Miss Mouse Read online

  MISS MOUSE

  Mira Stables

  © Mira Stables 1980

  Mira Stables has asserted her rights under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.

  First published in 1980 by Robert Hale Limited.

  This edition published in 2018 by Endeavour Media Ltd.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter One

  His lordship pushed aside the papers with which he had busied himself while he awaited Miss Ashley’s arrival and rose politely to greet her, shaking the neatly gloved hand that she extended to him and accepting her assurances that her journey had been perfectly comfortable and her refusal of the offer of refreshment. He dismissed Bosworth, bidding him inform Mrs Palmer of the young lady’s arrival and ask her to appoint one of the maids to wait upon her in a quarter of an hour.

  “Tell her to send the girl to the library,” he added. “I daresay Miss Ashley will be glad of a guide until she becomes accustomed.” He bestowed a disarming smile upon his guest, a smile that successfully concealed the dismay that her appearance had caused him. What maggot had got into his sister’s brain to cause her to engage such an odd-looking female?

  The children would never take to her. It would be unkind to say that she was actually repulsive, and of course she could not help her appearance. In fact he would concede that, set in a different countenance, her eyes were magnificent. But the sickly pallor of a greasy looking skin, a disfiguring mole at one side of her nose, and an awkwardness in the poor creature’s walk and carriage caused by some inequality of the shoulders could not be said to make up an attractive appearance. As matters stood at the moment he had problems enough in keeping a tutor for nephew Benedict. He wondered briefly what had possessed him, in addition, to undertake the charge of his sister’s family for a whole summer. His eldest niece, Beatrice, at sixteen, might be expected to behave in reasonably adult fashion. She might even be willing to accept Miss Ashley as a suitable duenna. But he would be willing to stake a handsome sum that Bridget and Adam, the younger children, would have none of her. They would follow Benedict’s pattern as they always did. And a boy who was so adept at disposing of tutors would have small difficulty in dealing with this poor little scrap of a governess.

  It was really cruel to expose her to such an assault. But what else could he do? Elizabeth had already engaged her. Something to do with her being the sister of an old school friend. He could not dismiss her out of hand. He could only try to strengthen her authority as far as possible. He hoped that at least she had some force of personality to redeem her physical disadvantages.

  Once again he was doomed to disappointment. Miss Ashley’s voice was flat and unemphatic, and the few platitudes that she uttered were totally devoid of originality. Perhaps she was shy. In an attempt to put her at ease he spoke of his sister, asking if she was well advanced in her preparations for the journey to Copenhagen, and if she was still in raptures at the thought of a ‘second honeymoon’.

  “I have not had the pleasure of seeing Lady Elizabeth since she attended my sister’s wedding – and that was three years ago,” replied Miss Ashley sedately. “I owe my engagement as governess to my sister’s good offices. You are probably aware of the close friendship between them. Bridget knew that I was seeking a new situation and chanced to mention it to Lady Elizabeth who was so good as to say that my close relationship to her friend was sufficient recommendation for the post. It was fortunate, too, that I was able to assume my duties at short notice, since Lady Elizabeth was anxious to travel with her husband but did not care to do so until she had arranged for the care of the children. In her letter she charged me most particularly not to permit them to tease you, declaring that she was already imposing quite sufficiently upon your good nature by permitting you to house them and that it would be quite too bad if they were also to cut up your peace.”

  “Then you are not, I take it, acquainted with your charges?” said his lordship grimly.

  “No, milord.”

  “I trust that they will not give you cause to repent your rashness in accepting a post of which you knew so little. It is only fair to warn you that you will have your hands full. In addition to my sister’s three, the schoolroom party includes my nephew Benedict, my younger brother’s only child. His parents died during an outbreak of cholera and he was left to my guardianship. Strictly speaking, the charge of one who can only be described as a young rapscallion is no part of your duties, since he has his own tutor. But you will soon discover that he exerts a good deal of influence over your pupils, especially the two younger ones, so that in self defence you will find it necessary to make him mind you. Let me assure you of my entire support in any measures that you may judge necessary to suppress his genius for leading his cousins into mischief. In fact it might be better if you leave his punishment in my hands, or just report him to his tutor if he gets up to any of his tricks.”

  The big blue-grey eyes regarded him solemnly. “How old is your nephew, milord?”

  “He will be thirteen next month.”

  The lady nodded sagely. “Then if I am for ever telling tales of him I shall entirely forfeit his respect. Deservedly, too. I think it will be better if I use my own methods of discipline. I am not without experience. Apart from my pupils, I have brothers of my own. I do not despair of establishing good relations with your nephew.”

  His lordship bowed. “As you wish, ma’am. But do not allow professional pride to deter you from claiming my support if you feel that it is needed.”

