Yes, my Lord. I will come to you shortly after five, Isabella said nervously. What did he want with her? Did he know about the idiotic scheming of his sister? Had she upset one of the children? There was no way of knowing why he suddenly wanted to speak to her. She would have to wait.
The afternoon passed more slowly than Isabella had ever thought possible. Eventually though, it was five o'clock and the children were taken into Nanny's capable hands.
Isabella went to her room before she went to see the Duke. She wished to remove her chemisette and attend to her hair.
****
Come in, the Duke shouted after Isabella had knocked on the polished mahogany door. The Duke's study was off the central entrance hall. As she opened the door, she was overcome with nerves.
Ah, Isabella, thank you for coming to see me. Please sit down.
Isabella sat down in a comfortable arm chair and waited for him to speak. While he finished writing, she looked around. It was a splendid room. On the walls, were pictures of previous Dukes at work in the same room. The study was as big as a tennis court. On the left wall, there was a huge marble mantelpiece adorned with the finest porcelain dogs. The Duke was a keen shooter and since the death of his wife, he had surrounded himself with Spaniels. One of them was lying at his feet. His desk was of mahogany and filled with papers. Isabella loved the feel of the room. It was a place of contemplation and honest endeavor.
Isabella, he began. My children adore you. They never talk about anybody else the way they talk about you. To them you are heaven sent.
Thank you, my Lord. It is most kind of you to say so.
I only wish they spoke of me in the same manner. I have also noted Edith's excellent progress. She really is the most splendid piano player. Thoroughly entertaining. It is you I have to thank for that.” The Duke paused. “But, and I say this with a huge amount of regret, I am disappointed in you.
His words slammed into her like a steam train. She found herself clutching her sweaty palms into the soft material of the chair.
My Lord, I am most humbled, indeed shocked by your words. It has never been my intention to offend you in anyway. Please tell me how I have managed to do so, and I will correct myself immediately.
Are you good at being economical with the truth Isabella?
If you mean lying, my Lord, the answer is no. I never intentionally tell something which is not true.
Then why did you not tell me your father is at His Majesty's pleasure in Pentonville Prison?
Isabella swallowed. When I came to work here, my Lord, my father was not in that place.
Then prey tell me, what is he doing there now?
He has debts. Isabella felt herself trembling and on the verge of tears. My father entered into a business venture with someone of ill repute. That man stole money from the venture they were joined in. Since then, my father has been trying to honor those debts. The other man has run away. The debts were so great, my father has been unable to repay them fully. He has tried but he couldn't, and now he has been sent to prison.
Do you understand the seriousness of this situation Isabella? Prison carries a giant stigma. The fact that the father of the woman that teaches my children is incarcerated, reflects very badly on my children, me and this whole household.
Isabella could feel herself frown. I am sorry sir. I understand. Perhaps you will accept my resignation.
I will not accept your resignation. I want the best for my children, and that is you. However, I wanted to mention the matter to you. Please do not withhold any information about your father again. If there is a development in his case I want to know. I also want to know the sum of his debts.
Yes, of course, I will find out and inform you, as soon as I can.
Have you had word from your father while he has been locked up?
Yes, my Lord.
And how is he?
Thank you for your kind interest,” Isabella said. “I'm afraid things are not going well for him. He has bronchitis and the damp nature of the place is making it worse. I am terribly afraid for his health.
I will see what I can do about it. I know the Home Secretary. I’ll ask him to move your father to a more hospitable place.” The Duke glanced back down at his papers. “Thank you Isabella, that is all.
Isabella went to her room. As she lay on her bed and wiped away her tears, she wondered what on earth had possessed her not to tell the Duke about her father. Of course the Duke was right. It did reflect badly on him, the children and the household. She had been inconsiderate and she would try to make amends. The worst of it was, the Duke now had a low opinion of her. She would speak to Harriet and get her to drop the ludicrous idea of inviting her to the ball.
She picked up 'Sense and Sensibility' and took comfort in Mr. Willoughby. It was July, and this day had been exceptionally warm. The room was stuffy. After a while she got up and opened the window. The window was huge, stretching from thigh level, right up to the ceiling. As she was pulling the lower half of the window up, she saw the Duke walking across the lawn. His dogs were busily running in and out of the flower beds looking for rabbits. To her horror, a young lady was walking next to the Duke, holding onto his arm. Isabella strained her eyes and tried to see if she knew the young lady, she didn't. Isabella spent the evening wondering who the woman was, and what interest the Duke had in her.