Chapter 4

The following day dawned dull and grey. All signs of spring sunshine had disappeared. Little Sasha stared at the raindrops running in rivulets as they raced down the windowpane.

She looked very glum.

"Flossie likes the garden," she said seriously. She turned her head up toward Audrey. "I don't like this weather, Miss Lettie," she added, obviously hoping Audrey could do something to change it.

"Well," said Audrey, "it's good for the flowers in the garden, even if it isn't good for us or Flossie, but I'm sure the sun will come out again soon." She racked her brains for inspiration to occupy Sasha, and thankfully a couple of ideas came to mind.

"It can be fun in the rain," Audrey said. "We can't stay outside very long, but we can go outside for a short time. Have you ever done puddle dancing with your mama?"

"No," said Sasha, "but Mama did like the rain. She said it was good for the wheat for bread."

"Exactly so," agreed Audrey, the happiness in her voice hiding the sadness in her heart hearing the child talking about her mother in the past tense. "Now, you watch the patterns of rain on the window and see what they remind you of. You can use your imagination and you might see fairies or giants."

Sasha looked interested at this idea, returning to the window to gaze at the patterns.

"I'm just going to see Mrs. Driscoll and Nurse Walters about my idea for what we can do today outside in the rain. When I come back, I hope we can go out puddle dancing for a little while."

Audrey sighed as she went to find Mrs. Driscoll to talk about her idea for a day of imaginative activities for Sasha. She felt a little tired today, wishing she hadn't suggested puddle dancing when she was feeling under the weather herself. Never mind, the look on little Sasha's face had made it worth it, and she would make sure she had a hot cup of tea waiting when they came back in.

Flossie, the puppy, looked about 15 weeks old, so more than old enough to join them on a walk outside.

Audrey began what she thought of as her rounds, as she organized the day for Sasha. The duke was nowhere to be seen and Rosie the housemaid told her he had gone riding and would not be back till much later that morning.

First, she must consult Nurse Walters, who was happy to agree that Sasha could spend most of the day with Audrey on a play day. Sasha would start the day with Nurse Walters, eating the hearty breakfast that she insisted Sasha needed to gain strength, and then join Audrey for play activities. As Audrey was about to leave the nursery, Nurse Walters surprised her by handing her a little wooden hobby horse.

"Barton found this for me in the mews stable. It was His Grace's. He was always bored when the family spent several weeks here for the London season, and I remembered he had a little hobby horse. He was such an imaginative child, His Grace. He was always being a knight in shining armor, rescuing his sisters from dragons." Nurse Walters had gone back in time, remembering her charges and their play as children.

"Of course, that changed when he began studying with his tutor. We didn't have dragons, instead we had kraken and minotaurs." She smiled at Audrey, who needed to get on with her duties but also loved listening to these stories about His Grace as a little boy.

"I do recall a day when all my knitting wool disappeared, and His Grace and his sisters had taken my wool to play at ‘Theseus and the Minotaur.' Miss Alice was the instigator, she wanted to be Princess Ariadne. It took me a long time to wind my wool into a ball again." She laughed.

This story made Audrey even more determined to create a day of magical play for Sasha.

She left Nurse Walters and looked for Mrs. Driscoll, who was conferring with Rosie about menus and laundry baskets. Mrs. Driscoll waved for Audrey to join them, but it was clear that household matters were a little fraught at the moment.

"Lettie, my dear. Will you join me for a cup of tea and some cake this afternoon? I'm going to need a break. It is so difficult organizing a household in quarantine. The laundry usually takes two days and that's with me overseeing the process.

The scullery maids are going to need to boil the cottons and linens, wash them with lye soap—which can be dangerous if you're not careful and will burn the skin—and then rinse the clothes in clean water.

"Rosie, ask Barton to make sure there is a steady supply of water, they are going to need to haul it from the pump near the stables," Mrs. Driscoll instructed.

