Charlotte had talked about little else since Mrs. Cadmore extended the invitation.
Pulling out a handkerchief, Rupert pressed it into his daughter’s hand. “Never fear. I will get this sorted out. Go tell Miss Ellerby I wish to speak to her in my study.”
“Thank you, Papa.” The child wiped her eyes and immediately brightened. “I knew I could rely on you.”
Rely on him to do what? Rupert wondered.
Charlotte ran off up the stairs at a pace for which she might have scolded her younger sisters. Meanwhile, Rupert headed to his study with a sigh. He had hoped to escape all the trouble in London by coming home to peaceful Nethercross, but it seemed there had been conflict brewing here also.
He had barely reached his study when Charlotte returned, followed by her worried-looking governess.
“You wished to see me, sir?”
“I did, Miss Ellerby.” He rose and gestured for her to take a seat.
When Charlotte headed away again with an ill-concealed air of triumph, he motioned her to stay. “I understand there has been some…difficulty in the nursery this week, which resulted in you forbidding Charlotte to accompany the other girls to Dungrove. Is that correct?”
Miss Ellerby’s brow furrowed deeper. “Not entirely, sir.”
“Then perhaps you could explain what occurred.”
“Very well.” Miss Ellery shifted in her seat. “For some time, I have felt that Charlotte resents my presence at Nethercross. She often complains of my teaching methods and finds fault with much that I do.”
“That’s not true!” Charlotte cried. “Besides, it has nothing to do with what happened.”
Rupert was inclined to agree, but Miss Ellerby spoke up with quiet insistence. “I beg your pardon, sir, but I believe your daughter’s attitude toward me has a great deal to do with this situation. May I continue?”
When Charlotte tried to protest, Rupert silenced her. “You were able to tell me your side of the story without interruption. Your governess deserves the same opportunity. Pray go on, Miss Ellerby.”
She gave a nod of thanks. “Matters came to a head on Monday evening, when I overheard Charlotte criticizing me to her sisters and urging them to disobey me.”
“Did you hear that, Papa?” Charlotte demanded. “She admits to eavesdropping on us.”
“The girls were supposed to be asleep at the time,” Miss Ellerby explained. “But their whispers grew so loud, they became impossible to ignore.”
While Rupert kept Charlotte quiet with a sharp look, Miss Ellerby explained the choice she had given his daughter. When she finished, he stood silent for several tense moments, digesting all he had heard from both sides and deciding what to do.
At last he spoke. “I must apologize, Miss Ellerby, for my daughter’s conduct.”
It was difficult to judge which of the two was more shocked by his words, Charlotte or her governess. Both regarded him with open mouths and wide, wary eyes.
Taking advantage of their silence, he continued, “Perhaps I also owe you an apology, Charlotte, for placing so much responsibility on your young shoulders that you became reluctant to surrender it. That was not fair to you.”
“But, Papa,” Charlotte wailed. “How can you take her part over mine? She has turned you against me, just as I feared she would.”
Rupert shook his head. “Nothing could be further from the truth, my dear. This is not a case of taking sides. I am trying to do what is best for everyone. You are a clever girl and mature beyond your years, so I hope you will understand that I am thinking of you as much as anyone. I do not want you to be unhappy, but as Miss Ellerby tried to make you see, that will be your choice. From now on, I expect you to obey her as you would me and respect her likewise.”
“But, Papa…”
“Is that understood, Charlotte?”
“Yes, Papa.” The child’s obedient but resentful tone made Rupert hope he had not lost her affection altogether. “May I go now?”
“You
Pulling out a handkerchief, Rupert pressed it into his daughter’s hand. “Never fear. I will get this sorted out. Go tell Miss Ellerby I wish to speak to her in my study.”
“Thank you, Papa.” The child wiped her eyes and immediately brightened. “I knew I could rely on you.”
Rely on him to do what? Rupert wondered.
Charlotte ran off up the stairs at a pace for which she might have scolded her younger sisters. Meanwhile, Rupert headed to his study with a sigh. He had hoped to escape all the trouble in London by coming home to peaceful Nethercross, but it seemed there had been conflict brewing here also.
He had barely reached his study when Charlotte returned, followed by her worried-looking governess.
“You wished to see me, sir?”
“I did, Miss Ellerby.” He rose and gestured for her to take a seat.
When Charlotte headed away again with an ill-concealed air of triumph, he motioned her to stay. “I understand there has been some…difficulty in the nursery this week, which resulted in you forbidding Charlotte to accompany the other girls to Dungrove. Is that correct?”
Miss Ellerby’s brow furrowed deeper. “Not entirely, sir.”
“Then perhaps you could explain what occurred.”
“Very well.” Miss Ellery shifted in her seat. “For some time, I have felt that Charlotte resents my presence at Nethercross. She often complains of my teaching methods and finds fault with much that I do.”
“That’s not true!” Charlotte cried. “Besides, it has nothing to do with what happened.”
Rupert was inclined to agree, but Miss Ellerby spoke up with quiet insistence. “I beg your pardon, sir, but I believe your daughter’s attitude toward me has a great deal to do with this situation. May I continue?”
When Charlotte tried to protest, Rupert silenced her. “You were able to tell me your side of the story without interruption. Your governess deserves the same opportunity. Pray go on, Miss Ellerby.”
She gave a nod of thanks. “Matters came to a head on Monday evening, when I overheard Charlotte criticizing me to her sisters and urging them to disobey me.”
“Did you hear that, Papa?” Charlotte demanded. “She admits to eavesdropping on us.”
“The girls were supposed to be asleep at the time,” Miss Ellerby explained. “But their whispers grew so loud, they became impossible to ignore.”
While Rupert kept Charlotte quiet with a sharp look, Miss Ellerby explained the choice she had given his daughter. When she finished, he stood silent for several tense moments, digesting all he had heard from both sides and deciding what to do.
At last he spoke. “I must apologize, Miss Ellerby, for my daughter’s conduct.”
It was difficult to judge which of the two was more shocked by his words, Charlotte or her governess. Both regarded him with open mouths and wide, wary eyes.
Taking advantage of their silence, he continued, “Perhaps I also owe you an apology, Charlotte, for placing so much responsibility on your young shoulders that you became reluctant to surrender it. That was not fair to you.”
“But, Papa,” Charlotte wailed. “How can you take her part over mine? She has turned you against me, just as I feared she would.”
Rupert shook his head. “Nothing could be further from the truth, my dear. This is not a case of taking sides. I am trying to do what is best for everyone. You are a clever girl and mature beyond your years, so I hope you will understand that I am thinking of you as much as anyone. I do not want you to be unhappy, but as Miss Ellerby tried to make you see, that will be your choice. From now on, I expect you to obey her as you would me and respect her likewise.”
“But, Papa…”
“Is that understood, Charlotte?”
“Yes, Papa.” The child’s obedient but resentful tone made Rupert hope he had not lost her affection altogether. “May I go now?”
“You
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