Romeo And Juliet Part III

Chapter 3

"Mary Anne's governess will be coming for her first lesson today." Evelyn said as she entered the room where John sat.

"I wonder how she'll take to me." he said.

"By what she wrote in her letter she's made of hard stuff."

"Let's hope she's true to her word then."

"Mary Anne, will you come downstairs please?" Evelyn called up the stairs.

"What is it Mummy?" she came bounding down the stairs.

"Come here." she beckoned her closer and knelt down to be level with her.

"Mary Anne, you're five years old now and...it's really time you started your education." Evelyn said.

"Urgh! That's not fair!" she groaned.

"I know you feel that way dear, I did too when I had to start my schooling, but it must be done." she smiled empathetically at her daughter.

"Now, your governess will be arriving in an hour or so and I want you to make a good impression, alright?" she reasoned with her daughter.

"Alright."

"Very good darling, now go get yourself ready." she hugged her daughter before she went back upstairs.

"Has she surrendered to your charm?" John asked as Evelyn came back into the drawing room.

"It appears so." she sat down next to John.

"I don't know how you managed to get her to give in gracefully." he put his newspaper aside.

"Neither do I, but I'm certainly glad she has. I didn't want to have to put up with a lot of kicking and screaming."

"Well, now we'll just have to kill time before the governess arrives." John said.

****

There came a knock at the door, to which Evelyn answered.

"Hello, you must be Mrs Merrick." she smiled.

"Yes, and you are the governess, Miss Carter?"

"I am, yes."

"Well then you'd better come in." she warmly welcomed her.

"What a lovely house you have Mrs Merrick."

"Oh thank you Miss Carter. Now why don't you come and meet our little Mary Anne."

"Mary Anne, Miss Carter is here." Evelyn called for her.

Mary Anne came down the stairs and looked skeptically at Miss Carter before approaching her.

"Hello." she said.

"Hello Mary Anne, it's very nice to meet you. My name is Miss Carter." she smiled.

John then came through, hoping to have a peaceful greeting with the governess.

She had been warned in Evelyn's letter about John so the shock wasn't as severe as it could've been, but it was still shock nonetheless.

"Hello Mr Merrick. My name is Miss Carter." she outstretched a hesitant hand as she tried not to ogle in awe.

"Hello Miss Carter." he shook her hand.

"I trust our Mary Anne is in good hands." he added.

"Yes, she is indeed. Which reminds me, we really should be getting started."

"I've had our maid clear some room in the parlour for you to set up whatever you need." Evelyn said.

"Thank you Mrs Merrick. Now, Mary Anne, it's time we began." she said with a smile.

"Go on dear. You'll do fine." Evelyn kissed her daughter's forehead before sending her off to the parlour with Miss Carter.

"What shall we do with ourselves now darling?" Evelyn asked.

"Well it's lovely weather outside, perhaps a stroll around the garden would be nice?" John said.

"Wonderful." she said, walking hand in hand with her husband to the garden.

****

"Well dear, how was your first day with Miss Carter?" Evelyn asked.

"Quite good. She's nice but what she taught me was boring."

"Doesn't sound too bad then. With time I'm sure you'll enjoy it more."

"Maybe, I'm going to my room now, I'm exhausted." she said.

"Ok dear, I'll call you down when dinner's ready."

****

"He's even louder than Mary Anne was." Evelyn said as she tended to her crying son.

"Quite a set of lungs he has." John said.

"He certainly does. He's been on and off like this for an hour now." she said with a sigh.

"I'll take care of him just now, why don't you go and relax?" he rose from his armchair.

"Are you sure? I can manage fine, you needn't bother."

"I can see how tired you are. Don't bother yourself, I can handle him for now."

"Thank you John, I don't know what I'd do without you." she kissed him before handing Edward over.

"What's the matter little one?" he gently bounced him.

"There there my dear." he held him to his chest.

A few moments later his crying ceased and John laid him back into his cot.

"I don't know how you do it, you always seem to get him to stop crying. What's your secret?" Evelyn said.

"Must be my irresistible charm." he managed a smirk.

"I think it must." she teased.

"Now go on upstairs, I'll handle things from here." he said.

"Alright dear. I'll see you at dinner." they kissed before she went upstairs.