Netherby Halls

Molly motioned for Sassy to enter. “If ye take a seat, I’ll let headmistress know ye be here.” Molly waited for them both to take a seat and went to yet another door. When her knock was met with an impatient response, Sassy and Jessie exchanged looks.

Molly went inside and closed the door at her back. A moment later she re-entered the anteroom to say, “Headmistress says ye are to go in now.” So saying, Molly rushed out.

Sassy turned to Jessie, who nodded encouragingly. “I’ll be here, I will. Don’t ye worry none.”

With this, Sassy went to the open door and stood at the threshold, where she got her first look of the headmistress, Bianca Sallstone, according to the nameplate on the desk.

A silence followed as each was taken aback by the other. Sassy had been expecting to meet Lady Edna Devine, Lady Margate’s friend, not this young, tall, well figured woman.

Miss Sallstone was provocatively clothed in a gown of red velvet, not at all suited to a headmistress. Her hair of auburn was cropped short and curled around her lovely face. Her eyes were hazel and lightly painted, as were her cheeks. Nothing about her was anything like Sassy’s expectations!

“You are not at all what I expected. Edna advised me that her ladyship had written you were too beautiful to place as a governess, but, my dear, you are perhaps even too exquisite even for here.”

Sassy felt waves of irritation coming off the headmistress. Clearly, she wished to send her off. “I assure you,” Sassy said quietly. “I will do my job.”

“At any rate, Edna owns Netherby Halls, though she rarely visits.” The headmistress paused and eyed Miss Winthrop speculatively before continuing, “She leaves it all to me, except in this instance, where she was insistent that we hire you.” Miss Sallstone sighed heavily. “You are well connected, on both your parents’ sides, but that won’t help you here. You must understand that to fit in here, you will have to do just that—fit in. Because you are young, you will have to work harder to prove your worth.”

Sassy understood her all too clearly. “Yes.” She placed Lady Margate’s letter of introduction on the desk before her, noting to herself that the headmistress had not even asked her to sit.

“No need to read this now. I am fully aware of your circumstances.” Miss Sallstone sighed again and now waved her to a nearby chair. “Do sit, and we will chat for a few moments.”

She eyed Sassy in a manner that made her feel somehow violated. Something was off … wrong. However, she sat with her hands folded in her lap and waited.

“It is past tea. However, dinner is always served promptly at six o’clock. I have instructed Molly to serve you dinner in your room, which I am certain you will appreciate after your long journey. The students would no doubt be tiresome to deal with during the dinner hour.”

“Thank you,” was all Sassy could say. She struggled to keep her expression pleasant, fighting not to show that she was nearly overwhelmed with a horrible feeling something about Sallstone was off, something in her eyes.

“Is there anything you would like to know?” the headmistress inquired politely but obviously hoping Sassy wouldn’t bother her with questions.

“Yes, I think I need to know what the routine is … what I am expected to do first?”

“Time enough for Miss Graves to explain all that to you tomorrow morning,” Miss Sallstone returned in clipped accents.

“I see …” Sassy hesitated and then asked, “What age group will be in my charge?”

“Lady Devine would like you in charge of girls aged ten to twelve. We don’t enter them younger than ten, you see.”

A knock at the door brought Sassy’s head round, as it was still open. Miss Sallstone sighed and asked, “What is it now, Molly?”

“Jane wanted me to let you know Miss’s room is ready, and I can serve her dinner there now if ye like?”

“Yes,” Miss Sallstone said, obviously relieved to be done and not trying to hide that fact. “Excellent.”

Sassy nodded, got to her feet, and followed Molly out to the waiting area, where Jessie fidgeted on his feet.

“I can take up yer bags,” Molly said.

“I’ll be doing that.” Jessie’s tone was uncompromising.

“I don’t know if the headmistress—”

“I don’t answer to her, and my lady told me I was to see Miss Winthrop situated, and so I mean to do,” Jessie answered.

Molly beamed. “Then, off we go.”

As Sassy climbed the stairs, a vibration seemed to pulse inside the walls adjacent to the stairs, as though reacting to her. What was this? You know what it is, her mother’s voice whispered in her head. You know very well—evil. Something evil resides here.

~ Seven ~