A Spy's Devotion (The Regency Spies of London #1)(78)

The family members, the mother and the older daughters, all spoke to Julia as if she were too low to deserve to breathe the same air. As the governess, she seemed to be in a class all her own, as Sarah Peck had also found herself—a very lonely place, with no possibility of making a friend who would treat her as an equal.

Julia often sat in her room overlooking the stable, watching people come and go. She was not allowed to go where she pleased. She could not play on the pianoforte at odd times of the day as she had been wont to do when she lived with the Wilherns. Most importantly, she must take care to avoid the master of the house, Mr. Atherton, for he was friendlier with her than anyone else in the house—much too friendly.

In fact, Julia had begun to fear the sight of him, with his fleshy, flushed cheeks and his habit of prowling about the corridor near her room, obviously having overindulged in drink. He had not been bold enough to touch her, but he had been much too eager to have a private word with her in the corridors of the large house. She had always managed to escape him with some excuse or another, but she feared she would need to find a new position soon before he became bolder.

That was why Julia was writing to her friend, Felicity Mayson, to ask her the name and the direction of the school Felicity and her sisters had attended when they were younger. If she could secure a position at such a school, at least she could make friends with the other teachers and not constantly feel as though someone were either looking down on her or thinking she was looking down on them. She could live with the other teachers as an equal.

Julia had written to Felicity more than two weeks ago and told her about her situation. Felicity had written her back. Julia now read her letter again:



My dear Julia,

I have been hearing the rampant gossip going through London. How much of it do you know? Do you know your uncle has fled the country to avoid being imprisoned for treason? Some say he plotted to assassinate the Prince Regent and the entire royal family. Others say he sold military secrets to France in exchange for having his substantial debts paid off. Mr. Edgerton was taken to the Tower of London and then, a few days later, was set free. Everyone wondered if he was a traitor too, and he has not been seen in London since he was released. Julia, what do you know of all this?

Forgive me for my morbid curiosity. You only told me that your uncle is in some trouble and you must care for yourself now, and that is why you took a position as governess. I am very sorry that this has happened, but thank you for continuing our friendship. I cannot help but think your situation will change. You are the best person I know.

You asked me about Phoebe. I hear she and her mother are living with cousins in London and that Phoebe was seen walking in Hyde Park and crying. It is only too bad that she never listened to your advice to be more discreet with her emotions. But I have also heard that Mr. Dinklage has been visiting her often. Perhaps he can cheer her up. His mother died, you know, about a week after you left. Now he is free to marry whomever he wishes.

Please write to me soon, and, if you wish to enlighten me as to who is guilty of what and what might happen next, I promise not to tell another living being.

Your discreet and loving friend,

Felicity Mayson



Julia trusted Felicity not to tell anything she would not want shared, but it little mattered anymore. The truth would come out about her uncle eventually. Apparently they did not have enough evidence to punish Mr. Edgerton for his role. But that only meant that he never did get his large sum of money from the people in France who were trying to kill General Wellington.

It was actually somewhat of a relief for Julia to be so far removed from the drawing-room gossip of privileged society. As a governess, she might as well be thousands of miles away in Jamaica or Barbados or America.

Felicity mentioned Phoebe crying in a public park and not listening to Julia’s advice. But as Julia looked back on it, perhaps she was the foolish one, at least to some extent. Julia had put so much pressure on herself and on Phoebe to follow society’s rather arbitrary rules, when she should have been following “the only good and perfect law of liberty and of love,” which the rector had spoken about in church this past Sunday—God’s Word.

What if Phoebe did cry openly when she was sad? She had a right to be sad, and anyone who criticized her for it simply wasn’t being loving. Being overly emotional might be unwise, but being unloving was a failing indeed.

Julia had it at least partially wrong, trying to control Phoebe, and trying too hard to conform to the world’s views of good and bad, but God in His mercy had taken care of her anyway. She might never be married, but at least she had food and clothing and a roof over her head, as well as a few friends, including Felicity.

Julia quickly finished her letter to Felicity, asking her for the information about the school she hoped to apply to, and went downstairs to give her letter to be posted.

The sun was going down, but it wasn’t too late to go for a short walk around the gardens. As she was passing the dining room, she overheard Mrs. Atherton speaking. Julia stopped in the dark corridor, out of sight of the dining room, and listened.

“Mrs. Henrietta Tromburg, a recent widow and my old friend’s daughter, is coming for a visit. I want the red room cleaned and polished before her arrival tomorrow afternoon. And remember that she is still in mourning, and warn the maids not to be chattering and giggling away as they are so fond of doing.”

The children would be much more likely to disturb Mr. Langdon’s former fiancée than any of the servants, who were terrified of Mrs. Atherton. Besides, by now Mrs. Tromburg would only be in half mourning.