Page 27 of The Precious Secret of a Loving Governess
“Very little. I think it makes her sad, Papa. But as I said, she is strong. Very strong. And I do not think she would want me to know it makes her sad. So she only reminds me to study and continue learning that I might never be wasted as she has been,” Marian said.
“She believes herself to be wasted?” he asked, sadly.
“Oh she has never said that, I did, Papa. She is clever as I told you but all she has made of it is to become another governess,” Marian remarked contemptuously.
Reginald gave his daughter a glare.
“Why must you be so cruel to your governesses?” he asked.
“Because until now, governesses were worthless. Does one good governess among dozens of dreadful ones mean that I’m to change my opinion of the lot of them?” she asked.
The innocent question was rife with curiosity, wisdom, ignorance, and lack of understanding. A contrast of childish wonder that amazed him still.
But Reginald had no real answer for his daughter other than to say, “We must judge people based on who they are rather than simply their profession or place in society.”
Marian nodded, as if trying to grasp the concept.
“If that is what you say, Papa,” she acquiesced.
The Earl sighed, watching Marian go back to her reading. The changes were remarkable and he credited Miss Jamison for them, but it was impossible to not wonder more about her.
His curiosity was only growing.
At the dinner he had hosted Miss Jamison had seemed uncomfortable, but he had his assumptions as to why. It could not have been easy for her to be a governess amongst those who were once her peers. He knew that she was likely struggling to engage in her new position within society and Reginald pitied her.
But he also noted that she was strong and that was something to be admired. Even with her regret over her family’s story, he sensed that she could overcome what others thought of her and that made him admire her all the more.
“Your Miss Jamison, is she happy?” he asked Marian, causing her to look up from the book at him.
Her face squished in annoyance that he had disrupted her.
“I do not know, Papa. You must ask her that if you wish to know it. What am I to say on the matter? I cannot read her thoughts,” Marian grumbled, never at a loss for words.
“Has she complained to you at all about the work she is doing?” he asked, trying to pry further.
“No, she only lectures me on why I must study and learn. I have never heard her complain about anything,” Marian replied.
“That is good at least,” he said, nodding to himself.
“Why should she complain?” she asked, interested in learning more.
“She shouldn’t, I simply wished to know,” he replied vaguely.
Reginald had already told Marian about the fact that her new governess had come from a situation like her own, but didn’t wish to linger on it. He wanted Marian to appreciate what she had but feared that if he told her too much regarding Miss Jamison’s change in status, she might look down on the governess.
That was already far too easy for Marian to do.
But he saw that his daughter was not content with his words and she was searching her mind for an answer. Reginald simply went back to his book, trying to focus on the words before him, until he was certain that Marian had given up and gone back to reading her own.
When a significant amount of time had passed, he looked over and saw her eyes drooping with sleep. She was tired and the evening had passed them by.
“My dear, let us get you upstairs,” he whispered gently to her.
Marian opened her eyes as much as she was able and nodded in acquiescence. They walked up the stairs and Miss Franklin joined them to ensure that Marian was dressed and readied for bed before Reginald returned to give her a quick kiss on the cheek and wish her a good night.
From there he returned to the library, and looked through the stack of five books that Miss Jamison had chosen for his daughter when he had found her in the library earlier in the day.
It was an ideal selection for a child like Marian. They were exciting and adventurous, at a reading level that he knew his daughter to be capable of, even if she had expressed a hatred of reading books that were so advanced.
