telling herself as she looked in the wardrobe.
Then she suddenly remembered that her mother had an enormous number of dresses of every sort and Eleta was certain that they had remained untouched since her death.
She went to her mother’s room to find that she was not mistaken. The wardrobe was full, also the cupboards in the small dressing room opening out of the bedroom.
As she opened all the cupboard doors, there was a blaze of colour and the sweet scent of white violets.
Eleta was sure that it would please her Mama if she wore her dresses and, as she had always favoured rather classical designs, they were still in fashion.
Eleta took two of the prettiest and most elaborate of the evening gowns as well as a cape for travelling and a smart day dress she was sure her mother had never worn.
‘One day perhaps I will need a great many more of them,’ she mused.
Nothing could make her feel more protected than to be wearing her Mama’s clothes and she had nearly finished packing when Betty came back from the bank.
“Here’s the money, my Lady,” she said, “and be extra careful it’s not stolen from you.”
“I will lock it away carefully, Betty, and the same with my jewel-case. I am not taking many jewels, for it would be a mistake for a Governess to appear in emeralds and diamonds!”
Betty laughed.
“It would indeed and, if you give your other jewels to me, I’ll put them away in the safe in your mother’s room and I have the only key.”
Eleta thought this was a good idea, but at the same time she took with her the pearl necklace her father had given to her on her tenth birthday and a pair of earrings.
“You seem to have packed a great deal,” Betty said, looking round the room. “I only hopes it means you’ll stay there in peace and not come rushin’ back after a week.”
“I am not coming back,” Eleta replied, “until my stepfather is convinced that he cannot succeed in making me marry the old Duke or until I am twenty-one and he no longer has any legal power over me.”
Betty sighed.
“It may take just as long and, if you asks me, you’ll soon be leavin’ that terrible man’s house and lookin’ for somewhere quieter and safer.”
“Well, do keep your eyes open in case something turns up where my stepfather would not find me, Make no mistake, I have no wish to be tied to anywhere, but as Papa once said, ‘ needs must when the Devil drives ’.”
Betty put up her hands in horror.
“Don’t say such things, my Lady, as they frighten me. So take care and, if it’s difficult, come on home.”
“To the Duke who might be waiting for me? It will have to be very very difficult before I do that.”
She thought to herself that she had done her best, but she could not insist that Eleta should stay here under the present circumstances.
Tea had been brought upstairs to Eleta while she was packing, but she had been very careful not to let the footman realise what she was doing.
When he carried it in, she had deliberately taken a dress out of one of the cases and hung it up in the open door of the wardrobe and it looked quite obvious, without her saying anything, that she was unpacking.
“Mrs. Buxton hopes that you’ll enjoy your tea, my Lady,” the footman said, “and she wants to know if you’ll be going down for dinner.”
“I think, as I am so tired after my journey, I would rather have dinner in my room,” Eleta said. “Is the Master dining in or out?”
It was what the servants called Cyril Warner and Eleta never heard it without feeling irritated that he should be Master in her mother’s and father’s house.
The footman hesitated.
“I thinks,” he said, “the Master be waiting to hear if your Ladyship be dining upstairs or down.”
Eleta thought this was good news, as it meant there were no guests and if she stayed upstairs her stepfather would probably go to his Club.
“Please ask Mrs. Buxton just to send me up a little soup and perhaps an omelette and tell
Then she suddenly remembered that her mother had an enormous number of dresses of every sort and Eleta was certain that they had remained untouched since her death.
She went to her mother’s room to find that she was not mistaken. The wardrobe was full, also the cupboards in the small dressing room opening out of the bedroom.
As she opened all the cupboard doors, there was a blaze of colour and the sweet scent of white violets.
Eleta was sure that it would please her Mama if she wore her dresses and, as she had always favoured rather classical designs, they were still in fashion.
Eleta took two of the prettiest and most elaborate of the evening gowns as well as a cape for travelling and a smart day dress she was sure her mother had never worn.
‘One day perhaps I will need a great many more of them,’ she mused.
Nothing could make her feel more protected than to be wearing her Mama’s clothes and she had nearly finished packing when Betty came back from the bank.
“Here’s the money, my Lady,” she said, “and be extra careful it’s not stolen from you.”
“I will lock it away carefully, Betty, and the same with my jewel-case. I am not taking many jewels, for it would be a mistake for a Governess to appear in emeralds and diamonds!”
Betty laughed.
“It would indeed and, if you give your other jewels to me, I’ll put them away in the safe in your mother’s room and I have the only key.”
Eleta thought this was a good idea, but at the same time she took with her the pearl necklace her father had given to her on her tenth birthday and a pair of earrings.
“You seem to have packed a great deal,” Betty said, looking round the room. “I only hopes it means you’ll stay there in peace and not come rushin’ back after a week.”
“I am not coming back,” Eleta replied, “until my stepfather is convinced that he cannot succeed in making me marry the old Duke or until I am twenty-one and he no longer has any legal power over me.”
Betty sighed.
“It may take just as long and, if you asks me, you’ll soon be leavin’ that terrible man’s house and lookin’ for somewhere quieter and safer.”
“Well, do keep your eyes open in case something turns up where my stepfather would not find me, Make no mistake, I have no wish to be tied to anywhere, but as Papa once said, ‘ needs must when the Devil drives ’.”
Betty put up her hands in horror.
“Don’t say such things, my Lady, as they frighten me. So take care and, if it’s difficult, come on home.”
“To the Duke who might be waiting for me? It will have to be very very difficult before I do that.”
She thought to herself that she had done her best, but she could not insist that Eleta should stay here under the present circumstances.
Tea had been brought upstairs to Eleta while she was packing, but she had been very careful not to let the footman realise what she was doing.
When he carried it in, she had deliberately taken a dress out of one of the cases and hung it up in the open door of the wardrobe and it looked quite obvious, without her saying anything, that she was unpacking.
“Mrs. Buxton hopes that you’ll enjoy your tea, my Lady,” the footman said, “and she wants to know if you’ll be going down for dinner.”
“I think, as I am so tired after my journey, I would rather have dinner in my room,” Eleta said. “Is the Master dining in or out?”
It was what the servants called Cyril Warner and Eleta never heard it without feeling irritated that he should be Master in her mother’s and father’s house.
The footman hesitated.
“I thinks,” he said, “the Master be waiting to hear if your Ladyship be dining upstairs or down.”
Eleta thought this was good news, as it meant there were no guests and if she stayed upstairs her stepfather would probably go to his Club.
“Please ask Mrs. Buxton just to send me up a little soup and perhaps an omelette and tell
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