The MacGuffin - Chapter 5

a governess is asked a favour

 

Baille had started this third session similarly to the previous two. Tessa wished she could fast forward past his efforts to relax her. She sat forward a little when she heard him call upon Tessie MacBrady again. “Please tell us about the séance held by Lady Winchester, the one you attended pretending to be a member of the gentry.”

 

Tessie MacBrady had spent the afternoon being tutored by Miss Prudence and Lady Winchester. If they were going to pass Tessie off as the young cousin to Miss Prudence, she had to learn more proper mannerisms. Some of the guest list would be horrified to learn that they sat alongside a servant. Not every one of the upper classes was as open-minded as Lady Winchester. Tessie secretly wondered if the lady was not more desperate to have her thirteen at the table than she was open-minded.

“Tessie, dear, you really must stop lowering your eyes every time you speak to me,” Miss Prudence coached. “It is acceptable to a certain degree when you speak to Lady Margaret, but not to me.”

“Yes, Miss Prudence.” Tessie was trying to remember all of these rules of etiquette. It was so much simpler being a servant where everyone was of a higher station. You simply ducked your head, spoke only when spoken to, and never voiced your own opinions. In that manner, one could get her chores and responsibilities done without any difficulties. A frown on Prudence’s face reminded Tessie. “Oh, sorry . . . Prudence.” Tessie spoke the name as if it was a strangely foreign word.

“And you may call me Lady Margaret, just as Prudence does,” added Lady Winchester. “For tonight only though. It would not do to have that become a habit or Lord Winchester would be dismayed. And of course, at all times, His Lordship is Lord Winchester. Try to follow what Prudence does because that would be your station as her cousin.”

“Could we not pretend that I am her country bumpkin cousin? I just know I am going to embarrass you.” Tessie was beginning to feel quite dismayed.

“Nonsense, girl. You are quick-witted or Lord Winchester would never have accepted you as governess for the girls. Say as little as possible. Prudence and I will let it be known quietly that you are terribly shy.”

Tessie nodded in agreement to that idea. It would be easy to keep her thoughts to herself.

“Now, dear, since you lived at the summer home in Llandudno for the past few years, say that you are from Colwyn Bay.” Lady Winchester held a hand up to Tessie’s start of protest.  “You adopted enough of a Welsh accent before we came back to London.”

Tessie was reminded of her tribulations leaving her home and traveling first to Dublin, then across to Anglesey. Her cousin had helped Tessie find employment in the summer homes near Rhyl for the first few months. The Welsh language was both so similar and so different from her native tongue. She had been so homesick but the day she had been added to the Winchester household staff was a bright light. Sometimes it was hard to believe that that had been just over five years ago, before Victoria May had arrived into the world.

“We need to establish your exact relationship with Prudence.” Lady Winchester looked over to her ward.

Prudence thought for a minute. “Your mother,” she started, “is my father’s youngest sister. In truth, that would be my spinster aunt, Lottie. We could say that your father was the vicar but passed a few years back. That will shorten any inquisitions.”

Lady Winchester became excited. For a minute, she reminded Tessie of her young girls. “Yes, you suit the persona of a quiet vicar’s daughter. You could even use Biblical quotes if they fit your answers to any questions.”

Tessie absorbed all of this with the skill of an actor preparing for a play. “Ma’am, will I be dining with your guests at all?”

“Not as a formal meal, no. I have requested that Cook set out teas and pastries before she rests for the night. We will probably snack a little before Mr. Randolph begins but after the event, you may excuse yourself and take to your bed.”

Tessie was certain that would be her best recourse. She had no desire to hobnob with the gentry any longer than necessary. If she embarrassed the ladies, it could be her undoing. Lady Winchester, in turn, would become the mockery of her peers, which would never do for such a gentile and kindly person. Tessie had to get all of this correct.

“You remember the protocol for offering your hand at an introduction, correct?” At Tessie’s nod, Lady Margaret continued. “There will be no one of a status to whom you would curtsey, except maybe Lady Maitland.  You let her impact guide you on that. If Prudence or I do not introduce you to someone, you do not speak to them. If any gentlemen become unseemly in their behavior or you feel uncomfortable in their presence, simply excuse yourself without explanation and come to stand beside Prudence.”

“Since it would be the first time that my cousin is introduced to your circle of friends, Lady Margaret, it would seem quite natural for her to shadow me. That way I can cover if Tessie has any difficulty.”

