A Family in Need

With no teaching positions open, Georgia Marshall agrees to become the temporary nanny for the two little girls next door. But she soon becomes enamored of the precocious children and their dashing but distant widowed father. Though she’s falling for him, she can’t help but think that the nobleman is out of her reach.

After the tragic loss of his wife, Tyler Walker swore he’d never again give his heart away. Until his neighbor brightens his home and brings some much-needed stability to his motherless family. But he refuses to allow this arrangement with the pretty teacher to become permanent...no matter how much he wants Georgia by his side—forever.

“Don’t you think you could add a new lesson or two to their day?”

“Papa! She did already. We’re going to start reading lessons soon,” Polly said.

“Hmm, I’m not sure that’s enough.”

Georgia loved seeing him tease his daughters like this, but she didn’t like her reaction at his innocent wink at all. She was sure he had no idea how it affected her and she wasn’t sure at all why it had. Except that he was even handsomer than usual when he was in a playful mood like now.

“Oh, Papa, you’re teasing, isn’t he, Miss Georgia?” Lilly asked.

“Oh, I don’t know...” She played along with Sir Tyler.

“Miss Georgia!”

“In fact, now that you girls are through with your breakfast, I need to talk to Miss Geo...Miss Marshall about your lessons. So if it’s all right with her, perhaps you could go out into the garden while we have our talk.”

Georgia turned, finding Sir Tyler watching her, and something in his expression sent her pulse on a collision course straight to her heart.

JANET LEE BARTON loves researching and writing heartwarming romances about faith, family, friends and love. She’s written both historical and contemporary novels, and loves writing for Love Inspired Historical. She and her husband live in Oklahoma and have recently downsized to a condo, which they love. When Janet isn’t writing or reading, she loves to cook for family, work in her small garden, travel and sew. You can visit Janet at janetleebarton.com.

A Nanny for Keeps

Janet Lee Barton

www.millsandboon.co.uk

And again, I will put my trust in him.

And again, Behold I and the children

which God had given me.

—Hebrews 2:13

To my editor, Giselle Regus, for always being willing to brainstorm ideas with me.

To my readers who look forward to each new story.

To my husband, Dan, and my family for always supporting me.

And most of all, as always and forever, to my Lord and Savior for showing me the way.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

New York City

Spring 1898

Georgia Marshall stepped off the trolley and headed down the sidewalk toward Gramercy Park and Heaton House. The spring day was beautiful with clear blue skies and sunshine, along with trees and flowers beginning to bud, but she was preoccupied and barely noticed. After her interview with the school superintendent, it appeared she must give up on finding a teaching position until the next term, which meant she needed to find employment as soon as possible.

Thankfully, she had some money saved from her teaching days in Virginia. And when she arrived in New York City, Mrs. Heaton had refused to charge her rent until she found suitable employment. She’d insisted Georgia was a family friend and she didn’t want her to feel pressured. Because of her charitableness, Georgia hadn’t needed to dig into her savings.

However, she couldn’t take advantage of Mrs. Heaton’s kindness any longer. She would find employment, even if it wasn’t in her preferred field. She refused to return home. There was nothing for her there. She’d pour over the classifieds again later that evening in hopes of finding something she might be qualified for.

Just walking up the steps to Heaton House comforted her. Georgia had felt at home from the very first, and the warm and welcoming feeling always seemed to lift her spirits. She let herself in, surprised to hear a man’s voice in the parlor at teatime. It was unusual for any of the male boarders to be home at this time of day.

She peeked inside to see Mrs. Heaton speaking to her new neighbor from England, if his accent was any indication.

“Georgia, dear! Come in and join us. I believe you might have met at Matt and Millicent’s wedding last month, but if not, let me introduce you to Sir Tyler Walker. Sir Tyler, Miss Marshall is a family friend and boarder here.”

Georgia caught her breath as the tall, broad-shouldered man, who’d stood and started toward her the moment she entered the room, took her hand in his and bowed over it. “I don’t believe we did. But, Miss Marshall, it’s a pleasure to meet you now.”

She knew he was a baronet, but this wasn’t England and she didn’t know whether to curtsy or not. She knew nothing of the hierarchy in England, so she dipped her head instead. Still, she wasn’t sure how to address him. “A pleasure to meet you, too, Sir...Walker?”

“I’d be called Sir Tyler in England, but I’m making my home here now, so perhaps Mr. Walker will do?”

“That might make it easier.” Georgia tried to ignore the fluttery feeling in the vicinity of her heart and slipped her hand from his. She smiled and took a seat beside her landlady, who held a cup of tea for her. “Thank you, Mrs. Heaton. This is just what I need.”

The baronet took his seat across from Mrs. Heaton once again and let her freshen his tea.

Georgia hoped no one noticed that her fingers trembled as she raised her cup to her mouth. She remembered seeing Sir—Mr. Walker and his daughters at the wedding, but not up this close. He was the most handsome man she’d ever met, with his almost black hair and ocean-blue eyes.

“Mr. Walker has come asking for help in finding someone to act as a nanny to his young daughters, until he can find a permanent one,” Mrs. Heaton explained.

“Oh? I thought you’d brought your help over with you?” Mr. Walker and his entourage had been quite a topic of conversation at the dinner table for several nights not long after he’d moved in next door.

“Yes, well, the nanny became homesick and wanted to go back to England. I’d promised I would pay her way back home and had to keep my word. But the one I hired to replace her didn’t last but two weeks. And neither did the next.”

“I’m so sorry,” Georgia said. He did have a dilemma on his hands, but her heart went out to his two young girls. They’d lost their mother and were bound to still be missing her.

“Yes, so am I.” Mr. Walker released a deep sigh before continuing in his charming English accent. “It appears my daughters might be trying to run off the help. The maid is watching them now, but she isn’t happy about it. She doesn’t want to be their nanny and I can’t say I blame her. The girls are a bit incorrigible at times.”

“And quite adorable,” Mrs. Heaton added.

Mr. Walker smiled and shook his head. “I’m not sure what to do. I know they miss their mother, and moving away from their familiar surroundings might not have been for the best, although I could no longer—” He cut off what he’d been about to say and cleared his throat.

The sorrow in his expression was unmistakable and Georgia’s heart flooded with sympathy for him. His wife had been gone just over a year, and trying to raise his young daughters without her must be terribly difficult.

“I’ll get in touch with any friends I believe might be able to help and let you know what I find out as soon as I can,” Mrs. Heaton said.

“Thank you, Mrs. Heaton. I appreciate your willingness to assist me.” Mr. Walker took a sip of tea and then placed it back on the saucer and stood. “I suppose I should get back. No telling what those two might be up to. I can’t let the maid up and leave, too. I’ve begun to think that my mother was right. I should have brought some of her household staff with me.”

Mrs. Heaton accompanied him to the door and Georgia heard him say, “It’s good to have a neighbor one can come to for advice. Thank you for tea.”

“You’re quite welcome anytime, Sir Tyler. I’ll be in touch soon.”

“I look forward to hearing from you.”

Mrs. Heaton came back into the room and refreshed both hers and Georgia’s tea. “Poor man. It’s got to be so distressing to move away from all that’s familiar after losing one’s spouse. And even more so while trying to hold his family together and comfort his children.”

“I agree. After all, our culture is a bit different here than in England.”

“Yes, it is. Not so much at his level as at ours, but he seems to want to embrace the American way of life. His wife was from here and he wants his girls to grow up in this country.”

“He must have loved her very much.”

“I’m sure he did. Perhaps he’ll find a suitable wife before long—one who will love him and his children.”

“He’s a handsome man,” Georgia said. “I’m sure that once the daughters of the wealthy in this city are introduced to him, he’ll have his choice of women.”

“Oh, but not all of those young debutantes will be interested in marrying a man with children. It may be more difficult than we think. In the meantime, I hope we can find someone to help out.”

“You mean until he finds a mate?”

“Yes, or a permanent nanny. I’m not sure he’s ready to find a wife just yet. I’ll think on things. But for now, I’d best go see how our dinner is coming along.” She gathered up the tea tray and started toward the door before turning back to Georgia. “If you come up with any ideas, I’d love to hear them.”

“I’ll think on it.”

Mrs. Heaton turned just before she left the room. “I’m sorry, Georgia. I didn’t have a chance to ask if you had any good news about procuring a teaching position anywhere.”

“No, ma’am. I believe I’m going to have to find a position of some kind but it won’t be teaching, at least not until the new term in the fall. My timing seems to be awful. I’d put my name in at several schools when I first came, but they have a long list of those looking for positions and I’m far down on it.”

