Rachel's Story

Chapter 20

She shook her head. “If not for your warning, I would have been carrying his water every morning in as usual, same as I do for everyone, and then he would’ve had me at his mercy indeed. As it was, I told James everything early on and he took that task over from me. I’m engaged to his brother Edward, Miss – the one that works in Mr. Brummings’ shop in Denbries. I love him; it would have killed me if his Lordship had…done something and…my Eddie rejected me as…as defiled...” The distraught girl started sobbing freely and Rachel held her hand in silent commiseration.

Sally’s head bowed even lower before she resumed speaking in a plaintive voice, “You suffered the same as me, Miss, and more. I was forewarned, and yet I thought all that was a lie on your part to get some attention! He never touched me thanks to your warning, and I can only be ashamed of my own behavior towards you in earlier days. I was jealous of you and your well-bred airs, your pretty face and how ev’ryone was hanging’ on your words. I was no longer in the spotlight, and it galled me. I’ve been proud of me looks and education all my life, since I believed them to make me a cut above my people. All foolish jealousy and pride would have been ground in the dust if…if I’d been branded as a fallen woman.” And she burst into tears once again.

Rachel knew that there was nothing much that she could say in this situation, so she wisely kept quiet and let the sobbing girl expel all pent-up anguish from her system. Sometime all that is needed to soothe the soul is a sympathetic listener.

                                                             Xxxxx

A morning that starts so dramatically usually leads to an anticlimactic day, but that was not exactly true in this case. No sooner had she stepped foot in the schoolroom that Rachel was swamped with her students’ excited chatter, breathing welcome in every word. “You are back again, Miss Warren, it felt like ages of separation!” exclaimed Diana, getting somewhat flighty in her choice of words out of excitement. Alicia was more sedate. “We are very pleased to see you again Miss, especially so well recovered. It has not been the same without you.”

Rachel laughed. “Well, I’m flattered ladies,” she teased lightly, though her eyes misted over. “And I missed you both prodigiously too.” She caressed Alicia’s cheek lightly before taking Diana’s hand. “What have you two been up to in my absence? I could not wait to return to you again.” And it was true in a way; despite her myriad emotions and upheavals, despite Andrew and Headley Downs and everything in between, she had really wondered at length about her students several times. They had firmly carved their niche in her heart. She mused more to herself than to her audience, “Who would believe that we had not known of each others’ existence some months’ ago?”

Diana got busy in bringing Rachel up-to-date with their activities. “Our studies have been largely waiting for your instructions Miss Warren, but we have done some work on our own as well during your absence. We have finished reading the book we were working on, and debated the merits and demerits of the reigns of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Anne as we had planned before your departure. And see, we have learnt this exquisite piece of music…”

Alicia was thoughtful all this while. After Diana stopped prattling on in this vein, she turned towards their teacher and innocently answered her last rhetorical statement. “No one would believe our instant connection, indeed. But I do not think that this situation is all that strange or novel. After all it is a strange world, ours, that can bring strangers as close as lifelong friends within a few months; nay, sometimes even an hour is enough to forge a friendship designed to last for a lifetime. And that is completely true in our case Miss Warren. Life here lost its color in your absence.”

Rachel’s heart skipped a beat as she thought about the truth of Alicia’s words in regard to her and Andrew, before recognizing the full compliment which these dear girls were paying her. They had carried on with their own studies all these days out of their sheer desire to learn and yet did not let their parents hire another governess for them. She mattered more to them than their education – she as a human being, rather than as a mere governess whose only function was to impart knowledge.