an unexpected governess, part 4 (dom/elijah, lotrips au)
Title: An Unexpected Governess
Fandom: Lotrips AU
Pairing: Dominic/Elijah
Ratings/Warnings: Crossdressing. Finally Dominic shows up! So late. He really is troublesome!
Notes: Concept by oneangrykate, here.
*
Once Lord Sean began to make a habit of seeking me out, it behooved me to find other ways to traverse the estate; and so I found myself going more often out-of-doors, walking through the vast courtyards and paved galleries that flanked the manor house.
In avoiding perturbation at the hands of His Lordship's son, I discovered a haven of sorts. There were two stables on the grounds; a newer edifice had been erected nearer to the road, serving as a carriage-house, with stalls for the carriage-horses and the riding-horses. The older stable seemed to now chiefly house the breeding stock.
The horsemen spent more of their time in the new building, leaving the older stables often quiet, particularly during those times of the day when the grooms were busy in the carriage-house.
The stable, then, became a refuge of sorts to me; for at certain times of the day, I could almost always expect to find no-one about but perhaps a shovelling stable-boy. Yet I never felt alone there, among the fine horses who gazed at me and snuffled at me from the confinement of their stalls.
On the whole they were high-strung and temperamental, answering only to their grooms and riders. But even though I couldn't approach most of the horses, I liked to go among them, for they seemed friendly so long as I kept my distance; which was more tolerance than I felt I received from most humans, in those days.
One Monday morning I went to the stable for a badly needed sense of sanctuary, after a difficult outing the day before. On Sundays, I attended church in the village with the family, and it was always a trial to go among the lessergentlepeople and the tradesmen. The Monaghans were unassailable to them, and none could feel much satisfaction at persecuting a mere servant of the great house.
As a governess, though, I was regarded as nearly gentility, practically a Monaghan in their eyes-- yet unprotected by the Monaghan name or blood. And so on Sundays, every insult, real or imagined, that a Monaghan might ever have inflicted upon those people seemed to be revisited on me.
I was willing to accept their cold shoulders and forbidding expressions; I tried not to mind being ignored, crowded out, even physically pushed aside. But there were any number of low-minded remarks, and these I found very difficult to bear. These words rained down upon my person, but they were slurs against my sister's name, and that distressed me.
How I kept myself constrained under bonnet and corset during these ordeals, I'm sure I don't know. I thanked God on such occasions that Hannah was not subject to this injudicious treatment. I would have endured a thousand times the indignity to vouchsafe my sister's health and happiness. That thought lightened the load somewhat, but it was still not an easy burden to bear.
And so on that misty Monday, I badly needed to see a friendly face, even if that face did not belong to another human being.
In the chill of dawn, the stable was warm, a humid, living warmth that exuded from the animals. At the door the earth was frothed to mud by feet and hooves, and it was a relief to be alone and able to ignore propriety, to lift the hems of my skirts to step over the furrows.
I brought a stub of carrot to to feed to Hector. Holding out my flattened hand, I offered it up, and the stallion consented to take it with a toss of his proud head and glossy mane.
Alone among the horses, Hector had an open temper and a friendly nature. The others tossed skittishly when I came too near, but Hector always stretched out to greet me, ever amenable to a pat on his great head or a caress of his soft nose.
Now as he chewed his bit of carrot, I petted his silky neck gratefully. In my lonely sojourn at Westmarch, Hector was the only creature who regarded me kindly, my sole source of affection, and thankful I was for the look of gentle understanding that I seemed to see in his round dark eyes.
Out of the skirts and petticoats, in the privacy of my own small room, I might laugh at this notion, or rebuke myself for playing at the role of Hannah too well, and succumbing to girlish fancies. But of a morning in the stable, I felt only gratitude for the understanding I perceived in Hector, my one confidant.
"My dear friend," I said to him, as his long nose sought about in hope of another treat. "I have nothing else for you now, but I'll try to bring you a bit of apple tomorrow. Won't that be good?"
Hector waggled his head and whickered agreement with such force that my trusty bonnet tumbled-- cap, pins and all. Even on my own in the stable I felt discomfited to bare my head and my dark hair, still so much shorter than a woman's locks. With haste I fetched up the bonnet and pinned it on again as best I could.
My alacrity was fortunate, for I was not alone, as I believed.
"That was unkind, Hector," I remonstrated. "And certainly unnecessary. Rest assured, I shall never hide food for you in my hat."
