Page 133 of The Governess of My Heart
“Who gave you that chain?” he asked, trembling.
Elizabeth instinctively touched her mother’s chain, and she saw that Lord Anderson recognized the pendant from the look on his face.
“It...it belongs to my mother.”
“What is her name?” he asked piercingly.
Elizabeth began to tremble and felt giddy.
“Why…Why do you ask?” she asked finally.
“Tell me, what is her name?” he asked, his tone nothing but threatening.
This man must know my mother. Good God!
She did not need further confirmation after hearing Lord Anderson’s words.
“Are you Sarah’s daughter?”heasked, his eyes blazing with anger.
Chapter 39
Elizabeth was unable to believe the words uttered by Lord Anderson.
Does he know my mother? It is impossible.
“Lord Anderson, I do not understand. How do you know my...my...mother?” she struggled with her words.
“Your father is Thomas Bennet, isn’t he?” Lord Anderson asked in an icy voice, his eyes flashing with anger.
“Yes… I mean, no. How do you know this?”
Her world came crashing down on her, and after months of torment of not knowing the truth about her past, Elizabeth was shocked to understand that Lord Anderson was aware of something about her. But to her dismay, he never answered her question; with a look of disgust, he turned around and hurried out of the room.
She was desperate for answers and followed him out, not wanting to wait for anyone to help her. The hallway was deserted, and Elizabeth rushed behind Lord Anderson, desperately calling him out to wait. Though he heard her, he ran to the library without stopping.
Elizabeth rushed after him and tried to compose herself as she walked into the library.
“How do you know my mother? I cannot understand this; you need to explain. Please tell me, how do you know her?” she begged him as he stood by the fireplace. He turned around with a look of aversion as he heard her words.
“Explain what? You are the one who needs to explain. Did your mother send you here in disguise? Did she ask you to change your name to Miss Smith and lie that you are an orphan?But why? How did you know I would be here in Ashton Park?” he asked with rage.
Elizabeth was stunned and unable to speak. None of his questions made sense to her, and she was unable to reply as he continued.
“You have cheated Mr. Darcy and my sister, haven’t you, by lying so artfully about your original identity. How could you be so immoral? Are you doing this for his wealth?”
“That is enough. You have no idea what you are saying,” Elizabeth cried out of anger.
He stepped forward and walked close to her.
“Do you deny that you are here in disguise as Miss Smith? Are you not Miss Bennet?”
“I do not deny it. But you do not understand as I...,”
“Are you not ashamed? Oh! I understand very well. You are just like your mother; you would do anything for wealth. All these years, I have given it the possibility that she might have changed and lived a life with morals. But here you are, just like her, in disguise, engaged to a man of wealth. I am disgusted to look at you. You can tell your mother she can try her schemes elsewhere, not here. I will make sure that Mr. Darcy is made aware of everything; you cannot trap an innocent man for wealth,” he cried with rage.
Elizabeth held onto the sofa for support. As much as she could not make sense of anything he said, it became clear to her that he had no idea that her mother was dead.
“You want me to go to my mother and say what?” she asked calmly.
