Chapter One

In the quiet little village of Haverstock, Emma Taylor paced frantically across the worn floor of her modest room in the home of her father, Vicar John Taylor. At the age of three and ten her sister, Isabella, her junior by seven years, sat on her bed, watching her with her brow creased with deep thought. Isabella had initially come to tell her that it was time for tea. But when she saw Emma chewing her lip and pacing a track in her bedroom floor, she had flopped down onto Emma's bed, silently watching her.

"Emma, what troubles you?" Isabella finally asked, rising from the bed and putting gentle hands on her elder sister's shoulders to stop her ceaseless pacing.

Emma sighed heavily, looking her sister over. If not for the drastic difference in their ages, they could almost be mistaken for twins. They both had the same fair skin and rosy cheeks and the same brilliant blue eyes. The only difference was in their hair, with Emma's being a single shade of chestnut brown lighter than Isabella's. She and her sister were very close. But Emma wondered how she could ever place her own heavy burdens on a girl of just thirteen.

"Isabella," she said, biting her lip again. "This really isn't for you to concern yourself with."

Isabella put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Emma.

"Mother and Father spend enough time treating me like a child," she said. "Please, Sister. Do not do the same. I may be young, but I love you, and I wish to help you."

Emma sighed again. When they were younger, she had no fear of telling Isabella anything. But now that she was twenty, her problems had far outgrown the bond of two young sisters. Still, she knew that Isabella was wise. And she needed to talk to someone before her thought threatened to swallow her whole.

"Father came to me this morning after breakfast," she said, dropping her voice low to try to keep from being heard through the thin walls of the vicarage. "He said that a governess position has opened up at Sinclair Manor. The duke of Buckinghamshire seeks a governess for his ward, Lady Victoria, and Father said that he received an inquiry regarding my interest in the position."

Isabella gasped softly, covering her mouth with her hands.

"His Grace has quite an enigmatic reputation," she said. "Not much is known about him, but many people have their opinions."

Emma nodded slowly.

"I'm aware," she said. "He and his family were once devout members of the parish. But over the past couple of years, they have stopped attending services. There are many rumours as to why, but that isn't my reservation."

Isabella shook her head, her brows wrinkling in confusion.

"But I thought you wanted to find a life away from the vicarage," she said.

Emma nodded again.

"I do," she said. "I am uncertain if the position of a governess aligns with my expectations."

In fact, that was not at all what she had in mind. She had wanted a life filled with adventure and knowledge. Specifically, she had hoped to travel far outside of London and see what of the world she could learn wherever she ended up. She had often thought of teaching others, as well. But she had never considered confining herself to the life of a governess right in the heart of the London countryside.

Isabella slid her hands from Emma's shoulders and into her hands, giving her a warm smile.

"But perhaps, this could be the beginning of the things you truly want," she said.

Emma shrugged.

"I don't see how the position of governess near London could ever see me out of London," she said.

Isabella shook her head, still smiling.

"How will you know if you don't try?" she asked. "And anyway, isn't it better than staying here if you are unhappy?"

Emma sighed once more. Her sister had a point. It wasn't that she didn't cherish her family and her abode. And it certainly wasn't that she didn't hold a profound love for God. She simply believed that her divine purpose lay beyond the humble vicarage. However, she also held the conviction that it extended beyond the role of governess. Even for a prestigious, if mysterious, duke.

A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts, and her conversation with her sister. Isabella went to answer the door, and Mrs. Mary Taylor, a woman of quiet grace and infinite wisdom, entered with a gentle smile.

"Emma, my dear, forgive me of eavesdropping," she said. "I would like to speak with you about what your father told you this morning."

Isabella didn't need to be told that she was excused. She gave Emma a gentle pat on the back and silently left the room, closing the door behind her. Once she was gone, the vicar's wife led her eldest daughter over to her bed, sitting down and tugging Emma down beside her.

"I understand this is a momentous choice for you, my dear," she stated. "However, enlightenment and motivation hold great significance. Particularly for the youth. It is our duty as followers of God to utilize our connection with the Lord to assist as many individuals as we can, in any capacity possible."

Emma nodded, chewing her lip once again.

"I understand, Mother," she said. "But that is the dilemma. We are expected to aid numerous individuals, not solely one."

Mary Taylor patted her eldest daughter's hand gently.

"Occasionally, we must commence with one," she remarked. "We cannot aid the world in its entirety at once, my dear. We must initiate with one individual at a time."