At that, I heard a man's laughter; and turning quickly, I discovered my unknown watcher. He was dressed very finely, and more fashionably than the other gentlemen of the Monaghan house; he leaned against the wall with an indolent air, regarding me with amusement. Despite the style of his attire, he had a rakish look about him, with a slanted jaw dark with stubble, and a nose that turned up roundly at the tip.
"You may give him a bit of apple today, if you don't think it will spoil him," said the young gentleman. "I was coming here myself to treat him. Hector is my favorite of the horses."
He carelessly tossed something toward me, and I plucked it from the air: a small windfall apple. When I met the gentlemen's gaze, his brows arched up, and I realized that my catch had likely been a bit too nimble.
"Thank you, sir, and good morning," I curtseyed with all the grace I could muster. I gave Hector his apple, stroking his nose as he crunched it between his great teeth; I pretended absorption, hoping that the other would lose interest and wander off the way he came.
But soon enough I had to face him, and he leaned there still, quite comfortably ensconced.
"I haven't yet had the pleasure of your acquaintance," he said; his voice was as fine as his clothes, textured and strong as well-knit wool.
"Miss Hannah Wood, sir," and I curtseyed again. "Governess to Mr. Daniel, Miss Emma and Mr. Thomas."
"I'm Dominic Monaghan. You needn't call me 'Lord' or 'Mister' or 'Majesty' or what have you. Scarcely anyone bothers."
"Very well, sir," I replied.
"You may dispense with the 'sir' as well! Miss Wood, if you did not have such an austere look about you, I might wonder if you were being witty."
"I assure you, sir, such is not the case."
"Oh good," said he, "I quite despise witty people." He scrutinized me far more closely than anyone else at Westmarch ever had, his storm-grey eyes meeting mine and lingering. Despite myself I quailed somewhat under his exacting gaze, wondering if any moment he would, with a perception, a sneer, a word, shatter the illusion I had worked so hard to preserve.
But he only said, "You seem rather closely shorn, Miss Wood. I trust you have not been a wayward sheep, straying from the flock to be fleeced by some villain or another?"
The insinuation would only have amused me if I had thought it aimed at myself, but I felt disposed to take offense on Hannah's behalf. "My father is recently deceased," I said, a bit severely. "I was ill with a fever not long after, and the maid was quick to cut off my hair to cool my brow. I recovered quickly enough, but I can hardly blame her for her caution, after what happened to my father."
He had the grace at least to look abashed. "I'm sorry, Miss Wood. My condolences."
"My voice has never yet recovered from the cough I took," I invented further, for his inspection had put me on my guard somewhat, and I had never felt quite confident that even my sweetest and most studied tones were like enough to the dulcet voice of a woman.
"You have had a difficult time of it, then," he said gravely. "I hope you have found a brighter time here at Westmarch, after such an unhappy past."
A thorny question indeed, for I was miserable; and while I had so far successfully hidden my true sex, I was less sanguine that I could hide my true state of mind. "I am glad to be of service to the noble Monaghans," I replied abstrusely.
"Hm. Well, this ignoble Monaghan is glad to hear it. Let me walk you back to the schoolroom, Miss Wood."
"That's not necessary... and not entirely within the bounds of propriety either, I regret to observe."
"If you regret it, then why observe it? We may not be formally escorted by the requisite maiden aunt, but surely no one will accuse me of attempting to debauch you in the corridors if I walk with you in the full light of day." His voice was so merry it was impossible to take offense. "Truth be told, it's far more scandalous for you to be here in the stables alone with me. So; shall we?" He offered his arm.
I could find no fault in his last argument, and in fact, I felt I had been foolish not to realise it myself. At once I tucked my hand into the crook of his arm, and only just stopped myself matching his lordly stride. With an effort, I kept the movements of my feet as dainty as I could manage while quickly leaving the stable.
We crossed the grounds. Dominic seemed to have a word for nearly everyone on the estate, waving to maids, grooms, footmen and family alike. I shrank into my bonnet and skirts alongside him, confused, for it seemed contrary to every social convention to walk alongside the son of my employer in this manner, in full sight of everyone, as if we were equal.
Of course, this thought set a flame of pride smouldering in my breast, for truly, we were not so unlike one another; I had the badge of Ulster on my person always, a reminder of the baronet that was my true birthright. Though he was of such a great family with extensive holdings, he was second to Lord Sean in inheritance, while I was the only son of my house.
