Page 28 of The Precious Secret of a Loving Governess
Pride swelled in his heart when he noted that Miss Jamison must have recognised that his daughter was capable of so much. She had been far more supportive than any of the previous governesses had been.
To know that Marian would be reading these works, that she would be excited by them, he wondered why he had not encouraged her sooner to indulge in books as entertainment rather than as simply for learning.
But everything was changing and that was relief enough for him. Soon, he would have a home with a daughter who was obedient, a wife to act as her mother, and things that would be as expected by society. He would have to be satisfied with that; after all, it was the best he could ask for.
Chapter 13
Victoria and Miss Franklin ate their dinner in Victoria’s bedroom that evening, enjoying the privacy of conversation as they got to know one another better.
“Tell me about these rumours I have heard of your family,” Miss Franklin finally jumped in with the question that Victoria knew was coming.
“Oh dear, am I really that famous for it?” she laughed awkwardly in reply.
“Well, sorry, but you know how gossip spreads. Forgive me if it was meant to remain a secret. Or if you’d like, I can always tell you about my own family and our troubles. Would that make it easier?” the maid offered.
Victoria smiled at her, finding Miss Franklin to be endearing. Her innocence in her own situation was refreshing to hear and it showed how she held no judgment for Victoria or her family.
As it happened, she had received news that very morning that shocked her, delighted her, and angered her all at once. Perhaps sharing it all with Miss Franklin was just the key to working through it in her own mind.
“You needn’t do that unless you wish it,” she remembered to answer.
Miss Franklin nodded.
“I think I should like to. I come from a good family. Not wealthy, but good. And I scarcely have a chance to speak about them,” she noted.
“Then please, do tell me,” Victoria invited her.
“Well, my mum was the sweetest angel you could imagine. She raised me and my three brothers and my sister all. But she passed away two years ago,” Miss Franklin said with tears pricking at her eyes.
“How terrible, I am so sorry, Miss Franklin,” Victoria empathised.
“It is what it is. I miss her something awful, but she went quick. Got sick one day and she was gone the next. But my father is still with us, working hard. He’s a merchant. Not a very good one, but he does his best,” she explained.
Victoria listened as Miss Franklin shared all about her family, seeing what a relief it was for her to be able to talk about them. It only convinced her further that she would do well to reciprocate and share about her own situation.
“Well they sound quite lovely,” Victoria remarked when it was clear that Miss Franklin was finished.
“Indeed, they are. Now, tell me about your family. I know that rumours are just that and I’d like to be friends, the sort of friends who know the truth about each other,” she said.
Victoria nodded at that, feeling very much the same. She didn’t want to simply exist in the house, she wanted to have friendships and a companion as well. This was as good a time as any and Miss Franklin was rather sweet.
It was not Miss Franklin’s place to be so bold as to ask about these things, but Victoria had realised rather early in coming to the home that the housekeeper was afforded a great deal of leniency. The Earl and others all put up with her occasional brashness because she was, quite simply, lovely to be around. Her personality exuded joy and it seemed to give her a great number of opportunities.
So when she pushed to learn about Victoria’s family, Victoria was not overly surprised. She only wished that she had been better prepared to answer about it.
Of course, there were the truths of her family and the truths of what secrets she already knew in the house. Victoria knew she didn’t have too many choices as to the latter. She had bound herself in dishonesty.
“Well, I assume you are aware that my family was once rather wealthy, and were high members of society,” she began.
“Certainly. It explains why you speak in such a fancy way,” Miss Franklin laughed.
“Well, having wealth bought an excellent education. My father and mother had designs on my marrying nobility, but my father always believed that I ought to bring more to a marriage than the standard of beauty and birth. He wished for me to have a first rate mind,” she explained.
“That is quite the right attitude,” Miss Franklin added.
“Yes, yes it is. And he was always a very good father to me. However, he was not always so responsible,” Victoria said, turning to the main point about her family.
“You see, he enjoyed the vices of life afforded to the wealthy. He began drinking with the men at his club. That led him to gambling quite often. He would lose a fortune in one evening and then go back the next,” she explained.