  She gave him a quaint little half-nod, half-bow of assent, and rose as the maid came into the library to show her to her room. At least she had some spirit behind the unattractive façade, decided by his lordship, revising his opinion rather more favourably at this assertion of independence. It would be interesting to see what she made of young Benedict. If she mastered that young scapegrace she would certainly be worthy of his guardian’s deepest respect! The boy was spoiled, he supposed ruefully. Delicate health in childhood had caused him to be educated at home, and sympathy for his orphaned state, combined with natural affection aroused by a lively and engaging personality had made him very much the darling of the household. Nor, as an only child, had his full propensities for mischief been displayed. It was not until his cousins had come to spend the summer at Valminster that he began to demonstrate qualities of leadership and organisation that would stand him in good stead in later life if, as he probably would, he should choose to follow his father into the army.

  On the domestic front these qualities were less appreciated. A number of Master Benedict’s whilom supporters discovered that he had long outgrown his youthful delicacy and was now capable of plaguing the lives out of them. His sunny good humour and his readiness to accept defeat in good part when he found himself outgeneralled, ensured a high degree of tolerance from servants who had known him from his cradle, but as his guardian, the Earl had felt that he was in a fair way to becoming thoroughly out of hand. He supposed that he ought to make more effort to exert his own authority since he suspected that the boy could twist his tutor round his finger. School discipline would bear harshly on him if he was permitted to set authority at defiance in his present outrageous fashion, yet it seemed a pity to cramp his freedom during what would be, to all intents and purposes, the last summer
of his childhood. By next year school would have set its mark on him. Next summer, too, there would be no family of cousins to initiate him into the give and take that would help him to settle into school life. The Earl decided to hold his hand a little longer, but to keep a closer watch upon the activities of the schoolroom party in general and upon Master Benedict in particular.

  Having supervised the process of unpacking her simple belongings, bestowing most of them in drawers and cupboards with her own hands (which caused the handmaiden who waited upon her to report that, ‘Miss seemed to be a pleasant sort of a lady, not one of the proud kind, even if she wasn’t much to look at’), Miss Graine Ashely devoted herself to a careful inspection of the rooms that had been allotted to her.

  She was very pleasantly surprised. She had been fortunate, she decided. It was a pity that she must reside in a masculine household, but she had taken her own measures to counteract the discomforts of that particular situation, and certainly the accommodation provided was far superior to anything that she had encountered in her previous posts. In fact she would have supposed the comfortable bedroom and sitting room to have been guest chambers, so pleasant and attractively furnished as they were. Moreover she had been treated with perfect respect by such servants as she had had dealings with. To one who was well accustomed to treading the difficult path of the governess who was neither gentry nor servant but an employee who must establish her own claim to gentility, this was a significant pointer. In her experience, good servants and good employers went together. She thought the better of the Earl because his butler had shown her proper deference and his housemaid had smiled in friendly fashion as she performed her duties. It was not unusual for servants who were obliged to wait on so ignoble a being as a governess to be sullen and covertly insolent. Miss Ashley was inclined to view her immediate future hopefully, despite the warning that she had received from his lordship. Remembering some of her experiences – in particular some of the exploits of her brothers – she felt that she was well prepared for most of the tricks that a twelve-year-old schoolboy was likely to try. It was a pity that circumstances compelled her to play a part. It would all have been very much simpler if she could just have been her natural self. Much would depend, of course, on the personality of the sinner. But she had a good deal of faith in her own capabilities, and it would give her considerable satisfaction to prove them to that cool, doubting Thomas who had dismissed her so kindly from his presence. Not that his name was Thomas. It was something rather outlandish which she could not at the moment recall, and no business of hers in any case.

  She took another look at the contents of her wardrobe. Certainly nothing sufficiently glamorous to cause a maid to pry, she thought, with a humorous little grimace that would have surprised the Earl. But one could not be too careful. The charming little escritoire that had been provided for her use had a drawer that could be locked. She studied her face critically in the mirror, decided that for the moment no repairs were needed, and bestowed the sticks of grease paint and several boxes and packages in the drawer, carefully locking it and putting the key on a ribbon that she hung round her neck. A final inspection assured her that the shifts with the padded shoulders were modestly folded away in the middle of a pile of under-linen. It was going to be a great nuisance to maintain her disguise, simple as it was, with so many other things to think about. But she was already committed and now she must go through with it. Even if, in face of her impersonal reception from her nominal employer, it no longer seemed so necessary.

  She shrugged, wondered what her pupils were doing and when she would meet them, and settled down to write a letter to her sister Bridget to announce her safe arrival. Perhaps the Earl would be willing to frank it for her.

  She met her eldest charge, the sixteen-year-old Beatrice, at dinner that night. The girl explained that she and Benedict were permitted to dine with the grown-ups unless guests were expected. Mr Read, Benedict’s tutor, was also of the party. Benedict himself had been denied the treat, having been sentenced to bread and milk in the schoolroom. If he showed no more sense than a babe in the nursery, he must expect to be treated like one, pronounced the Earl. It emerged that his lordship had come upon the three youngsters playing a game called ‘Astleys’, Benedict standing on his hands on the pony’s back while Bridget led it round the paddock, and explaining to his juniors, though rather breathlessly, how to maintain this feat of balance. His uncle had been just in time to stop the eight-year-old Adam from attempting to emulate this exploit, Bridget having regretfully declined a polite invitation to take first turn because the feat was one that was difficult to perform when hampered by petticoats.