"I'm usually there, you see. They've never had to do the laundry on their own. Cook has simply no idea about laundry, or anything other than recipes and crockery. Which is, I suppose, how it should be. I'm just tired, my dear," Mrs. Driscoll confessed to Audrey.

Audrey nodded, not wanting to add to Mrs. Driscoll's burden, but knowing she needed her help to make the play day happen.

"I hardly dare ask you, and I'm so sorry, but I need your help." She paused and smiled sheepishly. "And it is on a matter of laundry." She saw the expression on Mrs. Driscoll's face and continued before the frazzled housekeeper had time to speak.

"I need some sheets, old ones are fine, for a play day. I want to make an inside shelter, a tent."

Relief flooded Mrs. Driscoll's face. "Oh, that's no problem. I was worried you wanted more laundry done. Rosie, show Miss Banks where we store the linen. There is a pile of worn sheets which I suspect cannot be darned, but I'm loath to throw them out. You can use that pile for whatever you want." She paused from putting sheets into a willow basket. "A tent sounds a lovely idea for a rainy day. Little Sasha will love that."

"I thought we could be knights and princesses and create a pretend world. Before that though we are going for a walk to the mews stables and do some puddle dancing which, I'm afraid to say, may create more laundry!"

Audrey looked out of the window, "It looks a little brighter out there. We might be lucky and avoid another downpour of rain."

"I wish you well with your puddle dancing. I believe I prefer my laundry." Mrs. Driscoll laughed again and continued packing the sheets into the basket.

It was time to organize the space and set out the play materials. Carrying a pile of sheets, she made her way back upstairs and began to transform the landing and adjoining rooms into a magical kingdom. By now Sasha would be with Nurse Walters for her breakfast, and Audrey had a short time to create a magical world, a refuge from the rain.

She set out the play materials with care. Rosie helped her to cover a large table with sheets to create an enchanted palace.

She certainly did feel very tired that day. Such a lot had happened, and she was sleeping fitfully. Last night Flossie had been allowed in the room, and that meant she woke more often. She yawned, looking forward to the walk in the rain to wake her up and give her some much-needed energy.

As today was to be a special day, she wanted to use every corner. She had an idea for a game of hide and seek, which would require every room on that floor being part of their magic kingdom.

She took each room at a time and made them individual. In one, she put slate and chalk, ready to make a map of the magic kingdom. In another, she hid lots of interesting objects, or treasure. She had raided Nurse Walters' sewing box for thimbles and Mrs. Driscoll had given her a box of ribbons and lace.

She opened the last door and looked around, seeking inspiration. It was a beautiful room, warm chestnut-colored wood paneling and a huge armoire along a wall. What an excellent place for hiding, she thought as she opened the door and inhaled the scent of camphor and sandalwood to deter moths.

The view from the windows was lovely, stretching across the park to show the spires of churches on the horizon. She noticed a patch of blue sky in the distance and hoped the rain would stop soon.

In the armoire, she placed a little cushion, and quickly drew figures on a piece of paper she saw on the bureau near the window. Each figure had a different face and she made sure there was a knight, a fairy, a queen, a king, and a princess. She tore the paper carefully around the figures and placed them on the cushion. This would make an excellent hide-away place for Sasha.

She stood, looking around the magic kingdom which she had created in a few minutes and which she hoped would bring Sasha happiness when they returned from their puddle dancing.

It was time to find Sasha and venture out on a rainy-day adventure. The rain was no longer torrential and there were breaks in the cloud. Sasha chattered cheerfully as Audrey wrapped her in a thick woolen shawl. Rosie had been given leave to abandon the laundry and accompany them. Flossie could walk some of the way but would need carrying too. Audrey found a thick hooded cloak on the stand and wrapped herself in its warmth.

As soon as they stood outside, Audrey knew this had been the right decision. There were puddles of water along the garden path which led to the mews stable, and the rain had almost cleared. At that moment the sun broke through, giving an impression of diamonds glistening on the surface of the puddles.

