Chapter 1

 

'Miss Sinclair, he's here, come quickly!'

'Jessica, whatever is the matter? Why are you in such high spirits? You should be asleep in your bed!' I questioned with surprise my eleven year old pupil who looked like she was literally bursting with excitement.

'Sleep?! I could not possibly sleep right now, not when Uncle Gregory has just arrived back from his travels.'

'Your Uncle... Gregory?' For some moments I remained confused. 'You mean Lord Hamilton is back home?'

'Yes, Miss Sinclair, that's what I just said. If you don't believe me, you can see for yourself from your window. His carriage is outside, and there are a lot of people downstairs already, all the servants are welcoming him and carrying in all his boxes of luggage. Oh, I do hope Uncle has remembered to bring with him lots of precious gifts for me from his travels just as he promised in his letters to me.'

I did not reply back in my shock, but found myself following Jessica's suggestion as I walked to my bedroom window and took a glimpse outside. Jessica was indeed speaking the truth, not that she had ever given me any cause to doubt her words. But sometimes seeing was believing as they say, and I could not deny what I saw with my own two eyes in front of me.

There was a large carriage parked outside with the butler standing next to it as he instructed the footmen with constant arm movements to carry the boxes into the house carefully. But my gaze then automatically turned to a new towering figure in a long cloak that I had not seen before. He stood slightly apart from all the commotion outside. At first I was not able to get a clear look at his features from where I watched him, but he seemed to be caught up in his own observations as he faced in the direction of the house with his head turning slowly as if to study each inch of the vast estate before him.

'Oh my!' I gasped out loudly as I stepped away hurriedly from the window. I was angry with myself for becoming so engrossed and forgetting myself. I felt my cheeks burning as I remembered the dark, intense eyes that had looked up at me with curiosity just moments before. I knew immediately that he was no other than Lord Gregory Hamilton.

'Miss Sinclair, are you all right? You are acting all funny; did you not see the carriage and my Uncle as I told you?' Jessica asked, clearly concerned.

'Yes, I have seen the carriage, and the man I am presuming to be your uncle. And I am perfectly well......I just did not expect......your uncle to be back so soon. I was told on the first day of my employment by Mrs Trevor that Lord Hamilton would not be back for a whole year, yet it has only been five months since I took up the post as your governess, so he has come home much earlier than I anticipated.' I rambled on nervously as I remembered my conversation with the housekeeper. I just hated the fact that I was taken so off guard and had not had time to be prepare for the Lord's arrival.

'Uncle has come back earlier than intended but isn't that a good thing?'

'Of course, Jessica.' I tried to appear more upbeat to my pupil.

'It's been really boring around here, especially being cooped up in doors all day because the weather has become so bad of late. You'll see it is always so fun and exciting when Uncle comes back home. Our days will change, we can all go for long walks and rides together instead of remaining in the schoolroom for most of the day. I know I will go and see Uncle now and make him promise to take us both out tomorrow.' Jessica's manner became excitable once again.

'No, Jessica, don't go just yet. Don't you think it is wise to go back to your bed and instead welcome your uncle back home tomorrow when you will have plenty of time to catch up with him? After all, he may be tired tonight and seeking his own slumber after his long travels.' I appealed to Jessica, but my words fell on deaf ears as I watched the child run out of my room as fast as she had earlier come into it, no doubt to find and greet Lord Hamilton.