The Proposal Read online

  “Is there something you need, Thomas?”

  The young man took a breath. “It has occurred to me that too many days have passed since the three of us have been together. Much as we appreciate your training and time with us, I would wish to take a break at this time and be with Penny and James.”

  “Of course, Thomas,” Jennings said with compassion, seeing that Thomas was most sincere and upset. “Take all the time you need.”

  “Thank you.”

  Jennings left without another word, and the moment they were alone, Thomas shut the door.

  “Thomas,” James tried again. “What have you done?”

  “Hush, James. Come here, Penny,” her older brother ordered. There was a small sofa set at an angle to the left of the window. Thomas sat on it and pointed to the seat beside him. Penny joined him, her eyes sober, and James sat in the chair across from them.

  “Why does your arm hurt, Penny?”

  The little girl rubbed her arm and looked at her shoes.

  “You can tell me, Penny.”

  “I have to be very quiet for Mrs Smith. She wants me to be quiet.”

  “What does that have to do with your arm?”

  Penny looked at him. “She pulled on it.”

  Feeling as though he could be quite ill, Thomas’ eyes slid shut. He had not seen this. He had not understood what might be happening. He opened his eyes to find both of his siblings staring at him. Penny’s face was pale; James was as grave as Thomas had ever seen him.

  Father, we need you. How could you leave us this way?

  A sob broke in Thomas’ throat as he motioned to Penny. Once she stood before him, he helped her out of her dress. He took in the dark marks on her shoulders and upper arms in horror. Wordlessly he went to the basin to splash cold water on his face and willed his breakfast to stay in place.

  After a moment he dried his face very slowly, the situation suddenly becoming clear to him. William Jennings wanted nothing to do with Penny. She had been an inconvenience to him from the start. Had he even known this Mrs Smith, or was she brought into the house on a moment’s thought or whim? Not that it mattered right now. All that mattered was that they get away.

  Thomas returned to his sister and helped her into her dress. He smoothed her hair and then started to explain.

  “We need to leave here.”

  “Where will we go?”

  “I don’t know right now, but we can’t stay here.”

  James began to cry.

  “I’m sorry, James, I know you feel safe here, but we can’t stay.”

  “It’s not that,” he wept. “Why would Mrs Smith hurt Penny?”

  “I don’t know, but we’re not going to let it go on.”

  Thomas stood and paced the room. His head was beginning to hurt, but he knew this was his job. Penny was helpless, and Jennings didn’t care about her welfare.

  “I’ve got it.” Thomas stopped and faced James. “You and I will wake early tomorrow, pack our things, and then get Penny. We’ll sneak out early in the morning and have all day to find a place to stay.”

  “Do you suppose Mr Jennings’ sister lives in London? He mentioned her one time. Do you think we could find her?”

  “Father never talked about her either, James. I just don’t know.”

  “I want to stay with you,” Penny said quietly, and mourning for the pesky little sister she could be at times, Thomas simply looked at her. Right now she looked worn and worried, and much too young to live through such hurt.

  “We’ll spend the day together,” Thomas suddenly said, knowing he was following the whim of the moment. “We’ll act as normal as possible and not even think about tomorrow until we have to. You can keep a secret, can’t you, Penny?”

  “I can, Thomas.”

  “Good girl. We’ll just play outside and enjoy the day like we did last week, and we’ll go to bed early like we used to.”

  “I want to sleep in here with you,” Penny sobbed, and Thomas went to her.

  “I’ll see what I can do,” Thomas assured her, thinking it would make it hard to get her clothing if she stayed with them, but not sure he’d sleep a wink if she was in Mrs Smith’s care a moment longer.

  “Okay,” Thomas said, pushing all thoughts of their dark future away and coming back to the moment. “Let’s head to the garden.”

  The three trooped down the stairs together, all three of them surprised to find Jennings at the bottom.

