Work Text:
Governesses and ayahs were alike in one respect – they considered a man in the nursery, even the father of their charges, an intruder. "I have this, sir," Mary had said firmly, holding baby Jack. "What these children need right now is structure and stability, after their mother's loss and the long sea-voyage to England."
He'd wanted to snap that the sea-voyage wasn't what he'd wanted either, but the epidemic that had buried Bess within the week of giving birth to Jack threatened the children as well unless he took the next transport ship out of Bombay with the rest of his regiment and their own frightened families. Any bitterness he had about his loss was muted at the sight of inconsolable couples who'd lost their children – or the dead-eyed stares of men who'd been bereft and widowed by the same scourge.
Miss Morstan had been sent by the agency two days ago. Already he could feel the house settling into a proper English domicile – even if Jane made faces at her bland porridge after the seasoned lentils and fresh mangoes Muhamet had prepared for her.
His mind harrumphed that it wasn't right to spoil Jane, but Jack's rattle had been lost overboard during the trip and if he was bringing a present for one child he'd deucedly-well bring one for both.