The only son of the Wood house-- and here I was, dependent and in disguise! I had fought shame before by recalling my driving motive, the harsh exigency of my sister's illness. But that awful emotion caught me unawares now, and as Dominic led me into the house, I blushed with humiliation. If my father could see me now! In skirts and paint, on the arm of a young man!
"Are you overwarm, Miss Wood?" Dominic asked. "I didn't mean to rush you along."
"I am fine, thank you," I replied stiffly, recovering my hand. "I shall bid you good morning now, if you please, sir, and be on my way."
"And if I don't please?" he asked, with a crooked smile.
"Surely a gentleman would not press the point."
"I hope I have not misled you to believe that I'm a gentleman, Miss Wood!"
Flustered and embarrassed, I could think of nothing more to say; I dropped a curtsey and told him, "Good day," turning to rush to the schoolroom.
"Miss Wood!" he called after me.
I faced him again with dread, expecting the same raffish smirk and glib words.
But I found nothing of the sort; rather, with a tilt of his head he told me, "Don't try to take the closest stairway; someone dropped a bottle, and the maids won't have got up all the broken glass yet."
Mystified, I said, "Thank you, sir, I will," and went on my way.
As I passed, I peered up the stairway in question, and indeed, when I looked closely I could see the glint of broken glass, and scent the powerful honeyed reek of alcohol. As I stood, two maids came to the top of the steps, arguing whether it would be safe to bring a lamp into the passage to help them clear the glass away.
"Is someone there?" one of them noticed. "Don't come up, miss! It's like a path of razors, and we can't light the way til it dries a bit!"
I thanked her and continued down the corridor. If Dominic dropped that bottle, it would explain his peculiar behavior. I could not smell the traces of liquor on him, even standing so close as to take his arm; but having dropped it, he might not have drunk enough for the odor to cling to him. And hadn't the footman said he was troublesome?
By the time I reached the schoolroom, I had convinced myself that the disquieting young Lord Dominic was quite likely a dissolute and profligate wretch, and that I should endeavor to have nothing more to do with him; which I could not help regarding as a great pity despite myself, since he was the only person who had yet given me a smile and a kind word in all my time at Westmarch.
*
Fandom: Lotrips AU
Pairing: Dominic/Elijah
Ratings/Warnings: Crossdressing. Finally Dominic shows up! So late. He really is troublesome!
Notes: Concept by oneangrykate, here.
*
Once Lord Sean began to make a habit of seeking me out, it behooved me to find other ways to traverse the estate; and so I found myself going more often out-of-doors, walking through the vast courtyards and paved galleries that flanked the manor house.
In avoiding perturbation at the hands of His Lordship's son, I discovered a haven of sorts. There were two stables on the grounds; a newer edifice had been erected nearer to the road, serving as a carriage-house, with stalls for the carriage-horses and the riding-horses. The older stable seemed to now chiefly house the breeding stock.
The horsemen spent more of their time in the new building, leaving the older stables often quiet, particularly during those times of the day when the grooms were busy in the carriage-house.
The stable, then, became a refuge of sorts to me; for at certain times of the day, I could almost always expect to find no-one about but perhaps a shovelling stable-boy. Yet I never felt alone there, among the fine horses who gazed at me and snuffled at me from the confinement of their stalls.
On the whole they were high-strung and temperamental, answering only to their grooms and riders. But even though I couldn't approach most of the horses, I liked to go among them, for they seemed friendly so long as I kept my distance; which was more tolerance than I felt I received from most humans, in those days.
One Monday morning I went to the stable for a badly needed sense of sanctuary, after a difficult outing the day before. On Sundays, I attended church in the village with the family, and it was always a trial to go among the lessergentlepeople and the tradesmen. The Monaghans were unassailable to them, and none could feel much satisfaction at persecuting a mere servant of the great house.
As a governess, though, I was regarded as nearly gentility, practically a Monaghan in their eyes-- yet unprotected by the Monaghan name or blood. And so on Sundays, every insult, real or imagined, that a Monaghan might ever have inflicted upon those people seemed to be revisited on me.
I was willing to accept their cold shoulders and forbidding expressions; I tried not to mind being ignored, crowded out, even physically pushed aside. But there were any number of low-minded remarks, and these I found very difficult to bear. These words rained down upon my person, but they were slurs against my sister's name, and that distressed me.
