Hello everyone! Apologies for such a long delay in posting a new chapter. I am working on a pantomime at the moment which are very busy to say the least. Anyway enjoy this bumper chapter and please review! Love Miffygirl18 xxxx
Chapter 49 – Into the Lyon's Den:
As the coach pulled up outside 19 Montpelier Square, the young woman inside made a little nervous gulp. She pulled out her compact mirror and checked her face for what seemed like the hundredth time on the journey there. Ever since she was a little girl, Miss Charlotte Lyons despaired every aspect of her looks, her skinny frame, her uncontrollable, fiery red hair but she particularly despised her freckles.
She and her older sisters had tried every cream, lotion and potion under the sun to remove them but alas no results. She knew and scolded herself many a time that she shouldn't be so absorbed in her looks. She was fully aware that she was privileged and received an education that most women couldn't even dream of.
But she knew that her plain complexion wouldn't help her chances one bit in the marriage market. But then again her education wouldn't either as she knew most men dreaded having a clever wife. So it was either being married off to a dull businessman or lawyer and whiling her days embroidering or becoming a governess and making her own way in the world. It was not a hard choice for her to make.
"Good afternoon Madam," the coach door opened and Miss Lyons saw the footman bow and then waited expectantly for her to step out.
"Thank you," she nodded as she ducked her head and went to step out of the coach. However, she misjudged the height of the first coach step and started to fall forward! Quick as a flash Thomas caught her in his arms before Miss Lyons landed face first onto the pavement!
"Thou art alreight lass?" he asked as Miss Lyons laid forward in his arms, breathing rapidly in shock. He could feel her breath hot on his neck and his nose caught a whiff of her perfume, rosewater, no, eau de violets. As she lifted her head their eyes meet, his green flecked with hazel into her watery blue. A cold, almost sickening wave of anxiety washed over her, as his eyes looked through hers as if they were windows. She blinked, as if trying to draw curtains before he could see too much.
"I am quite alright thank you," she hastily pulled herself up, her pale face now flushed scarlet in embarrassment! Her friends often teased her for her ungainliness but to do so on her first day at her new employment, yet alone in front of the rather fetching footman was bad enough!
"My bags if you would be so kind," she coughed, avoiding Thomas's gaze as she adjusted her skewed boater hat and marched over to the servants' entrance, praying that her new mistress hadn't been watching from the windows above. Thomas smiled as he shook his head before unloading Miss Lyons' cases from the coach. Although he couldn't help watching her walking over to the house for a second before going back to his task.
The staff were all waiting in the kitchen and Carson introduced them all to Miss Lyons with great restraint. "Mr and Mrs Porter are at court today and Professor Porter has taken Miss Annabelle for a trip to St Paul's Cathedral so you have the day to settle in and prepare Miss Lyons."
"I will give you a tour of the house whilst Thomas brings up your things," Mrs Fairfax nodded politely. "Please follow me Miss Lyons."
Miss Lyons nodded and followed Mrs Fairfax who showed her each room. It was an easy enough layout for her to rememorize, Lord and Lady Gillford's residence was a labyrinth of rooms compared to the Porters.
"And this is the playroom which has been turned into the schoolroom for Miss Annabelle," Mrs Fairfax waved her hand as Miss Lyons walked in, her eyes taking in every details. It was a light, spacious room with a big table, a reversible blackboard and a couple of bookcases. There was plenty of scope for her imagination, to make it a stimulating workspace for herself and her new pupil.
"This way please," Mrs Fairfax interrupted her thoughts and took her up to the attic and showed Miss Lyons her assigned bedroom.
"I am next door," Mrs Fairfax said as Miss Lyons placed her carpetbag on the bed as her eyes took in the beams of the ceiling. "Mr Carson and Mr Blackwell are in the other two rooms. Your breakfasts and dinners will be served to you in your room and lunch will be eaten with Miss Annabelle in the schoolroom."
