Scandal At The Christmas Ball: A Governess for Christmas / Dancing with the Duke’s Heir

‘I’ll be the judge of that, once I know what we’re dealing with.’

‘It’s a long story, Drummond.’

‘The one thing I’m not currently short of is time. Fire away!’

‘Well, if you are sure.’ Joanna clasped her hands together, angling herself to face him. ‘About three years ago, I was employed by Lady Christina Robertson to act as governess to her eldest daughter. Lottie was then sixteen, and due to make her debut the following year. Lady Christina is...’

‘A doyenne of society,’ Drummond said drily. ‘I was introduced to her at the Richmond ball actually, on the eve of Waterloo. Her husband was at that time a bigwig in the Foreign Office. You were mixing in rarefied circles.’

Joanna snorted. ‘A governess does not exactly mix but—yes, I had by any standards secured a prestigious position and Lottie was, unlike some of my previous charges, an excellent pupil. I was—am—very fond of her.’ She bit her lip. ‘That is why it hurt so much when she betrayed me.’

Drummond frowned. ‘What did she do?’

‘I trusted her. It was naïve of me, to think that such an excellent pupil would have maturity of judgement to match her intelligence. She was very pretty, indulged, popular, and where there are young girls like Lottie, there are always young men. I knew the signs to look for, having prevented just such foolishness with another of my charges, but with Lottie I was complacent. It didn’t occur to me that she was capable of being deceitful, and she therefore found it easy enough to go behind my back.’

‘To meet with a beau?’

Joanna nodded. ‘I don’t know how many times—I still can’t quite believe she had the nerve. I was not in the habit of checking on her once she retired, she was sixteen years old after all, and eligible to be married within a year. But that particular night, for some reason I did. The Robertsons had intended to spend the night with friends, but his lordship took ill on the journey, and they came back about eleven. The noise woke me, I had this—this odd feeling, and went to Lottie’s room and she wasn’t there.’

She felt sick, remembering it. She’d slumped down on Lottie’s bed. The girl hadn’t even tried to make it look slept in. Her first thought had been to question the maid, but before she had reached for the bell, the signs she had been ignoring for weeks fell into place like the pieces of a puzzle.

‘I didn’t know what to do, save to wait up for her. It was an interminable night, Drummond. I have always thought that pacing the floor was something only characters in books do, but I paced and paced, until I began to worry about the floorboards squeaking. She eventually turned up at about three, and as you can imagine, just about leapt out of her skin to find me waiting. All I cared about at first was that she was safe. Such a little innocent, she could have been ruined before she was even out in society!’

‘Little hussy, more like,’ Drummond exclaimed. ‘At sixteen, she should damned well have known better.’

‘Precisely. As her governess, I should have made sure that she did, but I...’

‘Joanna, you cannot possibly blame yourself.’

‘But I was at fault, Drummond, and though I knew that I’d most likely be dismissed for my lack of vigilance, I also knew that I could not possibly keep Lottie’s behaviour a secret from Lady Christina. I told her that unless she confessed to her mama first thing in the morning, I would tell her myself.’ Joanna shuddered. ‘She begged and she pleaded and she threatened, and she cried—how she cried, I’m surprised she did not wake the household. In the end, I thought I had persuaded her to do the right thing. I should have known better. The next day...’

‘The next day?’ Drummond prompted. ‘Take a deep breath and tell me precisely what happened.’

She did as he bid, though her voice was shaky. ‘Lottie had “borrowed” her mother’s emerald necklace to impress her beau. I assumed she would hand it over when she confessed to her foolish behaviour, but in the event, she did neither. When the necklace was discovered to be missing the next day, it was found in my bedchamber when a search was made of the house.’

‘And your employers duly accused you of theft,’ Drummond said heavily. ‘Why the devil didn’t you tell them the truth?’

She flinched at the anger in his tone, though she couldn’t blame him. ‘I tried to, but Lottie flatly denied everything, and Lady Christina accused me of trying to ruin her daughter’s character in order to save my own skin.’

‘When in fact the opposite was the case?’

‘Yes. It was a nightmare. I kept thinking that Lottie would eventually speak up and take responsibility, but she wouldn’t even look at me. I should have—no, not expected it, but I shouldn’t have been so surprised. A young person of Lottie’s age, in Lottie’s position, was bound to think only of saving her own skin. She was young and spoilt and selfish, and she had her back to the wall. So she acted both rashly and wrongly.’

