Page 16 of Enthralled in the Governess' Gaze
The small morsel of truth eased some of the guilt Victoria felt over her lie.
Mrs Radcliffe’s lips parted slightly as though in surprise. Victoria held her breath and waited for what the lady would say next. Would she chide her for her choice? Tell her she would be better off finding a wealthy husband? Would her friendly demeanour turn cold before she asked her to leave?
To Victoria’s surprise, Mrs Radcliffe did not react in any of those ways. Instead, she clutched her hands to her chest and gave Victoria a look that could very much have been…admiration.
“How incredibly selfless of you,” Mrs Radcliffe declared. “To part with your earnings in that way. You must love your family very much, Miss Clifford.”
Somewhat stunned, Victoria could only nod and murmur, “Yes, madam…I do.”
“That is encouraging,” Mrs Radcliffe nodded. “I would be much happier having someone with my Lily who has such deep affection for their own family.”
Victoria sat up a bit straighter, hope pulsing through her. The lie continued to eat at her, and her concern that Mrs Radcliffe would find out the truth had not left her, but she was going to seize this opportunity while it was before her.
Working to keep her growing excitement in check, Victoria cleared her throat and asked, “What would be your expectations of a governess, madam? Apart from caring for and educating Miss Lily?”
“Well, you would see to her everyday routine. Dressing, bathing, meals. Of course, you will see to her education, but I would also wish for you to be a companion to her. She is still adjusting to England and misses the Caribbean quite a bit. You would be helping her adjust to life here and get settled. Would that be reasonable expectations for you?”
Victoria blinked and nodded. “That would be most reasonable.”
“Excellent,” Mrs Radcliffe said with a wide smile. “Now, I have a few other interviews planned for today, but….”
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the room that interrupted Mrs Radcliffe, and the next moment, a little girl came rushing inside. She ran to Mrs Radcliffe, who immediately opened her arms to the child.
“Mama!” the girl exclaimed. “Mama, I was just out in the garden and saw a bluebird. It was so pretty! Do you want to come and see it?”
“Oh, that sounds lovely, Lily,” Mrs Radcliffe replied with an adoring expression. “I would love to come and see the bird, but I am having a conversation with Miss Clifford. Can you greet her, darling?”
The little girl turned to Lily and suddenly appeared shy, sinking into her mother’s side as if she wanted to disappear.
“Good day, Miss Lily,” Victoria said gently. “How are you?”
The girl peered at her with wide green eyes, so similar to her mother’s.
“Come now, sweetheart,” Mrs Radcliffe softly urged. “Do not be shy.”
Hesitantly, Lily stepped away from her mother just enough to dip into a shallow, wobbly curtsy.
“Good day, Miss Clifford,” she murmured, her cheeks turning pink.
Victoria wracked her mind, trying to think of some way she could put the little girl at ease.
At length, she said, “Miss Lily, do you really like birds?”
The girl slowly nodded. “Yes, Miss Clifford.”
“Do you like any other animals?”
“Yes,” Lily answered.
“What other animals do you like?”
Scrunching up her nose, the girl took a few moments to think before she said, “I like horses. Dogs. Cats. Sheep!”
Victoria grinned. “You like sheep?”
Lily smiled, excitement clear in her gaze. “Yes! I like sheep. They are soft and make funny noises.”
“I like sheep as well,” Victoria chuckled. “I used to play on a farm when I was a little girl in France and would chase the sheep until I could get one to let me pet it.”
