Page 13 of The Duke and the Enigmatic Governess
As he approached the kerfuffle in the hallway, he bent down to welcome the rasping tongue of his spaniel, Tess, by his side, licking his hand and raising her head to look with concern at Barton who was holding a bundle of blankets.
“I’m sure we can accommodate this little fellow,” came the soothing tones of Mrs. Driscoll.
“I don’t know what Her Grace can have been thinking of,” Nurse Walters was muttering.
“Now Nurse, Her Grace can’t be here and so she wanted to send something to alleviate the situation,” Mrs. Driscoll continued.
“A puppy, not yet house trained, most probably will not help the situation. I shall discuss this with Her Grace when we return home…” an obviously unhappy Nurse Walters replied.
“But wait,” said Jude, “Nurse, look, I think Mama may have got it right this time.”
While Nurse was busy venting about the situation, Miss Banks had taken the puppy and had crouched down on the floor to show Sasha.
Sasha was spellbound, staring at the tiny puppy. “Can I touch her? It is a her, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know,” said Miss Banks, but it looks like a little girl dog. “Yes, I believe you can touch it and stroke it very gently.”
A little snuffling nose looked out from the blanket, followed by caramel-fudge colored eyes. Sasha almost jumped on the spot with excitement.
“Careful, Sasha,” whispered Miss Banks. “You need to be gentle and not startle her.” Miss Banks leaned forward. “Here I’ll show you.” She gently stroked the dog, copied almost immediately by Sasha.
As little squealing puppy noises came from the bundle, Miss Banks raised her head and met Jude’s eyes. “Please tell Her Ladyship she has found exactly the right thing to help in our situation here.” Miss Banks was choosing her words carefully.
Jude nodded and smiled. “I believe it is one of a litter from Mama’s spaniel, Cassia. My own dog Tess is another of her daughters.” He turned to Nurse Walters, who had seen the same scene, and despite her dragon-like persona was always devoted to her charges.
“Perhaps so, Your Grace,” Nurse Walters admitted.
Tess, hearing her name, trotted over and stood near the tiny bundle, nudging it with her nose.
“Can we go and find Flossie a bed and a blanket?” asked Sasha excitedly, already giving the young pup a name.
“Of course,” laughed Miss Banks. “Let’s go and see what we can find for Flossie. Perhaps Mrs. Driscoll will help us find something.”
“Erm… Miss Banks,” Jude said quickly. “’Will you join me for tea later? I’d be interested in knowing how our young charge is progressing.”
He watched as the little troupe of child, governess, nurse, and housekeeper made their way to the boot room, closely followed by Barton carrying the young puppy.
There was a letter from his attorney on his desk. He’d been trying to find out any information about Sasha’s family and so far, had no success. No one seemed to know how Sasha and her mother had got to the Bell Inn, or where they had been before that. Miss Banks thought there was a strong possibility they were French, and he suspected she was correct in that theory.
Seeing the tiny child with the puppy brought it home to him that she was most probably now an orphan. The weight of a responsibility which he had never sought hung heavy on his shoulders. Well, he had found her, and she would not end up in the poor house. Eventually, there may be some trace of one of her relatives, even if that were in many months’ time.
The letter from Daniel, his attorney and friend, only put him into a bad humor. Of course, his friend had only read an account of the events leading to Sasha and Miss Banks staying with him, and Jude was sure Daniel’s response would be different if he could meet the child, and the new governess.
Daniel urged him to find other accommodation for the child as soon as possible. He confirmed he had widened the net as far as enquiries were concerned. Despite the complicated situation in France, he had still managed to conduct some enquiries there. He warned Jude against giving house room to strangers and someone else’s child.
Daniel could not be sure how others would view the situation, and it was possible they would think the child was his. What did Jude know about Miss Banks, and this lost child? Daniel ended the letter cordially, wishing him well and hoping the quarantine would soon be at an end.
Jude could see that Daniel was just looking out for him and his reputation, and he always trusted his friend’s advice. They were usually on a wavelength, but in this case a strong sense of his friend and adviser’s disapproval was unavoidable.
Had he done the right thing by taking Sasha and Miss Banks into his house? He thought back over the steps he had taken and knew he had been thoughtful and compassionate with every decision he had taken. Reputations were safe in the house, with the presence of Mrs. Driscoll and Nurse Walters.
There was a knock on the door, and he called to enter. There stood Miss Banks, notebook in her hands.
“Ah, Miss Banks. Come in and make yourself comfortable by the fire. You’ll take tea?” he asked her.
“Yes please, Your Grace,” she replied with a nod.
“I’ll go and ask Mrs. Driscoll to bring some.” He left Miss Banks on her own as he went off to arrange for refreshments.