“Oh my,” Lady Margaret exclaimed. “Tessie will simply not do as your name. That is a child’s name, or a farm girl’s name.”

Tessie wanted to point out that until five and a half years ago, she had been a farm girl. Even though her father was related to the landlord, they were in essence only farmers. She had just been blessed enough to have an educated ma who had schooled not only Tessie and her siblings but many of the locals as well. Ma had insisted that her children read and understand both the Bible and the classics, have legible handwriting, and be accomplished at the simple maths. Her motto was: no farmer should be dependent on the abilities of the lord or overseer to conduct business.

Lady Winchester sat back in her brocaded chair and thought aloud. “It has to be something that could be shortened to Tessie as an endearing term in case Prudence or I should slip.”

“Tess is such a commoner’s name.” Prudence muttered. “I cannot think of anything that has a Tess sound in it that we could use. Well, except countess, and that of course, is absurd.”

“If I may,” Tessie interrupted the pair in their musings. “Could we not assume that Tessie is a child’s version of Bessie and say my name is Elisabeth?”

“Oh that is perfect, Tessie. I mean to say, Elisabeth.” Prudence reached out and clasped both of Tessie’s hands. “That is perfect. Do you not agree, Lady Margaret?”

The broad smile on the lady’s face showed the younger women that she too agreed. “I’ve always been rather partial to that name myself. If I could, each of my girls would have Elizabeth in her names.”

The tête-à-tête continued for a while longer and then Lady Margaret excused herself for a late afternoon nap, suggesting that they both do the same. Instead, Tessie went to the nursery to look in on Sarah Elizabeth and Mary Alexandra. Lizzie and Lexie had been sketching in the gardens while Tessie took her instructions from their mother. They were delighted to show her the work they had done.

“Mercy showed us how to smear the chalks with our fingers.” Lizzie explained. She held up one multi-colored hand.

“Mercy?” Tessie queried. Why had the upstairs maid been minding the girls? She had personally heard Lady Margaret order Hilde to do Tessie’s chores.

“Oh yes,” said Lexie. “Hilde told her to give us an art lesson. We are going to show our work to Monsieur Navez when he comes tomorrow. Mercy says we are naturals.”

“Mercy’s suitor is an artist, you know,” added Lizzie. “She says all the young artists do their work this way.”

Tessie was sure that even though the young artists might do their artworks like this, the style was simply not acceptable to proper art masters. “While I enjoy your works,” she said carefully. “I am not at all certain that Monsieur Navez will find them anything more than the works of children who do not know how to keep their hands off of the paper. Come, you must wash those hands. Hilde or Cook will be fetching your supper soon and it would not do to greet either with those fingers.”

Tessie supervised the washing for the evening meal, having released Victoria May from the crib. She wondered aloud if anyone had allowed the youngest of the girls to play outside at all. Mercy entered the nursery in time for the question. “Oh, yes, Miss Tessie, I played with Miss May-May while the other two sketched.”

“Well done then, Mercy.” Tessie praised the young woman. Mercy was about three or four years younger than herself. “It is never easy to mind all three at once when two are occupied in a lesson you are teaching.”

Mercy beamed with pride as she set out the girls’ plates. Tessie helped her settle the young ones to their meal and then left Mercy to supervise while she went to lie down as instructed earlier. As she drifted off, Tessie wondered where she would take her own evening meal since she was not eating with her charges this day.

A few hours later, Tessie was dressed again and had touched up her hair. The chestnut color shone in the lamplight. Hopefully it would not look too red downstairs. She pinched her cheeks to add a bit of color as she had seen Prudence do and then laughed at herself. Her ruddy complexion needed no pinching and the result was rather jester-like. With any luck no one would notice. She slipped into the nursery to say her goodnights and then headed downstairs wearing Victoria May’s ugly necklace.

Tessie reached the bottom of the front staircase just as Goffrey the butler opened the door for an arrival. Tessie felt so out of place in the front entranceway. She and the girls always used the back staircase so that they would not bother His Lordship or interrupt any guests of the lord and lady. She stood on the bottom step and admired the elaborate décor while the newly-arrived guests entered.

The first was a middle-aged gentleman wearing a cleric’s collar. This must be the Reverend. Goffery took his hat and cloak but left the esteemed guest leaning on his cane. Right behind came a young man that Tessie would have guessed to be only a few years older than she. He had a darkly-tanned face framed by almost shoulder-length hair, which was matched by an equally unruly moustache. His soft brown eyes caught her in their glance immediately and he nodded an acknowledgement of her presence. Goffery took the leather hide jacket from the young man with obvious distaste. Mr. Randolph definitely fit all the stereotypes of a man from the frontier world of the American colonies found in the penny books.

