Page 39

Two weeks later

R egina’s reaction to the arrival of Elodia, Ada and Headmistress Pollitt was perhaps not the most dignified thing, especially in the advent of her becoming a baroness.

But when she’d heard their voices she had dashed down the stairs and swept them all into a tight embrace heedless of the amused looks sent her way by the other present guests.

“My goodness, what an embrace!” Headmistress Pollitt exclaimed with a laugh before pulling back and rubbing Regina’s arms. “Look at you.” She shook her head and touched Regina’s hair. “You look very pleased with yourself.”

Regina laughed. “How was the journey?”

“Oh fine,” Elodia replied with a wave of her hand. “Papa let me come with Ada and Mr. Thompson, I think he’s sick of me.”

“It was very easy, and such lovely countryside. Your family home is like a wonderland Regina.”

“I will tell my mother, she will be happy with those remarks.” Regina hooked arms with the older woman and led them to a sitting room with lemonade and glasses set out with sandwiches and biscuits. “I am so pleased you were able to come headmistress.”

“Nonsense my dear, how could I turn down an invitation from a future baroness? Especially when she was one of my favorite students.”

“I always knew we were your favorites, even if we caused more trouble than we were worth.”

“Oh, I don’t know about all that.” The headmistress sat down on the sofa and removed her gloves. “You all seemed to finish any nonsense that came your way. And I believe you all can safely call me by my name now.”

“That seems wildly disrespectful. Why can’t I simply call you Headmistress Pollitt?” Elodia remarked claiming a side chair and stretching out her legs before her.

“Well for one thing my tenure at Miss Pollitt’s will be over within the year.”

“What?” Regina seated herself next to the headmistress while Ada flopped down into the love seat.

“And secondly, my last name is Walsh.”

“I don’t understand,” Ada frowned and tilted her head.

“My family is Irish. In order to teach at such a place and be promoted I couldn’t make such things public. The founder, a Mrs. Burghley-Harrison agreed so long as I used the name of the school.”

“Aunt Theodosia founded Mrs. Pollitt’s?” Regina asked in shock.

Miss Walsh blinked and smiled. “I believe that is her name, yes.”

“When?” Elodia asked leaning forward with wide eyes.

“Oh, decades ago. She hired me for her grandson I believe, and after that she said she wanted to bring me into that school and eventually make me the Headmistress.”

“That woman is ubiquitous.” Regina murmured, wondering what Leo would think if he heard about this as well.

“How do you girls know her?” Miss Walsh asked, glancing between Elodia and Regina.

“She is my father’s god mother.” Elodia replied.

Miss Walsh’s eyebrows shot up. “Is she indeed?”

“And she was instrumental in securing the title for Leo, my fiancé.” Regina added. “She is the reason I didn’t have to marry Mr. Harrison, or any man like him.”

“Yes, you all mentioned him in your letter. A private detective was he?”

“Oh, he was all sort of things a soldier, a police officer and then a detective before now becoming a baron,” Ada commented.

“My goodness,” Miss Walsh looked between them with growing amazement.

“He’s tall, clever,” Regina ticked off the list on her fingers.

“Handsome as anything,” Elodia added.

“And very discreet,” Ada finished.

“We met him when we were trying to find Ada’s brother with Mr. Thompson when he was kidnapped,” Regina said.

Miss Walsh turned to Ada. “My goodness yes, Ada, what a trial that must have been.”

“All is well that ends well, and it got me Basil for which I could not be more grateful.”

“I am pleased you both found such agreeable husbands. Especially you Regina, I was always worried about you.”

“I was worried myself, but Leo was a turn no one saw coming. Apparently his grandfather parted ways with his father the baron over an elopement with a woman from the colonies and never looked back. He even took her name so no one would associate him with his birth family, so two generations went down without any mention of Leo and his family.”

Miss Walsh nodded along. “But Mrs. Burghley-Harrison.”

“Who is as old and wily as the day is long found him and sort of bullied him into taking his place as the baron.”

“I’m sure you had something to do with it my dear.” Miss Walsh teased.

“A very little.” Regina grinned.

“Well, I must say you have been busy,”

“It certainly hasn’t been dull,” Ada replied.

“So what is your full name headmistress,” Elodia asked, “If we cannot call you Mrs. Walsh,”

She laughed. “It’s Miss, not ‘Mrs.,’ Miss Hawthorne. Miss Isolde Walsh.”

“Well we are very pleased to meet you Miss Isolde Walsh.” Elodia said.

