"You are all women."
"And?"
"You haven't got a man running your house. One would say that is improper."
"Well to that I say why not?"
"Pardon?"
"Why not be the man and the woman of the house?"
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The following week Millicent had not left the Cranbrook House and instead was stuck into her tutoring of mending and sewing. No matter how much she protested, her governess resulted in a spank with a wooden ruler.
However whenever her governess turned or looked the other way Millicent had a mathematics book underneath and would write and fill all the answers out. Once the questions were answered, she would start to create her own. With finances and money and dividing it up to the basic needs, Millicent was content with pretending to mend and nurture her mind.
That was until her governess noticed hardly any progress had been made.
"Miss Millicent you are simply awful at-what is this?" Her governess snatched the stitch work from her hands and saw the book. Taking the book and flipping through the pages she slammed it back onto the table.
As Millicent went to grab the book and run, her governess slapped her hand with the ruler to which she cried out in pain.
"You will sit there and take it Miss Millicent." She said, grabbing her wrist and holding her palm up towards the ceiling. Every minute felt like an eternity as the ruler hit her skin. She checked every time it was pulled away to see how red her skin was appearing until blood was appearing.
"Stop." She whispered and pulled away her hand. Her governess put down the ruler and shook her head.
"You will never be a lady if you can't do these simple tasks. You must marry and currently Miss Millicent that shall never happen." A knock at the door caused the two to turn as she saw a maid and it gave Millicent a glimmer of hope.
"Miss Shipton has a visitor. I am going to take her to the drawing room." Her governess nodded at the words and dismissed Millicent. She held her hand behind her back, gripping her hand in a fist to try to stop the blood.
As Millicent was announced she walked into the room to see her mother sitting with Viscountess Violet Bridgerton. Her eyes looming between the two as her mother and Violet both stood.
"Millicent, my dear. Lady Bridgerton has invited you to join them for a few days. I have sent Lily and a few other maids to fetch you some clothes." Millicent nodded and looked to Violet who stood with a smile on her face.
"As I was saying to Lady Bridgerton, it may be nice for some of my staff to have a few days off." Violet nodded as Millicent watched them.
"Yes well Lady Shipton, she made quite the impression on my boys. I wouldn't ask for the clothes however my little Daphne is only 4 and I fear Millicent would not fit those clothes." Her mother nodded and replied.
"Oh my Victoria has just turned 4. Wouldn't it be lovely to set the girls up for a play date, they could become very good friends." Violet looked over to Millicent who's eyebrows raised slightly. Violet's head turned back and nodded before saying "Well we must be going. Cook is making dinner and we wouldn't want to be late."
