Soigne, if you had been Napoleon’s minister of war in the late disturbance, he would not have lost.’ He held out his hand to Sally. ‘Come, my dear. We now have to search for enough domestics to puff up our consequence in the neighbourhood. Madame Soigne, we bid you good day.’
There didn’t seem to be any point in sitting across from him, not when he held her arm and plopped her down beside him. Besides, she had a confession. ‘I had better make a clean breast of it,’ she told him, as the chaise pulled away from the curb. ‘Madame Soigne also sent for a milliner and a shoemaker.’
‘I am relieved to hear it,’ he remarked. ‘I call that efficiency.’ He must have used her wry expression as an excuse to keep his arm around her. ‘You sound like a tar on shore leave! Spend it all in one go and chance the consequences!’
‘I call it a huge expenditure,’ she lamented.
He refused to be anything but serene. ‘Sophie dear, your duty is to rid me of sisters. That is no small task and it will require ammunition. You are dealing with ruthless hunters, who will stop at nothing. I consider you a total bargain.’
She looked at his face, noticed the crinkles around his eyes. ‘You are quizzing me! I think you are shameless.’
He threw back his head and laughed. ‘You think I exaggerate?’
‘I know you do,’ she said, trying not to smile. ‘Were you this much trouble in the fleet?’
‘This and more, but I achieved results,’ he assured her. ‘I do believe I will add to your duties, as well, my dear, since you feel I have done too much by clothing you in a style to suit my consequence. You’re going to be charming the Brusteins with Shakespeare and helping slap my house into submission. Yes, you may find me something to do, while you’re at it. Can you see me sitting on my thumbs this winter?’
‘I cannot,’ she agreed. ‘I believe I will earn that wardrobe!’
He hugged her tighter, then released her. ‘Laugh like that more often, Sophie. It becomes you.’
‘I am not so certain I had much to laugh about,’ she said frankly.
‘Then maybe your fortunes have turned,’ he said, equally frank.
Maybe they have, Sally decided, after luncheon at the Drake. She knew they had, when they came to the employment registry, and there sat the same pale governess she had shared the bench with only days ago. I could still be sitting next to her, she thought, giving the woman a smile.
Her smile turned thoughtful. She took her husband by the arm, which made him look at her with an expression that made her stomach feel deliciously warm. She walked him outside, grateful they were much the same height, so there was no need to tug on his sleeve like a child.
‘Charles.’ His name still sounded so strange on her lips, but she knew he enjoyed it. ‘Charles, that lady is an out-of-work governess. She came with me on the mail coach from Bath, and see, she is still sitting here.’
‘Times are hard,’ he pointed out. ‘After the tailor measured me—Lord, but he got personal with my parts—I walked down to the harbour and found any number of seamen begging, or leaning against buildings and trying not to beg. Peace is well enough, I suppose, but it certainly throws people out of employment. Do we need a governess? Is there something you are not telling me?’
Sally knew he was quizzing her, but she felt a wave of guilt pass over her, as she wished it was not too late to tell him her former name. He was teasing her, but his eyes were kind. All I can do is go on, she told herself.
‘I know we have no need of a governess! When my clothing comes, I will need a dresser.’ She leaned closer to him, not wanting to be overheard. ‘May I at least ask her if she is interested in the position? I know how she feels, sitting there. I wonder if she is as hungry as I was.’
‘Certainly you may ask her.’ He walked a few steps with her, away from the registry. ‘And you might as well know I hired several of those seamen on the docks to help Starkey do whatever it is he does so well; peel potatoes for Etienne, if he needs it; and assist my new steward in ridding the house—our home—of cupids in flagrante.’ He patted her hand. ‘I suppose we are both easy marks. Too bad I didn’t know about this character flaw in you sooner.’
She leaned against his shoulder. ‘Yes, Admiral! I suppose one of us should be surly and grim, to make this marriage a success.’
‘Admiral, is it?’ He winced elaborately, then grew serious. ‘Sophie, there were months on end, maybe years, when I was grim. As for surly, you may ask any number of my subalterns. I hope those days are over. I know how much those men on the docks sacrificed for England. It gave me a real pleasure to hire them.’
She nodded. ‘Then I suppose we are two fools. I will go ask her.’
‘Suppose she cannot iron or make good pleats?’ he asked, back to his light-hearted remarks.
‘Then you will have to love your useful wife wrinkled,’ she retorted, pinking up as she said it. ‘I can show her how to iron,’ she added honestly. ‘I have never had a dresser.’
Her name was Amelia Thayn. After a long look at Sally, during which her eyes filled with tears, she nodded. ‘Lady Bright, I am no expert with clothing. I am a governess.’
‘I know that. I have never had a dresser before. I suggest that we will figure this out as we go along. And if you wish to keep looking for governess positions, while you are working for me, I have no objections.’
‘You would do that?’
‘Of course she would. My wife is kindness personified.’
Sally looked at the door, where her husband stood. So are you, she thought. ‘It seems only logical,’ she told Miss Thayn. ‘I know you would rather be a governess, but these are hard times.’
They settled on a wage, and Sally left Miss Thayn there to collect her thoughts while she spoke with the employment agent about an upstairs maid, a downstairs maid, a maid of all work and a laundress. He promised to select the best he had and send them to her tomorrow. When she returned to the antechamber, the governess was ready to go.
‘I owe a shilling to the landlady at the Mulberry Inn,’ she said, keeping her voice low, as red spots burned in her cheeks. ‘There is also the matter of…of several books I have pawned.’
At least you were not sleeping in churches, Sally thought, as they stood in the antechamber, as close to tears as her newest employee.
Admiral Bright came to her rescue. He handed several coins to Miss Thayn, who stumbled over her gratitude. ‘Call this a bonus for coming to work in a den of iniquity! Settle up your affairs and come to the registry by nine of the clock tomorrow. This post chaise will conduct you and our other female workers to our house. You will be in charge.’ He turned to Sally. ‘My dearest, explain our home to this nice lady while I talk to the coachman.’
She did and was rewarded with a faint smile. ‘The house is being painted, but it will require more paint in more rooms, I fear,’ Sally concluded, as the admiral returned to them and helped them into the post chaise. ‘Now we will take you to the…the Mulberry, you say?’
‘I can walk there, I assure you,’ Miss Thayn said.
‘What, and not allow us to puff up our consequence?’ Bright said. ‘Really, Miss Thayn!’
Subdued into obedience by the admiral’s natural air of command, which Sally knew she could never hope to alter, should she be given that task, Miss Thayn unbent enough to lean back in the chaise. She closed her eyes and gave a long sigh that sounded suspiciously like profound gratitude.
They deposited Miss Thayn at the Mulberry and listened to more profuse thanks. When they started east towards the coast, they passed a shabby inn rejoicing in the name of the Noble George. Sally took her husband’s hand. ‘Please stop here a moment.’
The admiral