The Governess of White Stag Hall

January Gloom

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It felt like ages had passed since Edith had seen the city, even though it had not even been a full year, so London was exactly as she'd left it. There were still the muddy streets, the soupy, brown skies, and the air that was choked with smog and the smell of waste, even as they approached the grand townhouses of the Green. The colorful window boxes and flower beds had been lost to the winter chill, making the elegant faces of the townhouses seem austere and unwelcoming.

"Thank you, Roberts," Edith said to the driver as the family was alighting from the carriage.

The man gave a stern nod and then a friendly wink, which made Edith smile.

"Miss Belle!"

Edith turned at the sound of Meg's voice and saw the girl lingering on the front step. She looked back to Roberts and quickly bid him goodbye before going to join her charge.

Meg led the way into the house and Edith found herself awash in a strange mixture of memories as she entered the foyer. It was not nearly so dark or eerie as she remembered it and she wondered if it had seemed so because of all that had brought her there in the first place.

Meg bolted up the stairs before Edith could stop her. She took them two at a time to reach the next floor and was quickly out of sight.

"I am sure it is strange for you to return here," Pierce said and Edith turned to look at him. His wife had already disappeared into the other room and could be heard shouting for the servants.

"It is, in a way," Edith agreed with a nod. "Do you spend every winter here?"

Pierce nodded. "Most. My wife prefers the countryside, but my business often keeps me in town until even after the season. Come June or July she will be ready to return to White Stag and I will remain."

Theirs was such a strange marriage, Edith thought. Although they seemed to get on well enough when they were together, they spent so little time together. Then there was the matter of Mrs. Pierce's affair. Edith had not seen any sign of it since that first night at White Stag, but she supposed discretion was rather important in such a matter.

"You must be very tired now, but come tomorrow you and Meg will feel free to visit the park, if you'd like," Mr. Pierce said. "One of the grooms would happily take you."

"Thank you, sir."

He gave a warm smile and they parted there in the foyer. Without anything else to do, Edith hesitantly made her way up the stairs to find Meg.

*

It was remarkable how much louder the city was than the country. Even at night, there were still carriages which rattled over the paving stones and the barking of dogs. Edith laid awake for most of her first night and she wondered if London would ever feel like home to her again.

Once settled, Meg's lessons resumed immediately. Unfortunately, the townhouse was not large enough for its own classroom, but the music room was routinely empty and it had space enough for them to work. More importantly, they weren't disturbing anyone. Mr. Pierce was almost always occupied in his office with some business matter or another and Mrs. Pierce frequently had guests over for tea. As for their morning walks, there was a small park not far from the Green. It was a poor substitute for White Stag's sprawling grounds, but it was at least enough to serve their purposes.

Just as she did at White Stag, Edith retreated to her quarters and out of sight at the end of every day. Her room was marginally less spartan, as it was intended for guests of the family, so her bed was an actual mattress and not a poor imitation and the bedding was considerably warmer. It being winter, she was also allotted more fuel for the lamps in her room as the days were much shorter.