  “Here you are,” he said, seeming pleased, and James relaxed. Penny hung back some, but Thomas, holding her hand, went forward, looking more confident than he felt.

  “Can we continue with our lesson now, gentlemen?”

  “I think not, sir,” Thomas said, his voice not sounding confident at all. “We’re going outside for a time, and then we plan to spend the day together.”

  It was on the tip of Jennings’ tongue to remind this young man that he was a guest in this home, but then he realized he didn’t want him to feel that way. He wanted him to see this as home. Glancing down at Penny, Jennings believed yet again that she was the fly in this ointment.

  “Is Penny not going back to Mrs Smith right now?” Jennings asked, having to work to keep his voice light.

  “I’m not sure that Mrs Smith is right for Penny,” Thomas tried.

  “Come now, Thomas,” Jennings said with a mild shake of his head before making the mistake of adding, “all children have days when they don’t like their nannies.”

  Thomas’ mind was more than made up. If they had to walk out this instant to keep Penny safe, they would.

  “It’s been many days,” Thomas began, unaware of how young and hurt he looked, “since the three of us have had time together. We want to spend today together, and we want to start in the garden.”

  Jennings did not do a good job of hiding the fact that he was put out. He bowed abruptly, turned on his heel, and strode into his study. The children watched the door shut and then looked at each other.

  Thomas continued to lead the way outside, part of his heart in turmoil and part in peace, thinking that whatever happened, they’d made the step, the job was done. They’d burned their boats behind them, but it didn’t matter—they’d be gone by this time tomorrow morning.

  Jennings looked at the stack of correspondence on his desk, his jaw bunched in anger. Did those boys not know that he’d put his life on hold for them? Did they not realize he was willing to be a father to them? How ungrateful could they be? They could not expect to spend all their time with their sister! At their ages it was a ridiculous notion. What did they plan on doing when the fall term started for school?

  Amid this mental rampage, Jennings spotted a letter peeking from the stack. Even without seeing the entire envelope, he knew the pale blue stationery to be his sister’s. Surprisingly, a calm flooded him. There was a time when he loved to be with his sister. Very protective of her, he would have done just as Thomas was doing if she’d been even a little bit unhappy.

  “I’ve been too hard on the boy,” Jennings said to the empty room. “This is a good thing. They need to be together some days. I’ll simply work that into the schedule. I’ll leave them on their own today, but I’ll tell them about it tomorrow.”

  Regardless of the warm feelings he’d experienced a moment earlier, Jennings did not open his sister’s letter. He pulled his other correspondence across the desk, determined not to waste the day.

  With Thomas holding Penny and one of the bags and James grasping two others, the threesome were able to gain the front door of Mr Jennings’ home and make a very quiet exit. The street lamps were still lit, but it would be full light in close to an hour. Walking a good block from the house before setting Penny on her feet, Thomas took her hand as soon as her feet were on the ground.

  Tears she would never be able to explain streamed down her face. She was frightened and relieved and excited and terrified all at the same time. And on top of that, she’d forgotten to excuse herself before they left.
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  “What’s the matter, Penny?” James asked when he heard her sniff.

  “I have to be excused,” she said for lack of a better answer.

  “Can you wait until we get to the park?” Thomas asked, not slowing or even looking down. “I’ll find a place for you there.”

  “Is that where we’re going, to the park?” James was surprised.

  “Yes.”

  “But won’t that be the first place Mr Jennings looks?” James argued.

  “Why would he look for us, James? He’ll probably be heartily relieved to be rid of us.”

  On that dark note, the three walked on. The morning was cool but showed signs of being muggy and close before the day ended. Thomas forced himself not to think about it. Where would they be by the end of the day? A vision of him and James being placed into a boys’ home and Penny being shipped off to an orphanage sent such a tremor through him that his grip tightened on Penny’s small hand. She wiggled it in discomfort, and Thomas forced his hand to relax.