“Perhaps you should try something else,” Mrs. Heaton suggested.

“I believe I’m going to have to.”

“You know, Georgia...I’m sure Sir Walker will pay very well and you want a job. Would you consider filling in for a short time?”

Only now did Georgia realize the same thought had been forming at the back of her mind, but she didn’t think she was qualified. “I don’t know. I’ve never been a nanny for anyone.”

“But you’ve taught young children, haven’t you?”

“I have.” And she was quite good at it, from what her letter of reference said.

“Oh, his little girls are so sweet,” Mrs. Heaton said. “I hear them outside playing on warm days. It’s so sad that they don’t have a mother.”

“It is,” Georgia said. “I’m sure that losing the nanny who’d always taken care of them must be almost as hard as losing their mother. Perhaps I should consider it. I don’t have anything else to do right now and—”

“You’d be doing a great favor for Sir Tyler. He has such sadness in his eyes.”

Yes, he did. And that sadness and worry about the care for his daughters had touched Georgia’s heart and made her wish she could help—even though she’d never thought about being a nanny. “But doesn’t a nanny live in? I don’t think I’d want to do that.”

“I’m sure you could come to an agreement. It would be temporary, after all. Perhaps you could offer to be there to get them up and dressed and stay until they ate dinner or were put to bed. And surely you could ask for some free time on weekends.”

“I suppose I could think about it...” Georgia said.

“It might be an answered prayer for you both,” Mrs. Heaton said. “But I must check on dinner now. I appreciate your giving thought to it.”

She hurried away and Georgia headed up to her room. Mrs. Heaton took helping others very seriously and Georgia knew she wouldn’t rest until Mr. Walker had what—or who—he needed. Perhaps this was an opportunity for her to have work and assist a neighbor in need at the same time. She’d have to pray about it.

* * *

Tyler took his leave, glad he’d gone to ask Mrs. Heaton for guidance. She was a kind woman and he felt sure she would do what she could to try to find someone to fill in as nanny.

And although he hadn’t been formally introduced to Georgia Marshall at the wedding he and his daughters had been invited to not long after they’d moved in, he remembered seeing her there. Since then he’d caught a glimpse or two of her going in and out of Heaton House.

One couldn’t help but notice her. She was lovely, with her dark brown hair and deep green eyes. But he hadn’t expected his reaction to being near to her. Her smile had warmed his heart and made his chest tighten in a way it hadn’t since his wife passed away.

And because of that reaction, Tyler quickly forced Miss Marshall out of his mind. He wasn’t looking for love or a wife. Not now and not in the future. All he needed at the moment was someone to take care of his daughters.

His butler opened the door the moment his foot touched the top step. What would he do without Mr. Tate? Thankfully, the man had no plans of desertion, at least not that he’d voiced to Tyler.

“How did it go, sir? Did Mrs. Heaton have any ideas about replacing the nanny?”

His butler was the one person Tyler felt he could confide in here in his new home. “Not right away, but she’s going to see if she can find someone to help. I’m glad I thought to go to her, since it’s obvious that the service I’ve gone through hasn’t worked.”

“Much as I dislike saying so, I believe that is true, Sir Tyler. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I feel I must tell you that the cook is making noises about leaving again.”

“Oh, dear, what have the girls done now?”

“It’s not Miss Polly or Miss Lilly, sir. They’ve done nothing to cause this. Mrs. Biddle just doesn’t like it here very much. Or so she says.”

Tyler sighed. He’d felt better after speaking with Mrs. Heaton, but he wasn’t confident even she could find anyone to help him. And now this. “I’ll speak to her.”

“That might help. It certainly can’t hurt at this point.”

Dear Lord, please help me. Now I might need a cook, too. I should have brought over a housekeeper to deal with some of these problems. Did I make the wrong decision in coming here? And what made me believe I could do this? I felt it was the answer, but perhaps I was wrong.

“Where are the girls now?”

“The maid gave them a snack earlier and they were in the playroom when I checked on them a few minutes ago.”

“Thank you, Tate. I can’t tell you how much your presence here is helping with this move. You aren’t thinking of leaving us, are you?”

“No, sir. It is a change to be sure, but my loyalties are with you and your family, Sir Tyler. I wish to work for no one else.”

“That puts my mind at ease. I’ll check on the girls and then go speak to Mrs. Biddle.”

“Very good, sir.”

Tyler gave his butler a nod and headed upstairs to his daughters’ playroom. The designer he’d hired on recommendation from his in-laws had done a wonderful job. The room was bright and sunny, decorated in blue and white. The girls were busy playing with their three-story dollhouse and talking for the dolls. He loved watching them and stood quietly at the door until they noticed him.

“Papa!” Polly jumped up and ran to him with her younger sister, Lilly, right behind her.

“We missed you, Papa!” Lilly said, kissing him on the cheek as he gathered them both up, one in each arm.

“We truly did,” Polly agreed, giving him a kiss on the other cheek.

He took them to the settee and sat down, one on each side of him.

“I went to Mrs. Heaton’s to ask—”

“Without us? Oh, Papa, we love taking tea at Mrs. Heaton’s!” Lilly exclaimed.

They’d gone only once to have tea with Mrs. Heaton and her daughter and granddaughter. But they’d taken a liking to their neighbor right away. “We’ll go another time, I’m sure, Lilly. But today I needed to ask her assistance in finding someone to help out—at least until I can find a permanent nanny.”

“Oh, Papa,” Polly said, “we don’t want any mean old nanny. Why couldn’t Mary stay?”

“Why did she have to leave us?” Lilly asked in an overly dramatic tone.

“She got homesick for England and I’d promised I’d send her home if she didn’t want to stay.”

“Why wouldn’t she want to stay with us?” Polly asked, her eyes filling with tears. “She’s been with us since we were born and after Mama passed away, too.”

“You know Nanny loved you both. It was hard for her to leave you. But she missed her family and she doesn’t like cities.”

“Oh,” Lilly said, a tear plopping out of her eye. “But we miss her.”

“I know you do. And I’m sure she misses the two of you, too.”

Mary had been a good nanny and the girls did love her. She’d cried when he took her to the ship to leave, telling him she knew how much he and his girls had already lost and that she felt as if she was deserting them. Which was exactly how Tyler felt, too.

He’d heard Mary was thinking of leaving from Tate and Mrs. Biddle, but she’d kept it from him and the girls as long as she could. But she had been miserable. In the end, she missed her own family too much to stay, and Tyler felt he had no choice but to let her go back.

“Well, I hope you’ll like the next nanny better than the one I hired to replace Mary and then the next one. You weren’t very nice to her, you know.”

“She wasn’t nice to us when you weren’t around, Papa,” Polly said.

“I’m sorry. You should have told me, instead of trying to run her away.”

“We weren’t exactly trying to do that, Papa. We were kind of...” Lilly looked over at Polly.

“If she wasn’t going to stay, we wanted her to leave as soon as possible,” his older daughter stated matter-of-factly. “If they don’t want to be nanny to us, we don’t want them to be.”

Tyler sighed and pulled his daughters closer, kissing them each on the top of the head. He didn’t know what to say. He understood their reasoning, but he felt terribly inept at figuring out what to do in this situation. It seemed he questioned every decision he’d made since Ivy had passed away.

All he really could do was pray for the Lord to help him talk Mrs. Biddle into staying, and for Mrs. Heaton to come up with someone to help out as soon as possible. He’d never thought the move to America would be such a huge adjustment for them all. And that might have been the root of the problem. He hadn’t thought things through at all.

* * *

Sir Walker’s dilemma had been on Georgia’s mind ever since he’d left Heaton House. She’d heard his daughters playing in their courtyard from time to time when she’d been out in Mrs. Heaton’s small garden reading. They were pretty little girls and she hated that not only did they have to adjust to a new country without their mother, but they also didn’t have a nanny to care for them in her place. She’d mulled over Mrs. Heaton’s suggestion and prayed about it and thought she’d come to a decision.

She dressed for dinner in a pink silk damask-and-satin dress trimmed with cream lace and silk braid. Then she went through the bathroom she shared with one of the new boarders, a seamstress named Betsy Thomas, and knocked on the door to her room.

“Georgia, come in. I was just about to go down to dinner. That pink looks lovely on you.”

“Thank you. You look very nice, too.” Betsy was quite pretty with dark, almost black, hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in a silk gown almost the same shade as her eyes. “We’ll go down together.”