Lady Winchester, having heard the men’s voices, appeared at the door of the parlor. “Do come in, gentlemen. Reverend.” She acknowledged the older man. She offered a gloved hand to the younger man as the reverend introduced them. “Welcome to my home, Mr. Randolph. I appreciate you taking time in your tour of our fair country to appear here this evening.” The lady then noticed Tessie still standing on the bottom step. “Oh, and may I introduce the newest member of our household. This is Miss Elisabeth Sutton, a cousin of our dear Miss Prudence.” Tessie was drawn into the parlor with the men as Lady Margaret introduced Prudence to Mr. Randolph.

Tessie had never been in this room before. Since the family’s return from Wales to London, Tessie had been too busy with her duties minding three young girls to explore the grand house. The high vaulted ceiling of the parlor was painted with hundreds of small golden starbursts against a pale blue background. A large crystal chandelier hung in the center of the room sending out light to every corner and radiating small rainbows about the room. Every table top, as well as the mantle of the enormous fireplace, held newly lit candles that gave the room a warm glow. The starbursts from the ceiling were repeated on the upper half of the walls but this time against a background of the same hue as fresh raspberries. The lower half of the walls was a deeper shade of the same color but without decoration. Separating the two was a thick chair railing painted in the same pale blue as the ceiling. A gold-colored divan, two flowered settees, and easy chairs were set against the walls. In the center of the room directly beneath the chandelier was a large round table covered with a simple black linen cloth.

“Is the room suitable, Reverend?” Tessie had never heard uncertainty in Lady Margaret’s voice before.

“Most suitable, my dear Lady Margaret. Most suitable. Don’t you agree, Randolph?”

The young man’s deep voice echoed off the near wall as he agreed. Tessie suspected that he was not used to parlors that were designed for quiet conversations. She found herself admiring this young man for the bravery of his travels. Tessie continued her perusal of the room and was surprised to see Cook emerge at the far end of the room with a tea tray. There must be a passage into the room that she had not yet noticed. Cook gave Tessie a grin and signaled her approval, then set the tray on an ebony sideboard.

“Lady Margaret,” Tessie caught the woman’s attention and indicated the tea tray. “May I pour for everyone?”

“Why yes, my dear, that would be most helpful. Reverend, Mr. Randolph, would you like a cup of tea?”

“I will gladly take a cup,” the reverend offered. “But Mr. Randolph prefers not to eat or drink before he steps into the spirit world. It gives him a queasy stomach. Isn’t that right, Randolph?”

The younger man chuckled. “Not quite, sir. I simply find the churnings of a working digestive system distracting when entering a trance.”

Prudence gave a nervous laugh as if she was unsure whether Mr. Randolph had meant it as a joke or not. Tessie became aware that her complete lack of expectations was allowing her to be more at ease than Miss Prudence seemed to be. Just then the chimes at the door announced the arrival of more guests.

Over the next half hour, Tessie was introduced to so many new faces that she began to wonder how the gentry kept track of who was who. The last to arrive was the most impressive. Lady Maitland was of an obvious age by the wrinkles on her face, the spots on her hands, and the white of her hair, but nothing in her stance or walk made her seem any older than Tessie herself. Tessie ascertained that the good reverend was less capable at getting about than this impressive woman. Lady Maitland’s voice was clear, almost bell-like as she greeted ‘Miss Elisabeth’. Tessie found herself dropping into a short curtsey out of respect for the grand dame.

“You have spent some time in Dublin, Elisabeth?” Lady Maitland’s question was more of a statement.

Tessie’s first reaction was one of panic. Luckily, Prudence was close by and answered for her. “Elisabeth’s father was vicar in Meath when she was small. It is so difficult to shake the first sounds we hear as children, is it not?”

Lady Maitland linked arms with Prudence. “So true, my child, so true. Come sit by me at the table.” Tessie was left speechless for a minute until Lady Maitland turned back to her. “You too, my dear. You sit next to me opposite your cousin.”

Tessie allowed herself to be dragged along to the table. “May I pour you a cup of tea, Lady Maitland?”

“No thanks, my dear. When you are my age, you will understand the problems associated with imbibing liquids at this hour of the day.”

