Free Nina Coombs Pykare by Dangerous Decision

well, to discover what each of them liked, how each of them thought. She intended to give them a better, happier life. That was the one thing she was certain of.
    “Good morning,” she said, making her voice cheerful. “We must not waste any time getting dressed this morning. Mrs. Simpson will soon have breakfast ready for us in the dining hall.”
    “In the dining hall?” Constance’s pale face lit with enthusiasm. “You mean we’re going downstairs?”
    “Yes,” Edwina said. “Our legs are much younger than hers. So we shall do the walking instead of requiring it of her.”
    Constance threw back the covers and began to search through her wardrobe for clothes. But Henrietta remained in bed. “We do not go downstairs,” she said.
    Edwina stopped halfway to help Constance. “How else can you get outside then?”
    “We do not go downstairs,” Henrietta said in a dull monotone. “We do not go outside.”
     

Chapter Eight
     
    Hardly able to believe her ears, Edwina stared at the somber-faced child. “You mean to say you never go downstairs?”
    Her face still wooden, Henrietta nodded. “That’s right.”
    “But why not?”
    “Aunt Leonore said we should not. She said it’s too painful for Papa to see us.”
    Too painful! Again Edwina felt a rush of anger. What was being done to these children was wicked! It was a wonder they hadn’t already sickened and died. Why, they were no better than prisoners in this gloomy old castle.
    She drew herself up. “From now on we will breakfast in the dining hall. After breakfast we’ll go for a walk outside.”
    “Outside!” Constance paused with a stocking half on and looked up at Edwina in wonder. “Really, Miss Pierce? We’ll go outside?”
    “Yes.” Edwina made her tone firm. Cold and distracted as the earl was, she couldn’t imagine that he meant to impose such rigorous restrictions as these on his children. This sounded like something Lady Leonore would suggest—to keep them out of her way. The earl was lost in grief, perhaps he hadn’t thought about what he was doing. Surely he hadn’t thought about it.
    “Henrietta, come on,” Constance cried, hurrying into her clothes. “Don’t be so slow! I want to go! Just think about it! Outside!”
    Henrietta shook her head, her face stern. “I don’t think we should.”
    Edwina nodded. “Very well, Henrietta. If you wish to go without your meals, that’s your concern. Constance and I intend to go downstairs and eat our breakfasts.”
    Edwina turned toward the door where Constance already waited, hopping up and down in her eagerness.
    “Wait.” Henrietta’s face was still wooden, but Edwina was pleased to hear some emotion in her voice, even though it was only annoyance. “I have to have my breakfast,” Henrietta complained.
    Edwina shrugged. “Then I expect you’d better get your clothes on. There will be no more breakfasts served in the nursery. It’s not right to impose on Mrs. Simpson like that.”
    There was another moment’s silence before Henrietta yielded. “Oh, very well,” she snapped. “But Papa won’t like it. He told us to listen to Aunt Leonore. She told us not to go downstairs. She told us more than once.”
    Edwina swallowed another surge of anger. This was not the fault of the children. “That was before I came here,” she said evenly. “I am the governess. Your Papa means for me to take care of you now.”
    It was obvious that Henrietta didn’t believe that, but she rose from the bed and put on her clothes with an expression of grim determination.
    Shepherding the girls down the great staircase, Edwina tried to convince herself that she wasn’t worried about what she was doing. But she knew better. It was difficult to say what might result from going against Lady Leonore’s wishes in this matter. The lady did appear to have his lordship’s ear. But Edwina knew she’d have to risk it. She couldn’t in good conscience allow things to go on as they had.
    They met no