“I appreciate that. It still feels a little awkward entering the parlor alone. I don’t know why, when everyone has been so kind to me.”

“You’ve only been here a few days. By next week, you’ll be breezing in without even thinking about it.”

“I hope so.”

Mrs. Heaton had put out her sign the week before. Her boarders seemed to have a propensity to fall in love while living at Heaton House, and she had to keep putting out a sign to fill the boardinghouse once more. But it never took more than a few days to accomplish that.

Georgia loved living here and getting to know the other boarders. They were a tight-knit group who enjoyed spending time with each other—even after they married. They enjoyed going on all kinds of outings together. And one of the best times was having dinner together.

With Mrs. Heaton at the helm, it was a time to share how their days had gone and to either commiserate or rejoice with each other, depending on what had happened.

She and Betsy joined the others in the parlor. Julia, the boarder who’d been there the longest, and Emily, who was fairly new, were there with Stephen and Joe—they’d moved in at the same time Emily had. Then there was Samuel and Dave, who’d joined the mix a few days ago at the same time as Betsy. The men dipped their heads to Georgia and Betsy as they entered, just as Mrs. Heaton announced dinner was ready.

It was customary for the men to escort the ladies to the table, and tonight it was Stephen who crooked his arm for her. But as he pulled out her chair, it was Emily he had his eyes on. Samuel beat him to her this evening and Georgia could tell Stephen wasn’t at all happy about it.

It was such fun wondering who might be the next couple to come out of Heaton House. Georgia knew for sure that she would not be part of one. She was barely over being rejected by the one man she’d thought to marry until he’d become her brother-in-law. Since then she’d vowed she would never give her heart to another.

Mrs. Heaton brought Georgia’s attention back to the present as she asked Stephen to say the blessing. Then Gretchen and Maida, Mrs. Heaton’s household help, brought in dinner and began to serve. As dishes were passed around the table, their landlady asked about their day. That conversation didn’t take long tonight, as nothing out of the ordinary seemed to have happened in anyone’s workday.

She turned to Georgia. “Have you had time to think about helping Sir Tyler out?”

“I’ve prayed about it and I believe it might be the thing to do, at least for a bit, although I really don’t know anything about being a nanny.”

“Why don’t I telephone Sir Tyler and speak to him about it? I’ll stress that it will only be temporary until he can find a permanent nanny and see what he thinks?”

Georgia released a sigh of relief. She wasn’t sure how to even approach the man about helping out. “That might be the best.”

“I’ll telephone him after dinner and let you know what he says. Then you can decide for sure if it’s something you might want to do.”

Mrs. Heaton was a dear. Georgia knew the woman would want to assure herself that everything would be on the up-and-up if she took the position. After all, they didn’t know Sir Tyler all that well and Mrs. Heaton would want to make certain Georgia would be treated well. Of that she had no doubt.

And deep inside she was sure Sir...Mr. Walker... No, Sir Tyler? Oh! What was she to call the man?

Whatever she settled on, she felt sure he was an honorable man. Which only created another problem—Georgia wasn’t certain her instincts where men were concerned could ever be trusted again.

Chapter Two

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 very kind of you. Perhaps Miss Marshall might do so—if she agrees to step in. My daughters mean everything to me. I pray I haven’t done the wrong thing by uprooting them and moving them away from all they know best. But they do seem to like it here. Or perhaps they don’t want to let me know that they don’t.”

Georgia’s heart softened toward the man who seemed so concerned about his daughters’ well-being. And yet he didn’t appear to know much about their daily routines or how they felt about the move. How could that be?

Suddenly she heard footsteps running down stairs and the sound of the sweet voices she’d heard from Mrs. Heaton’s garden. But they quieted just before they entered the room, appearing quite serious when they did. Though upon recognizing Mrs. Heaton, the corners of their mouths turned up in sweet smiles.

“Papa, Mr. Tate said you wanted to see us,” one of Sir Tyler’s daughters said. Georgia assumed she was the oldest, as she was about an inch taller than the sister who stood beside her.

“Yes. Mrs. Heaton has brought Miss Marshall to meet you. Miss Marshall, these are my daughters, Polly, the oldest and tallest, and Lilly.”

“I’m pleased to meet you both,” Georgia said as the blond-haired, blue-eyed girls smiled in her direction.

“Miss Marshall is considering helping out with you two until we can find a new nanny. But she wanted to know what you both think of the idea.”

“We’ve seen you coming in and out of Mrs. Heaton’s house,” Polly said.

“Yes, and we’ve peeked through the hedge and seen you in her garden, too,” Lilly added.

“I thought I’d heard you over there.” Georgia smiled to show she wasn’t upset that they’d been looking through the boxwoods.

“Would you live here?” Polly asked.

“No. I’ll still live at Heaton House. But I’ll be here first thing in the morning and until bedtime on the days I work.”

“You won’t watch us every day?” Lilly asked.

“No,” her father answered. “Miss Marshall isn’t a nanny, but a teacher here in America. She’s looking for a permanent teaching position while we’re looking for a permanent nanny. It is nice of her to offer to help us out, isn’t it?”

Both girls nodded, but Georgia couldn’t tell if they were happy or disappointed that she wouldn’t be living with them.

“But what if we need something in the night?” Lilly asked.

“You’ll come to me,” Sir Tyler answered. “I’m just across the hall.”

“You won’t mind?” Polly asked.

Sir Tyler’s brow furrowed as if he was surprised at the question. “Of course not.”

Georgia couldn’t quite grasp that his daughters might think he would be upset if they woke him during the night. Had they called only the nanny?

“Well, then, I think it might work out,” Polly said, sounding as grown up as a five-year-old could, and as much as the child she was could muster.

In that moment, Georgia knew she’d be taking this position if they agreed.

“What about you, Lilly?” her father asked. “Do you want Miss Marshall to help us out?”

Lilly looked from him to Georgia and then to her sister. Georgia saw the older sister give a little nod and Lilly smiled. “Yes, I think I do.”

“But you must mind her as you would your nanny. You understand that, don’t you?”

“Yes, Papa, we do,” Polly answered for the two of them. “May we have tea with you and Mrs. Heaton and Miss Marshall?”

Sir Tyler smiled. “I suppose, since you didn’t get to go with me yesterday, I can only say, yes, you may. Mrs. Heaton, would you mind pouring them a cup?”

“I’d be delighted.” Georgia watched as her landlady poured for the little girls and they took their first sip of tea.

“And, girls, be sure to mind your manners,” their papa said. “Miss Marshall hasn’t agreed to help us out yet.”

“Oh, please say yes, Miss Marshall!” Lilly said.

“Oh, yes, please do!” Polly added.

Georgia felt a tug in her heart at their pleas. She glanced at their papa and thought she saw hope in his eyes until he looked away. This family needed help and Sir Tyler was going to pay well. She needed work. There was only one answer she could give. “Yes. I’ll be here first thing Monday morning.”

The relief in Sir Tyler’s eyes and the smiles on his daughters’ faces made her feel she’d done the right thing. Now she could only pray that she had.

* * *

Promising to check on his daughters after the maid, Amelia, gave them their baths and got them ready for bed, Tyler headed out the door for a walk. He needed some fresh air. He’d been pouring over American law books in order to take the New York bar exam and it wasn’t an easy task, but this was to be his home now and where he did business. He had no choice but to learn the differences and make note of them. He didn’t want his clients complaining that he’d made any kind of mistake because of subtle variations.

Now he took a deep breath of the evening air and released a huge sigh of relief. The girls seemed happy that Miss Marshall had agreed to take care of them until he could find someone suitable, and he was quite pleased himself. Or perhaps relieved was a better word.

That Mrs. Heaton had known Miss Marshall all her life and recommended her highly, thinking so much of her that she wanted to make sure the young woman’s reputation would be protected under his care, said all he’d needed to know about her.

Georgia Marshall seemed to relate to his daughters on some level he didn’t really understand. They’d chattered away as if they’d known her all their lives after she’d said she would help out, and he’d been surprised at how well they’d minded their manners.

Making the move to America hadn’t been an easy decision for him, but his wife’s family had holdings here and they wanted him to look after them for their granddaughters’ sake.

As the middle son, he’d had no real reason to stay in England. His older brother would inherit the land and all there. However, Tyler wasn’t penniless, as his grandfather had bequeathed him a very nice sum on his death. Tyler had gone to school and become an attorney and could easily set up practice here—once he passed that exam.

