Chapter 71

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: A New Life (2)
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Mrs. Fairfax, standing nearby, clicked her tongue.

“It seems Daniel has frightened his brother again. Miss Pendleton, George is just so naive.”

Laura couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. George, finally grasping the situation, turned bright red. Daniel, standing beside him, snickered.

“You idiot, you believed that?”

George glared at his older brother. Daniel stuck his tongue out at him. In response, George lunged at his brother. The two began to throw wild punches at each other.

What if one of them gets hurt? Laura fretted, glancing at Mrs. Fairfax. But Mrs. Fairfax merely watched her sons' fight with an indifferent expression.

Daniel and George traded a few blows before the fight ended with the smaller George getting his arms and back soundly thrashed by his brother and starting to whine.

“Have you had enough? Then both of you, go to your rooms. As punishment for fighting, you'll have no afternoon snacks today.”

The two boys' faces twisted with indignation. George's especially so.

“But, Mother! He started it! He teased me first!”

“And you lunged at him and threw punches. I never thought you'd behave this way, especially in front of your new governess. What would your uncle say if he found out?”

At the mention of their uncle, George's face went pale. Mrs. Fairfax said calmly,

“Hurry to your rooms. Or would you rather go without supper as well?”

They hung their heads and returned to their rooms. Mrs. Fairfax smiled at Laura.

“My sons are so well-behaved, aren't they?”

Finding it difficult to respond, she quickly changed the subject.

“The uncle the children are so afraid of must be Mr. Dalton, I presume?”

“How did you know right away?”

“I didn't think they would be afraid of Mr. Fairfax.”

“Ho ho, you're right! William is a pushover with those rascals. My brother, on the other hand, is like Satan to them.”

Laura smiled.

“But Mr. Dalton is actually a very good uncle, isn't he?”

“That's right. It's thanks to Ian that those little rascals listen to me at all. If only their temperaments were half as gentle as Henry's, Ian wouldn't have to be so strict.”

“Henry? Is that your eldest son?”

“Yes, our eldest, who is at Cambridge now. He has such a gentle nature that Ian never needed to play the villain. Ian doted on him before he went off to college. When he was young, Ian would give him horse rides every day, visit him every holiday, and when Henry went to public school, he sent him a gift every month so he wouldn't feel lonely. In some ways, he looked after him more than his own father did.”

“I knew it from my time with him in London. That he is a good person.”

“Hmm, I would have thought his reputation in London was quite terrible.”

Laura smiled serenely.

“Mr. Dalton is certainly a rare sort of man in London.”

“In what way?”

“London society is a place where honesty is a rarity. Mr. Dalton's words and actions often take people by surprise. But that is precisely why I became friends with him. I've always believed that feigned wickedness is better than hypocrisy.”

Laura might call Ian a rare man, but in Mrs. Fairfax's eyes, she herself was the rare young woman. She had never before met a lady who recognized her younger brother's true character. Most were drawn to his looks and fortune, only to be scared away by his words and actions.

*Oh, my. I'm already inclined to give her high marks.*

Mrs. Fairfax suggested that the weary Laura rest in her room for the afternoon. Laura gave Mrs. Fairfax a small curtsy and left the drawing room.

The butler was waiting outside the drawing room. Laura followed him toward the room assigned to her. As Laura and the butler were ascending the staircase, they came across a girl coming down. She was a pretty girl with fine blonde hair, wearing an ornate dress, and about a handspan shorter than Laura. Laura recognized her at once as Olivia Fairfax.

The girl stared at Laura. Her gaze was questioning.

“Who are you?”

Laura smiled and said,

“Hello. I am the new governess.”

Olivia's eyes widened as she stared at Laura. She looked quite surprised, even bewildered. Laura was puzzled.

*Had she not been told a new governess was coming?*

Olivia seemed to collect herself and gave a slight nod.

“I am Olivia Fairfax.”

Her tone was quite prim. Laura suppressed a smile. It was hard not to find it endearing, the way this girl, still with a touch of baby fat on her cheeks, acted like a haughty lady.

“Mr. Dalton has told me a great deal about you. He said he had a very mature young lady for a niece. I hope we shall get along well.”

“There is no need for us to get along. I am not your pupil.”

“Still, we'll be living in the same house. It would be nice to be on friendly terms. And perhaps there may be some way I can be of assistance to you, Miss Fairfax.”

Laura said gently. Although her charges were only Daniel and George, she intended to look after Olivia as well, as she was a child of the Fairfax family. As a young lady preparing for her debut in society, there was surely something a lady who had already experienced it could offer.

