Lucy Wickshire 25 Chapter Four 3

With the loss of Lady Torggen, the Dukedom was under stress. The late lady had ama.s.sed enough fortune for the Torggen household to be rich for an eternity. She had opened trade routes and grown the family to a height unimaginable. With her absence, some came to call. The greed of men rose as they set their eyes on the Torggen fortune. That is when Nanny Han stepped up. Without her wit and ability, the household would have fallen. She took helm till Lucy was old enough to make decisions. Only then did she step back, allowing Lucy to take control and instil fear in all. Every one knew in their heart; if someone could raise a child like Lucy, they must be scary.

Of course, this was not so for the ladies and some of the younger generation, as they did not know much of this history. Still, they bowed to the mighty ancestral power of the elder woman's glib tongue. The headmistress may not be as good as the elderly woman, but Lady Wicks.h.i.+re's answer to the elderly woman's instruction told her it was best to directly withdraw.

"Yes, Nanny Han." Lucy answered obediently.

"Forgive me then, for my intrusion. I will take my leave." the headmistress directly excused herself, but Nanny Han had no intention to let her off.

"A young woman in a societal gathering without a chaperone. It is she that let their family's young lady walk around without supervision, that this old woman should be throwing words on. I do not blame you. you at least have enough home training to know when to withdraw." Nanny Han said in a harrumph. The leaving headmistress was already in enough shame. The last words of Nanny Han almost caused her to trip on her skirt.

The eyes that followed her walking away said it all. Sure, she was a headmistress, but she was still a girl not a half head of age; a young woman still at the age of marriage.

She should not be going around society without a chaperone. It seemed as though this was the first time it occurred to them that this was the person teaching their daughters. What good could she possibly have to teach them?

The headmistress heard it all and her already lowered head seemed as though it fell another degree. She felt the disdain from those eyes and could not keep her head up. She knew this was dangerous; her profession could be at it's last leg with this. Rumours flew like wind and worked as so; it spread fast, and people needed it to survive. Her reputation had never taking such a hit before.

She returned to where Wensworth stood, in anger. Wensworth saw her coming his way, and almost ran the other, but held himself in place. Not only would he make a laughing stock of himself If he ran, the headmistress may take offence and his career would be over. He looked away tactically; as though he had not witnessed what happened, but the veins protruding from his temple said another thing.

Why did this woman have no sense what so ever? He had always thought she did; so, where had all her common sense gone? She was just accused of walking around society without a chaperone like a loose woman, and her first reaction is to walk towards a man?

Any man could do, but him. A person that had been seen in her company so many times without a chaperone. This was bad. The way he saw it, rumours were flying already. Now, he was about to be swept into it.