A Spy's Devotion (The Regency Spies of London #1)(48)
Julia’s stomach felt sick. She glanced at Phoebe, whose lips formed a thin line. “Keep reading.”
Julia swallowed and then continued. “Miss Peck and their son, Mr. William Smitherman, went to London more than a fortnight ago. The governess took everything she owned without any explanation at all, and now poor Mrs. Smitherman is frantic to find a new governess. And as for the son, he still hasn’t come home but has been persuaded to leave the girl and go back to Eton and resume his studies. His mother is very put out with him, but boys will have their mischief. I do hope, for the sake of your precious daughter, Phoebe, and Miss Grey, that no one will think she had been a bad influence on your own young women. Phoebe and Julia are such good girls, to be sure, most proper and agreeable, and should weather this little squall with no lasting damage. We shall hope no one else hears of it.”
Julia skimmed the rest of the missive, which spoke no more of Sarah and what had become of her, as if she didn’t matter. It was signed Mrs. Brumley, whom Julia remembered as the doughy wife of a country gentleman in Derbyshire.
The fact that Mrs. Brumley knew of these events only proved to Julia that the news of it had no doubt reached enough people to prevent Sarah from being able to find another respectable post, either now or in the future.
“Julia, did you know about this?” Phoebe crossed her arms and stared at Julia.
“I am afraid I did.”
“Why did you not tell me? I am not a child, you know. I am only two years younger than you.”
Her words made Julia recall something Sarah had once said several years ago. Phoebe may be only two years younger, but you were born older than she will ever be.
“Sarah didn’t give me permission to share her situation.” Julia handed the letter back to Phoebe. “I am sorry. It is not a happy event, in any case, and I would have spared you if I could.”
“You needn’t have spared me. Besides, Mother is incensed. She says neither of us is ever to see Sarah again or even correspond with her.”
Julia lowered her voice to a whisper. “Did she have you tell me this?”
Phoebe nodded.
So Mrs. Wilhern was using Phoebe to tell her not to associate with Sarah. Did she think she could turn Phoebe against Julia too, to cause the two of them to disagree about Sarah? Would her aunt intercept Sarah’s letters? Would she discard them before Julia could read them?
Julia would have to use another way to communicate with Sarah. Her heart pounded at the thought of her aunt and uncle finding out that she was defying them, that she was sending Sarah letters against their direct wishes.
But how could she turn her back on Sarah when she had no one else? Besides, she was already defying the Wilherns by agreeing to spy on her uncle.
Julia glanced over at her desk and saw the letter she had been writing to Sarah. Quickly, she pulled her blotter paper over it so that Phoebe wouldn’t see. Would Phoebe betray her to Mrs. Wilhern? Probably not, but she didn’t want to put her cousin in a position where she might be tempted to lie to her own mother.
“Julia?”
“Yes, Phoebe. This is a lesson for us both. We cannot be too careful. We must . . .” Julia recognized that she was on the verge of either saying things she didn’t mean or saying what she really thought—the former would be hypocritical and the latter would be unwise. Phoebe looked aghast. “Julia, neither you nor I would ever do something like that! But Sarah . . . Sarah always did wish she were not a governess. You are not so poor as Sarah, and we are both sure to get eligible proposals, maybe this very Season. I shall marry Mr. Langdon, and you shall marry . . . I don’t know who, but someone worthy, I am certain. Perhaps Mr. Edgerton.” Phoebe looked at Julia out of the corner of her eye, rather slyly.
Had her father influenced Phoebe to try to persuade Julia to marry Mr. Edgerton? Julia stared at Phoebe. “You know I have no wish to marry Mr. Edgerton. And I will have but two hundred thirty pounds if I marry, and there is certainly no guarantee anyone will—”
Julia stopped herself and turned away, taking a deep breath and attempting to force down the anger that was creeping into her voice. “Perhaps everything will work out the way we both hope.” She forced a small smile.
“I was just speaking to Father. You must know that Mr. Langdon is coming to dinner on Thursday.” Phoebe became more animated as she spoke, her eyes growing rounder with each word. “Father shall ask him to come to Wilhern Manor when we go back to the country when the Season is over.”
Julia suddenly remembered the other important matter she needed to turn her attention to. “Phoebe, where is your father now?”
“Father? I believe he was about to leave to go to his club.” Her smile stretched across her face again. “I must go speak with Molly about how to arrange my hair for Thursday.” She took a few steps toward the door and then turned and smiled at Julia. “Don’t worry. Once Nicholas and I are married, one of his friends will do for you, Julia, I am sure of it!” Then Phoebe rushed out of the room.
Julia shook her head and turned her mind back to her more immediate concerns. She would wait a few more minutes until she was sure her uncle had left to go to his club.
Her mind went back to Sarah and her dilemma. Julia sat back down at her desk and stared at her letter. She must speak with Mr. Wilson at the Children’s Aid Mission. Julia might have spoken to Nicholas Langdon about Sarah’s situation, but it seemed an awkward subject to broach with him. Mr. Wilson, however, must be accustomed to seeing such problems, and therefore he was her best hope of finding a safe place for Sarah. She could write him a letter, but when he replied to her, what would her aunt think of Julia receiving a letter from a strange man? Mr. or Mrs. Wilhern might even open it and read it.