Page 42 of The Governess of My Heart
“You mentioned kindness, madam. I do not know if I am invading your privacy, but if you feel Lady Isabella is not courteous with me, I feel you behave the same way with her,” Elizabeth said, much to the shock of Lady Martha.
“You are indeed invading my privacy. I cannot think of anyone who has taken the liberty to criticize my behavior thus, except my late husband.” Lady Martha said, looking keenly atElizabeth. “You are not afraid to profess your opinions. Are you, my dear?”
“Some say it is my failing. If I have displeased you now, then it is indeed.”
“You are not wrong. As easy as it is for my son to accept her as his wife, I struggle to do so.”
“I can understand that all of you miss Lady Sophia, which is unfortunate. But they are married now. You could have stopped their wedding in case you were totally against it. I am certain Lord Ashton would not have gone against your wishes. Why did you approve of the match?”
“I had to; I did not have a choice.”
“Oh!”
“I saw them in a compromising situation some months after Sophia’s death. I had no choice but to agree to the marriage and, honestly, had to make sure that the family name was not damaged,” Lady Martha said helplessly.
Elizabeth realized why the old woman was unable to accept her daughter-in-law.
“The unexpected death of Sophia was too much for me to take, and within four months, he remarried. I am still furious that he chose her best friend out of all the women in Derbyshire.”
“Were they close?” Elizabeth asked out of curiosity.
“Oh yes! Sophia lived in an estate about fifty miles away. Lady Isabella was her friend since childhood. Philip was acquainted with both families even before he married Sophia. He convinced me she would devote her time to the children, but I don’t see that.”
“I personally feel it is too much to ask from someone. I was raised by someone who was not my actual mother. She could never love or accept me as her own. I don’t think anyonecan fulfill such an expectation,” Elizabeth said, her thoughts wandering to days in Longbourn.
“You are too wise for your age, my dear. I still cannot believe your family treated you with cruelty.”
“According to them, they have their reasons, and I do not want to dwell on the past.”
“But I am unable to accept someone else in Sophia’s place, as her death haunts me to date. I have not even ventured to the stairs on the east side of the house after that. The way she lay unconscious there is still fresh in my memory.”
“I am sorry.”
“We had such a wonderful ball the previous evening, and everyone was here. My brother and his family joined us from Scotland. Fitzwilliam and Georgiana also attended the ball, which was a merry event. We still cannot understand why she ventured to that side of the house. The stairs connect to the guest wing of the house.”
“Were there a lot of guests?” Elizabeth asked, wanting to know the details.
“About four families stayed in the guest wing that night, but nobody heard or saw anything.”
“Was Lady Isabella also invited to the ball?”
“Yes! Her family were Sophia’s friends, and they also stayed in the guest wing.”
Elizabeth somehow felt that Lady Sophia’s death was not an accident. She suddenly realized that Lady Martha had shared something very personal with her. The fact that she had earned her trust gave Elizabeth a lot of joy.
“You just made me realize something, Miss Smith,” Lady Martha said.
Elizabeth looked at her inquisitively.
“Sophia was not just a good daughter-in-law but my confidant in this house. I am certain that is why I cannot imagine anyoneelse in her position. After a long time, my heart feels light in sharing my thoughts with you.”
Elizabeth smiled when Lady Martha held her hands.
From the day she arrived at Ashton Park, she felt a deep connection with her. She could not make out what it was, but she was happy that they were forming astrong bond.
Chapter 15
The month of June brought an unexpected visitor to Ashton Park, and early one morning, Lady Martha summoned Elizabeth to her study.