  Please, Lord, Thomas prayed as he had been praying for hours. Please help us. I feel I did the right thing. I couldn’t let her be hurt. Please take care of us, just as Papa taught us that You would. We need You right now. Please guide our way.

  And working hard in his twelve-year-old heart to believe that God would take care of them, Thomas Jennings, the self-appointed guardian of the family, took his siblings almost three miles away to a park that Mr Jennings had taken the boys to visit only once. After taking care of Penny’s needs, they sat on a bench that Thomas had spotted in a small alcove of bushes and trees. After passing out the biscuits he’d spirited away from the dinner table the night before, Thomas sat very still, his siblings on either side of him, and closed his eyes to think.

  Jennings knew that a person could completely disappear in London, but this was not one person, it was three, and the oldest of the group, competent though he might be, was not overly familiar with the area.

  His horse moving in perfect rhythm to his commands, Jennings combed each and every park they’d ever visited. He thought it highly unlikely that they’d go as far afield as Lincoln Park, and on top of that it was small, but he was going to leave no stone unturned. He would learn firsthand why the hospitality and kindness he’d offered had been rejected and thrown in his face.

  Nevertheless, some of his anger did cool when he finally spotted them. He didn’t expect both James and Penny to look so small, or to see Penny’s small head pillowed on Thomas’ shoulder, her face very dejected indeed. Not that it stayed that way for long. The moment Thomas spotted Jennings, he came to his feet, causing Penny to sit upright on the bench, her eyes huge. As Jennings came off of his mount, James also came to his feet, his face showing fear as well.

  “We’re not coming back,” Thomas said boldly, even as Jennings approached.

  “Well, I’m glad to hear it,” Jennings said calmly. “It was going to be rather hard for me to offer more hospitality after you’d thrown the first in my face.”

  Thomas dropped his eyes in shame for several moments before going on.

  “We do so appreciate your kindness, Mr Jennings, and we are sorry about leaving so abruptly. Thank you for everything you did.”

  Jennings waited for more, but nothing came. For a time the four stood in awkward silence.

  “And that’s to be the end of it, Thomas?” Jennings asked at last. “No explanation for your behavior?”

  “It’s not going to work, sir. I wish that it could, but—” Thomas hesitated, searching for words, but only finished with “I’m sorry.”

  Jennings knew nothing but frustration. What had Godwin Jennings taught these boys? Did they not realize that young men had a different role than girls? It was the way life was, and nothing would change that.

  “I don’t know if the world you’re looking for exists, boys,” Jennings said, his voice still quiet. “I know you wish to be with Penny more than you have been, but what of the fall? What of when you return to school?”

  “We’ll have to find something suitable,” Thomas said, even as he wondered how that could possibly be.

  Jennings’ hands came up in confusion. “I thought you were enjoying our time, boys. I know it hasn’t been easy. I know you’re still in mourning, but you seemed so pleased with our activities.”

  “But we can’t let her be hurt!” James blurted, tears pooled in his eyes. “We can’t like maps and going riding so Penny is harmed!”

  The young lad’s sentence was a mess, but Jennings understood his every word. His heart filling with dread over the images in his mind, he walked to the bench. Penny scooted as far behind Thomas as she could get, but Jennings still sat down in the midst of them.

  “Here, Thomas,” he said, “sit down by me, please.”

  The kindness he heard in Mr Jennings’ voice caused him to obey. He sat next to this older cousin, his whole frame tense. He felt Penny crowd in close beside him and shifted to make room for her.

  Jennings looked over to James, who was still standing, their faces at eye level, and thought, He’s so young. He’s just a little boy, and Thomas isn’t much older. Jennings’ gaze moved to Penny. She looked away when their eyes met, and he read very real fear in her face.

  “Mrs Smith is hurting Penny?”

  “Yes,” Thomas answered quietly. “She has bruises on her shoulders and arms.”

  “And you didn’t come to me for what reason?”