How I kept myself constrained under bonnet and corset during these ordeals, I'm sure I don't know. I thanked God on such occasions that Hannah was not subject to this injudicious treatment. I would have endured a thousand times the indignity to vouchsafe my sister's health and happiness. That thought lightened the load somewhat, but it was still not an easy burden to bear.
And so on that misty Monday, I badly needed to see a friendly face, even if that face did not belong to another human being.
In the chill of dawn, the stable was warm, a humid, living warmth that exuded from the animals. At the door the earth was frothed to mud by feet and hooves, and it was a relief to be alone and able to ignore propriety, to lift the hems of my skirts to step over the furrows.
I brought a stub of carrot to to feed to Hector. Holding out my flattened hand, I offered it up, and the stallion consented to take it with a toss of his proud head and glossy mane.
Alone among the horses, Hector had an open temper and a friendly nature. The others tossed skittishly when I came too near, but Hector always stretched out to greet me, ever amenable to a pat on his great head or a caress of his soft nose.
Now as he chewed his bit of carrot, I petted his silky neck gratefully. In my lonely sojourn at Westmarch, Hector was the only creature who regarded me kindly, my sole source of affection, and thankful I was for the look of gentle understanding that I seemed to see in his round dark eyes.
Out of the skirts and petticoats, in the privacy of my own small room, I might laugh at this notion, or rebuke myself for playing at the role of Hannah too well, and succumbing to girlish fancies. But of a morning in the stable, I felt only gratitude for the understanding I perceived in Hector, my one confidant.
"My dear friend," I said to him, as his long nose sought about in hope of another treat. "I have nothing else for you now, but I'll try to bring you a bit of apple tomorrow. Won't that be good?"
Hector waggled his head and whickered agreement with such force that my trusty bonnet tumbled-- cap, pins and all. Even on my own in the stable I felt discomfited to bare my head and my dark hair, still so much shorter than a woman's locks. With haste I fetched up the bonnet and pinned it on again as best I could.
My alacrity was fortunate, for I was not alone, as I believed.
"That was unkind, Hector," I remonstrated. "And certainly unnecessary. Rest assured, I shall never hide food for you in my hat."
At that, I heard a man's laughter; and turning quickly, I discovered my unknown watcher. He was dressed very finely, and more fashionably than the other gentlemen of the Monaghan house; he leaned against the wall with an indolent air, regarding me with amusement. Despite the style of his attire, he had a rakish look about him, with a slanted jaw dark with stubble, and a nose that turned up roundly at the tip.
"You may give him a bit of apple today, if you don't think it will spoil him," said the young gentleman. "I was coming here myself to treat him. Hector is my favorite of the horses."
He carelessly tossed something toward me, and I plucked it from the air: a small windfall apple. When I met the gentlemen's gaze, his brows arched up, and I realized that my catch had likely been a bit too nimble.
"Thank you, sir, and good morning," I curtseyed with all the grace I could muster. I gave Hector his apple, stroking his nose as he crunched it between his great teeth; I pretended absorption, hoping that the other would lose interest and wander off the way he came.
But soon enough I had to face him, and he leaned there still, quite comfortably ensconced.
"I haven't yet had the pleasure of your acquaintance," he said; his voice was as fine as his clothes, textured and strong as well-knit wool.
"Miss Hannah Wood, sir," and I curtseyed again. "Governess to Mr. Daniel, Miss Emma and Mr. Thomas."
"I'm Dominic Monaghan. You needn't call me 'Lord' or 'Mister' or 'Majesty' or what have you. Scarcely anyone bothers."
"Very well, sir," I replied.
"You may dispense with the 'sir' as well! Miss Wood, if you did not have such an austere look about you, I might wonder if you were being witty."
"I assure you, sir, such is not the case."
"Oh good," said he, "I quite despise witty people." He scrutinized me far more closely than anyone else at Westmarch ever had, his storm-grey eyes meeting mine and lingering. Despite myself I quailed somewhat under his exacting gaze, wondering if any moment he would, with a perception, a sneer, a word, shatter the illusion I had worked so hard to preserve.
But he only said, "You seem rather closely shorn, Miss Wood. I trust you have not been a wayward sheep, straying from the flock to be fleeced by some villain or another?"