Little Sasha's face was a delight. "Can we dance now, Miss Lettie?" she asked excitedly.

"In a few minutes. We just need to go to the stables to see the horses first. It's best if we get wet on the way back to the house."

"Do the horses have names?" Sasha asked, skipping along the pathway, followed by Audrey and Rosie, carrying the puppy.

"I don't know, but we can ask Mr. Barton. You can run to that green gate if you like," Audrey suggested.

"I'm going to skip," came the reply, as the tiny figure did skip along the path to the garden gate.

Watching her charge in the stables, it was clear to Audrey that Sasha knew horses. She knew where to stand when feeding a horse and asked Barton before she touched a chestnut mare's mane. Audrey nodded her approval when Barton whispered in her ear, asking if he could lift the child onto the mare's back.

The expression on her face was delightful. She stared intently at Barton, looking as though she was proficient and ready to trot out of the stables. "I miss my pony," she confided to Barton. "Mignon is dapple grey and likes to eat apples from the tree in the orchard."

Barton told her the chestnut mare was called Sheba, after a famous queen, and she liked to eat apples and carrots.

Sasha promised to return the next day to feed Sheba with the favored carrots and apples and then began to skip back to the house. Rosie gathered the puppy, who had been rolling in the hay, and Flossie wriggled a little as Rosie picked her up, clearly preferring to walk.

Once inside the garden gate, Rosie put Flossie on the ground, and she lolloped off to drink from a puddle.

Audrey began to tell Sasha a story about an elf, whose job was to test all the puddles and see how deep they were. He was so bored at having to be serious about it, that one day he decided he was going to splish, splosh, stamp, and dance in the puddles, and he discovered he loved this. From that day on he was known as Puddledancer, the elf. If she lifted up her skirts, then Sasha could be a puddle dancer, too.

Audrey caused Rosie to collapse in a fit of giggles as she demonstrated how to dance in a puddle. Sasha copied her and then Flossie joined in by wading into a deep puddle.

Sasha began to sing a song about splashing in puddles, and it was a happy group which made it back to the boot room. Sasha was still singing and dancing as they made their way upstairs. Rosie put the puppy in a makeshift basket and left to go and help Mrs. Driscoll.

The rest of the morning went to plan. Sasha entered into the spirit of the play day and loved the magic kingdom. When Audrey showed her the hobby horse, she was delighted. She rode it along the landing, pretending to be a knight.

"I must remember to tell her about King Arthur," thought Audrey. She had a feeling Sasha was going to enjoy imaginative stories.

It was almost time for Sasha's lunch and Nurse Walters would be waiting for her in the nursery. Audrey suggested a hide-and-seek game, with Sasha hiding somewhere in the magic kingdom. Audrey closed her eyes and counted while Sasha found her hiding place.

She took her hands from her eyes, opening them to see the duke standing in the doorway, staring at her. The smile of greeting dropped from her face as she recoiled, seeing the expression on his face.

"Your Grace." She nodded a greeting and waited.

"Miss Banks, I returned from my ride to try to work in my library. All I have heard is a commotion and caterwauling. I have no idea why Sasha has been thundering along the landing."

Audrey pointed at the little hobby horse and smiled. "There, your grace, I believe you are the owner of the horse which has caused such a commotion."

She sensed he was about to return her smile but stopped himself. "There is too much noise," he continued. Before her eyes, he suddenly became even more angry. "What on earth are you doing in this room, anyway? This is my bedchamber!"

"I am sorry, Your Grace. The room looked empty, and as it is a rainy day, we had to play inside. You have entered our magic kingdom," she added.

And you are behaving like an evil ogre,she thought to herself.

"Well, maybe a little more discipline," he fumed. "How is a man to think? It is difficult enough being confined in this small space without that continual din."

Anger rose in Audrey's body at the injustice of these words. The duke looked tired and strained, but this was no excuse for such thoughtless words.

