Page 5 of Better Than a Duke
“You see who?”
“Mrs. Brubbins, I mean.”
She reached for the door handle, but he put up a hand to stop her. “Just a moment. Am I to introduce you as Lady Becky, or as Lady Rebecca Raines, talented portraitist? Or as Cricket? Or Lady Rebecca?”
“You should have asked me this days ago,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “Cricket is for you. Becky is friendlier, I think, but I want to be Lady Becks. That’s what Brubbie—Mrs. Brubbins—calls me. And don’t say ‘portraitist,’ because I want to surprise them with my art.”
Her choice wasn’t at all proper, and her grandmother would point out that Rebecca was too familiar with the servants. As they were her entire world at this point in her life, though, he approved of a certain amount of closeness and familiarity. “Lady Becks it is.”
“Really? That’s my favorite one. Except for Cricket, that is.”
“Yes, yes, I know where I rank in all of this.” He stood as John Butler the butler pulled open the coach’s door and then steppedto the ground. When he turned and held a hand up for Rebecca, she took hold of his fingers and hopped to the cobblestoned street.
“Lord Hentrose. Welcome back to London,” Butler said, bowing. The rest of the line curtsied or bowed behind the butler. “And this must be the much-anticipated Lady Rebecca.”
“It is indeed, Butler.”
His daughter squealed again. “Your name reallyisButler? I thought Papa was bamming me.”
The butler bowed again. “John Butler, my lady. And I am very pleased finally to meet you.”
Chuckling, Beckett shook his head. The simple delights. “Rebecca, please meet the finest staff in London. John Butler, staff, I’m pleased to introduce Lady Becks.”
Everyone dipped again, and Rebecca responded with an excruciatingly bendy curtsy that nearly put her forehead into the ground. “I want to meet everyone,” she said, straightening and fluffing out her yellow gown. “May I?”
Beckett released her hand. “By all means.” As she pranced up the line, reintroducing herself to each servant and shaking their hands, Beckett turned to Butler. “Everything arrived as it should have?”
“Yes, my lord. All arranged or put away, and the trunks removed to the attic. We’ll bring the rest of your things in now.” The butler glanced down the line of servants. “She’s a gem, my lord, if I may say so.”
“Absolutely do not give her free rein, Butler. I’d like her to end up a polite, respectful, and kind young lady.”
The butler inclined his head. “As you say, my lord. Your word is law at Raines House.”
“We’ll see how long that lasts.” He sighed. “Let’s go inside, shall we?”
As he rejoined Rebecca, she was animatedly describing the man with all the hats to her governess while Mrs. Brubbins attempted to then turn the tale into a lesson about gravity and geometry. Beckett slowed to watch. Short, wide, and bosomy, Martha Brubbins had arrived on his doorstep nine years ago, a plump, divine angel. Most families replaced a soft nanny with a sterner governess at about this time in their child’s life, but Brubbie, as Rebecca called her, wasn’t going anywhere if he had any say in the matter—which he absolutely did. He and Rebecca had bestowed the rank of “governess” on her over Christmas, the ceremony including a sash and a lit candle and popped corn, for some reason.
“Mrs. Brubbins,” he said, inclining his head. “As you will note, we’ve arrived safely, the child is still wearing clothes, and no one has caught fire. In addition, we have composed another verse for ‘Little Bess the Ballad Singer’ and nearly finished the ‘Ode to Springtime and Rabbits.’”
“Oh, goodness.Twopoems?” Mrs. Brubbins squinted one eye as if she felt a megrim coming on.
“I’m afraid so. How’s the schoolroom coming?”
“All ready for Lady Becks.” The governess faced Rebecca again. “Do you want to see it, dove?”
“I was hoping you left home early to find me a pony,” Rebecca said, slumping her shoulders and sighing dramatically, “but yes, you may as well show it to me.” She bounced upright again. “And my bedchamber, and the garden, and the music room, and the—”
“Yes, yes, I see where this is going,” the governess said, as she offered her hand. “A grand tour it is.”
Beckett followed the two females into the house. Over the past week the windows had been thrown open, the dust sheets removed from the furniture, hearths swept, fires lit, and new linens placed on the beds. He’d always liked Raines House, butwith Rebecca there it abruptly seemed brighter and livelier than it had… ever.
“My lord,” Butler said, joining him to one side of the foyer as the rest of the household staff returned to their duties, “Lady Hentrose called yesterday, saying she expected you in Town already. She left you a note. And several invitations and calling cards have arrived over the past few days.”
“Leave them for me in my study, will you?” Beckett asked, shedding his hat and gloves. “Along with today’s newspaper. And a cup of tea. I’ll be along in a moment.”
“I’ll see to it, my lord.”
While female conversation drifted back to him from the direction of the garden door, Beckett trotted upstairs. As per his instructions, Mrs. Brubbins had placed Rebecca’s favorite bits and bobs about her new bedchamber, filled the room with yellow and white daisies and pink roses, and lined his daughter’s favorite books on the shelf beside the deep windowsill.
