Page 24 of The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins

A knock came at my door as the servant’s voice called, “Miss Robbins? Lord Brookhaven says you must come downstairs.”

“I am coming!” I called back and quickly hurried out.

Hannah had been in the schoolroom when the guests all arrived and had pointed out who was who. Apparently she had seen them before.

“Are they frequent guests?”I’d asked.

“They have come two or three times inthe last five years I’ve been employed here. LordBrookhaven doesn’t have a lot of guests and neverhas parties.”

If Hannah were a friend, I would have said that I thought it was good that he was having a house party, good that he was not isolating himself, as he’d seemed very melancholy the first night I met him, and I didn’t think a melancholy person should be always alone. But no doubt Hannah would think me impertinent for presuming to know what our master needed or what was good for him.

My heart was beating fast. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I nearly tripped. I pressed my hand against my chest as I closed my eyes and concentrated on calming my breathing.

“What are you doing?” Mrs. Merryweather whispered loudly.

I opened my eyes to find her standing in front of me. “I—”

“Get in the drawing room. Make haste. He’s asking for you.”

Nine

I scurried down the hall toward the room from which I could hear voices, both male and female. When I entered, all eyes turned to me. Lord Brookhaven stood at the fireplace with two young gentlemen.

“There you are,” Lady Derringer said, motioning me toward her. “Miss Robbins, you have not met Lord and Lady Rutledge, Miss Rose Rutledge, Mr. Thomas Merritt, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Allen, Mr. Percy Allen, Miss Priscilla Allen, and the Viscount Markeley. But you do know Mr. Skidmore and Miss Millicent Skidmore.” Then she glanced around and said, “This is Miss Charlotte Robbins.”

“How do you do?” My voice shook a little.

Most of the room just stared at me, but the one she called Mr. Thomas Merritt took a step forward, gave a slight bow, and smiled. “Very pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Robbins.”

I smiled back at him. He was reasonably handsome, but with light, sandy-colored hair and the same sandy side whiskers, eyebrows, and eyelashes. He was the opposite of Lord Brookhaven.

No one else said anything.

Millicent’s gaze was more friendly than the other guests, so I sat near her and her father and observed the room while everyone went back to talking amongst themselves. Lady Derringer conversed withMr. and Mrs. Allen, and Miss Rose Rutledge was talking with Lord Brookhaven. No one spoke to Millicent or her father.

There were seven ladies and seven gentlemen, making up seven pairs, which of course would thrill Mr. Mims the butler and Mrs. Merryweather, as there must be an equal number of male and female dinner guests for seating purposes.

“Are you enjoying your stay at Lowndesbury House?” I asked Millicent and Mr. Skidmore.

Millicent seemed to let out a breath she’d been holding, and she gave me a trembly smile. “It’s a lovely house, and I have a view of the garden from my room. Very lovely.” Millicent’s eyes were wide. Poor thing. She was so intimidated by these people. They were her people, not mine, as she was a gentleman’s daughter, but her very fear of them was probably making them despise her. If she were to pretend confidence and bravado, they’d accept her. It was human nature. I’d seen it even in the hierarchy of the country society around Milford.

Why didn’t I feel frightened by these people? I was a lowly governess, after all. Perhaps it was because I knew these lords and ladies and gentlemen would never see me as an equal, so it hardly mattered what I did or didn’t do. Also, I knew myself. I was a young woman of some talents and accomplishments and intelligence. I was not exceptionally beautiful or brilliant, but I had enough confidence in myself to not feel inferior, and although I would be considered of inferior birth, that wasn’t something I could control, and therefore I couldn’t feel bad about it.

And perhaps most important of all, Scripture said, “God is no respecter of persons,” so why should I or anyone else be? Clearly, from Scripture, it was wrong to treat people differently based on how much money or power or rank they possessed.

Millicent and I talked of the things I’d always imagined ladies talked of—our new frocks, the hope that we would be asked to dance when there would be dancing, and then I asked her if she’d like to take a walk with me in the morning.

“It will be early,” I told her, “for I must at least try to teach mypupils, even though they are excited about all the company and the extra activity and their new puppies. They have not paid enough attention to their studies to learn anything the past two days.”

“Oh, I love an early walk.” Millicent’s face brightened. “I’ve never been one to sleep overmuch. Shall I meet you outside in the garden?”

“Yes.”

I enjoyed my solitary walks, but it would be good to walk with someone else for a change. I didn’t suppose Lord Brookhaven would be wandering through the garden while he had so many guests to entertain, and I was always in need of conversation.

Soon dinner was announced. The gentlemen would escort the lady nearest their station. I couldn’t help wondering which gentleman I would be paired with, since there was no one so lowly as me. There were three gentleman without a title, so it must be one of them.

I sat and waited, wishing my heart wasn’t beating so hard. Lord Markeley escorted the hostess, Lady Derringer. Lord Brookhaven escorted Lady Rutledge, while Lord Rutledge escorted his daughter, Rose Rutledge. Thomas Merritt escorted Priscilla Allen, and I saw the young Percy Allen approach me.