"Of course," Miss Lyons nodded. She was fully aware of her strange status in the household. She was upper middle class like the Porters but was not a member of the family, nor a servant. It was an isolating position to hold but she would rather deal with that any day than continue living in her family home.
"I will leave you to unpack and organise the schoolroom," Mrs Fairfax replied as she headed towards the door, "I am sure that the mistress will want to speak with you when she gets back from court this evening."
"Of course," Miss Lyons nodded again and Mrs Fairfax closed the door. She opened up her cases and set about unpacking her things. Amongst her things she found a little photograph of her family. She hadn't packed it, must have been her father's housekeeper. She stared at it for a moment before taking it and shoving it into the decorative jug that was on the mantelpiece. Out of sight, out of mind.
Later that day, after she had spent several hours organising the schoolroom, there was a knock on her bedroom door. "Come in," she called out and in came Thomas, carrying her dinner on a tray.
"Yer dinner Miss Lyons," he said as he placed the tray on the little table. Miss Lyons blushed and nodded silently in thanks.
"Cat gat yer tongue?" Thomas asked playfully.
"No!" Miss Lyons stammered and silently cursed herself as she blushed again, "Thank you for bringing my supper Mr Blackwall."
"Please, call me Thomas."
"I don't think that would be appropriate Mr Blackwall."
"Oh we art a more relaxed household here. Missen and t'other maids art on first name terms." Thomas smiled with his usual friendly candour.
"Again, I don't think that would be appropriate Mr Blackwall." Miss Lyons replied as she sat down at the table and Thomas calmly placed her dinner in front of her, a simple but tasty mutton hotpot.
"Thou should eat with us in t'kitchen," Thomas noted as he placed a cup and a teapot on the table. "Must be dreadfully dull eating dinner all by thissen."
"I'm not suffering for company!" Miss Lyons retorted rather shortly and she blushed at her rudeness. She was still not used to talking to men outside of her immediate family.
"Of course…I will leave thee to yer dinner. Goodnight Miss Lyons," Thomas nodded politely and headed out of her room with the tray. Miss Lyons wondered if she should go after him and apologise for her curt tone. But her dinner would get cold and she was hungry after her unpacking and organising the schoolroom. She opened the book on the table and started to read the opening lines as she ate her first mouthful of mutton hotpot. She found books so much more simpler to understand than people.
"How's the new addition doing?" Mrs Griggs asked as Thomas sat down at the kitchen table just as the staff were about to tuck into their own dinner. Mrs Griggs spooned a decent portion of hotpot onto a plate and handed it to Thomas.
"Fine, ta," Thomas replied as he took the plate and tucked in, "She likes to be on 'er own, a quiet lass."
"That's because you were probably badgering her!" Martha playfully teased him as she dipped some bread into her dinner.
"Gi' over!" Thomas replied as everyone laughed. Thomas was known for being a bit of a flirt with the ladies and it was amusing to them for a woman to reject his smooth talking.
"Seriously Thomas," Carson added somewhat sternly. "There will be no fraternising with Miss Lyons. We must remain professional at all times, is that understood?"
"Aye sir," Thomas nodded, "I don't think she likes me very much anyways."
Later that night, Miss Lyons was sitting up in bed reading by an oil lamp. It was Ivanhoe, a wonderful romance, rich in medieval history and brave knights. It was a book that she had since childhood and it was well read with well-thumbed pages and a weakening spine. As she turned the page, she saw it was blotted with old tearstains. As a little girl, she found great comfort in books and still did.
When she was ready to turn in for the night, she reached for the small pile of books down on the floor beside her bed and laid them on top of her, a blanket of literature and characters protecting her from the evil dragons and dreams of the night.
Early the next morning, after washing Miss Lyons got dressed for her first day of teaching her new charge. She laced herself into her corset as she preferred to be self-sufficient and not rely on another maid to dress her. She then put on a simple and practical cream, lace trimmed shirtwaist and a dark brown gored skirt. The only jewellery she pinned on was a gold and amethyst brooch at her throat that belonged to her mother.