‘That, I do understand,’ Drummond said. His expression darkened. His hand, which was resting on his knee, clenched into such a tight fist that his knuckles turned white. ‘I understand that better than anyone.’

The bleakness in his eyes made her shiver, but before Joanna could ask what he was thinking, he gave himself a shake. ‘I think I can guess the outcome.’

‘It is sadly predictable. I was dismissed on the spot. They informed me that, thanks to my otherwise unsullied reputation, they had decided not to involve the authorities, though upon reflection, I suspect they had their own reputation to consider, not wishing to become embroiled in a court case,’ Joanna said bitterly. ‘I left, thinking that Lottie would be bound to confess sooner or later, and in the blithe assumption that I’d easily find another position, for despite a lack of a character reference from Lady Christina, I had many other letters of recommendation. But Lady Christina had other intentions, and is, as you said yourself, a doyenne of society with influence almost as far-reaching as her very good friend, the Duchess of Brockmore. She branded me a thief, and she made sure that everyone knew it. Door after door was slammed in my face, and no respectable school would employ me, which is how I come to be in my current position, employed for no more than my bed and board, and expected to act the drudge when I am not teaching.’

Drummond swore. He raked his fingers through his hair. He swore again. He jumped up from the seat, dug his hands into his pockets, took a rapid turn around the room, then sat down and cursed again.

‘My thoughts entirely,’ Joanna said, with a poor attempt at humour.

‘What changed?’ he demanded. ‘You said you came here expecting justice to be finally served.’

‘Lottie belatedly found her conscience a few months ago,’ Joanna said wearily. ‘She wanted to write to me but could not establish my whereabouts. She turned to her mama’s best friend, our hostess, whose reach is long, and when she discovered the depth of my plight, Lottie was horrified and told her mother the true story. Her mama also felt guilty, but not guilty enough to do something about it herself, and so asked Her Grace to intercede—what is it you said about the Brockmores? Where they lead, and all that.’

‘But where it won’t lead, I take it, is to the clearing of your name?’

‘Precisely. My name, so the Duchess implied, is not as important as Lady Christina’s. Having gone to immense efforts to brand me a thief, she must be spared the social embarrassment of retracting her accusations, and instead branding her daughter a coward, and herself a fool for believing her,’ Joanna said, her lip curling. ‘So you can be sure that even if I did choose to speak out, it would be pointless, for she would deny it all. But Lady Christina will pay me a financial recompense for the harm done to my reputation, if you please, or I may, if I please, be offered the position as governess to poor Mr Martindale’s wards—you see, Mr Martindale’s presence here is not only to give him a respite from his grief, but to give him the opportunity to size me up! But both so-called amends are dependant upon my continued silence.’

Drummond’s fists were clenched again. ‘Which means that, as far as respectable society is concerned, you will be branded a thief for ever. That is outrageous.’

‘I heartily agree, but there is nothing I can do about it. Lottie is apparently to be married shortly, and though she is most contrite, she is even more terrified that the story may come to the ears of her betrothed, and you see how it could unravel? Once the question is asked, why did she take the necklace, then her foolish indiscretion could come to light.’

‘And her utterly selfish act in framing you.’

‘Yes.’ Tears welled, but she forced them back. ‘So I am to have no clean slate, but I must not lose sight of the fact that I am being offered a second chance.’

‘Aye, on someone else’s terms.’

‘Worse than that. I am being offered payment for a silence I had already resolved to maintain, until Lottie—but now there is no chance of that. None at all. It is grossly unfair, but there we have it.’ Joanna slumped back on the sofa, completely drained. ‘I believe our conversation has come full circle.’

‘And you are exhausted,’ Drummond said. ‘Best not to make any rash decisions. Let it settle in your mind, and we can...’

‘This is my problem, Drummond.’

‘I want to help.’

She didn’t doubt his sincerity, but instead of reassuring her, it set alarm bells ringing in her head. She could not embroil him in this. He needed to keep his nose clean or he might jeopardise his own chances. Getting to her feet, she shook out her dress and picked up her cloak. ‘I don’t need help. Now I know the terms, I must make a simple decision, and that is the end of it. In the meantime, do you think we can turn our attention to enjoying the festivities?’