Most important in his decision to make the move was that he’d be raising his daughters in their mother’s country, as she’d wished before she passed away. He felt that was the very least he could do for the woman he’d loved dearly.

Had it been just over a year since Ivy had passed away? Sometimes it felt like a lifetime and other times only as if it was yesterday. But always, there seemed to be an empty spot in his heart, and tonight was no different. Especially now, as he neared his home from his walk around Gramercy Park and heard people laughing as they approached from the opposite direction.

Somehow it didn’t surprise him to see a group of Mrs. Heaton’s boarders coming back from one of their outings. It was a mix of men and women, and he wondered if one of the ladies might be Miss Marshall.

He didn’t have to wonder long as they all reached their destinations at the same time. One of the women broke away from the group and he was taken by surprise as his chest tightened when he recognized her under the streetlamp.

“Sir Tyler?”

“Yes. Miss Marshall, how are you this evening?”

“I’m fine. We’ve all been to the soda shop for ice cream. It’s getting warm enough now to enjoy it.”

“I took the girls there a few days ago and they loved it. I’ve been out for a walk while they are being put to bed.” He’d been introduced to some of Mrs. Heaton’s boarders at the wedding reception he’d attended, but there appeared to be new people in the group heading into Heaton House.

“Good evening, Sir Tyler,” the one he knew as Joe said.

“Good evening. It’s a nice night for ice cream, isn’t it?”

“It is. Georgia, are you coming in?”

“Yes, of course.” She turned to Tyler. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

She turned to where Joe was waiting for her and then back to Tyler. “Have a good evening.”

“You, too.” He tipped his hat as she hurried up the steps to Heaton House. Then she disappeared inside, leaving Tyler suddenly feeling lonelier than ever.

Tate opened the door as soon as Tyler’s foot hit the top step. “Good evening, sir. Did you have a nice walk?”

“I did, Tate. Thank you. I’m going up to look in on the girls. I’ll be back down in a few minutes. Would you bring me some coffee?”

“Certainly.”

Tyler headed upstairs, wondering if Joe was Miss Marshall’s beau. He’d seemed quite protective of her, but then, so did Mrs. Heaton. The thought that Miss Marshall might have a suitor didn’t sit well with him and that unsettled Tyler. He shouldn’t even be wondering about her personal life. It was none of his business. She’d agreed to help him out and for that he was very thankful. As long as his girls were taken care of, that was all that mattered. He had no business even wondering about Miss Marshall’s social life—none at all.

Tyler slipped into the room his daughters shared, even though there were plenty of rooms and each one could have had their own. However, since their mother’s death, they’d wanted to be together at night. He kissed them each on the forehead, softly so as not to wake them. Oh, how he loved them.

Tyler hoped all would go well with Miss Marshall until he could find a permanent nanny—and that the girls didn’t try to run her away as they had the last one. But they knew Miss Marshall was only temporary, so surely they wouldn’t.

Tyler slipped out of the room, leaving the door cracked open so he could hear them if they called out in the night, and went down to his study to find Tate just pouring his coffee. The butler must have waited until he heard his footsteps.

He sat down in his favorite chair and took the cup Tate handed him.

“Cook sent you a piece of cake, sir. She seems much better after you spoke to her.”

Tyler wasn’t all that hungry but he wasn’t about to hurt his cook’s feelings, especially when he was trying to keep her on. He took the dessert plate from Tate. “I’m glad to hear it. I hope she’s changed her mind about staying.”

“It appears so, at least for the moment.”

“I suppose we’ll have to be happy with that. Thank her for the cake, will you?”

“I will, sir.” Tate gave a nod and quietly took his leave.

Tyler finished the dessert he really didn’t want and took a sip of coffee, and then he leaned his head back against his chair. This time of night was never easy for him. It’d always been the time that he and Ivy had enjoyed together, talking over their day after the girls had been put to bed. She’d tell him funny stories about the things Polly and Lilly had said and done that day, and then she’d update him on their upcoming social engagements and family commitments.

It hadn’t taken Ivy long to win over his parents. A second or third cousin to one of his best friends, she’d come to visit her relatives and they’d fallen in love. At first Tyler’s family had voiced disapproval, but as he wasn’t the heir apparent of their estate, he was more able to obtain their blessing than his older brother would have been.

That Ivy came with a substantial wealth of her own certainly helped, although it’d had nothing to do with how he felt about her. He would have loved her had she been a pauper.

But tonight his thoughts weren’t just on Ivy. Instead they were also on Georgia Marshall. He wondered if hiring her was the right thing for his daughters. What if they became too attached to her before he found someone permanent?

And he really didn’t know anything about her personal life. What if she did have a beau who wouldn’t like her spending so much time here? Tyler hoped that wasn’t the case—for he had no idea what to do if she changed her mind. Something about her calmed him, made him believe that his girls would be fine in her care. They liked her and had talked of little else all afternoon.

She was quite appealing, of that there was no doubt. Her smile was contagious and he’d actually been aware of smiling that morning, seeing Polly and Lilly’s excitement about her coming to help out. Had it been that long since he’d smiled—that he’d noticed he was?

Did the girls see him as serious all the time? Now that he thought about it, the times he heard them laugh and saw them smile were mostly when they were alone together playing, talking, just being with each other. Oh, they smiled at him when he came into a room, and occasionally giggled, but—

Dear Lord, please help me. I don’t want to be an unsmiling, unhappy father to them. I want them to be untroubled and to know how much I love them. Please show me how to bring those grins about that Miss Marshall seems to do so effortlessly. And if hiring her was not best for my daughters, for Miss Marshall, for all of us, please help me to know.

* * *

“Papa! Papa! Wake up, please! Lilly’s crying again!”

Tyler pulled himself out of a deep, depressing sleep to find his oldest daughter tugging on his pajama sleeve.

“What? What is it? Lilly is crying?”

“Yes, Papa. Hurry!” With that, Polly ran out of the room.

Tyler threw on his robe and rushed across the hall to the girls’ bedroom. Soft sobs drew him to Lilly’s bed, where Polly was trying to comfort her.

“Lilly? Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” He sat down on the bed and pulled the tiny figure up and onto his lap. Her sobs didn’t stop. “Lilly, it’s Papa. Tell me why you’re crying.”

“I m-miss Mama!” She sniffed and hiccuped before the sobs started again. Tyler rocked her back and forth, trying to hold back his own tears. Did she do this often? If so, why hadn’t the nanny awakened him?

He looked at Polly, but found she was sniffling, too. He held out an arm to her and pulled her up close, glad it was dark so that they couldn’t see the tears he was trying to hold back.

“I wish I could bring her back for you both. I know you miss her very much. So do I. But we have each other and always will. You know Mama wouldn’t want you crying, don’t you? She loved you with all her heart and wanted you to be happy.”

They both nodded as the sobs began again. Tyler had no idea what to do or say next. Dear Lord, I feel so out of my depth here. What kind of father am I that I don’t know how to comfort my girls?

He began to hum a nursery rhyme he didn’t remember the words to as he held his girls close. Suddenly Georgia Marshall came to mind. Maybe he could change the subject. “Miss Marshall begins work on Monday. Are you sure you want her to come to work here?”

Both girls nodded.

“Well, Monday will be here before you know it. That’s something to look forward to, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Papa,” they said at the same time.

The sobs had stopped, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he hummed another song. Soon Lilly slumped against him and he could tell she’d fallen back asleep.

“Let me lay Lilly down and then I’ll put you back to bed,” he whispered to Polly. She scooted to the end of her sister’s bed to give him room and he gently laid Lilly down and covered her up. Tyler kissed her on the forehead and then picked up Polly and carried her to her bed.

“Thank you for coming, Papa. I never know what to do when Lilly sobs like that.”

“You did fine, Polly. You’re a very good big sister.”

“And you’re not mad because I woke you?”

“Oh, sweet child, of course not. Why did Nanny never awaken me when either of you were crying?”

“I don’t know. She just said we weren’t ’posed to.”

“Well, from now on, we’ll make sure that any nanny we hire knows to awaken me, all right?”

“Yes, Papa. Thank you.” She hugged his neck tight.

“Will you be all right? Or do you want me to sit with you awhile?”

“I’m sleepy now. You can go back to bed.”

She sounded too grown up for a child her age. How long had she been dealing with this kind of thing on her own?

“And be sure to come get me or call out if you need me.”

“It’s truly all right?”