She nervously ate a breakfast of a boiled egg, toast and marmalade but she was relieved that Daisy rather than Thomas delivered it to her. She picked up her books and looked at herself in the mirror and took in a deep breath to calm her nerves.
"You can do this," she told herself as firmly as she could, "You're intelligent, engaging and capable. The only way is up…the only way up." Her voice became doubtful and she scrutinised her appearance, except her hair. There was no point in trying make that perfect and she headed down to the schoolroom.
"Good morning Miss Lyons," Thomas said as he was leaving his own room and Miss Lyons felt her stomach flip in anxiety.
"Good morning Mr Blackwall," she mumbled, avoiding eye contact and headed down the stairs before he could say anything else. Thomas was surprised, he had thought her curt tone from the night before was just due to being tired and he wondered what on earth he had done or said to offend her.
"Good morning Madam," Miss Lyons politely curtseyed as Jane entered the schoolroom with Annabelle. Her eyes took in her new mistress and she deemed her to be very beautiful with a kind face, all dressed in dark teal, all ready to go to court.
"Be a good girl now," Jane said to her daughter before turning back to Miss Lyons, "my husband and I should be back this afternoon. We can go through your lesson plans then?"
"Of course Madam," Miss Lyons nodded and Jane turned back to Annabelle.
"Goodbye sweetheart. See you later."
"Goodbye Mama, love you much," Annabelle replied sweetly and Jane fondly hugged her daughter before leaving Miss Lyons to her lesson.
"Please sit down Annabelle," Miss Lyons smiled and Annabelle sat down at the large table and saw placed in front of her a couple of notebooks, an inkwell, a pen and a slate with a stick of chalk.
"My name is Miss Lyons," Miss Lyons wrote her name is clear, scrolling letters on the large blackboard. "I am your governess and I will be teaching you for the foreseeable future."
"Lions?" Annabelle replied and Miss Lyons chuckled.
"No Lyons with a y not lions as in the animal, it's a Norman name. I suppose you have lions where you live in Africa?"
"There are no lions in the jungle but we have leopards though."
"How interesting! Now let me tell you a couple of things about myself before we start. My favourite animal is a cat, my favourite colour is purple, my favourite subject is languages, I play the piano well and I am here…because I love to teach. Now what is your favourite animal, colour, subject, tell me something that you excel at and why you are here."
"Umm," Annabelle pondered for a second. "My favourite animal in the whole world is the gorilla, I love the colour green, my favourite subject is history and I am good at swimming… and I am here because I … want to learn…everything."
"Good, good," Miss Lyons smiled, relieved to see that her new pupil was bright and inquisitive. "Now let's get on with the first lesson, maths. How is your long multiplication Annabelle?" She laughed as Annabelle pulled a face and she wrote a sum on the blackboard.
"Well I will teach a fun way to multiply big whole numbers, the way the Russians do it. So 13 x 24, so what we do is half the 13 until we get to 1. So what is half of 13?"
"6 and a half," Annabelle replied and Miss Lyons wrote it under the 13.
"Good but we will write down just 6 though. Ignore the remainders as the Tsar hates fractions! So half of 6?"
"3."
"Half of 3?"
"1!"
"Excellent!" Miss Lyons smiled as she wrote the numbers in a column under the 13. "Now we double the numbers under the 24. So double of 24?"
"48."
"Double of 48?"
"96."
"Good and finally double of 96?"
"Hmmm," Annabelle frowned in concentration, "196?"
"Close, it's 192," Miss Lyons wrote down the numbers in another column under the 24. Now the next step is get rid of any rows that start with an even number as the Tsarina despises even numbers on the left hand side! She thinks they are evil!" Annabelle giggled as Miss Lyons struck through the 6 and 48.