But for some reason, Olivia seemed quite displeased by her words. She retorted sharply,

“I already have tutors of my own. Mind your own business and just teach my brothers.”

Olivia then turned on her heel and descended the stairs. It was a hostile attitude. Laura couldn't understand why. Had she made some mistake?

Laura tilted her head in confusion before following the butler up to the second floor. A corridor stretched out on either side, and Laura was led to the room at the very end of the right-hand corridor.

Laura was quite surprised when she entered the room. It was much larger than she had expected, about the size of the drawing room where she had just met Mrs. Fairfax. But more astonishing than its size were the furnishings that filled it.

A large bed, a sofa with intricate carvings and a lovely wooden table, a large fireplace and a desk. Tall windows that nearly reached the high ceiling. And on one side of the room, there was even a separate dressing room.

Her trunk had been placed beside the bed. The shabby bag felt out of place.

Laura asked the butler, who was standing beside her.

“Is this really my room?”

“Yes. The lady of the house designated it herself.”

“I can't believe a room like this would be provided for a governess. Did the previous tutors stay in this room as well?”

“No. This is the finest guest room in our estate. It is reserved for distinguished guests.”

Laura dismissed the butler for the time being. Then she slowly looked around the room by herself.

She walked to the window and opened the glass doors. They led to a terrace with a stone balustrade. Stepping out onto the terrace and standing before the railing, she had a full view of the gardens of Dunville Park. The cool greenery was instantly refreshing to her eyes. It was a room with a splendid view.

That was not the only surprise. As she returned to the room and began to unpack, there was a knock at the door.

When she answered, a maid entered carrying a large tray. The maid gave Laura a respectful curtsy before setting the tray on the table. It was laden with a gleaming porcelain teapot and teacups, along with a generous assortment of cookies and cakes. As Laura looked on in wonder, the maid clasped her hands and said politely,

“The lady of the house thought you might be feeling peckish after your long journey and sent this for you to enjoy while you rest. She said that with dinner still more than four hours away, you would need something to tide you over.”

“Thank you. Please convey my thanks to your mistress as well.”

The maid curtsied slightly and left. Feeling almost overwhelmed, Laura sat on the sofa and ate the hot tea and cake. It felt like she was dreaming. If she pinched her cheek, she half-expected to wake up, dozing in the carriage she had just arrived in. Such lavish treatment. It was unheard of for a governess. Moreover, the mention of dinnertime suggested she would be dining at the same table as the family. That, too, was something unimaginable for a governess.

Ever since she began planning for her independence, she had observed the governesses in the manors she visited for social calls. Most of them were practically invisible. That was because their employers allowed them no presence at all.

They were treated with more respect than the maids, but they could never mix with the family. They would quietly conduct lessons in a study tucked away in a corner of the house or arrange flowers, and their meals were always brought by a maid for them to eat alone. It was a life on the periphery, never included among the family members.

A governess dining with the family? It was something she had neither seen nor heard of.

Four hours later, a maid came for her. After checking her appearance, she followed the maid downstairs to the dining room.

In the elegant dining room, brightly lit by candles, the entire Fairfax family was gathered. There, Laura met the master of the house, Mr. Robert Fairfax. A portly middle-aged man, Mr. Fairfax had been told that the new governess was a friend of his young brother-in-law, Ian. He rushed over to Laura, shook her hand, and offered a hearty welcome. He pumped her arm so vigorously that Laura's slender frame swayed.

She was treated like a guest of honor at dinner. She was seated not at the end of the table, but near the master and mistress of the house, and Mr. Robert Fairfax relentlessly offered her soup, meat, and dessert. The moment he saw her mouth at rest, he would reflexively push whatever dish was nearest toward her. Half bewildered and half grateful, Laura ate everything he offered.

Throughout the meal, George and Daniel pestered the servants, asking for their barbecue to be cut or if there was any lemon cake. Olivia, in contrast, was quiet. She ate with impeccable table manners and spoke only to occasionally ask a servant for more water. But Laura was acutely aware of Olivia. The girl was scrutinizing her throughout the entire meal with a chilling intensity.

Laura wasn't particularly bothered by Olivia's behavior. She was accustomed to the countless glares she had endured in society. Having been the subject of gossip among tens, even hundreds, of people in London's social circles, she was hardly going to be distressed by the stare of a young girl.

Still, Laura was curious. What was it about her that Olivia disliked? If there was some misunderstanding, she wanted to clear it up. Laura wanted to get along with Olivia. After all, she was the daughter of the Fairfax family, and Mr. Dalton's niece.