The insinuation would only have amused me if I had thought it aimed at myself, but I felt disposed to take offense on Hannah's behalf. "My father is recently deceased," I said, a bit severely. "I was ill with a fever not long after, and the maid was quick to cut off my hair to cool my brow. I recovered quickly enough, but I can hardly blame her for her caution, after what happened to my father."
He had the grace at least to look abashed. "I'm sorry, Miss Wood. My condolences."
"My voice has never yet recovered from the cough I took," I invented further, for his inspection had put me on my guard somewhat, and I had never felt quite confident that even my sweetest and most studied tones were like enough to the dulcet voice of a woman.
"You have had a difficult time of it, then," he said gravely. "I hope you have found a brighter time here at Westmarch, after such an unhappy past."
A thorny question indeed, for I was miserable; and while I had so far successfully hidden my true sex, I was less sanguine that I could hide my true state of mind. "I am glad to be of service to the noble Monaghans," I replied abstrusely.
"Hm. Well, this ignoble Monaghan is glad to hear it. Let me walk you back to the schoolroom, Miss Wood."
"That's not necessary... and not entirely within the bounds of propriety either, I regret to observe."
"If you regret it, then why observe it? We may not be formally escorted by the requisite maiden aunt, but surely no one will accuse me of attempting to debauch you in the corridors if I walk with you in the full light of day." His voice was so merry it was impossible to take offense. "Truth be told, it's far more scandalous for you to be here in the stables alone with me. So; shall we?" He offered his arm.
I could find no fault in his last argument, and in fact, I felt I had been foolish not to realise it myself. At once I tucked my hand into the crook of his arm, and only just stopped myself matching his lordly stride. With an effort, I kept the movements of my feet as dainty as I could manage while quickly leaving the stable.
We crossed the grounds. Dominic seemed to have a word for nearly everyone on the estate, waving to maids, grooms, footmen and family alike. I shrank into my bonnet and skirts alongside him, confused, for it seemed contrary to every social convention to walk alongside the son of my employer in this manner, in full sight of everyone, as if we were equal.
Of course, this thought set a flame of pride smouldering in my breast, for truly, we were not so unlike one another; I had the badge of Ulster on my person always, a reminder of the baronet that was my true birthright. Though he was of such a great family with extensive holdings, he was second to Lord Sean in inheritance, while I was the only son of my house.
The only son of the Wood house-- and here I was, dependent and in disguise! I had fought shame before by recalling my driving motive, the harsh exigency of my sister's illness. But that awful emotion caught me unawares now, and as Dominic led me into the house, I blushed with humiliation. If my father could see me now! In skirts and paint, on the arm of a young man!
"Are you overwarm, Miss Wood?" Dominic asked. "I didn't mean to rush you along."
"I am fine, thank you," I replied stiffly, recovering my hand. "I shall bid you good morning now, if you please, sir, and be on my way."
"And if I don't please?" he asked, with a crooked smile.
"Surely a gentleman would not press the point."
"I hope I have not misled you to believe that I'm a gentleman, Miss Wood!"
Flustered and embarrassed, I could think of nothing more to say; I dropped a curtsey and told him, "Good day," turning to rush to the schoolroom.
"Miss Wood!" he called after me.
I faced him again with dread, expecting the same raffish smirk and glib words.
But I found nothing of the sort; rather, with a tilt of his head he told me, "Don't try to take the closest stairway; someone dropped a bottle, and the maids won't have got up all the broken glass yet."
Mystified, I said, "Thank you, sir, I will," and went on my way.
As I passed, I peered up the stairway in question, and indeed, when I looked closely I could see the glint of broken glass, and scent the powerful honeyed reek of alcohol. As I stood, two maids came to the top of the steps, arguing whether it would be safe to bring a lamp into the passage to help them clear the glass away.
"Is someone there?" one of them noticed. "Don't come up, miss! It's like a path of razors, and we can't light the way til it dries a bit!"
I thanked her and continued down the corridor. If Dominic dropped that bottle, it would explain his peculiar behavior. I could not smell the traces of liquor on him, even standing so close as to take his arm; but having dropped it, he might not have drunk enough for the odor to cling to him. And hadn't the footman said he was troublesome?
By the time I reached the schoolroom, I had convinced myself that the disquieting young Lord Dominic was quite likely a dissolute and profligate wretch, and that I should endeavor to have nothing more to do with him; which I could not help regarding as a great pity despite myself, since he was the only person who had yet given me a smile and a kind word in all my time at Westmarch.
*