It was as if the rest of Lady Winchester’s guests had been waiting on Lady Maitland. Individually or in small groups, everyone gravitated to the large table. Lady Margaret escorted Mr. Randolph and Reverend Moses to the table. The rustle of silks and taffeta could be heard as conversations dwindled or quieted. As if on cue, a footman appeared and extinguished most of the candles about the room.

From one corner of the room where they had been having an intense but quiet conversation were the newly engaged friends of Miss Prudence’s, Catherine something and Henry Ferguson. From what Tessie had overheard, young Mr. Ferguson had recently taken employment with Lord Winchester and his intended considered this séance tea silly and dangerous. Tessie recognized immediately that Miss Catherine was expecting that Mr. Ferguson could use their association with the Winchesters to improve his station.

At the opposite end of the opinion spectrum was the owner of Smithson Shipping and his young wife. Tessie had heard the term nouveau riche applied to such people. Mr. Smithson proudly explained that he had started out by capturing an abandoned shipping boat which he made profitable. In just over two decades he had earned a sizeable corner of the trading business, covering routes to most of Europe and to the American continent. Mrs. Smithson was the newest young wife, very pretty, and obviously easily excited by anything to do with the gentry. They made every effort to be as close to one of the two ladies as possible.

Tessie, Prudence and Lady Maitland reached the table to find their chairs being held out for them by the Snowdon twins, James and John. Their mother beamed with pride from just behind them. Lady Maitland complimented Mrs. Snowdon on her young gentlemen, which made the glow more obvious. Tessie felt a strange sensation to James’ close presence as he moved to assist her into her seat. John seated the Lady and quickly moved to seat Prudence while James seated his mother and then took the chair between her and Tessie. Prudence quickly suggested that John be her other neighbor at the table.

“I dare say I find it surprising that a vicar’s daughter should agree to such witchcraft.” James whispered close to Tessie’s ear.

Witchcraft? Tessie gave a start. She turned to look at the young man and saw immediately that he was teasing her but the thought lingered. Not once during the day had it occurred to Tessie that talking to the spirits of dead people might be witchcraft. She had simply been swept up by the enthusiasm of Lady Winchester and Miss Prudence. Was she damning her soul for eternity by agreeing to this? Suddenly her mind remembered a story from the Bible.

“Our Lord himself spoke with the dead. Are we not to emulate him as much as we can?” Tessie noticed the wide grin that appeared on Lady Winchester’s face across the table.

“Indeed, Miss Elisabeth, indeed.” The Reverend seated himself on the opposite of Lady Winchester from Mr. Randolph. “Since I am a man of the cloth, I can hardly be accused of consorting with the devil, now can I?” Reverend Moses allowed his gaze to circle the table.

“Oh, certainly not, Reverend. It is surely a gift from God what you do,” gushed Mrs. Smithson next to him. “And Mr. Randolph, of course,” she added quickly. “You both bring relief to our hearts when you show us that our loved ones are happy beyond this life.” On her left, Mr. Smithson laid a gentle hand on her arm. Tessie could feel him silently command his wife to cease her fawning prattle.

An uneasy silence fell upon the gathering and Tessie could not help but notice that most of the furtive glances were directed at Lady Maitland and Lady Winchester. Tessie smiled to herself as she realized that even the upper society worried about being accepted and liked. Reverend Moses took the opportunity to stand again.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if I may, let us bow our heads in prayer to our loving and just God.”

Tessie was very familiar with clerics who felt the need to explain their actions under the guise of prayer. She allowed her mind to wander as the reverend gave thanks for each member of the gathering and for the opportunity they would be given this evening. Tessie peeked through her eyelashes. Heads were bowed around the table reverently with one exception. Sitting between her fiancé and Mr. Randolph, Miss Catherine stared at the rugged Mesmerist. Lady Maitland cleared her throat and Tessie guiltily shut her eyes tightly. At the other side of the table, Reverend Moses quickly brought his prayer to a close.

“I will now turn the evening over to Mr. Randolph,” the elder man announced as he retook his seat.

The fawn-colored eyes in the tanned face took in each of the guests at the table before the young mesmerist spoke. Tessie could feel the level of expectation rise. Both Mrs. Smithson and Miss Catherine leaned in toward him. “I would ask that all of you understand clearly that no one is to break the circle under any circumstances during the séance,” explained Mr. Randolph. He waited a bit while giving the group another perusal. When no one moved or said anything, he continued, “Ladies and gentlemen, I would ask that you all place your hands, palms down on the table in front of you.”