Jane Ashford Read Online Free Page B

you did that, George. What a fine little gentleman you are. This is Alice, Miss Hartington. She is a bit shy at first, but I am sure you will all be great friends.”
    Alice, who looked about three years old and had been keeping close to her mother’s skirts, looked up wide-eyed, dropped an inexpert curtsy, and retreated.
    Mrs. Wellfleet laughed trillingly again. “Aren’t they darlings? You children run along now and find Mrs. Dunkin. I want to talk to Miss Hartington.
Go on.”
    George started out of the room, turned to look at Alice, then came back and took her hand. As they passed through the doorway, the boy turned his head and smiled at the two women.
    “George is such a little man,” laughed his mother. She turned to face Aggie, still smiling, and looked her up and down. “Oh, you are lovely,” she exclaimed. “Mother said you would be, because your mother was. But she thinks it doesn’t matter a fig, because Alex positively dotes on me.” She laughed again.
    Aggie, taken aback, did not know what to reply to this.
    “Come and sit down. We must get acquainted as soon as may be, for I am convinced we shall be great friends.” Mrs. Wellfleet sat on the sofa and patted the cushion beside her. Still uncertain, Aggie sat down.
    “There, now tell me everything about yourself at once. Or, no, I shall begin. That is more polite, is it not? Well, you know who I am, of course. Our mothers were very close friends, and Mama recommended you to me. I have been married to Alex for seven years, and we are blissfully happy. I cannot tell you how nice it is. And there are Georgie and Alice; I spoil them dreadfully.” She laughed. “How could I not? But Mama thinks that they need more discipline, even though they are babies yet, so she thought I should get a nursery governess. And when she got your letter, it seemed perfect! I am a heedless creature, I suppose. You will be just the thing to keep me from cosseting them to death. Alex says so, too. But you won’t be one of those dreary stiff governesses who make the whole household miserable; you are far too young, and too pretty. Oh, I am sure we shall deal together admirably. And you must call me Anne. There. Now, you tell.”
    This had all come out in such a rush that Aggie hardly took it in. And now, facing her expectant employer, she felt breathlessly speechless.
    Anne Wellfleet went off in peals of laughter. “You look so frightened, you silly goose.”
    Aggie smiled. “Not frightened. But a little overwhelmed, perhaps.”
    “Oh, I chatter like a magpie, I know. Everyone says so. But I can’t help it, and you will become accustomed to it very soon, I daresay. Tell me whatever you like. Or nothing. It doesn’t matter. Would you rather not?” Her large eyes showed disappointment at this prospect, but no inclination to press Aggie.
    “Indeed no. I would like to tell you about myself.” She took a breath. “You know my family, of course. My sisters and I have been living with our Aunt Hartington since my father’s death eleven years ago. But Aunt died recently, and we needed to find positions, to earn our own way.” She stopped, momentarily at a loss.
    Anne bit her lower lip and leaned forward. “Is it really true,” she whispered, “that your aunt left all her great fortune to her cats?”
    She looked so eager that Aggie could not help but smile a little. She nodded.
    “Truly? But how outrageous. Was she mad?”
    “No. Merely eccentric. And I do not think she meant to leave all her money so. She did not change her will in time, however.”
    “And you, poor thing, left without a penny. Oh, it is wrong!”
    Aggie shrugged. She was not ready to discuss this matter with anyone as yet, particularly not a woman she had just met.
    “Well, we shall make it up to you. You must count yourself as one of the family here.” She laughed suddenly and clapped her hands. “I know. We’ll pretend that you are my sister, come to live with us. I never had a sister, and I