Blessed Beginnings (Hunter's Ridge Book 4) (9 page)

"No, I'm sorry, Miss Molly."

Molly looked at her and shook her head. "You, my dear, have nothing to be sorry about."

"But if we hadn't gone, then Ettie wouldn't have—"

"Wouldn't have what? Could someone please tell us what happened?" Lucas said.

Molly felt herself shaking. She had no doubt that she'd failed in her duties. No matter how Ettie had begged her to simply keep the incident between them, she knew she'd be signing her own dismissal papers if she attempted to do so. "I fear there was an incident during our outing," she said carefully.

"Is anybody hurt?" Lucas asked.

"Oh no, sir, nothing like that. I mean, the window was shattered but thankfully it wasn't even Emmie's room."

"Her room?" Lucas's puzzled expression had Molly sighing.

"I will tell you everything, but I do wish to let you know that Franny was nothing but the perfect lady."

"Ah, so it is only the other three who were obviously involved in some naughtiness?" Lucas said and had to bite back a chuckle when he heard Edward mutter 'it figures'. He turned to Franny and took her hands.

"Did you enjoy yourself, Franny?"

Franny smiled and nodded. "I did for the most part. Lord Northbridge and Mr. Benedict were very kind about everything."

"I look forward to hearing the details of your visit later," Lucas assured her, kissing her cheek before she left to remove herself from the impending explosion. "Why don't we have a cup of tea and you can tell us what the little miscreants did this time." He asked Mrs. Mayes to prepare a tray and bring it to his study. Frank appeared from the study and greeted the doctor.

"I must say, I never expected such excitement," Lawrence said with a grin.

"You never know what to expect in this household these days," Lucas said. The doctor chuckled and followed Frank to check on his patient.

"So, we owe Stefan for a window and will need to pay Samuel's veterinarian bills if Sadie becomes ill from her romping about in the snow?"

"Um, yes, sir, and for the expense of cleaning the rug, I suppose," Molly added, explaining that all the bouncing and barking had upset the dog's tummy enough that she'd thrown up. Lucas sat back, drumming his fingertips on top of his desk blotter.

"I-I can't apologize enough, Lord Huntington," Molly said, her tea untouched as he could see her hands hadn't stopped twisting in her apron. "I-I should have kept all the girls with me. I never thought—"

"Molly, please relax," Lucas said, leaning forward. "You aren't in the least bit of trouble here. While there is no excuse for what happened, none of this is to be laid at your feet. You did the job I asked of you in that you remained with Franny and Samuel. It wasn't anyone's fault except for the three involved."

"But I feel so guilty," Molly countered. "I should have reprimanded Joseph. If I had, then perhaps the girls wouldn't have even considered ignoring etiquette."

Lucas rose and walked around his desk to squat down beside her chair. "I think I'm getting confused. What part did Joseph play in all of this?"

Molly looked up at him, her eyes filling. "H-he kissed me when he left us at Mr. Benedict's, and I-I let him."

Edward's chuckle was heard by all three and Lucas had to smile. "Molly, I hardly think a kiss is the impetus to the mayhem that developed. We are all aware that the two of you are in love."

"But…"

Lucas reached out and gave her twisting hands a squeeze. "If it makes you feel better, I suggest you discuss your thoughts with Joseph. However, please know that I certainly do not hold you in any way to blame."

"Thank you, Lord Huntington," Molly said, relaxing just the slightest before she stiffened again. "Emmie could have been hurt when that window shattered!"

"But she wasn't, Molly." Lucas stood and reached out his hand. "I am sure that by the time the three make their apologies to you, they'll have a far better understanding of what they've done. The only question I have is if you feel like you can take care of this on your own, or would you prefer to have Edward and I tend to the girls?"

Taking a deep breath and straightening her shoulders, she met his eyes. "It is my responsibility, sir. With your permission, I will take care of it."

"I think that's best," Lucas agreed. "We'll go with you to hear the girls' confessions but any discipline needed will be decided and delivered by you. After all, every one of the three knows better than to behave so outrageously, and if there is any doubt left that you have complete authority, then that ends today."

"Yes, sir, thank you, Lord Huntington. I swear I'll do a better job if you trust me enough to chaperone again."

