"Yes sir."
She ran off with the letter leaving him to muse. If the letter was with them by tonight, they would reply within a day or two. She might be there by the end of the week. The thought excited him. It had been some time since a new enrolment and one that sounded like she might be a proper challenge too. He just hoped she knew what she was letting herself in for if she came here. She sounded like someone who had never in her life undergone any form of punishment, let alone that of the corporal variety which was his personal and professional speciality. She would soon learn if she misbehaved that the consequences could be severe. He smiled as he silently hoped she would misbehave, that if he was lucky, she might misbehave rather a lot.
Chapter 3
Lord Rothsfield ducked as a perfume bottle flew over his head.
"Sent away?" Laura screamed in disbelief, picking up another bottle from her dressing table and hurling it towards her father. "Like a leper? Ashamed of me are you father? You should be ashamed of your new wife, the whore."
"I'm not ashamed of you my angel," Lord Rothsfield replied. "It's just that Maria believes … I mean we both feel you might benefit from a formal finishing school education."
"So you are ashamed of me. All you care about is that whore of yours, not your own flesh and blood."
"Please do not call my wife a whore."
"She is a whore. She beds you for your money doesn't she? Whore is the only word for such a person. Whore, whore, whore."
He turned away from her as another bottle smashed into the wall on the far side of the landing. "The decision is made. He will be here to collect you this afternoon." Pungent aromas of rose and sandalwood filled the air as he walked away leaving Laura to stew in her fury.
By the time the clock chimed in the entrance hall she had an idea. The sonorous tones were still echoing as she leapt from her bed and ran down the backstairs. She wondered why she had not thought of it sooner. If she were to find Robert, the gardener who often flirted with her, despite the age and class gap between them, she might be able to prove to her father the dangers of crossing her, the things she might do in revenge.
She found Robert amongst the rhododendrons, pulling out the few weeds that had managed to survive in the gloom underneath. "Afternoon miss," he said, standing up and inclining his cap. "Looking as beautiful as ever today."
She looked at him. Late forties or early fifties, once handsome, though those looks had now faded somewhat, his hair showing hints of grey, his beard flecked with white. His arms were still thick with sinew though, his folded up shirt sleeves revealing his muscle to her gaze. Father will be furious, she thought.
"Would you take a walk with me Robert?" she asked. "There is a flower I have found which I wish for your help in identifying."
"Of course miss. I am your servant."
"Yes, you are aren't you?" She began to walk across the lawn with Robert following. "If I were to tell you to do something, you would do it, wouldn't you?"
"Of course miss."
They reached a mossy path which led into a copse of birch trees surrounding a fish pond. Beyond the pond there was a clearing and it was here that Laura stopped.
"Is this where the flower is miss?" Robert asked.
"You'll see it in a minute," she replied, stretching up on her tiptoes and planting a soft kiss on his lips.
"What are you doing miss?" he asked, blinking as he pushed her away from him. "You'll get me in trouble with your father."
"I won't tell him if you won't," she replied, grabbing his arms and kissing him again.
She had never kissed anyone in passion before but she'd read about it in countless books and felt certain she knew what to do. She thought of her father's face when he found out she had kissed a gardener. And of course he would find out for she was going to tell him right now.
"What are you doing?" she asked as Robert slid his arms around her, holding her body against his. "Unhand me at once."
"Not yet," he replied, pressing his lips back against hers. As his tongue plunged deep into her mouth, she felt him stiffen against her, a firmness digging into her from his trousers which alarmed her.
"I must get back to the house, father will be looking for me," she said, pulling her head back from him, though she remained unable to wriggle out of his arms.
"You have a flower to show me first," he said. "You cannot go until you have shown me."
Laura felt suddenly terrified. She had gone from being in charge of the situation to feeling totally out of control in the blink of an eye. She looked into the eyes of the gardener and decided there was only one course of action open to her.
"I have wanted to kiss you for a very long time," he said, still holding her in place. "Now I have something to show you if you are willing?"
She nodded but as soon as he loosened his grip on her arms she brought her knee up hard between his legs. As he fell to the ground, he groaned in pain but Laura ignored him. Instead she turned and ran, sprinting out of the wood with her hair streaming behind her. She could hear Robert crashing through the branches and when she looked back he emerged with a snarl on his face. "You shouldn't start what you can't finish," he called out, one hand between his legs as he winced at the effort of running.
At that moment a figure stepped in front of Robert, holding out his foot. Robert tripped straight over the foot and stumbled to the ground, rolling to a halt as Laura slowed, wondering who on earth that was.
"Quite right," the figure said. "You shouldn't start what you can't finish."
The figure turned to face Laura and she frowned, looking into the eyes of a man she had never met before in her life. He was around thirty years old though his eyes suggested in those years he had seen many things, not all good. He did not smile, indeed he looked angry at the very sight of Laura. She felt a tremble pass through her as his eyes seemed to bore deep into her soul. He wore a greatcoat despite the heat and his top hat seemed so solidly affixed to his head as to be part of his hair rather than a removable object.
"Good day to you Laura," he said, stepping over the prostrated gardener and walking over to her. "My name is Edward Westall. You will call me Papa."
Chapter 4
When Edward arrived at Rothsfield House he did not expect to encounter Laura straight away. Passing through the gates, the carriage slowed to a stop and he rapped on the roof. "Move on will you?"
"There is someone heading into the wood over there," his driver called back. "Might be your student."
Edward opened the door and looked out in time to see a young woman vanishing into the distant treeline. Behind her a man followed. Interesting, he thought. That could be no one other than Laura. From the description given in the letter he had a rough idea how she looked but the haughty way she walked into the wood as if she were in charge of the entire world. It could only be her. Well she would soon learn.
"I'll walk from here Gerald," he said, stepping down onto the grass. "Wait by the house for us. Be ready to leave at short notice. I feel they may protest."
"Very good sir."
He watched the carriage roll away before making his way across the lawn towards the copse of trees. Just as he reached them, the young woman came running out, her cheeks dark with embarrassment. He was about to speak to her when the man followed, dark machinations at work on his mind. Without pausing, he held out his foot and tripped the man, bringing him to ground in seconds. He introduced himself as the man stood up and faced him. "I would unclench those fists if I were you," he added as the man glared at him.
"She kissed me," the man said, pointing across at Laura.
"Did she now?" Edward replied. "Naughty girl." He turned to the girl. "Laura, come with me."
"I will do no such thing," she replied, turning and storming away across the lawn, cursing and complaining as she went. The man rolled his eyes and turned to Edward.
"Robert Barker," the man said, holding out a hand. "Been gardener here twenty years and that's the first time I felt like leaving my post. She's done some damage to me, I swear it. Kneed me right here." He rubbed between his legs and winced.
"You've seen her grow up then," Edward said, ignoring his complaint.
"I have that. She were a difficult child and she's only got worse. If you ask me, she needs a firm spanking to put her right."
"Oh I could not agree more. Do not worry though, by the time I'm done with her, she will be good as gold."
Robert raised his eyebrows. "Who are you?"
"I'm going to be her papa."
"Papa? But she already has a father."