“It is a very romantic name isn’t it?” Regina commented. The thing was plucked straight out of Arthurian legend.

“I’m a very romantic person,” Miss Walsh joked.

“I will have to take your word for it,” Ada replied glancing at Elodia who chuckled.

“Will you be looking to marry now that you are retiring?” Regina wondered out loud.

She looked at her in askance. “I think my marrying days are well behind me my dear.”

“But you are not so ancient,” Elodia remarked, and Regina couldn’t help but agree.

Miss Walsh had always been pretty. No amount of plain clothing or utilitarian hair styling could hide the brilliance of her complexion or the lovely velvety brown color of her almond shaped eyes.

Her curling hair was thick and deep brown.

Her figure was a bit more robust than Regina remembered but it was still pleasing.

All in all, she would make a fine bride for any gentleman on her physical merits alone.

“Thank you very much for that Miss Hawthorne.”

“Oh, let us dispense with formalities, shall we?” Ada complained.

“What I mean, Isolde is that you are rather pretty with a fine figure and sense of humor.”

“I am also comfortably working class and well into my thirties. No one is looking to march me down an aisle any time soon when there are younger and richer options around.”

Elodia sniffed haughtily and smoothed her skirts. “I beg to differ.”

“My dears, it is about more than looks and disposition. The plain fact is that men of substance want or need children, and at my age it is a risk. For the man it is an investment of time and money that has a lower chance of a yield and for the woman it is quite literally life and death most particularly as we get older.”

“I hadn’t considered that.” Elodia replied with a serious frown. “I have to admit my interest in you marrying is mostly selfish. I will be on the marriage mart on my own next year.”

“Still a little bully,” she replied shaking her head ruefully.

“Elodia Hawthorne, are you misbehaving?” They turned to see the Viscount Melbroke approaching with a suspicious glare aimed at his daughter.

Elodia turned to him, her mouth falling open in outrage. “How rude papa! I am the very model of refinement and correct behavior.”

He raised a dubious eyebrow as he dropped a hand on her shoulder, giving it an affectionate squeeze.

“I have a grey hair or two that would beg to differ. Hello Miss Mason, Mrs. Thompson, and—” His eyes fell on Miss Walsh as Regina was now determined to think of her and he blinked for a moment before frowning slightly.

“I’m sorry I don’t believe we have met.”

“Papa, this is Headmistress Pollitt,” Elodia replied, “Although she won’t be called that much longer.”

“Is it?” It was clear he still didn’t recognize her, but he bowed in greeting, nonetheless. “Good day to you ma’am.”

“And you my lord,” she nodded curtly, and realization flashed across his face.

“That did it,” he muttered, and Miss Walsh chuckled softly.

“Had you forgotten me?”

“No, I simply didn’t remember you looking like this. But that nod I remembered.”

“Ah,”

“Good day to you ma’am,” he greeted her with a nod.

“And you, my lord.”

The Viscount’s reaction could be forgiven.

In her avatar of Headmistress Pollitt, Miss Walsh always had her dark hair pulled back tightly in defiance of fashion or aesthetics and wore the same collection of blue dresses to the point that it was assumed to be a uniform of the school.

Her expression had always been strictly composed, rarely showing much favoritism or emotion.

Now with the slight curls around her face, the small golden earbobs and the white cotton gown dotted with pale yellow flowers she was nearly unrecognizable.

She wondered about the woman she had seen as a confident and now could call a dear friend.

The idea of her spending her life alone because she had spent most of her youth working and enriching the lives of children seemed horribly unfair.

“Have you only just arrived Papa?” Elodia asked, curling her hand around his.

“Yes, more or less.” His blue eyes fixed on Regina. “I believe your mother is ready for you in the garden Miss Mason. I have been sent by Mrs. Mason and Lord Starkley’s mother to fetch you all for the festivities.”

“Thank you, my lord.”

He nodded once more, his blue eyes lingering once more on Miss Walsh before turning and walking out of the room. Elodia stood and skipped over to him, taking his arm.

“What does she look like Papa?” she teased, and he glared at her.

“Never you mind,” He grumbled, and she giggled.

Regina rose with Ada and Miss Walsh, following them out to the garden where her mother had been organizing with Leo’s mother for the haldi ceremony. It had been truly heartwarming to see them working together and bonding over the pending nuptials of their children.

“What festivities Regina?” Miss Walsh asked, “I thought the wedding was tomorrow.”

“It is of course, but in India our wedding festivities last for days. We didn’t do all of them, but this one was non-negotiable.”