"Now all you have to do is add up all the remaining numbers in the right hand column. Now what is 24+96+192? Add it up on your slate." Annabelle did as she was told and Miss Lyons checked her work.
"312," she said, "And that you will find is the answer to 13 x 24!"
"Gosh!" Annabelle was absolutely amazed, "That was so easy Miss Lyons!"
"Yes, it works with any whole numbers. So work out on your slate these sums, 16 x 26, 23 x 42 and 15 x 64. Remember no fractions and purge the evil even numbers starting on the left hand side!"
Annabelle immediately started to work on the first sum on her slate and Miss Lyons smiled proudly. Getting a girl interested in mathematics was important to her and she could see that teaching Annabelle was going to be an enjoyable experience.
"So good to be home," Tarzan said as the coach pulled up outside their house that afternoon.
"You're telling me!" Jane smiled, equally as relieved. "My feet are killing me!"
"Want me to rub them for you?" Tarzan smiled roguishly and Jane giggled as they got out of the coach and entered the house.
"What lovely music!" he said as Mrs Fairfax and Carson took their coats. They headed over to the drawing room and went in to find Miss Lyons playing the piano with Annabelle sitting beside her, watching her nimble fingers move across the keys. Tarzan and Jane clapped when Miss Lyons finished who slightly startled, unaware of their presence.
"Good afternoon Madam," she got up and curtseyed respectfully. "I was just giving Miss Annabelle a little taster. I was thinking of teaching her piano an hour or so a day."
"Yes of course," Jane smiled though she couldn't help feeling a little pang of jealousy. If she didn't have to go to court so often, she would have loved to teach Annabelle to play the piano herself. "Miss Lyons, this is my husband Tarzan Porter. Tarzan, this is Miss Charlotte Lyons. Anna's new governess."
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Lyons," Tarzan smiled and slightly bowed his head.
"Likewise Mr Porter," Miss Lyons replied politely. "I must say that your daughter is an absolute credit to both of you."
"Why thank you Miss Lyons. Have you enjoyed yourself Belle?"
"Oh yes Papa!" Annabelle beamed as she went to hug her father. "I learned long multiplication today. Did you know that the Russian Tsar hates fractions and the Tsarina thinks even numbers on the left hand side are evil?"
"I didn't know that," Tarzan smiled, slightly baffled. "But if they come to court, I will be sure to ask them why!"
"Anna, go and wash your hands for dinner. Miss Lyons and I will go through your lesson plans."
"Yes Mama," Annabelle nodded, "Coming too Papa?"
"Coming for you!" Tarzan made a playful snarl and started to chase his daughter. Annabelle gave a little squeal of delight and they dashed out of the room.
Jane and Miss Lyons looked over her proposed lesson plans and Jane agreed to virtually all of her ideas.
"I do believe that girls need fresh air and exercise as much as boys," Miss Lyons noted, "I think a daily walk would be good for her health, weather permitting of course."
"Yes Anna lives outdoors back in Africa so the more fresh air the better," Jane nodded. "She also has a young puppy that needs walking."
"Of course and I plan to take her to many galleries and museums especially as she has a limited time here in London. Maybe some day trips to the surrounding countryside?"
"Yes, excellent," Jane agreed, "I will though insist that Thomas accompany you on any trips out."
"Oh Madam, there really is no need."
"I know that you are more than capable Miss Lyons. But London can be dangerous for women, I would feel more at ease with you and Anna having a male companion for protection."
"Of course Madam," Miss Lyons nodded; hiding her disappointment that Thomas would be accompanying her on all her trips.
A couple of days later, once the rain had stopped Miss Lyons decided that the weather was fair enough for a walk in the park and a lesson on various British flora and fauna.
"Wait for me ladies," Thomas called to them as her and Annabelle were heading out of the servants' entrance, all wrapped up against the January cold.
