The Secret of the Debutantes

Chapter Seven

It was difficult rising the next morning. Mrs. Stanhope forced me out of bed at my usual hour and began to drill me on etiquette, manners, and the proper ranking of nobility. I suppose it was a punishment, but I could barely keep my eyes open. When a ruler smacked my arm, though, I was more than awake.

In the middle of the morning, the front bell rang. In the middle of a boring French recitation, I paused. We hardly ever had any visitors! The ruler against my arm was a reminder to continue reciting, which I did with resentment in my voice.

“Miss Norton, your mother is requesting your presence in the drawing room,” the maid announced. “You have a visitor.”

“Miss Norton is having her lessons,” Mrs. Stanhope said sharply.

I was already moving though, far enough from her reach that I would not need to fear the descent of the ruler on any of my limbs. “Thank you, Sally,” I said, grateful for the interruption. Who had come to visit me?

“Miss Serena,” Mr. Holmes greeted as I entered the room.

Any traces of sleepiness that I'd clung to despite the ruler, fled as soon as I saw the consulting detective sitting with Mother. “Mr. Holmes!” I exclaimed with delight. I hurried to join them. “Do you have news?”

Mother looked at me with a smile. “Serena, why didn't you tell me you'd spoken to Mr. Holmes about a case of his?” she asked. “He has been telling me about the details and that you were able to clear some details up.”

Embarrassment caused my cheeks to flush. “The intruder escaped, and all clues he may have left behind were destroyed by all the servants milling around,” Holmes answered, sounding very put out. “Certain documents of a sensitive nature were discovered missing when I urged Lord Everough to check.”

Sensitive documents? I thought over that as I heard Mrs. Stanhope come into the room. “And have other documents gone missing?” I asked. Mrs. Stanhope took up position behind me, resting her hand on the back of the chair. I couldn't keep from flinching on instinct. I looked to Holmes, waiting for his answer.

But his eyes had narrowed. “Mrs. Norton, are you aware that your daughter's governess has struck Miss Serena on several occasions?” he asked, looking at Mother.

Oh, dear. Mother's hands tightened on the arms of her chair. “No, I was not,” she responded. She knew better than to question how he knew such a thing. “Serena?”

“Mrs. Norton, I was given leave to oversee Miss Norton's education,” Mrs. Stanhope spoke up before I could. “Discipline is necessary, you must agree.”

“Miss Annabelle Stanhope has been dismissed from five schools for unnecessary cruelty in dealing with young ladies who were not quick to follow her strictures,” Holmes said. Behind me, Mrs. -no, Miss!- Stanhope gasped. “She has also lost eight positions in the last four years when it was discovered that she caused harm to her charges.”

I'm sure none of this came up in her references! I twisted in my seat to see her. “It is a lie!” she gasped out.