“It truly is.” He hugged his oldest daughter, who was too young to be taking so much on her shoulders. Then he pulled up the covers over her and kissed her on the forehead. “Sweet dreams.”

“Night, Papa. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Tyler turned and went back out, leaving the door open in case he was needed again. For the first time since Ivy had passed away, he felt he’d given his daughters a measure of comfort—if only in letting them know they could call on him when they were sad.

But how awful for them, that they were just now finding that out. Oh, dear Lord, please help me to be more attuned to their needs. I know that back home, nannies are the ones who take care of many of our children’s needs, but I never want my girls to fear coming to me for any reason.

Ivy had been much more attentive than most of the mothers in their group, and he knew she would not want him to leave everything to a nanny. But how was he to know what to do—or when to do it?

Tyler’s ego deflated like a punctured balloon. He had no idea.

Chapter Three

On Monday morning, Georgia got up and hurried to the bathroom she shared with Betsy. It was still quiet and she took care not to make any more noise than necessary before going back to her room and dressing in a dark green skirt and green-and-white-striped shirtwaist.

She hurried downstairs and helped herself to a light breakfast at the sideboard. Gretchen came in and poured her some coffee and Georgia had just finished when Mrs. Heaton came in.

“I wanted to see you off on your first day. I do hope you and the girls have a good one.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Heaton. I want to be there before the girls begin to stir.” She’d asked Mr. Tate what time that might be when she’d seen him out the day before. He’d told her they usually stayed in bed until the nanny told them they could get up, but that they usually were up and dressed and taking breakfast by eight.

“I understand that. I’m sure they’re excited about you coming this morning,” Mrs. Heaton said.

“I hope so. And I hope I don’t disappoint them. I’m still not sure exactly what is expected of me, but Sir Tyler seems willing to let me find my own way. Truthfully, I believe Mr. Tate might be my best source of help.”

“You’ll figure it all out. I look forward to hearing how your day goes.”

“Thank you.” Georgia took one more sip of coffee and stood. “I’ll see you this evening.”

Several of the other boarders came in just then and wished her well as she headed to the foyer.

Mr. Tate had informed her that he’d let her in through the front door, since she wasn’t actually a servant, or she could come in through the kitchen entry downstairs. But as Georgia let herself out of Heaton House, she decided to use the kitchen door. She didn’t want anyone believing she thought herself better than them, and besides, ringing the bell might awaken the girls before she could get to them.

Sir Tyler and his daughters had sat a few pews behind the Heaton House group at church the day before, and they’d seemed quite glad to see her when she’d gone back down the aisle after the service.

The girls had looked neat and tidy, although Georgia noticed that their dresses appeared a bit short and her heart went out to both them and their father. He probably hadn’t paid that much attention to their hemlines and neither had they. She’d take stock of his daughters’ clothing that week, and then, if need be, she’d broach the topic of getting new ones to Sir Tyler.

He had asked her if she’d mind coming over that Sunday afternoon so he could give her a key and make sure she knew her way around before starting work the next morning. Of course she’d agreed, and she was glad she had. It was much larger than Heaton House, but at least she now knew just where to go once she was inside. She used the key to unlock the kitchen door and Mrs. Biddle seemed a bit surprised to see her, but approving that she’d used this entrance.

“Good morning, Miss Marshall. Would you like some coffee or tea before you go up?”

“No, thank you. I had some at Heaton House. I think I’ll go check on the girls now.”

“I’ll have breakfast ready around eight—that’s when they normally come down.”

“I’ll go up now, then. Thank you, Mrs. Biddle.”

“You’re welcome, dear.” The woman actually smiled at her and Georgia hoped they would have a good relationship.

She hurried up the back stairs to the girls’ room and opened the door as softly as she could, only to find the two little girls in their nightclothes, looking out their window that faced the street. “She’s not coming,” Lilly said.

“Oh, I’m sure she is. She’ll be here any minute now. If she wasn’t coming, Maid would have already been up here to tell us,” Polly said.

Lilly put her hands on her hips and glared at her sister. “Maid wouldn’t know yet!”

“Good morning, girls! Am I late?”

They turned to her with such relief on their faces, she wanted to rush to them and hug them. But she let them decide how they wanted to greet her.

For a moment they stood there just staring at her. Then Lilly grinned from ear to ear. “You came!”

“Of course I did. I told you I’d be here and I keep my word. We’d better get you both dressed for breakfast. Cook said it’d be ready soon. Show me your wardrobe and we’ll choose something for you to wear.”

They led her to their wardrobe and with their help she was able to find them something she hoped was suitable. The girls pulled out matching plaid dresses in different colors. Polly’s was in blue and green and Lilly’s was in pink and yellow. The skirts were a bit shorter than she thought they should be, just as the ones they’d worn to church had been, and Georgia feared everything in their wardrobe was a little outdated.

It appeared she would need to speak to their father about their clothing soon. She really did need to talk to Elizabeth and get her help on how children of the wealthy dressed. Her friend came from a rich family although she wasn’t part of that lifestyle any longer. But perhaps she would remember how she was treated as the child of wealthy parents.

She could also speak to Betsy about the styles for children now.

“Are we ready?” Georgia asked, after tying their hair up with ribbons that matched the dresses they had on.

“Yes!” they said in unison as they hurried out the door and to the stairs. As she followed her charges, they looked quite good to her, but she wasn’t sure if what they had on was appropriate for breakfast. Still, all she could do for now was hope that no one in the house had anything bad to say about how they were dressed.

There seemed to be a lot of whispering going on between the girls as they made their way to the breakfast room, but Georgia couldn’t make out what they were saying. She thought it sweet that they were so close, but of course they would be after losing their mother.

She followed them into the room and Mrs. Biddle brought in their breakfast as soon as they sat down at the table. The round table was just the right size for four to six people. It appeared to have had the leaves taken out and was nowhere near as large as the one in the dining room.

It was set for only three, and as Georgia had told Cook that she’d eaten already, she thought Sir Tyler would be coming.

But Mrs. Biddle took away the third place setting and asked, “Did you want coffee or tea now, Miss Marshall?”

“Oh, Sir Tyler doesn’t have his breakfast with the girls?”

“Oh, no. He has his in the dining room, but he’ll most likely look in on them before they’re through eating.”

He ate alone at that long table? Just him in that room? Georgia didn’t think she’d ever understand the ways of English gentry. “I’ll have some tea, then, please.”

Mrs. Biddle hurried to the kitchen and brought back a small pot that held at least two cups, then poured Georgia a cup and set the pot down beside it.

“Thank you,” Georgia said in example to the girls. She had no idea how they’d been trained, but she knew manners mattered. And just because someone was in service didn’t mean one shouldn’t show appreciation for what they did.

Georgia waited until the cook left the room and said, “I’ll say the blessing.” She waited until the girls bowed their heads and then she began, “Dear Lord, we thank You for this day and ask that You guide us through it. We ask You to bless this food and the cook who prepared it for us. Thank You for our many blessings. In Jesus’s name, amen.”

She smiled when both girls added their amen to hers. “What do you think you two would like to do today? Would you like to go to the bookstore so we can order you some books? Your papa would like me to start your lessons. Is there anything specific you’d like to learn more about?”

“I want to learn more about America because Mama lived here when she was young, too,” Polly said.

“Me, too,” Lilly said. “Let’s learn about ’merica!”

“Then that will go to the top of the list.”

Georgia had just taken a sip of tea when Lilly looked up and grinned at something behind her. She turned to see Sir Tyler leaning against the door frame just as Lilly said, “Papa!”

“Good morning, Papa! Miss Marshall did come, just as you and she said she would!” Polly said.

“Good morning. Of course she came.” He smiled at Georgia and something in her chest quickened as he pushed away from the door frame and came around and kissed each of his daughters on the top of the head. “You both look very nice today. Have you made any plans?”

“We’re just starting to,” Georgia said as he took a seat across from her and between his girls.

Mrs. Biddle must have heard his voice from the kitchen, for she hurried in with a cup of coffee for him, gave a small curtsy and left the room.

“We’re going to get some books to have lessons with, Papa,” Lilly said.

“Yes, on America,” Polly added.

“That’s good,” their papa said as he took a seat at the table. “Your mama would be happy that you’ll be learning about this country.”

They both nodded as they continued with their breakfast and Sir Tyler turned his attention to Georgia. “What else were you thinking of doing today?”

“Well, if it’s all right with you, I thought we’d go get the books we need and then perhaps we might call on Mrs. Heaton’s daughter, Rebecca, and her daughter, Jenny, for a bit if they’re home.”

