Lord of the Far Island, Victoria Holt [world of reading TXT] 📗

"Ah, Ellen. You may sit down."

I sat uneasily.

"You will realize of course that you are now of an age to go out into the world. Naturally I have done my best to place you and my efforts are now being rewarded. I have the post for you at last."

My heart started beating fast with apprehension.

"Mrs. Oman Lemming . . . the Honorable Mrs. Oman Lemming ... is losing her governess in six months' time. I have spoken to her about you and she is willing to see you with the possibility of giving you the post."

"Mrs. Oman Lemming ..." I stammered.

"The Honorable Mrs. Oman Lemming. She is the daughter of Lord Pillingsworth. I have known her well all my life. I had thought it would not be good for you to be in a house which we might visit, but these are very special circumstances. You will have to be discreet and keep out of the way if we should be there. Mrs. Oman Lemming will understand the delicacy of the situation, she is such a friend of mine. I have begged her to take tea with me, which she will do next week. While she is here she will have an opportunity of looking at you, and I trust you will, Ellen, be mindful of your duty, for if you should fail to please her it could be very difficult to place you. Such posts do not grow on trees, you know."

I was dumbfounded—quite unreasonably so. I had secretly never thought it would come to that. My absurd optimism would not let me believe it possible. But now here it was—my approaching doom. Six months away.

Cousin Agatha, who had clearly expected me to express my gratitude, sighed and lifted her shoulders.

"I should not wish you to go ill equipped and that brings me to the matter of your ball dress. I have chosen the material for you. Black is so serviceable and I am asking Tilly Parsons to make it in a style which will not date. There may be an occasion when you need such a dress. I should not like you to be without one."

I knew the sort of dress it would be. Suitable for a middle-aged woman. It was in any case a dress which was expected to last into my maturity. I felt uneasy.

When I met the Honorable Mrs. Oman Lemming my worst fears were realized.

Like Cousin Agatha, she was a large woman with sweeping feathers in her hat and long tight gray kid gloves. A heavy gold chain descended the mountain of her bosom; a large brooch sparkled on her blouse. I could see a kindred spirit to Cousin Agatha, and my heart sank.

"This is Ellen Kellaway," said Cousin Agatha.

The Honorable Mrs. Oman Lemming raised her lorgnette and studied me. I don't think she was very delighted with what she saw.

"She is very young," she commented. "But perhaps that is not a disadvantage."

"It is so much easier to mold the young to our ways, Letty," said Cousin Agatha, and I thought how incongruous the name sounded for such a militant-looking female.

"That's true, Agatha. But is she good with children?"

"I have to admit that she has had little experience of them, but she has been brought up with Esmeralda and shared her education."

The Honorable Mrs. Oman Lemming bowed her head like some all-knowing oracle. I noticed that her eyes were too closely set together, and her mouth when she studied me was thin and cold. I disliked her on sight and the thought of becoming a member of her household in a certain menial capacity gave me no pleasure.

She turned to me then. "There are four children. Hester, the eldest, is fourteen; Claribel, eleven; James is eight and Henry, four. James will soon be going away to school and Henry will follow in due course. The girls will remain at home and it would be your duty—if I engage you—to teach them."

"I am sure," said Cousin Agatha, "that you will not find Ellen lacking in scholastic knowledge. Our governess told me that she was brighter than average."

Praise from Cousin Agatha for the first time in my life! But it only showed of course how eager she was to be rid of me.

It was arranged that in five months' time, one month before the present governess was due to leave, I should enter the Oman Lemming household and be instructed by the departing governess into my duties.

The thought depressed me more than I could say.

When we walked in the Park, Philip joined us. It was becoming a habit. The three of us walked together ahead of Nanny Grange.

"You look like thunder this morning," said Philip.

For once I found it difficult to speak and it was Esmeralda who got in first. "It's this wretched governessing."

"What?" cried Philip.

"Oh, you wouldn't know, but Mama is finding a place for Ellen. It's with the Honorable Mrs. Oman Lemming."

"A place!" Philip stopped short to stare at me.

"You always knew I'd have to go someday. It's time I earned a living. It seems I've been living on charity too long. Even members of the Family can't expect that forever."

"You ... a governess!" Philip burst out laughing.

"If you find it amusing, I don't," I said tersely.

"The idea of your teaching! I could die of laughing."

"Very well, die! To me it is no laughing matter."

"Ellen really thinks something will turn up," said Esmeralda, "and so do I."

"Perhaps it will," I replied. "If I'm going to be a governess I'd rather find my own post and it wouldn't be with Mrs. Oman Lemming, I can tell you."

"Perhaps you'd find someone worse," soothed Esmeralda. "Do you remember old Miss Herron and that companion of hers?"

"I do and I can't believe she's any worse than the Honorable O.L."

"Never mind," said Philip, slipping his arm through mine, "I'll come and see you."

"That's kind of you, Philip," said Esmeralda softly.

"You'll forget all about me," I said angrily.

He didn't answer but he continued to