Free No Moon by Irene N.Watts Page B

overyour usual cleaning duties in the nurseries. This will enable you to maintain the children’s normal routine. Lady Milton will see the children after tea, in the drawing room, for an hour. Any concerns, Gardener, during Nanny Mackintosh’s absence should be immediately brought to my attention. That is all.”
    I am dismissed. Nanny has never mentioned her parents. I wonder if her mother is still alive. I am very sorry about Nanny Mackintosh’s loss, but a whole week without being found fault with will make a pleasant change! I can sit in the rocking chair by the fire and dream of what it would be like to be always in charge of the nursery….
    Mrs. Porter sends up a delicious lunch of chicken and rice, and Miss Portia clears her plate. The snow has sharpened her appetite. Roberts comes in to take our tray without as much as a thank-you to me for stacking our dishes.
    “You know what they say?” she says, smiling maliciously. “When the cat’s away…”
    I pretend not to understand and get up to open the door for her.
    She mumbles a word I hope the girls have not heard. I shut the nursery door firmly behind her.
    “What cat is gone away, Gardy?” Miss Portia asks.
    “Roberts was joking–there is no cat here. And who might Gardy be?”
    “That is going to be my name for you! What do your mama and papa call you?”
    “At home, I am Louisa, or Lou.”
    “May I call you Lou?” Miss Portia wheedles. She is trying me out, in Nanny’s absence. I shall certainly not do anything that I know Nanny would disapprove of, except to play with the children a little more now that Roberts will be cleaning my windows. I had better show Miss Portia that we are going to adhere to nursery rules.
    “You know the answer to that, Miss Portia! Would you call Nanny Mackintosh Margaret?”
    She wraps her arms around my waist lovingly. “You are funny, Gardener,” she says.
    I put the girls down for their afternoon rest and make sure the nursery is tidy. It snows so hard all afternoon that I keep the girls indoors and let them play with their new toys.
    Next day, the sun comes out after lunch, and we are able to take our usual walk. When we reach our accustomed bench in the park, the nannies make room for me between them.
    Before I sit down, I tell my charges they may play. “Look, Master Harold and Miss Diana have begun to make a snowman. Ask nicely and I am sure they will let you help.”
    “Why, Gardener, all alone today I see? I do hope Nanny Mackintosh is not indisposed.” This is the first time I have been acknowledged with more than a polite nod or a good-afternoon in the eight months I have been coming here with Nanny Mackintosh.
    Nanny Pritchard rises. “Master Harold, if I see you push your sister again, we will go home and you will be sent to bed without any tea,” she says. She sits down again and includes me in her conversation with Nanny Gilbert.
    “It is high time that young man was sent to boarding school. He is getting quite out of hand. The new governess is inexperienced and lacks firmness! But you have not told us where Nanny Mackintosh is this afternoon. I have brought her the knitting pattern she was admiring.”
    “Nanny has gone to Edinburgh for a few days, Nanny Pritchard.” I remember Nanny Mackintosh telling me never to impart matters of a personal nature to anyone. I decide to make my excuses and leave.
    “I must take the girls home now. Miss Alexandra is rolling in the snow like a puppy and will catch cold. Come along, girls.” Miss Portia obeys at once, but her sister does not want to leave the park.
    “No, no, no!” she shouts, defiantly.
    A tantrum is in the air, and the nannies will no doubt report to Nanny Mackintosh on her return that, like the young governess, I lack firmness.
    “Yes, yes, yes, Miss Alexandra!” I say. I pick up the little girl, put her in her carriage, and we walk home under snow-laden skies.
    A fire burns brightly in the nursery hearth. Soon it will be dark and time