Forgetting she was merely a governess, she became once again Lady Audrey Rowe, a lady of quality, and she would not be spoken to in this way.

"I have not and will not use discipline on a tiny child who lost her mother a few days ago. Also, Your Grace, you can direct your anger at me as I set up this play day, after I might add, discussing with Mrs. Driscoll and Nurse Walters. Sasha has spent a lovely morning playing creatively in this magic kingdom until you joined us and began speaking in a tone which I take exception to."

Her nostrils flared, as she threw her head back, filled with fury at the injustice of the duke's words.

He took a step toward her and for a moment, Audrey thought he was about to take her in his arms. She stepped back and held his gaze, then saw the irritation and anger drain from his face, and at that point a tiny voice called out from the armoire.

"I've been hiding a long time, Miss Banks. Shall I come out now?"

"No, my pet," she soothed. "I'm just talking to His Grace, who has come to our magic kingdom. I shall come and find you in a moment."

"I thought it was an evil ogre," came the reply. "I was frightened you might be eaten by it."

"It is just His Grace, and he is leaving now."

"I will overlook your using my bedchamber as play space, but please refrain from doing this again. A man has to work, dash it." The duke had the last word as he turned and left the room.

Audrey went to the armoire and her heart melted as she saw the tiny figure playing with the cut-out dolls.

When Sasha had gone for lunch and a nap, Audrey went to walk in the garden, remembering the puddle dancing with a smile. She spotted a daisy in a corner of the lawn. She loved daisies, and hoped she would be with Sasha in the summer when they could make daisy chains. A small headache was pulsing in her temple, and she thought the fresh air would revive her.

What absolute stupidity to come bounding upstairs and speaking to her in that tone. He could have set back Sasha's confidence levels. I will make sure I have as little to do with my employer as possible.

She sighed, watching a robin sitting on the branch of a cherry tree in full blossom.

At least it shows there is some energy and life in the man, Audrey thought to herself.

Since the meeting in the library, he had been a little cold and distant with her, very different from the warmth of that evening. He had been so serious and formal that she wondered if she had imagined the warmth and close connection of that conversation just a few evenings ago.

Despite his angry words, there had been a fire in his eyes which melted away the coldness she had felt around him for the last couple of days.

She decided to do what she always did when she felt this way. After breathing in the fresh spring air and feeling her mind clear, she made her way back to the house. She was aware of a growing attraction to the duke, but even though she was now a lowly governess, she would not be spoken to like that. No man should launch into such a tirade before carefully finding out what was happening.

Audrey thought it likely it was due to a moment of frustrated anger, due to being confined in close quarters. Until today, he had shown no signs of being another male tyrant. Maybe they had been making a lot of noise, but it didn't require a set down and instructions to be quiet.

She wished she had someone to talk to, yet she knew that even her best friend Franny would find it difficult to make sense of this situation. Franny was unaware that Audrey had left Rowton Castle, but Audrey knew, with certainty that Franny would tell her to reveal to the duke her true identity, and not make a situation more complicated than it needed to be.

Dear Franny, she always believed in plain speaking. Maybe she would write to Franny this afternoon. There was something comforting about at least one person from her previous life knowing what had happened, and she did not need to tell her where she was.

The house was cool, and she made her way to a sitting room near Mrs. Driscoll's parlor where she had noticed a spinet.

As Audrey calmed down, she remembered the gentle eyes and kind words of the duke, and how, if she had still been Lady Audrey Rowe, she might have considered letting him near her heart. The heat of a moment of irritation about noise levels was preferable to the cold scheming of a man like her brother Ethan.

She liked the duke, even in a bad temper, and wished they could build on that moment of intense connection. It was not to be, as Lady Audrey had disappeared and Lettie Banks, the governess, had taken her place.

As her fingers found the notes, she played the memories, absorbed in the harmonies of the music. She would stay here and play for a while. She felt no hunger today and would retire early. Tomorrow, she hoped for a return to energy and positive spirits.