"I hope that by now you realize I trust you implicitly, Molly. I couldn't ask for a better person to be part of my family. Don't let this upset you too much. I can guarantee that Stefan is quite accustomed to dealing with little ones who pull such unforeseen stunts, and I'm also quite sure that Samuel isn't a stranger to naughtiness. By the time you are done, I guarantee three little ones will be extremely sorry for causing you trouble."

Chapter Seven

Walking into the nursery, Ettie saw the twins already standing in opposite corners, both pushing their drawers to their ankles. "What are you doing!"

"What does it look like?" Lucy said. "Getting ready to get my bottom spanked because I was silly enough to try to keep you out of trouble."

"I didn't mean for this to happen," Ettie said, "and now Dr. Fielding thinks that I'm some horrible naughty girl."

"That's what you are worried about? What he thinks about you? And besides, you are a naughty girl!" Lucy snapped. "Oh, and by the way, if Nanny Molly comes in here and finds you out of the corner or talking, she'll add extras."

"Extras?"

Lucy shook her head and turned to the corner, lifting her dress and petticoats to her waist. She ignored the gasp she heard from Ettie but closed her eyes. She'd forgotten that she still had faint wheals across her flanks. Well, it was far too late to worry about that now. She opened her eyes and saw that Louisa was already in position, and prayed that Ettie would realize that this would be a perfect opportunity to obey Nanny Molly's instructions.

When the door opened, Edward, Lucas and Molly saw that two corners were filled with two sets of quivering bottom cheeks exposed as drawers were pooled at ankles and dresses held at waists. In a third, Ettie stood, her hands at her sides. She was the only one to turn around at the door's opening.

"Pray tell why you have not prepared yourself properly, Henrietta. Is there some reason you feel it unnecessary to lift your dress and lower your drawers, young lady?" Molly said.

Ettie's eyes darted to the twins and then to the normally sweet woman standing before her, toes tapping against the floor, arms crossed over her chest. "Um, you never said that we were to, um…. I guess that Lucy and Louisa often… um, I mean, you just said stand in the corner."

Molly forced herself to remain calm. After a deep breath, she spoke. "Pardon me. It was my mistake in not making my orders clear. Turn around, Henrietta, because I did specifically state I wished your nose to be in the corner. Place it there immediately," she said firmly, and though Ettie gave her brother a pleading look, she reluctantly obeyed.

"Who wants to go first?" Lucas asked from where he stood.

"I-I will," was chorused by the twins, and the fact that they both had slightly shaking voices and yet uttered the exact same words had both men smiling.

"You may both turn around." When he saw Ettie move he added, "Not you, Ettie. You will have your turn. Now turn around and press your nose into the corner." She obeyed with a dramatic sigh and the twins turned, both keeping their clothing up as required.

"Lucy, tell me what happened today," Lucas instructed.

The words came out in a flood, almost as if she couldn't make her confession fast enough. "I'm so sorry, Papa, Uncle Edward," she finished and drew a deep breath.

Edward nodded and turned his attention to his wife. "Do you have anything to add, Louisa?"

"No, sir," Louisa said softly. "I'm sorry as well. We-we didn't mean to embarrass Franny or upset Nanny Molly."

"Oh, may I add something?" Lucy asked and with permission given, she said, "Louisa shouldn't be in trouble. I mean, she wanted to go get Nanny Molly but I-I asked her not to."

"Why not? If you had, then neither of you would be standing here now with your dresses lifted and bare bottoms exposed."

Lucy's face flushed as she nodded. "I-I know, but I didn't want Ettie to get into trouble. I thought we could get her to come back inside and no one would know. Franny was having a wonderful time and I-I just didn't want to ruin it by causing an embarrassing scene."

"I see," Lucas said. "And how did that work out for you, young lady?"

"Not well," Lucy admitted. "I wish we hadn't gone outside."

Lucas nodded and made his decision. "While I am glad to hear that it wasn't your idea to sneak over to Emmie's, you still were naughty. You should have listened to Louisa. Because you didn't, you are going to be punished." He saw her slight nod and continued. "You will both also write letters of apology to both Uncle Stefan and Mr. Benedict."

