Free The Persuasion of Miss Jane Brody by Isabella Hargreaves Page B

only boy in a girls’ school,” said Anna.
    “And perhaps as he gets older, unseemly,” said Lord Dalton.
    Jane could only agree that it would appear odd to many people and may deter some parents from sending their daughters.
    The awkwardness of their first meeting was worse than Jane had imagined but as the visit drew to a close she didn’t want it to end. She searched his face for a sign of his emotions but could see none. He was master of the impassive. Her emotions seesawed from blushing embarrassment to bewildered joy at seeing him again. Watching his face as he teased his sister, she remembered with surprise, the way the corners of his eyes crinkled. He listened with interest as Anna spoke of the children in her class but with her he was almost silent. When the siblings departed, Jane sighed with relief and realised how tense she had been for the half hour of the visit.

 Six
    Jane and Anna worked hard over the next month, always hoping that their acquaintances would send more children; yet no matter how many mothers to whom they presented their syllabus, not one more child arrived on their doorstep. Jane had the dilemma of whether to let the house go when the lease ended and find a smaller, probably less well-located residence, which risked losing the few pupils they had. Their servants were already few in number: a cook-cum housekeeper, a maid and Joe the odd-jobs and outdoor man; all of them long-term employees. It was already difficult to pay the creditors but they managed – just.
    Meanwhile, Lord Dalton had been as good as his word. His application to a friend in the Admiralty and their brother’s influence, had combined to find an opening for Christopher. So by the conclusion of their first month in business Jane and Anna were tearfully sewing, mending and packing to send him off to sea. Christopher appeared not in the least upset about leaving his family for an adventurous life in the Royal Navy, but was wildly enthusiastic to start. It was only at their final parting as he was put on the coach for Portsmouth, with a returning officer from his assigned ship, that he showed any emotion and clung to them both as they hugged him and exhorted him to write often. Jane and Anna waved and smiled bravely while the coach was in sight, then held each other sobbing before walking home arm-in-arm.
    However, disaster struck soon afterwards when one family withdrew their two daughters. The explanation given was the comment: “I would never have sent them here if I had truly known the manner of your behaviour, Miss Brody.”
    “Whatever can you mean Lady Murdoch?” Jane asked.
    “If you don’t know, nothing I can say will make any difference. Your past behaviour and writings have let you down. No-one will want their daughters educated by you once they realise.” Lady Murdoch looked haughty and displeased.
    Jane was confused. “I have no idea what you can being talking of. There must be some mistake or some untrue story being circulated.”
    “Where there is smoke, there is fire, as the saying goes,” Lady Murdoch said as though imparting a pearl of truth.
    “Who can possibly be saying anything about my behaviour that could be construed as unseemly? I assure you there is no truth in whatever unsavoury tale you have been told. I can only think that someone has set out deliberately to disparage me, perhaps to destroy my livelihood from running this school. You need to remember Lady Murdoch, that your precipitate actions without evidence are damaging not only me, but also my younger sisters and brother who are completely innocent of any wrong-doing. As am I, I might add!”
    “Well, I can’t run the risk with my children’s innocence Miss Brody. You must staunch the rumours about your liaison with the Marquis of Dalton or take the consequences.”
    “Now we are getting closer to the truth of the malevolence. What exactly has been said? I can’t understand how my name has even been linked with that of the