Page 15 of The Duke and the Enigmatic Governess
“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 themews 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, whichwould 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.