  Graine listened to this account with an unmoved countenance, though her self control was sorely tried. She was divided between amusement and relief. This sort of thing she could deal with. Reckless and ill-judged, of course, since the younger children might easily have been injured, but not sly or malicious. She began to look forward to her encounters with Master Benedict, though she could not help regretting that the ‘Astleys’ episode had been ill-timed from her point of view. The culprit had been made to look small in the eyes of the new governess before they had even met. It would do nothing to dispose him in her favour.

  In fact she had no trouble at all for the better part of a week. The Browning children posed no problems. Beatrice, who would make her debut next year, loved pretty clothes and talked eagerly of all the things she would do when she was launched into Society, but was still something of a tomboy. Graine liked her unaffected manners and thought she showed promise of being as great a success as her Mama. The two younger ones, Bridget named for Graine’s sister and Adam, the Brownings’ cherished only son, were normal likeable youngsters, easily led but equally easily controlled. In the intimate atmosphere of the schoolroom she ventured to lower her guard a little and allow her natural vivacity to peep out. Her pupils tended to like her. She made lessons interesting and was not above bending the rules occasionally on a fine day. A great many lessons could be done satisfactorily out of doors. Though it was a pity, thought the Brownings, that Miss Ashley did not enter fully into their enthusiasm for outdoor pursuits. Perhaps one would not expect a governess to care for swimming (thus Beatrice) but surely boating on the lake was perfectly proper, and Uncle Ross would not permit them to go unless Miss Ashley and Mr Read both accompanied them. While as for riding and driving, one might almost think that the newcomer was afraid of horses. Such a person might win tolerance. She could never win respect or affection.

  Graine came into the schoolroom one morning after breakfast to find three heads bent studiously over their tasks. That in itself was enough to arouse her suspicions, and the presence of Benedict, who should have been engaged with Mr Read in the library, did nothing to allay them. Moreover he apologised so politely for his intrusion that it was abundantly plain that there was something in the wind.

  “Mr Read said I might attempt the still life group that you set up for Beatrice yesterday,” he said glibly. “I’ll be mum as a mouse, I promise.”

  For some reason this remark struck Bridget as being irresistibly funny. She erupted into giggles, to be sternly frowned down by her cousin. “Miss Ashley won’t permit me to stay if you are going to make such a fuss,” he told her, in so severe a voice that she was instantly quelled.

  Graine gave the required permission and lessons proceeded decorously enough for some twenty minutes, though neither Bridget nor Adam appeared to derive much profit from them. Adam’s thoughts seemed to be on other things and Bridget was still in a state of suppressed giggles. Adam’s struggles with the nine times table brought matters to a head. He managed quite confidently as far as four nines, but five produced a long pause until he suddenly said, in an oddly shaky little voice, “Miss Ashley, do you know there’s a mouse on your skirt?”

  Graine glanced down. Sure enough there was a small white mouse ensconced in the modest ruffle that edged her plain gown, sitting up on his hind legs and gazing about him waril
y, mouse fashion, with tiny darting movements. She had to acknowledge a degree of defeat, for Benedict had succeeded in placing him there without attracting her attention even though she had been on the alert for mischief.

  “Oh, the dear little fellow,” she said pleasantly. “Just look at him! Not a bit afraid. You must move very gently, children, so as not to startle him. Is he yours, Benedict? Is he tame enough to come to you if you offer him food? A few crumbs of biscuit might tempt him if he knows you well enough. But you should shut him up more securely,” she reproved gently. “Mice are such sensitive little creatures. At large among a crowd of people who must appear monstrous in his sight, he might have been terrified to the point of panic. I hope you will not mind my giving you a hint on this head. My brothers and I kept all kinds of pets, and mice were among my particular favourites.”

  Chapter Two

  She gained some prestige from this encounter, and several casually dropped anecdotes about her childhood and the pets that had enlivened it did something to put her stock higher. She took the precaution of dwelling rapturously on the beauty of a grass snake that her brother Dominic had cherished, since she could not rely on her ability to sustain a calm front if any of her charges introduced one of the horrid slithery reptiles into the room. Frogs and toads, newts, guinea pigs and all the usual domestic pets, but not even her brothers had been able to cure her of her aversion to snakes. But on the whole she doubted if they would try the same sort of trick again. His lordship had said that Benedict was full of ingenious ideas. She wondered what he would try next.

  Ingenious he might be, but he lacked patience. He had not the cunning to wait until she might be regarded as being lulled into a sense of false security. He did wait until Beatrice was absent. Beatrice was beginning to think herself too old for childish pranks, and what was more, Miss Ashley had won her over to a certain extent by telling her something of the delights that she would enjoy when she made her début next year. Bea was not likely to approve of the time honoured practice of spreading glue on the governess’s chair. She was more likely to protest that it was a mean trick to play, even if it did make the poor woman look uncommonly foolish. In fact Benedict himself was rather ashamed of it. It was not very original. But what were you to do with a woman who raised no objection to mice running over her skirts?