Page 71 of The Heiress in Disguise
“Oh, please,” Gwyneth said, laughing. “Don’t ask us to believe youboughtthese things, Ella. You don’t have any money.”
“They were gifts.”
“Gifts from who?” Aunt Wilhelmina demanded.
“I… well, I don’t know.”
“That’s convenient.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t. They came from a mystery giver. I found them in my room.”
“No one would give you mysterious gifts,” Aunt Wilhelmina said. “No one knows you exist, Ella. No one cares about you. Don’t ask me to believe foolishness.”
“But it’s what happened,” Angelique said. “I can show you the notes I received, if you don’t believe me.”
Gwyneth waved her hand dismissively. “Anyone can write a note,” she said. “You could have written them yourself. A note proves nothing at all. Don’t even bother showing us such foolish evidence.”
“I’m telling you the truth,” Angelique said. “Who do you think I stole from? Are these things yours? Obviously, I didn’t take themfrom you, because you’ve never seen them before—and who else could I have stolen from?”
“You could have stolen from anyone,” Aunt Wilhelmina said. “The house was full of people during the party. Perhaps you picked their pockets. You could have done that. It’s a disgrace to me that my servant would rob my guests—I’m appalled. But you certainly might have done it.”
“I’m sure that’s exactly what she did,” Gwyneth said. “And she’s been running around with men as well, Mother. I already told you that part. She’s been a disgrace to us in every way possible.”
“That’s right,” Aunt Wilhelmina said. “I told you that you weren’t to leave the house, Ella, and what do I find? Not only have you gone against my instructions, but you’ve done so in order to meet with two different men, like some sort of harlot! You must never step outside this house again, or people will think I’m running a brothel. I won’t have it.
I’m going to inform every member of the staff that you are not to be allowed out under any circumstances, and that anyone who aids you or permits you to set foot outside will be seen as a co-conspirator and punished severely. I’m not going to tolerate any more of your misdeeds. You’re confined to your room. I don’t even want you serving us right now. Not until I can feel confident that you’ve learned some measure of obedience and decency.”
“I didn’t do this.” Angelique was shaking. She knew what must have happened. If they knew about the fairy godmother gifts, there was only one person who could have told. Jane. Jane had betrayed her. It was an awful realization, but what could she say?
They were right. She had no proof. She had no way of demonstrating to them that their accusations were false, and she knew that she couldn’t simply ask them to trust her. These people had never trusted her. They never would.
“Go to your room at once,” Aunt Wilhelmina said. “I don’t want you in my sight. When I’ve figured out how I’m going to deal with you, I’ll summon you again, but until then, you had better stay in your room and away from whatever men you’ve been associating with. I’m ashamed to call you a member of my household. Go.”
Angelique knew that there was nothing more she could say or do right now. Her aunt simply wasn’t going to hear her protestations of innocence, so her only recourse was to do as she had been bidden and go to her room. Her heart heavy, she turned and left.
There would be no getting out to meet Philip today, that was certain. Perhaps not ever again. If the members of the household had been warned of punishment for helping her, they would do all they could to keep her confined in accordance with AuntWilhelmina’s wishes, and she knew that would make it nearly impossible for her to get out.
Being undetected by her family was one thing, but it was very unlikely that she could be undetected by the entire household. It felt hopeless.
She reached her bedroom. Jane was there, clearly waiting for her.
“I’m sorry,” Jane said quietly, not looking at her.
“You aren’t sorry,” Angelique said. “How could you have done this, Jane? I trusted you. I was honest with you. I shared what I had with you. And you betrayed me. Why?”
“I didn’t betray you,” Jane said. “I serve in this household, Ella, and my loyalty is to my masters, which yours should be too.”
“Jane—what are you saying? You know the way they’ve treated me. Now you say I should be loyal to them? How many times have you told me I ought to leave and seek my fortune elsewhere because of the way they are to me? And I’ve always said that I wanted to stay. Now you have the nerve to tell me that you are loyal, and I am not? I can’t believe you’d say such a thing to me. I thought you and I were friends, Jane, but now I see the truth of the matter. You never cared for me at all. I believe youdidsteal the things I lost! Of course you did. I don’t know why I ever thought it couldn’t have been you.”
“You didn’t think that,” Jane said coldly. “I heard you discussing the matter with Philip. You told him that you believed it was me. Don’t act now like you’re only coming to that conclusion in this moment, because I know you always believed it. And I think you stole these things yourself, so don’t act as if you’re above me in some way. I won’t listen to that. No accusations from a thief.”
“You don’t think I stole them! You saw the notes I received!”
“I’m sure you penned those notes yourself. They mean nothing to me.”
“Jane, when did you become so cruel? I truly thought you and I were friends, and now I see that it was never so.”
“We were friends,” Jane said. “But you’ve asked far too much of me in this friendship. I can’t risk my place in this household to protect you in your misdeeds, Ella. I need to protect myself. You can’t expect me to put you ahead of my own security. I know you don’t expect that of me.”
