you’re going to like being a nanny?” Rebecca had asked as she’d poured them some tea.
“I don’t know just yet, but I’m going to try to do well at it. The girls have had so much to deal with—I believe they’re still grieving the loss of their mother and missing the nanny who’d cared for them since they were born. I pray I can help them adjust to living in America.”
“I’m sure you will, Georgia. You’ve always had a way with children.”
“I hope I can live up to your expectations, Rebecca,” Georgia said. “I would like to be able to help them and their papa.”
“He’s very handsome, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he is,” Georgia said. Much too handsome, in her opinion. And she was more than a little disturbed by the amount of time she’d spent thinking about him. She’d become adept at pushing thoughts of men— especially handsome ones—out of her mind. She did not intend to give her heart to another. Not after Phillip Wilson. The one man she’d loved—her best friend from childhood, no less—gave her the impression from an early age they would one day be married and then had asked her sister to become his wife!
After that, Georgia had come to the conclusion there wasn’t one trustworthy man out there—not with her heart, anyway. No matter how handsome he might be. “I’m sure he’ll have his choice of wealthy young women once they realize he’s here.”
“Perhaps,” Rebecca had said. “But he might not be interested in them.”
“I suppose only time will tell.” And she really didn’t want to think about that possibility. His daughters had enough to adjust to as things were.
She’d been relieved when Rebecca had changed the subject and suggested they take the girls on an outing. They made plans to take them to Central Park, and after they’d told the girls, that was all Polly and Lilly could talk about on the way home.
“Nanny never wanted to take us to the big park,” Lilly had said. “We asked, but she just was too afraid.”
“Well, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Perhaps she was a little nervous being in a new country and all,” Georgia said.
“But we aren’t nervous. Papa said America was a wonderful place and where Mama was born. What is there to be frightened of?” Polly asked.
Oh, the innocence of a child. “One should always be cautious when going out, but when people are in a place they’ve never been before, it isn’t uncommon for some to be quite apprehensive. Your English nanny was raised in a smaller place than New York City. So was I, and it takes getting used to going out and about in a place this large,” Georgia said.
If it hadn’t been for living at Heaton House and going in and out with the other boarders, she would have been quite fearful. It hadn’t taken long to understand why Mrs. Heaton always insisted her female boarders had male escorts, or went in a group if they went out of an evening. But Polly and Lilly were too young to understand that now. And there was no need to make them fearful. “But I soon got used to it and I’m sure your nanny would have, too, had she stayed long enough.”
“I miss her,” Polly said, “but I’m glad we have you.”
“Thank you, Miss Polly. I appreciate you saying so. Now rest a bit before you see your papa. He’ll want to know about your day when you see him.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Polly said, then yawned.
They’d played hard with Jenny, and Lilly’s eyes were closing as Georgia pulled a light cover over her. She pulled the shades on the windows and went downstairs to ask Mrs. Biddle for a cup of tea.
She wasn’t expecting to run into Sir Tyler in the foyer. “Miss Marshall. You’re back. I was just going to see if Tate had seen you come in.”
“Oh, we’ve been back awhile. I’m sorry—did you need me or the girls?”
“No, I was a little surprised that you weren’t here for lunch—”
“Oh! Should I have asked if it was all right to—”
“No, I gave you freedom to plan their days. And it’s fine. I wasn’t actually here at noon, either. I had lunch with Michael Heaton. I’ve decided to lease an office in his building, but maybe I should have waited a while longer. Do you think it will be too hard for them to have me working away from home with all the changes I’ve put them through?”
“I don’t know. Are they used to having time with you during the day? And how far is the office from here?”
“The office is on Third Avenue in Michael Heaton’s building. I usually see my daughters in the morning and check in on them at lunchtime. Then, of course, there is teatime, when Nanny brought them in. And I... Things have been different since their mother passed away and we don’t really have a schedule. I’ve been hoping you’d help with that.”
“I can try. And if the girls aren’t used to spending a lot of time with you during the day, I doubt that setting up your office a few blocks away will upset them too much. If you were needed, you’d be able to get home quickly. I suppose we’ll just have to see how it goes.”
He visibly relaxed and Georgia breathed a sigh of relief. Sir Tyler wasn’t angry with her. He seemed to be trying to find his way through the painful adjustment of raising his daughters without his wife. And as Georgia’s heart melted in compassion for the man, she prayed she’d be able to help him.
* * *
By the end of the first week, Georgia felt as if she might be able to handle the nanny position. The girls seemed to like her and they were well behaved—at least so far.
They were very close and whispered between themselves quite often, and they seemed to get along with each other exceptionally well. Of course, that was most likely due to the loss they shared. Her heart hurt for them each time she thought about how much they’d been through.
But she was still having a hard time adjusting with the way Sir Tyler parented. Evidently wealthy English parents didn’t spend quite as much time with their children as American ones did. Or maybe that wasn’t quite fair. It could be that the wealthy of both countries did things differently. Even among her friends in Ashland, not all of them had parents like hers.
Still, she knew Sir Tyler loved his girls. He’d made that very plain from the beginning. She could see it in his eyes when he watched them together. But he just didn’t seem to have any idea how to really interact with them.
She almost hated to leave them on Friday evening, but she’d promised Polly and Lilly that she’d be there early Monday morning and that seemed to satisfy them.
Georgia headed downstairs to let Sir Tyler know they were ready for him to listen to their prayers. It was something she’d begun to do each evening, hoping to give them a bit more time with him.
Mr. Tate was at the bottom of the stairs and must have been waiting for her, for he nodded and said, “Sir Tyler asked me to tell you he is in his study, Miss Marshall.”
“Thank you, Mr. Tate.” He led the way and Georgia was left to follow.
“Miss Marshall, Sir Tyler.”
“Please