"Yes, sir," they chorused again.

"Uncle Lucas, Lucy did try to stop Ettie from giving candy to the puppies," Louisa offered, as if attempting to lessen her twin's upcoming discipline.

"What candy?"

Louisa hesitated, his question telling her that perhaps the others had not been aware of what had caused Sadie to be ill. Now she'd spilled the beans and feared she'd gotten Ettie into even greater trouble.

"I'm waiting, Louisa," Lucas said. With a sigh, she told how Ettie had been feeding candy to Sadie and how, when she had tried to give a puppy a piece of taffy, Lucy had stopped her.

Lucas shook his head. "So the dog got ill from eating candy and not just running about. Pray tell, is there anything else that needs confessing?"

"No, Uncle Lucas," Louisa said, giving her twin a glance. "I-I can't think of anything else."

"Very well, then. You may both return to the corner."

Once the two were in position, he turned towards Ettie. "You may turn around now, Henrietta."

His sister was far slower to turn this time. Her eyes didn't lift from the floor, her hands twisted in her skirts.

"Tell me what happened."

"Lucy and Louisa just told you," Ettie said.

"I am asking you to explain why you made those choices, Henrietta."

She gave a small shrug. "I don't know. I was bored, and how was I supposed to know you weren't supposed to give dogs treats?"

"Speaking of which, where exactly did you get that candy, Ettie?"

"I-I had it in my pocket."

"I'm not going to play games with you, young lady. I will give you exactly one more chance to come completely clean before I start adding extra to your count."

Her head finally lifted and met his gaze. "I-I… please don't spank me, Lucas. I'm really sorry. I'll apologize to everyone!"

"That's an extra stroke."

"What! That's not fair…"

"That's two more." At her gasp, shook his head. "I'm serious, Henrietta. I'll keep adding strokes until you've made a proper confession." He hated seeing tears filling her eyes but knew that, as the patriarch in this family, it was his duty to be firm.

It took several minutes, with pauses and rambling, before she told him what she had done. It took a total of five extra strokes being added before she confessed that she had gotten angry at him when he told her to leave her candy in the kitchen, and how she'd left the empty bag instead.

"So, let's summarize," he said and she sighed, her feet shuffling. "You were rude to Mr. Benedict, who was gracious enough to invite you to his home—"

"But only because he knew Franny couldn't go alone!"

"Henrietta Constance Huntington. If you interrupt me one more time or continue to convince yourself that you are somehow the injured party, I guarantee that you will not sit comfortably for the rest of the day. And hear me well—if, by the time we are done here, I feel you are still not accepting your guilt, you will remain home next Saturday evening."

"But that's the night of the ball!"

"I'm well aware of that fact. However, what I'm wondering is if you are not ready to be presented. Young women who pretend they didn't understand instructions and continue to argue when there is not a single question of guilt, have me questioning whether they have the maturity required to make adult decisions." For the first time, she appeared to settle. He gave her a few minutes for his words to fully sink in before he continued his summary.

"You were rude and disobedient to Nanny Molly, causing her not only to question her ability to care for you, but to fear she would lose her job." She opened her mouth but closed it immediately after giving Molly a glance, nodding her head. "You embarrassed Franny with your childish behavior. You disobeyed me about the candy and endangered the health of Sadie by giving her chocolate. You left not only the room where you'd been instructed to remain after agreeing to do so, you left the
house
, and then you left the garden to trespass into another's property. Your actions caused Lucy and Louisa to decide to follow in an attempt to get you to return. They will be punished for that decision because they both knew better and should have gone to Nanny Molly. Instead of accepting that they were attempting to keep you out of trouble, you continued to fling snowballs at windows until you finally broke one and then, you did not wait and accept the consequences for those actions, but you turned and ran, leaving Sadie to fend for herself after allowing her out of the house. Does that about cover it?"

"Ye-yes, sir," she said, her face flushed. "I-I also said a naughty word… or two."

This was the first he'd heard of that fact and was proud she'd confessed even though it would add to her discomfort. "Other than cursing, is there anything else you need to confess?"

"No, sir, but… oh, it sounds really bad when you list everything like that. I'm sorry, Lucas."