“Oh, yes, please say it’s all right, Papa,” Polly said.

“Of course it is. Miss Marshall has my permission to plan your days just as Nanny did.”

“The old one or the new one that left? She didn’t plan much of anything,” Polly said.

“I’m sure Miss Marshall will come up with all kinds of things for you to do. She is a teacher, after all.”

That seemed to satisfy the girls for the moment, but Georgia knew she had much to learn about them before she could plan each day adequately.

“I’ve got a busy day ahead, so I’ll leave you to yours. I think it might be more enjoyable than mine. I’m still trying to find an office space.”

“You could come with us,” Lilly said a bit shyly.

Georgia waited for his answer. As far as she could tell, he worked a lot from home and his hours were his own. He could go with them, but she—

“Not today, dear. But you have fun and I’ll see you later.” Sir Tyler turned to Georgia. “And thank you again for coming to our aid, Miss Marshall. I appreciate it more than I can say.”

“You’re welcome.” She looked to see that the girls had finished their breakfast and couldn’t help being a little disappointed in their father’s response to his daughter’s plea. She really didn’t know what else to say as Sir Tyler took a last sip of his coffee then stood and left the room.

But his daughters didn’t give her time to dwell on him, as they were excited to get the day started.

“Are we really going to go see Jenny, Miss Marshall?”

“We are if it’s convenient for them. I’ll telephone before we go to the bookstore to place our order. Did your other nanny teach you to read or write anything?”

“Not the last one, but Nanny from England had started to. We have papers.”

“Well, let’s go see where you’re at and I might let you practice your letters for a while. While you’re doing that, I’ll come back down and telephone to see if we can go visit later today.”

The girls fairly flew up the stairs, but as Georgia met Mr. Tate at the bottom of the staircase, she asked him to show her where the telephone was.

“There is one in the kitchen downstairs and Mrs. Biddle will be glad to show you where it is. The others are in Sir Tyler’s study and in his bedroom.”

“Thank you, Mr. Tate.”

“You’re quite welcome, Miss Marshall.”

Georgia hurried back up to her charges, who had pulled out their latest papers for her. Their English nanny had started them out well. It was a pity she hadn’t stayed on.

* * *

Tyler left the breakfast room certain that his girls were in good hands. When he’d heard the conversation going on from his seat in the dining room, he hadn’t been able to resist peeking in a bit earlier than usual.

He’d told himself it was because he wanted to let Miss Marshall know he was pleased she’d taken the position and that was true, but in truth he’d been looking forward to her arrival almost as much as his girls were. Tate had told him she was there, of course, but that wasn’t the same as seeing her in his home with his daughters.

They’d been very animated, talking about what they’d like to read as he’d stood in the doorway before Lilly noticed him, and he couldn’t resist sitting at the table with them for a few minutes before he headed out.

He’d enjoyed the brief time, although it’d been hard to keep from glancing at Georgia Marshall. She’d looked quite lovely, dressed in green to match her eyes. But his mission wasn’t to think about how pretty the woman who’d stepped in to help him out was. It was to find out how the girls were taking to Miss Marshall, for they would be spending most of their time with her.

Tyler went to his study to finish off a letter to his family and one to his in-laws before grabbing his satchel for a meeting with Michael Heaton. He’d spoken to Mrs. Heaton’s son after church the day before to ask about leasing office space in his building. Michael had said he did have two offices available and would be glad to show them to him that morning.

Tate was waiting at the front door for him—the man seemed to know exactly when to be there every time Tyler came or went. “Have a good morning, sir.”

“You, too, Tate. I think Miss Marshall and the girls are going to get along fine. Please get these in the mail today.” Tyler handed the letters to his butler. “And tell Cook I should be home for luncheon. If I see I won’t be, I’ll telephone.”

“I’ll let her know, sir.”

“Very good.” Tyler hurried down the steps, and as it was such a nice day, he decided to walk to Michael’s office. It wasn’t too far away. He and his girls liked the Gramercy Park neighborhood a great deal, especially the park in the center of it that only residents had keys to. And now that things were beginning to bloom, they liked it even better. But Central Park was their favorite.

He hoped Miss Marshall would get them out of the house so they could get used to the city better. Nanny had been a little apprehensive about taking them out and about because she didn’t know her way around. At least that was the excuse she’d given, and he hadn’t really trusted the new nanny enough to give her permission to take them anywhere but to Gramercy Park.

The relief he felt that they had someone who had come so highly recommended was immense. He was sure Mrs. Heaton was a woman of high regard and had thought so since the first time he’d met her.

As he reached the office building on Third Avenue, he was impressed with the architecture and interior. Any client he had would be happy to come to an office here.

Michael had given him directions to his office and Tyler took the elevator to the top floor. Once there, a middle-aged receptionist showed him into Michael’s inner office. He stood up from his desk and held out his hand. “Sir Tyler, it’s good to see you again.”

Tyler shook his hand. “Mr. Heaton, thank you and the same to you.”

“Please call me Michael. Why don’t I show you the offices I have in mind for you and then we can come back and discuss the details, or talk about them over lunch, if you like it?”

“That sounds fine with me.” Actually, he’d like to get to know Michael Heaton better. If he was anything like his mother, Tyler would be glad to have him as a friend.

Michael led the way out of his office and took Tyler to a nice-sized office across the hall from his. It had a reception room and an office similar to Michael’s, but with only one window looking out instead of two corner windows. The size would work well, though.

“Of course, you’d be responsible for the furnishings,” Michael said. “I’ve found everyone has their own tastes in the matter of decoration.”

“Yes, well, I suppose that is true and I’d be glad to furnish it. From what I saw in yours, I think our tastes are quite alike.”

“Then I can tell you where to go to find similar items.”

They went to the next office space that had a larger window looking out onto Third Avenue. Tyler liked it a lot. “I like them both. But I think I’d like to take this one.”

“You’re sure?”

“I am ready to sign a lease on it.”

“Well, then, let me treat you to lunch and we’ll talk over the terms.”

“Might I borrow your telephone to call home and let them know I won’t be there for lunch?”

“Of course.” Michael pointed to the telephone on his desk. “I’ll go tell my receptionist we’ll be out for a while.”

Tyler picked up the receiver and asked the operator to connect him to his home. Tate answered the telephone, of course, and informed Tyler that he’d let Mrs. Biddle know, and that Miss Marshall and his daughters would be having lunch with Mrs. Heaton’s daughter.

“Oh, well, I hope Cook hasn’t gone to too much trouble just for me.”

“It will be fine, Sir Tyler. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you, Tate. I’ll see you later.”

Tyler hung up the receiver feeling a bit unsettled. But there was no reason to. He’d told Miss Marshall that she could plan their days. If having lunch with a friend was something she thought the girls might enjoy, there was no reason he should be concerned in any way.

Chapter Four

Tyler went out to the reception area, where Michael Heaton was waiting for him, and they took the elevator downstairs and then strode out onto the street. Tyler had found that New York City traffic was every bit as bad as London’s was, but he was beginning to learn his way around.

“I thought we’d walk to the restaurant I have in mind. It caters mostly to businessmen, and don’t tell the ladies, but I’ve found it’s nice to talk business there.” Michael grinned at him.

Tyler laughed. “I understand.”

They arrived at the restaurant and in a matter of minutes were seated and had their orders taken.

“Mother told me that Georgia Marshall was stepping in to help you out for a while,” Michael said.

“Yes, she is. You know her?”

“Oh, yes. Besides being a boarder at Heaton House, our families have been friends for a long time. Georgia will do her best for you.”

Tyler could feel himself relax at Michael’s words. “I believe she will. This transition hasn’t been easy on any of us and I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate your mother’s help. The fact that she highly recommended Miss Marshall put my mind at ease. But still, I am concerned a bit. My girls ran the last nanny off with their pranks, and while I believe it was because they are still missing their mother and the nanny who went back to England, I’m not sure what I’ll do if they do the same to Miss Marshall.”

“I can’t imagine what you’ve been through. I am sorry for the loss of your wife. I’m sure Georgia will do her best to help your daughters. I wouldn’t be too concerned about them running her off. She’s taught school for several years now, and from what I’ve heard, she is very good with children.”

“Do you know why she came to New York?” Tyler hoped Michael wouldn’t think him too nosy, but he was curious.

“I don’t know for sure. My wife thinks it was from a broken heart.”

“Was she engaged?”