  “Begging your pardon, sir,” Thomas said, his eyes forward and not on the man beside him. “It seems to me that Penny is bothersome to you. I was not certain you would stop Mrs Smith. I felt I had to.”

  Jennings knew he deserved this and more. The way he had behaved, the boys had every right to feel this way.

  “Come here, Penny,” Jennings said to her and watched as she came slowly off the bench. When she looked up at him, her eyes were those of a wounded animal. Jennings spoke when she stood before him.

  “Mrs Smith hurt you?”

  The little girl nodded.

  “Where did she hurt you?”

  Penny rubbed her arm.

  “She pulled your arm?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where else?”

  “She pinched,” Penny said, her small hand going to her shoulder.

  Just barely holding the rage inside of him, Jennings went on to ask, “Did she say why she did this?”

  “She likes quiet little girls.”

  “And she thought you were noisy?”

  Penny looked confused but then said, “I wanted to go out the door.”

  “The nursery door?”

  Penny nodded. “I wanted to eat breakfast with James and Thomas.”

  “Listen to me, Penny,” Jennings said, reaching down to take one of her little hands in his. “No one is going to hurt you anymore. No one. Not even Mrs Smith.”

  “I was scared in the nursery.”

  “With Mrs Smith gone, the nursery will be a very fun place for you to play,” Jennings said, even as memory surfaced of his own happy hours in that room. “But you may sleep wherever you wish.”

  “With Thomas and James?”

  “With Thomas and James.”

  Jennings’ heart squeezed almost painfully in his chest when she smiled a very small smile, some of the tension leaving her small brow. How anyone could harm this child was beyond him. But then hadn’t he done his share of harm? He hadn’t left marks on her skin, but he’d ignored her needs in selfish pursuit of his own wishes.

  For the first time in his life William Jennings wanted to hug a child. He wanted to take her in his arms, hold her close, and tell her once again that he would never let her be harmed, but he knew better than anyone that he had not earned this privilege. However, he could still make things right. He could still repair the damage he’d caused.

  “I’d like you to come back with me,” Jennings invited the children. “I hope you will. I promise you that nothing like this will happen again.”

  The boys exch
anged a look, and James nodded, his face anxious and hopeful.

  “We thank you, sir,” Thomas said. “And again, I’m sorry we left and didn’t speak with you first.”

  “I know why you did it, Thomas, and you need not apologize again.”

  In the minutes that followed, the children’s bags were loaded onto Jennings’ horse so the four of them could walk unimpeded.

  “Can you walk all the way, Penny? Can you make it?” Jennings asked.

  She looked uncertain, so Thomas tried.

  “You can walk, can’t you, Penny?”

  “I have to be excused,” she whispered in embarrassment, and Thomas took her away as a matter of course.

  Waiting with James, Jennings decided to hail a coach even as he was reminded how far in over his head he was with children in general, and especially with this little girl. Nevertheless, he would shirk his responsibility no longer. He would return to Aydon, deal with Mrs Smith, and then figure out how to be a proper guardian to these children— all three of them.

  What Jennings didn’t count on was Mrs Smith knowing just why the children had run. By the time the children and Jennings walked into the house on Rumney Street, that lady had departed with bag and baggage.

  Chapter Four

  “Send for a constable,” Jennings told Bates grimly, not at all happy with this latest turn of events. If he’d been determined to have the children answer for their departure, he was nearly mad with resolve to have Mrs Smith explain her actions. “And since no one saw her departure, check the rooms for missing valuables.”

  “Right away, sir. Do you wish for me to ask Megan to see to the children?”

  Because the children were not with him at the moment and he’d already spelled out in detail the morning’s events, he now spoke plainly to the man who had been his faithful servant for more years than he could remember.

  “Bates, is the staff kind to the children?”

  “Yes, sir,” Bates said, not bothering to hide his surprise. “Extremely so.”

  “Do they tolerate them or enjoy them?”