by Penny Hampson
Excerpt from A Winter’s Romance: A Regency Anthology
‘Miss Mortimer, I want a word with you in my office.’
A shiver of apprehension slithered down Jane’s spine. What had she done wrong now? Her stomach lurched. Had it been discovered that she was still teaching little Harriet, Meg, and Lucy?
No matter how hard she tried, she always seemed to upset Miss Pugh. It had been like that ever since she’d started working as a teacher at the Academy two years previously. Miss Fenwick, the deputy headmistress, had appointed her in Miss Pugh’s absence and, as far as Jane could tell, Miss Pugh had barely forgiven her deputy. Luckily for Jane, parents who wished for their daughters to be taught Latin and French were sufficient in number for her to keep her position … at least for now.
Jane’s skill in these languages was one of the few benefits of being a scholar’s daughter; if only her father had spent as much time on his accounts and remaining solvent.
‘Yes, Miss Pugh?’ Jane stood in front of Miss Pugh’s desk, feeling very much like a pupil herself.
‘Take a seat.’ Miss Pugh gestured to a chair without looking up.
Jane sat down.
Surely if this was her dismissal, she wouldn’t have been told to sit.
After a few minutes, Miss Pugh set her pen down, removed her glasses, and looked over the desk at Jane. Her lips parted, revealing prominent teeth. Jane was reminded of a malevolent rabbit. Shockingly, Miss Pugh was smiling.
‘You have no doubt heard that the child, Meg Wilson has been notified by her late father’s solicitor that her guardian has been found?’
Jane nodded. Where was this leading?
‘I’m very keen to keep the child here,’ said Miss Pugh.
Jane forced a smile and nodded again. So that was what the wily termagant was worried about.
‘I thought perhaps that, as you seem to be close to the child, you would be able to explain to her guardian how well she is doing, and how she would benefit by remaining here.’
‘Surely, that would be better coming from you, Miss Pugh. After all, you are the headmistress.’
Jane held her breath. It wasn’t often that she stood up to Miss Pugh.
A sound came out of Miss Pugh’s mouth. A strangled form of laughter.
‘But you know her rather better. Yes, I think when the gentleman arrives I will greet him, of course, but I will leave it to you to show him the school and let him know the comfort as well as the learning that his ward enjoys here.’
Jane frowned. Show him the attic dormitory where Meg was housed? That would impress no-one.
Before she could reply, Miss Pugh spoke again.
‘Of course, I’ve arranged for little Meg to be moved to one of the bedchambers on the first floor. The one with the fireplace and the rather pleasant view.’ Her steely eyes narrowed. ‘I’m determined to recoup, at the very least, all the charges she has incurred in the interim since her father’s death. And I needn’t point out that if Meg is removed from our care, I will hold you personally responsible.’ She paused. ‘Do we understand each other, Miss Mortimer?’
Jane swallowed. ‘Yes.’
About the author:
Penny Hampson writes mysteries, and because she has a passion for history, you’ll find her stories also reflect that. A Gentleman’s Promise, a traditional Regency romance, was Penny’s debut novel and the first of her Gentlemen Series. There are now three novels in the series, with the fourth, An Adventurer’s Contract, due to be released by the end of 2024.
Penny lives with her family in Oxfordshire, and when she is not writing, she enjoys reading, walking, swimming, and the odd gin and tonic (not all at the same time).
For more on Penny’s writing, visit her blog: https://pennyhampson.co.uk/blog/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/penny_hampson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pennyhampsonauthor
Instagram: @pennyhampsonauthor/
Penny’s books are all available on Amazon: viewauthor.at/Pennysbooks