."
"Layla Eloise," Caroline repeated. "A beautiful name for a beautiful little girl and you may call me Caroline."
"Thank you, Caroline." she smiled as she looked up at her father and then back at the kind woman. "The Duke's brother tells me my mama gave me that name."
"Layla!" Klaus said, his voice serious as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"The Duke does not really like my mama, Caroline." Layla told her as she sighed heavily.
"Oh," Caroline simply said.
"Forgive her, please." Klaus said. "Layla knows not of what she is speaking about." He said sharply.
When those words were out of his mouth, he immediately regretted them as he saw his daughter's eyes fill with tears.
"Oh, sweetheart." Caroline said as she put her arms around the crying little girl who in return wrapped her arms around her neck.
"The Duke is mean sometimes." Layla told her. "I do not know why, though."
"I am sure he does not mean to be, sweetheart… Don't you worry about it."
"Shite," Klaus said under his breath as he shook his head in annoyance. "Darling, do you want Miss Forbes to become your governess or not?"
With a glare, his daughter turned to him with her eyes narrowed and her lips pouted before she nodded.
"Well then," Klaus said. "You got the job, Miss Forbes."
There you have it! So, I hope you guys liked this first chapter even though it was kind of all over the place!
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~Hana :p
