The next morning after breakfast, Georgia hurried upstairs to neaten her hair and put on a hat before she and Mrs. Heaton went to meet with Sir Tyler Walker.
“He sounded so relieved, Georgia. I’m sure you’ll be able to find Sir Tyler willing to work any schedule you please. He seems desperate and is now afraid he might lose his cook,” Mrs. Heaton had said after speaking with him the evening before.
“Oh, the poor man,” Georgia had answered. It seemed as if he had more than his share of problems at the moment.
Now, as Georgia came back downstairs and entered the parlor to wait for Mrs. Heaton, she told herself to relax. She’d not agreed to anything yet and she didn’t have to take the position. Still, the thought of those little girls being left with no mother—and now no nanny—twisted Georgia’s heart, and the nurturer in her wanted to help them. And besides, she truly needed a paying position.
Mrs. Heaton entered the parlor and smiled. “You look lovely this morning, Georgia. Don’t be nervous and please do not feel you have to take this position, if you don’t think it right for you. Also remember, Sir Tyler may be a baronet in England, but he lives here now and we are not English citizens. Even with pay, you’ll be doing the man a great favor if you accept the position and he should treat you accordingly.”
“Thank you for that reminder, Mrs. Heaton. I’m glad you’re going with me. I’m feeling a little jittery.”
“There’s no need to be. But let’s be on our way. You’ll feel much better once you’ve spoken with him and made a decision.”
They headed out the door and were on the steps of Walker House, as they called it, in just over a minute.
Mrs. Heaton rang the bell and a man Georgia assumed to be the butler opened the door instantly.
“Mrs. Heaton, and Miss Marshall, I presume?”
At Georgia’s nod, he said, “Do come in. Sir Tyler is waiting for you in his study. Please follow me.”
They fell into step behind him and Georgia couldn’t help but notice how tastefully decorated the home was. Had Sir Tyler hired a decorator or—
“Mrs. Heaton and Miss Marshall have arrived, sir,” the butler said.
“Very good, Tate. Would you bring us some tea?”
“Certainly, sir.”
He seemed to disappear as his employer crossed the room to greet them.
“Welcome to my home, ladies,” Sir Tyler said, motioning them to have a seat.
Georgia knew he’d said “Mr. Walker” would be fine, but it was hard to think of him as that, knowing he was part of the gentry in England. He might not be royalty, but still...
“Thank you, Sir Tyler,” Mrs. Heaton said, seeming to have no problem addressing him as they did in England.
“Yes—thank you.” Georgia joined her landlady on a comfortable couch across from two chairs and a round table. Sir Walker—Tyler—took one of the chairs. The room was warm and masculine, with book-filled shelves lining the walls. It reminded her of Mrs. Heaton’s study, only it was larger.
“I can’t tell you how relieved I was when Mrs. Heaton telephoned last evening,” he said. “Even more this morning, as my cook still hasn’t assured me she will stay, and I might be needing to find a new one any day now.”
“Oh, you have had your share of bad news, haven’t you?” Mrs. Heaton asked.
“It certainly seems that way to me,” the baronet said before turning to Georgia. “Miss Marshall, Mrs. Heaton has told me that you are a teacher by trade?”
“I am.”
“Would you mind adding some lessons to the duties of being a nanny?”
“Of course not, if we come to an agreement. What exactly would my duties be?”
“Well, mostly making sure my daughters are cared for, eat proper meals, have a schedule of sorts.” He shrugged and looked her in the eye. “To be quite truthful, I’m not totally sure. My wife handled everything like that and then I just let the nanny carry on as she always had, until she left.”
“I understand,” Georgia said. Only she really didn’t. Her mother had a cook and maid to help out from time to time, but she’d raised her children without the help of a nanny. And now Sir Tyler looked so forlorn she couldn’t tell him that his explanation gave her no idea of what would really be expected of her.
“Mrs. Heaton and I spoke last evening and, well, I wonder... Would you be willing to come in of a morning and get them dressed, see that they have breakfast and lunch and decide what their activities of the day might be? Then making sure they have dinner and baths at night and perhaps staying to put them to bed before you leave? Would that work for you?”
He didn’t put his own children to bed? Or eat with them? Oh, this might be more difficult than she’d first thought. And she didn’t want to upset him by asking.
“I realize it’s a very long day, but I’m willing to pay quite well.” He named an amount that left Georgia speechless for the moment, and she was glad when he continued speaking. “And my staff and I will manage on the weekends.”
“So this is from Monday morning until Friday evening? And I’ll still be living at Heaton House?”
“If that is what you want. Mrs. Heaton has explained that would be better, as you aren’t in service to me, only stepping in until I can find someone more permanent. Is this agreeable to you?”
“I— Could I meet with your daughters first? They might not take to me and I don’t want to upset their world any more than it’s already been.”
There was a look in his eyes she couldn’t quite read, but it made her wish she hadn’t reminded him of his loss. “I’m sorry. I—”
“No.” He shook his head and cleared his throat before continuing, “Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Miss Marshall. I should have thought of that myself. Of course you may meet them.”
Tate returned with tea just then, and after serving them, he turned to Sir Tyler. “Will that be all, sir?”
“Please have the maid bring Lilly and Polly down, Tate. Miss Marshall would like to meet them.”
“Yes, sir.” With that, the butler exited the room.
“How old are your daughters, Sir Tyler?” Mrs. Heaton asked. “I know they’re near my granddaughter Jenny’s age.”
“Yes, they are. Polly is five and Lilly is four. They like Jenny very much. And they like you, too, Mrs. Heaton. In fact, they were quite upset with me for going to see you at teatime without them yesterday.”
“Oh, please bring them over soon for tea. I’d love to have them.”
“That’s
