“I’m sorry, but I don’t know,” she said, smoothing her hands over their hair. Sophie stood at the window, watching the conveyance go on its way without them with a conflicted heart. She hoped Lord Nash’s journey would be of short duration, yet the number of trunks loaded on top suggested the pair would be gone for some time. That was confusing but a relief in a way. If he was gone, she’d not have to confront Mrs. Crawford’s suspicions.
Sophie shook her head. Lord Nash ought to have told the boys he was going away, but what could a governess do about it? Nothing. Sophie could not make him show his love for his children. She had tried so often to increase his interest to no avail.
She hugged the boys ineffectually, knowing a governesses affection wasn’t what they really needed. A governess was not family. It was the love of their father, uncles, aunt, and cousins—and most important of all, their absent mother—that they needed more.
The boys turned away from the window of their own accord, but Sophie could see their disappointment clear as day as she followed them. She wished their father was still here to glimpse the damage he could inflict so carelessly on his sweet children. It wasn’t her place to berate an employer for his lapses, but not for the first time did she wish she could knock some sense into Lord Nash’s head.
She followed the boys back to the nursery, a little sad that they went directly to their desks without being told to do so. Liam picked up his slate and chalk, Thomas took up his quill and papers and bent his head to his lessons. Their penmanship was coming along nicely for their respective ages, but there was more to life than study and Lord Nash’s strict schedule for them. There was fun and friendship and family love. Sophie sighed heavily again. She knew little of family love herself, being an orphan, but she’d seen it with others, glimpsed it last night with the duke’s family, and knew what was missing from the boys’ lives…and hers, too.
That, of course, changed nothing.
Sophie sat by the window as the children worked silently, continuing a lesson they had begun the previous day. They only stopped when a footman arrived, not the usual one though, carrying their breakfast on a large silver tray. “Bread to be toasted and porridge, my lords,” the man announced to the children.
“Is there a note or letter for me?”
“No, Mrs. Radcliffe.”
The boys descended on the food, and Sophie worried as she helped with their breakfast. She’d hoped Lord Nash might have left her a message, and had also been longing for a letter from friends in London. It had been many months since she’d had news of them and she was becoming worried that she’d been forgotten.
She glanced up as another servant burst into the nursery. Not the normal nursery maid, Jess, but a recent arrival from a distant estate. “Yes?”
The woman dipped a clumsy curtsey to her. “Mr. Seymour sent me to help you.” The woman announced her name as Kate. “I’m to fill in for Jess.”
Sophie frowned at the woman. “Where is Jess?”
“Already gone, Mrs. Radcliffe.”
Sophie burst to her feet. “Gone where?”
“On holiday, like the others have done,” she explained as she poked the fire into greater life.
Sophie blinked. “Holiday? What holiday?”
“I don’t know too much about it, I’m afraid.” The woman shrugged and wiped her soot-covered fingers on a dirty rag. “His Grace has given many of the women, and a few of the footmen, leave to visit their families for the summer. Everyone is so excited to be on their way.”
Sophie drew closer to Kate. “But you didn’t go with them?”
“No, madam. I’m an orphan, and I had no one to visit. I like it here though. Did no one tell you about it?”
Sophie pursed her lips. “No. They did not.”
“How strange.”
“Yes, it is.” Sophie squared her shoulders and issued instructions for what the maid should attend to in Jess’ place. She seemed efficient enough and was soon done with all the tasks Sophie wanted completed.
“If there’s nothing else you need, madam, I’m to return downstairs and help in the kitchen now.”
“Yes, of course. Good work and thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure, madam. I’ll return in the afternoon for dinner, or someone else will come.”
Sophie followed the maid to the door. It pained her that this maid knew more about the goings on in this place than she did. Sophie also hoped she was the type to gossip. “The children saw the duke’s carriage leaving earlier. Did Lord Nash say when he would return or leave any message for his sons?”
“No message I’ve heard about, but His Grace was in a rush, and they say he’ll be away for weeks and weeks.”
She blinked in surprise to hear that. How could they be gone for weeks and weeks when Sophie and the children were supposed to be going on a journey with them later in this week? “Do you know where they’ve gone?”
“Don’t know that I heard that, madam. The butler likely knows. I could ask him for you. At least Lord Jasper stayed behind. He’s a handsome devil, isn’t he?”
Devil indeed. A maid as pretty as Kate should not think too well of any rake. “I will ask my own questions, thank you. Hurry back to the kitchens now.”
“Yes, madam.”
Sophie bit her lip. So, Lord Jasper remained, but for how long? Hopefully not too long at all. It would be a horrible time if he did. Not that he’d ever come to the nursery or had any reason to. She was deeply sorry he was still here. She might have enjoyed herself more, been herself again, if he were anywhere else.
When the servants were gone again, and the food eaten, Sophie set the boys to work on their mathematics and sat herself down at the window with a heavy sigh. But there was nothing to see outside her window besides endless green gardens. No carriages or people out for a stroll. Even at the orphanage there had been something to see outside her grimy window. Sophie missed London and her friends terribly. She missed the excitement and noise so, so much.
After an hour of solitude contemplating the empty grounds around the palace, Sophie glanced around to find the butler standing at the door, watching her. She shot to her feet. “Mr. Seymour?”
“Mrs. Radcliffe.” The butler remained at the door. “I trust everything is in order here?”
She hurried to meet the more senior employee at Ravenswood Palace. “Yes, sir. The children have been working diligently at their lessons this morning.”
“Very good.” He turned away.
“Sir,” she called, hurrying out the door after him before he could disappear downstairs to his usual post. “Might we speak a moment in private?”
He looked pained but inclined his head. “Very well, but I am quite busy today.”
“Of course,” she said, although how busy could he be with most of the family gone away? She wet her lips before speaking softly. “Lord Nash left the estate.”
“Yes. He and the duke journey to a summer house party.”
Sophie gaped. “But the children were supposed to go with their father as well, but I was told the end of the week?”
“The duke’s plans changed unexpectedly, and they have gone early.”