Lucy Wickshire 4 Chapter One 4

"Report." the headmistress ordered without looking up.

"Pardon?" she found herself asking the lady before her.

"Are you new?" the headmistress frowned.

"No, headmistress" s.h.i.+lla answered. For some reason, she had lost all fear.

"Then, why do you need to be told what to do?" the lady asked.

"I'm sorry headmistress, I still do not understand." s.h.i.+lla maintained her ignorance.

"What did the Earl of Morge want, that he came all the way to see Lady Wicks.h.i.+re?"

"Oh, that. Forgive me headmistress, it seems there is a meeting he is attending and was entrusted to deliver painting drafts to my lady." s.h.i.+lla found herself answering.

"Drafts?"

"My lady says, it's a... hand sketch of... the final outcome of the painting for... her tea room." s.h.i.+lla found words from somewhere she was sure not her head.

"Hmm?" the headmistress raised a brow in confusion.

"One of my lady's brilliant ideas." s.h.i.+lla said.

"You may leave." the headmistress said and s.h.i.+lla curtsied and left.

The headmistress watched the maid leave as she sat on her large oak desk, dazed. Her brows pinched together as she seemed deep in thought. Too long did she remain so, that she did not notice the man who entered and lazily leaned against the office door.

"My lady?" she finally said the words she had heard s.h.i.+lla repeat too many times, a graceful frown stealing her face. Something about the way s.h.i.+lla said those words when referring to Lady Wicks.h.i.+re bothered her. She knew, only once had she heard a phrase feel like that. When? She could not remember.

"That look on your face says, you're in a state. The maid that just left, is it she you put in the lady's entourage?" A deep voice echoed it's question, waking the headmistress from her trance. The man dressed in a sharp brown coat, strolled over and took a seat before her. The headmistress did not look up, as she knew who it was that spoke.

"The way that maid kept repeating the words, 'my lady' when referring to that girl, was unsettling." the headmistress said.

"Lady Wicks.h.i.+re is after all, her lady." the man answered.

"Yes. Forget it. It's nothing but my mind making up trolls to unsettle me. What I want to know is how you knew that it was Lady Wicks.h.i.+re in question that I referred to."

"She is your most recent acquisition thus, the client you promised me." the man answered with a snort. The headmistress looked up for the first time since the man made himself known, into sharp blue eyes glazed with hints of impatience. She found the man in her presence terribly attractive yet too much below her to pursue, much more concoct thoughts of love. There was something about the way he paused his lips and rubbed his hairless chin, that stopped her heart.

"She just arrived and settled in. It would take time to deliver and you know that." she said.

"That is only because you have schemes in your head towards the lady."

"My, Wensworth, what ever do you mean?" she feigned ignorance.

"Anne, do you know why she is referred to as Lady Wicks.h.i.+re?" Wensworth asked, "Her family t.i.tle was that of an Earldom till only few years ago; His Majesty gifts her father Lord Torgenn, the Wicks.h.i.+re fortress. A territory that is accompanied by a dukedom. Her father remains as to this day, Lord Torgenn; maintaining his position as an Earl while his daughter stands, the d.u.c.h.ess of Wicks.h.i.+re."

"She's daddy's little pet. Everyone with a brain is well aware of how dotting her father is on matters of her." the headmistress snorted.

"No, Anne. As true as that may be, what you do not know is that there is a trend of some sort in the Wicks.h.i.+re dukedom that extends into the Torgenn earldom. As I hear, I believe the saying is; Lady Wicks.h.i.+re is the beginning and end. Her father maybe doting, but what about the higher social cla.s.s? Sure, the women may not be informed, as not so much concerns or is allowed to concern them, but never will you find more secretive n.o.ble gents than when talk sways towards Lady Wicks.h.i.+re." Wensworth said, getting up, "I have things to see to. You promised me an opening to have her as a client. Make it happen." Wensworth b.u.t.toned his coat, then strolled out.