Emma thought it over. She supposed that both Isabella and her mother had a point. Perhaps, she could eventually find herself touching more lives and learning more new things. But why did she have to make such a decision so quickly? Why couldn't she have more time to think it over? She sighed, the weight of the decision settling on her shoulders.

"But what if I don't like it there?" she asked. "What if I don't get on with the Duke?" Or what if he doesn't like me? She added silently.

Her mother gave her a fond smile.

"And what if you do?" she asked.

The words were simple. But they were just deep enough to give Emma pause. She was still uncertain that such a decision was the right one for her life. She couldn't believe it was her true calling. But perhaps, her mother was right yet again. What if she did enjoy her work there?

"I suppose he did inquire for me specifically," she mused. She didn't need to ask why. Being the eldest daughter of a vicar, she imagined that she would be a good choice for any noble family in London. She was educated by the church and raised with all the ideals of modesty and humility expected of young ladies in the ton. She even had some teaching experience with the children of the parish, hosting bible classes for young ones who were just beginning their journey within the church. She knew she would make a desirable candidate, indeed. But what about the other governesses who were experienced in the specific field, who were no doubt more in need of work than she was at that time?

Her mother nodded, clearly pleased that she seemed to be considering the idea.

"That's right, dear," she said. "And while I'm sure he didn't just ask your father, I should think he would rather have the daughter of a vicar if he could manage it. You are a shining example of what a young lady should be. And with his charge being a girl herself, he would naturally want the best influence he could find."

Emma exhaled through half closed lips, blowing a stray strand of her brown hair out of her face. She was still reluctant to embrace the idea of taking the job. But the more her mother spoke, the more sense she made. Perhaps, she was mistaking her calling for her own wishes for her life. Perhaps, she needed to take whatever opportunities came her way and see where they led her, instead of trying to lead them herself.

"Very well," she said at last with one last heavy sigh. "I shall take the position."

Her mother beamed at her, rising to her feet and once more pulling Emma to her side. She embraced her eldest daughter, rubbing her back soothingly.

"Indeed, there is my dear," she murmured gently. "This shall prove to be a most splendid choice. Have faith in me, and have faith in the divine providence. You shall soon see."

Emma nodded, giving her mother a weak smile. She wished she could be as certain as her mother was. Still, she had to admit that it was an odd thing to happen at random. Surely, God had some hand in the duke's decision to invite her to apply for the governess position.

"I trust you, Mother," she said.

Mrs. Taylor nodded, smiling proudly as she patted her daughter's shoulder.

"Very good," she said. "I'll leave you to start packing. You'll be leaving tomorrow morning. The duke will want to see you as soon as possible."

Emma frowned.

"Won't Father need to write to him to tell him that I'm coming?" she asked.

Her mother shook her head.

"The trip is only about a day and a half," she said. "You would arrive just as soon as a letter would."

Emma nodded slowly, feeling as though the breath had been knocked out of her. She had resigned herself to taking the position. She hadn't expected to leave so soon. Her heart was heavy as her mother left the room to let her begin packing. She would miss her family. But she would miss Isabella most of all. Would she ever be allowed to visit her family? What if the duke was cruel and never let her leave Sinclair Manor? What if that was the last time she saw her parents and sister?

She folded her dresses, tucking them gingerly into her worn leather trunk. The vicarage had been her home her entire life, the familiar walls still echoing with the laughter she shared with her sister and the comforting presence of her parents. Now, the prospect of Sinclair Manor loomed before her like a sea beneath a cloudy sky. The sun could shine at any moment. Or the skies could open up and bring a storm carrying the wrath of all the heavens. She wanted to be excited. But all she could muster was a flood of anxiety and worry.

As Emma packed her treasured books, a collection amassed over years of yearning for worlds beyond Haverstock, she pondered her mother's words. God called his worshippers to all different callings. And her mother seemed to think that the job offer had been a divine prospect. But even as she tucked the last of her possessions into the trunk, she couldn't let go of the idea that her calling was somewhere other than a governess's position.

Once she finished packing, Emma went in search of her sister. She would endeavor to display fortitude as she conveyed to Isabella the news of her impending departure. However, as she traversed the vicarage, tears pricked her eyes. Embracing her role as governess to the duke was a responsibility she would shoulder without hesitation. Yet, if she were to depart at dawn, she could not do so without one final stay in her sister's chamber. She yearned for her last recollection of home to be a source of solace during moments of longing for her family.