Page 27 of Betrayal from Beyond
Fear tightened the young woman’s face and she began to work the wheel again.
“Did you know that he has found investors to help him start up a new school? A boarding school for girls, all younger than twelve years. He wishes it to become a feeder school for Queen’s College, where governesses are taught and certified. He has asked for Queen Victoria’s consent and patronage. If he gets it, the school will open. A great many young girls will be put in his charge.”
The grinding slowed.
“I don’t believe you belong here, Miss Martin. I would like to take you along with us today and introduce you to my friend, to see if you might suit her needs at the shop, at least until you can contrive something better. I will take you either way, if you wish to go, but I do hope you will choose to help me stop Hanlin from harming anyone else.”
The girl’s shoulders slumped. “What do you want me to do?”
“I need you to tell me your story. Here. Now. Today. That will help me to convince Mr. Hanlin to share the information I need. It will also allow me to send word of his true nature along to channels that will reach the court and prevent the queen’s patronage.”
“How will you accomplish that?” She sounded incredulous.
Kara lifted a shoulder. “I am a duchess, Miss Martin. It is not a title that I ever expected or sought, but I have it now. I might as well do some good with it.”
The wheel stopped. “A duchess?” Miss Martin stared. “You might actually be heard.”
“I believe the queen will listen, if I share your story.”
“And I must tell it to you now? Here?”
“I’m afraid so. Miss Martin, there is already a new young woman in the house at Pelton Road.”
The girl let go of the mill and covered her face with both hands. Long, shuddering breaths shook her thin shoulders. “Yes,” she said, the word muffled. “I accept your terms.”
“Thank you.”
“I think that is long enough.” They both jumped at the matron’s words, uttered close. “The girl has work to do.”
Miss Martin straightened and looked the woman in the eye. “I hereby give my notice, Mrs. Ash. I am leaving this place. I should like to have my own clothes back.”
The matron looked taken aback. “The customary notice—”
“I believe the minimum is three hours, yes?” Miss Martin raised a brow.
“I think we can shorten that, in this case,” Kara said firmly. “I doubt the duke will wish to cool his heels in the entry for that long.”
“Very good, Your Grace.” Miss Martin sounded utterly calm. She turned to the matron. “I will meet you in the dormitory, Mrs. Ash, where I will change and return the uniform.”
“Well. That sounds satisfactory, doesn’t it? Lead the way, Miss Martin.” Kara stepped past the gaping matron and followed the girl down the long passageway to a huge, empty dormitory, lined with many beds. The girl settled on one halfway down the back row. Kara perched beside her.
“I will tell you all, but quickly. Before the matron returns.”
Kara merely waited.
Miss Martin let loose a long, slow breath. “My father scrimped and saved to send me to the Hanlins’ school. Hethought me quick enough to go into service as a governess. A bright future for me. I loved the idea. I worked hard and did very well in my studies. It gained me favor with both the headmaster and the headmistress. They invited me to become a parlor boarder and to help with the younger girls as I finished up my own lessons.”
“Did they ever speak of their former pupils? Receive visits from them?” Kara asked.
The girl frowned. “They told us often that they had taught the brightest minds in the realm, but they never had letters or visits.” She paused. “Except for one man, but it was always just a guess that the man ever studied with them. He never came to the front, but to the kitchen. The headmistress would go down to meet him there. Always just Mrs. Hanlin, never the headmaster. They would visit and she would send him away with a basket of food and sundries. He looked…odd. Tall and strong. He didn’t wear workman’s clothes, but his hands looked rough. He was often dusty, with bits collected in his hair. His suit was decent, but not fine, do you know?”
Kara nodded.
“I thought that’s why the headmaster didn’t meet with him—as if he were a former student who did not live up to his education. A failure the headmaster didn’t want to acknowledge.”
Kara wondered if that was how Hanlin felt about this young woman. Failure was not the word she would use—but she was going to see to it that he paid for what he’d done to a young girl in his care.
Miss Martin turned her head away when she continued. “He touched me the first time when the school scheduled a trip to the Tower of London. I had a head cold, and Mrs. Hanlin gave me leave to stay behind and work on my own studies. After the rest of them had been gone a while, the headmaster came to myroom. He said he came to inquire if I was feeling better, but he locked the door behind him.” She bit her lip.
