After an enjoyable hour in the garden Jeffery returned to his office while his daughter and Jane went to set the flowers in a vase.
He couldn’t get out of his mind how she looked as the sun glinted off not only her hair but the way her dress fit her. Then there was her bright cheerful smile which she wore all the time, even when Abigail spilled dirt on her earlier.
Why hadn’t he noticed any of this before? Jane had been a member of the household for three months and only now he was seeing her as a beautiful young lady. It was like now he was seeing her for the first time.
Pacing past his desk he let his gaze drift down to the blotter spying the letters from earlier. He started to reach for the top one then remembered Jane had received a missive. Even he recognized the Duchess of Kent’s distinctive handwriting.
“Why had she said it was from a friend when even she noticed the script?” he mumbled heading for the bell pull. Tugging the satin cord twice would signal he wished to speak with Mrs. Linwood, his housekeeper. If anyone knew what’s going on it would be her as she hired Jane.
Settled at his desk he opened the top missive to find an invitation to attend a ball being held by a baron in the next district. He was well acquainted with the baroness as she’d on occasion tried find him a new wife after his viscountess had died eighteen months ago.
He started to pen an apology when Mrs. Linwood knocked on the door.
“Come in please. I’ve got a question or two for you,” he said standing, then waved her to the chair in front of the desk.
“Yes m’ lord, how may I be of service?” she queried sitting.
“Mrs. Linwood what we’re going to discuss must stay between us. First, I’m very pleased you were able to find a governess who rubs well with Lady Abigail. As we know, after the riding accident which took her mother’s life, she was difficult to deal with. If memory serves we went through three before you were able to find Jane.”
“M’ lord you’re correct. From the moment Jane and Lady Abigail met they were meant for each other. I’ve never heard once of a problem between them, if anything there seems to be a great deal of laughter.”
“Yes, Lady Abigail does seem to be flourishing under her tutelage. Now.” Jeffery took a deep breath then continued. “Today she received a post which isn’t unusual as I suspect she’s gotten others. This one was written in the unmistakable hand of the Duchess of Kent. Pray tell, why would she be sending Jane a post?”
With patience he waited and watched as Mrs. Linwood marshaled her thoughts. What did astound him was when he watched his housekeep square her shoulders, then look him directly in the eyes across the desk.
“Her true name is Lady Jane Stanton. She’s the oldest daughter to the Duke and Duchess of Kent.”
Silence, except for the tick-tock of the gold embossed clock on the marble mantelpiece, filled the room.
Then, “What? Why?” Lord Weston demanded.
“That m’ lord you’ll have to ask Jane about as I’m sworn to secrecy by the Duchess. What I can say, this ruse wasn’t taken lightly but in the best interest of Jane,” Mrs. Linwood continued in a calm voice.
Jeffery rakes his fingers through his dark blonde hair wondering what to do next. By his father he’d been raised and trained to be a viscount to resolve problems here and on the other estates but never to handle something like this.
