After a few minutes, Julia saw it. Thorpe Hall. A large fifteenth-century house with leaded light windows and octagonal chimney pots. That's the Lodge, Andrew pointed. It was to the side of Thorpe Hall and looked small in comparison.
A welcoming party, Andrew said as they were about to stop in front of the Lodge. Mrs. Patterson, Agnes, John and Sarah were just returning from their afternoon walk with Benji. Andrew jumped down and picked Sarah up who flung her arms around him. Agnes and John stayed with Mrs. Patterson and looked to their new governess through wide eyes.
Mrs. Patterson, this is Julia Bradfield, the children's new governess. Mrs. Patterson shook Julia's hand. Far too young and inexperienced with children she thought as she looked at the fresh-faced young woman. Children, I want you to meet Miss Julia, she's going to teach you from now on. Sarah laughed, and the other two stood closer to Mrs. Patterson. Don't worry, they are always a little shy at first, they'll get used to you, Andrew commented trying to excuse his children's lack of manners. Benji came and sniffed around Julia's skirt and offered to cock a leg but thankfully refrained from doing so.
Andrew, might I have a word with you? Oscar bellowed across the lawn.
Excuse me, that's my father, Andrew told Julia. He's probably on the war path again.
Come inside and make yourself at home, Mrs. Patterson said. Julia followed her, carrying as many of her bags as she could. I'll just give the children something to do, and I'll show you to your room. Julia nodded and watched as Mrs. Patterson sat the children at the kitchen table and put some dough in front of them. The children seemed to spend hours kneading and rolling dough. Julie thought it a rather mundane activity but any help Mrs. Patterson could get in a busy household she would take.
This is your room, she said when they reached the end of the landing. She opened the door and walked inside. Julia's expression lit up when she saw it. It was a large room and full of daylight. She hated dark rooms and had been a little nervous at the prospect of being forced to live in a tiny north facing room. But this was perfect. There was a chest of drawers, a writing table and a washstand with a blue and white jug and bowl. The bed was covered with a white eiderdown, and Julia couldn't wait to try it out. It's very nice Mrs. Patterson, thank you.
Mrs. Patterson left and told Julia that she should be downstairs at six for dinner. The family all ate together; Andrew thought it important to have a family meal, unlike in many households, where a children's dinner preceded an adults dinner. The first thing Julia did was open her vanity case and place perfume bottles and soap next to the wash stand. As she was doing so, she heard shouting. Loud, aggressive shouting. She went to the window and looked out across the garden. She saw Oscar, with his two Spaniels on leads, and Andrew standing in front of the greenhouse bellowing at each other. What they were shouting was quite audible.
Another of your loose women. I've had enough now Andrew. When will you learn? Inviting women here unaccompanied is highly irregular and breaks all the social codes.
She's from a good family, she's not a loose woman. She's coming because I want to get to know her better or would you rather your grandchildren were brought up without a mother?
That's not the point. I can't count how many women you have brought into your house over the past few months. It's obscene. You can't tell me each one of them was a potential wife. No, you're a philanderer of the highest order.
And you are a useless unfeeling father, who doesn't' understand how hard it has been for me since I lost Georgina.
Julia darted from view as Andrew looked across at the house. Are they talking about me? No, Andrew had referred to someone who was coming, not someone who had already arrived. She was relieved; she'd only been at the house for a few minutes, and she didn't want to the subject of controversy.
The dining room was a long room with two windows which looked out over the garden. It was at the end of the house and Julia thought that her bedroom was above it. The children looked much cleaner than they had after their walk, and surprisingly each of them said hello when Julia entered the room. Andrew was sitting at the head of the table with a scowl on his face, and a half drunk bottle of wine. When he saw Julia he stood up, and showed her to her chair. She sat opposite the children on the long side of the table; Andrew was sitting at the end. Upon further inspection, Andrew was very handsome indeed, but it wasn't only his looks that attracted Julia. He was mysterious, on the one hand, a family man, and on the other hand, if his father was to be believed, a womanizer.
Will you stay and keep me company a while, it would be nice to talk and get to know you a little better, Andrew asked after the children had gone to bed. I'll just go and say goodnight, and perhaps we can have some tea. Julia nodded. He really was quite dashing, and she felt herself blushing when he looked at her.