“No. But we all thought she’d marry her next-door neighbor. But he surprised us all—Georgia more than anyone, we suspect—and asked her sister to marry him instead. Georgia stayed in Ashland until after the wedding but, well, you can imagine how difficult it must have been for her.”

“Oh, yes, I can,” Tyler said. He was a bit surprised by the anger he felt toward Miss Marshall’s neighbor, realizing that he was now her brother-in-law. How painful that must have been for her. “I am sorry for the heartbreak she might be going through, but I must admit I’m glad to have her free to help us.”

And to know that she didn’t have a beau who might have demands on her time.

“I think helping you out will be good for her, too,” Michael said.

“I hope so.”

Their meal came and the conversation turned to business.

“So you want the larger office next to mine?”

“Yes.”

“It needs a fresh coat of paint and, of course, I’ll have that done. When would you want to move in?” Michael asked.

“How about the first of June? That will give me time to choose the furnishings, take the bar exam and see how things are going with the girls and Miss Marshall.”

“Sounds good to me. I’m glad to have you as a tenant, Sir Tyler.”

“And I’m glad you had space available. I’ll pay the rent starting now, of course.”

Michael shook his head. “There’s no need for that. We’ll have a contract drawn up to start in June. Until then, feel free to come by and take measurements or whatever you need to do. I’ll not be leasing it to anyone else.”

By the time Tyler left the restaurant, he felt he’d made a new friend and at least begun the tedious task of setting up office. He’d go look for furnishings at the shops Michael had recommended over the next few weeks.

For now, though, he looked forward to getting home and seeing the girls and Miss Marshall. But when he arrived back home, it was to find that Miss Marshall and his daughters weren’t back yet, and disappointment that he had no one but Tate to share his news with washed over him.

He made his way down to the kitchen to make sure Mrs. Biddle wasn’t upset that her lunch plans had to be changed. She seemed quite surprised to see him in the kitchen. “Sir Tyler, is there anything I can get for you?”

“No, thank you, Mrs. Biddle. I hope that Miss Marshall and I didn’t put you out too much with our change in lunch plans. She gave you plenty of notice, didn’t she?” Although he wasn’t so sure he’d given her enough.

“Oh, yes, she did, Sir Tyler. And Miss Polly and Miss Lilly were ever so thrilled about going.”

“Very good.” He made his way back to his study, glad Mrs. Biddle wasn’t upset. And he was happy his daughters had been excited about the day’s plans. Still, the house seemed much too quiet and he had a feeling he wouldn’t settle down to work until his girls were back home.

* * *

By the time Georgia put the girls down to nap, she was feeling better about accepting the position as their nanny. She’d been very pleased with how well behaved they were at Rebecca’s. And she was happy that they got along so well with Jenny. The girls had played outdoors while she and Rebecca caught up with each other. Their families had been friends for a very long time back in Virginia, and Georgia felt blessed that she’d been able to reunite with Mrs. Heaton’s family when she’d moved to the city.

“How do you think 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 come in,” Sir Tyler said, getting up from his chair and motioning to a chair adjacent to his. “Would you like some tea before you leave?”

“No, thank you.”

Georgia took the seat as he turned to his butler. “Thank you, Tate. That will be all for now.”

He then sat back down. “I suppose my girls are ready for me to come up and hear their prayers.”

“They are. They were giggling with each other before I got out of the room.”

“I can’t tell you how that warms my heart. They’ve always gotten along well, but I haven’t heard many giggles lately—not until you came to us. I wanted to be sure and let you know how much I appreciate whatever it is you’ve done to bring that about.”

“Oh, I’m not sure I can take credit for that, Sir Tyler. I—”

The expression in Sir Tyler’s eyes when he shook his head and smiled at her had her heart skittering in her chest.

“Oh, I believe you can. At any rate, thank you.” He slipped his hand into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out an envelope. “This is your first week’s pay.”

“Oh, I wasn’t expecting to get paid so quickly. Thank you.” She took the envelope from him and their fingers brushed, making her catch her breath. She hoped he couldn’t tell how flustered she felt.

“You’re welcome.” He stood and so did she. “I suppose I’d best go listen to those prayers. They already pray for you, you know.”

“How sweet,” Georgia said as they walked out into the foyer. “I pray for them as well. I’ll see you all on Monday or at church on Sunday, I suppose.”

“You will. Have a good weekend, Miss Marshall.”

“You, too, Sir Tyler.”

He gave another smile and turned to the stairs while Mr. Tate showed her out.

“Good night, Miss Marshall,” the butler said.

“Good night, Mr. Tate.”

She heard the door shut behind her and hurried over to the steps of Heaton House. Happy as she was to have the weekend off, she felt a little guilty for leaving Sir Tyler and Mr. Tate.

Then she scolded herself. She wasn’t indispensable, after all! She heard the boarders in the parlor as soon as she opened the door and hurried inside to join them.

“Georgia! How nice it is to have you home for more than a few hours!” Julia exclaimed.

“Oh, it is!” Emily added.

“I’m glad to be here. I’ve missed evenings at Heaton House. What have you got planned for the weekend?”

“Your favorite meal, for one,” Mrs. Heaton said from behind her. “It’s good to know we have you for the whole weekend.”

“Mostly we’re going to enjoy spending time with you,” Julia said. “But remember, Matt and Millicent’s housewarming is next Saturday.”

“Oh! I’d forgotten about that. Are we going in together on a gift?”

“We were just talking about that. Mrs. Heaton suggested we get a brass bowl similar to what we got for the other couples. We can go down tomorrow morning and pick one out together, if you’d all like,” Julia said.

“Oh, I’d love to help.” And hopefully it would take her mind off of Sir Tyler and his daughters. The girls should be asleep by now, but what was he doing? She always wondered about that once she left. The first night, she’d stopped at the window of the upstairs hall that looked out on Mrs. Heaton’s garden. She’d seen a glow of lamplight on the courtyard next door and thought it must be coming from Sir Tyler’s study window.

And as she went up for the night with the others tonight, she was drawn to that window once more after the other girls went to their rooms. Sure enough, a splash of light shone on the yard. She hoped Sir Tyler was working, for the thought of him just sitting all by himself in his study late at night saddened her deeply.

Dear Lord, please help them to have a good weekend. I do feel so bad about leaving them. And yet the girls are asleep and Sir Tyler is doing whatever it is he does of an evening. I’m sure he has his own routine, and besides, it’s none of my business at all! I must stop thinking of him so much. Please help me to put him out of my mind and remember that my job is to see that his daughters are well taken care of in my charge. And that is all. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

Chapter Five

The weekend passed quite pleasantly for Georgia. She’d gone with Julia and Betsy to Macy’s to look for the brass bowl for Matt and Millicent on Saturday morning, and then the group went to the ice-cream parlor for sodas that evening after dinner. She did get to see Polly and Lilly the next day at church and they seemed as glad to see her as she was to see them, as they ran up to her as soon as the service was over.

She also remembered to broach the subject of their wardrobes to Sir Tyler once the girls ran off to talk to Jenny. “I did want to speak to you about something and I kept forgetting last week—”

“You aren’t going to give notice, are you?” he asked.

The concern in his eyes had her rushing to reassure him. “Oh, no! I’m sorry to have given you any cause to worry. No, it’s about the girls’ wardrobes. I think they might need some new things and—”

His laughter was a sound she hadn’t heard before and it warmed her heart to know she’d evidently relieved his mind.

“Their wardrobe? Of course. I’m glad you brought it to my attention. We’ll decide what to do tomorrow.”

“Thank you. That sounds good. I know you want them to—”

“Look like proper young ladies. And you’re right about that. In fact, their nanny mentioned something about it when I took her to the ship, but I was so upset about her leaving, I’m afraid I didn’t pay much attention.”

“That’s understandable. We’ll take care of it.”

“We will. I’m sure they could use a few new things,” Sir Tyler said.

They needed more than a few items, but she’d wait until the next day to go into detail about all that.

As the girls had waved goodbye to her, Georgia had almost wished she was going with them. She feared she’d become attached to them much too quickly, but how did one keep from doing so when they had no mother to turn to?

Still, she had to remind herself that she was only their acting nanny and that she would be replaced one day. She couldn’t let herself become too fond of them—or their papa.

He’d been very kind to her, but she really knew little about him other than he was part of English gentry and had been married to a wealthy American, according to Mrs. Heaton. Besides, she just could not trust her instincts where men were concerned. Otherwise she wouldn’t have believed that she would marry Phillip for all those years. She still thought he’d led her on. But at the same time, Georgia felt she should have seen the truth. It was her sister that Phillip was truly interested in and he was only using Georgia as a reason to visit and see Meredith.