"There's really no need Mr Blackwall," Miss Lyons insisted, "Miss Annabelle and I are just going to the park, not to Timbuktu."
"I know but t'mistress insisted that I accompany thee both. Besides it's better than polishing t'silver all day."
"Very well then," Miss Lyons rolled her eyes and they all set off for Hyde Park, walking there instead of taking a coach and horse. Thomas tried to converse with Miss Lyons but gave up after only receiving polite, curt yes and no answers.
"Miss Lyons, do you not like Thomas?" Annabelle asked as Thomas walked a few feet ahead of them with an umbrella just in case the weather changed.
"Mr Blackwall is a perfectly adequate man Annabelle," Miss Lyons replied as she put her gloved hands into her fur muff. "I have no reason to dislike him."
"I like him very much. He is very funny and he lets me ride his bicycle. Why are you not two friends?"
"We're work colleagues, we have a professional relationship."
"But why are you not friends?"
Miss Lyons paused and then said, "we just… move in different circles that's all. Now let's talk about something else. How are you getting on with Little Women?"
"So what did she say?" Thomas whispered to Annabelle as they entered the park once Miss Lyons was out of earshot.
"She said that you are perfectly adequate but you move in different circles." Annabelle replied and shrugged her shoulders, not really understanding what her governess had said.
They walked through the park at a comfortable stroll, Miss Lyons showing Annabelle how to tell the difference between the trees by the shape of their leaves and the pattern of the bark. They reached a large space of green where Annabelle let Tiko off the lead and started to play fetch. Thomas played with both of them whilst Miss Lyons sat down on a bench under an oak tree nearby.
He saw her pick out a small book from her coat pocket and start to read it with great interest. A few moments past and she looked up to check on her charge and her eyes caught his. She swiftly blushed and buried herself back in her book. Thomas decided that enough was enough and told Annabelle to play with Tiko by herself for a moment and not to go too far.
He strode across the damp grass and sat down on the bench next to Miss Lyons. She shifted slightly away from him and avoided his eyes.
"What art thou reading?" he asked as Miss Lyons continued to look at the book in her lap.
"King Lear," she replied, still avoiding his gaze.
"What's it about?"
"It's about an old king who wants divide his kingdom between his three daughters. But the two older ones conspire and get the youngest daughter Cordelia disowned. The country is then torn apart by the sisters and their husbands' factions fighting each other whilst King Lear goes insane."
"What happens to Cordelia?"
"She is executed."
"Oh…so much for a happy ending!"
"It's a tragedy, everyone dies in the end."
"Surely there must be other plays that are less… gruesome?"
"A few, but I have a taste for the macabre. Have you read any Shakespeare?"
"No, we nut learnt owt like that at school."
"Oh I am surprised that you even went!" Miss Lyons retorted and Thomas couldn't help but laugh at her sarcastic remark. It was true that school was not his favourite place to be. He preferred to help out on the family farm with his father and older brothers.
"I gat to go t'village school until I was old enough to help out on t'farm full time. But mi Ma made sure I went in t'winter when t'was nut much to do."
"Oh how positively providential!" Miss Lyons quipped back and went back to her King Lear. Thomas paused for a moment after that remark. He was more used to the bawdy humour of men to the barbed wit of women. As she was not looking at him, he touched her hand with his to make her look at him. Miss Lyons immediately pulled her hand away as if his was a poisonous snake than a gentle gesture.
"Miss Lyons…please tell me, what have I done to offend thee so much?" Thomas asked, almost pleading. He was desperate to know why this young woman was acting so cold towards him.
"You, you," Miss Lyons stammered, taken aback by his demand. "You have done nothing wrong Mr Blackwall."
"Well I must hav' done something, thou hav' been cold and rude to me ever since thou came to stay at t'Porters. Thou art kind to Miss Annabelle and polite to t'Master and t'Mistress and to t'other staff, but nut to missen."