Georgia still felt a little pang remembering the day they’d announced their engagement. It’d been all she could do to stay in the room and congratulate them instead of running up to her bedroom to sob as she’d done later that night.

If she couldn’t trust her intuition with someone she’d known all her life, how could she ever trust it with a man she barely knew? And why was she even thinking about any of this anyway? She believed Sir Tyler was still mourning his loss. And even if he wasn’t, she’d vowed never to lose her heart to another man. No matter how kind and handsome he was.

Now, on Monday morning, as she let herself into the Walker home and greeted Mrs. Biddle, she shored up her resolve and turned her attention to the job she’d been hired to do.

She hurried upstairs to find the girls still asleep, which surprised her, for they’d been up waiting for her all last week. It looked as if they might be hiding under the covers and she grinned. They probably thought they’d jump out and give her a scare when she approached. “Polly? Lilly? Are you being sleepyheads today?”

She gave the small mound in Polly’s bed a little shake, but it felt very soft, and when she pulled off the covers it was to find only a pillow all punched up.

The mound in Lilly’s bed looked suspiciously the same and Georgia didn’t bother with a nudge. Instead she threw the covers off to find the younger girl’s pillow pretending to be her.

Maybe they were in their bathroom hiding from her. She hurried across the floor and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, she threw it open only to find it empty. Her stomach felt as if she’d just swallowed a heavy rock as she hurried to the playroom. Surely they were there. Only they weren’t.

Where could they be? And why would they be hiding from her? She hurried back downstairs, heart pounding, praying that they were just pulling some kind of prank and hadn’t run off.

She stopped in the morning room and looked out into the yard, but they weren’t there. Then she heard a little giggle and then another. She followed the sound into the breakfast room, where they were sitting at the table, all dressed—if not properly—and grinning from ear to ear as she entered.

“Surprise!” Polly said. She was smiling but Georgia could tell she was a little apprehensive about her reaction.

She tried to keep her voice normal and not give away how concerned she was at their actions. It didn’t seem like them at all, but then, she’d known them only a week. “Girls, you know you’re supposed to wait until I get here and help you get dressed to come down to breakfast. Mrs. Biddle hasn’t begun yours yet. Let’s go up and get you dressed in something a little more becoming before your papa sees you. Unless you want him to fire me?”

“Oh, no, Miss Georgia!” Polly said. “We don’t want that!” She jumped up from her chair. “Come on, Lilly, hurry. We don’t want to get Miss Georgia in trouble.”

“But I thought you—”

Georgia saw Polly shake her head at her younger sister. “Hurry, before Papa or Mr. Tate see us!”

Georgia hurried behind them and let go of a relieved sigh when they made it back to the girls’ room without being detected. Something was going on here, but she didn’t know what it was, at least not yet. However, now was not the time to question them—they needed to get back downstairs. But she had to find out what caused the girls to act in such a way.

She quickly got them changed into something more presentable and brushed their blond hair up and tied it with ribbons that matched their dresses. Then they headed back downstairs, the girls whispering in front of her.

They slipped into their chairs just before Mrs. Biddle brought in their breakfast and Georgia could see the relief in their eyes. Evidently they knew she was disturbed by their actions, for they were more subdued than usual.

“My goodness, it’s quiet in here this morning,” Sir Tyler said from the doorway. “Are you all feeling all right?”

“Good morning, Papa!” both girls said in unison. But they flashed Georgia a look as if begging her not to tell their father of their actions.

“I believe we’re all well, Sir Tyler,” Georgia said. “But they do seem a bit quiet this morning—did you overdo things at the park yesterday?”

“I don’t think so. Do I need to summon a doctor?”

“No, Papa,” Polly said. “We’re fine.”

“I believe it’s taking them a bit of time to fully wake up this morning.”

“Hmm, Lilly didn’t have a bad night, did she?” Sir Tyler asked Polly. “You promised to call me if she does.”

“I slept good last night, Papa,” Lilly said.

“I’m glad.”

Georgia didn’t realize that Lilly sometimes had trouble sleeping. Perhaps she should ask Sir Tyler about that when they were alone. She needed to speak to him about their wardrobes anyway.

As if he read her thoughts, Sir Tyler turned to her. “Miss Marshall, could you come to the study once you get the girls settled down after breakfast? There’s something I’d like to speak to you about.”

“I’d be glad to, Sir Tyler.”

“I’ll see you then. Girls, you mind Miss Marshall and don’t give her any trouble, you hear?”

“We won’t, Papa,” Polly said.

“We will, Papa,” Lilly said. “Will mind, of course.”

Did he know about their trick this morning? Georgia didn’t know how he could have—unless the maid or Mr. Tate saw something. With Sir Tyler’s invitation, it appeared she’d soon find out.

* * *

With pleas not to tell their papa of their mischievous behavior that morning still ringing in her ears, Georgia headed down to Sir Tyler’s study. She’d promised the girls that she wouldn’t tattle on them, but if their papa asked, she’d have to tell the truth.

She left them with the assignments she’d given them and was sure they’d do their very best. They’d apologized several times and she’d accepted, but when she asked why they’d pulled such a prank, they clammed up.

Mr. Tate seemed to know the minute she came downstairs and was there when her foot hit the last step.

“Miss Marshall, Sir Tyler said he was expecting you. Come along and I’ll let him know you’re here.”

“Thank you, Mr. Tate.” She followed him to the study, although she could have got there on her own. But Mr. Tate truly did seem to run this household and she wondered again if he knew about the girls coming down early.

“Sir Tyler, Miss Marshall is here,” he said.

“Please show her in, Tate.”

The butler motioned her in and then seemed to disappear, although Georgia had a feeling he was camped just outside the door.

Sir Tyler had stood when she entered and motioned her to take a seat in one of the chairs flanking the fireplace. When she sat down, he took the other. “Now, before we get to the subject of the girls’ wardrobes, I must ask you something. Have my girls been giving you any trouble? Tate seems to think they were up to some mischief this morning.”

Georgia’s promise to his daughters was fresh in her mind and she wasn’t sure how to answer. She didn’t want to get Polly and Lilly in trouble. She wanted to help them—and their father.

“They haven’t really—”

“Miss Marshall, did they send you hunting for them today?”

At his point-blank question, she could answer only one way. “They did. But I believe they thought I might think it was funny.”

“Are you sure? I doubt it was fun trying to find them.”

Mr. Tate must have seen much more than she thought he had. “It wasn’t. But they didn’t seem themselves this morning and I wondered... Did anything happen this weekend that I should know about?”

She felt impertinent even asking and waited for Sir Tyler to put her in her place, but instead he let out a sigh.

“No, not that I know of. But my daughters don’t always confide in me. It’s something I’d like to change but I’m not sure how to.” He seemed to think he’d said too much as he stopped and shook his head.

“They seemed fine this whole weekend and were looking forward to seeing you today,” he continued. “They were a little upset I hadn’t asked you over yesterday afternoon, though. I suppose they thought that since you came over the Sunday before, you’d come again. But I explained that you had things you needed to do on weekends. They seemed to understand, but then, I sometimes wonder if I expect too much comprehension from them.”

“Perhaps. They’re still very young. I hope you won’t punish them for this morning. They begged me not to tell you and I know they don’t want to upset you.”

Sir Tyler rubbed a hand over his chin and shook his head once more before smiling at her. “I agree not to mention it, if you promise to tell me if they pull any more shenanigans. And please, if they do tell you why they hid from you today, let me know.”

“Of course I will.”

“Good. Now, about their wardrobes. What is it they need?”

“Well, I’m afraid it’s more than just a few things. They’ve outgrown many of their outfits and the styles are always changing. I’m not sure how you expect them to look.”

“Why, like other young girls their age, I suppose.”

“Sir Tyler, there are those who set style in this city and those who try to get as close to it as they can. But the very wealthy do often have more and better clothing than others.”

“I see. I think. But I admit to not knowing much about feminine attire. Or what is in style at any given time. I want them to look well dressed, but not necessarily on the same scale as royalty in England or those in league with the Vanderbilts and the Astors. While my daughters will inherit some wealth, it will not be on that scale.”

Georgia understood what he was saying, but there were many degrees of wealth and most tried to keep up with the style of the very wealthy. Even the middle classes tried to dress in style, even if not having custom clothing made for them.

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