"I, I, I," Miss Lyons was at lost for words, "I don't mean to be cold Mr Blackwall. I, I, I am just… not good talking to men."
"Well just talk to me like thou talks to everyone else," Thomas replied with some frustration in his voice. "Thou teach Miss Anna to treat people like how thee wants to be treated. Thou should follow yer own rhetoric Miss Lyons."
"I, I, I, I'm sorry Mr Blackwall," Miss Lyons replied, shaken by his words. "I am truly sorry for my appalling behaviour towards to you. I will try to be more cordial in the future."
"Good," Thomas nodded and smiled. "Cause it will be mighty dull havin' no one to talk to on oor trips out."
Miss Lyons smiled at that and Thomas saw a little colour rise in her cheeks. She was a very pretty woman, just too shy and lacking in confidence to see it.
"Shall I read you some of King Lear?" she offered and Thomas grinned in anticipation.
"Act One, Scene One," she said before looking up and checking that Annabelle was still playing with Tiko where she could still see them. "Enter Kent, Gloucester and Edmund."
"Ah Miss Lyons, some letters have arrived for you," Carson said as the three of them returned from the park.
"Thank you Carson," Miss Lyons nodded as she slipped them into her fur muff. "Come on Annabelle, let's go to the schoolroom and start your Latin lesson."
Later that evening Thomas delivered Miss Lyons her dinner. This time it was fish pie, boiled potatoes and peas.
"From yer family?" he asked as he placed the plate in front of her and noticed the letters still unopened on the table.
Miss Lyons wanted to reprimand him and tell him it was none of his business but held her tongue. "Just from my sisters and father," she said calmly, "just wondering how I am settling in."
Thomas was planning to ask how many sisters she had and if they were older or younger, but he stopped. Miss Lyons seemed to him to be an extremely private person and unwilling to divulge information willy-nilly. It was going to be hard to break down that high wall she kept around her and he didn't want her to retreat behind it.
"I will leave thee to yer letters," Thomas took the tray and he headed towards the door, but he stopped and turned around. "Miss Lyons," he hesitated and cleared his throat. "I was wondering if thee could help with me reading? I can read, but I would like to understand that Mr Shakespeare's plays better or some poetry."
"Umm yes I will help you. Tomorrow evening after work if that is alright with you?"
"Aye, thank thee Miss Lyons," Thomas's face flushed with pride and Miss Lyons smiled at his willingness to improve his education.
"Oh and thank you for bringing my dinner, Mr Blackwell, I mean Thomas."
Thomas's mouth beamed so wide that Miss Lyons thought he was going to burst before he left her room. As she tucked into her fish pie, she opened and read her letters. Two of them were from her sisters, both enquiring on how she was settling into her new position as well as informing her of the titular gossip back home and in Devon where her eldest sister lived. The third one was from her father who also asked how she was doing and provided her suggestions of books to give to Annabelle.
There was one more letter and Miss Lyons instantly recognised the writing and her stomach churned. She wanted to throw it onto the fire without even opening it, but curiosity got the better of her and she opened it. Just seeing the words "Dear Lottie' made the sick rise up in her throat and she threw the letter onto the fire, her half eaten fish pie abandoned.
As she got ready for bed, she took off her chemise and stared at herself in the mirror. Her pale, freckled lithe body with its small round breasts repulsed her. She looked down at her legs and took in the many, old scars marring her inner thighs. No man would marry her if they saw them, they would send her to the asylum. Not that she would let a man near her anyway, not on her life. Although she couldn't help wondering if they would disgust Thomas too, if he would like her body, like to kiss it, touch it.
She quickly threw on her nightgown and dashed under the covers, fully perturbed by these salacious thoughts. "No man will ever touch me," she told herself, "I would rather die than let that happen." As she buried herself under the covers with her books on top, in the dark communal garden of Montpelier Square, in the shadows a tall, brooding figure wearing a top hat watched the house with an ominous eye.