Page 33 of A Lady to Reveal (Sherton Sisters 4)

“That was kind of them.” She nearly choked on the words, but Gil admired her efforts at composure.

“I’m left to wonder why you have just so much mail, Miss Jones. Are you not kept busy enough with Adelina?”

To his surprise, despite her obvious discomfort, her chin rose and she met his gaze.

“The description for this position said nothing about limiting my contact with friends or family, Your Grace. And you didn’t once mention that I must cut them off. If I have not asked you to frank my letters, I cannot see how it is any of your concern. It is an accepted and common practice to write many letters. It is something your daughter needs to learn to be comfortable with once she leaves the confines of your home, if you ever wish to remain in contact with her. I would have thought you’d be commending me for my example, not questioning my use of my own time.”

Gil narrowed his eyes at her, surprised that she had grown so defensive.

“I am actually left wondering how you can send so much correspondence without asking for my frank, Miss Jones.”

“Is that really in the realm of being any of your affair, Your Grace?”

He could see that he had well and truly ruffled her feathers. Despite her youth and obvious embarrassment, she was clearly not prepared to accept defeat in this regard. Gil really had no objection to her keeping in touch with people, it was merely his fears that she might be spreading his business around theton.But she isn’t a member of theton, he reminded himself. How could she possibly have that many people to stay in touch with? And what was she telling them about him, he wondered with a shudder. His thoughts were interrupted by her sudden laughter.

“To be honest, Your Grace, this is actually very little correspondence. I used to send and receive dozens of letters each week. I haven’t the time now and only remain in touch with the minimum necessary.”

“Necessary for what?” he demanded, making an effort to hold onto his temper and his reason, especially as she suddenly seemed at a loss for words.

If he weren’t so furious at having his suspicions confirmed, he would find the silent opening and closing of her mouth to be amusing. Finally, after she seemed to grit her teeth and take a deep breath, she spoke.

“While I realize it might be different for gentlemen, Your Grace, women feel a need to remain in touch with family and friends. When I used to have more time on my hands, I wrote far more letters. Since I’ve been in your employ, I have only remained in touch with the people I’ve felt it necessary to do so, such as my sisters, who would be concerned for my wellbeing if they did not hear from me at least a little bit. I cannot see how it could possibly be a matter of concern for you, but I can assure you that I have not neglected Lady Adelina in favor of my correspondence.”

Gilbert narrowed his eyes at her for a moment as he assessed her reactions. She was staring at him a little as though she thought he had lost his mind. And perhaps he had, he thought with wry amusement. But while she still looked discomfited by his questions, she didn’t appear to be someone who had been spreading his secrets and didn’t want him to know about it.

She doesn’t actually seem to know your secrets, he reminded himself with a mixture of relief and shame as he thought of how fiercely he had reacted. Overreacted, as the case may be.

“My sincere apologies, Miss Jones,” he finally choked out. “It would seem I misread the situation.”

Suddenly her intelligent, inquisitive gaze was searching his, and he tried not to squirm. The small frown that gathered between her eyebrows was endearing and even inviting. It made him want to spill all his closely guarded secrets into her attentive ears. He bit back the impulse with his iron will, but it was a close run thing that made beads of sweat form on his forehead. He actually felt like squirming in his seat for the first time since he was a schoolboy.

“Just as I didn’t think it was fitting for you to question my correspondence, it’s probably not my place to wonder why you would find it suspicious, but I must say that I am now consumed with curiosity.”

A laugh coming from his own throat surprised Gilbert. Despite the awkwardness, the chit amused him.

Before he could dismiss her, Felicity rose to her feet, making ready to leave him. She never failed to surprise him in her lack of deference. He reminded himself that she was gentry even if she had sought employment and tried not to take umbrage with her once more.

“Before I leave, Your Grace, I’ve been meaning to tell you, I finally got her ladyship to explain to me why she was so opposed to school. She associates going to school with her grief and the loss of her mother, as well as the rest of her family. I do believe having her brothers home for the summer will be very good for her, so thank you for arranging it.”

Gilbert stared at her blankly for a moment, wondering how it came about that the seemingly shy young woman was reprimanding him and commending him all in one breath. He could do nothing but nod and watch as she turned around and left his library.

~~~

Felicity turned the corner into a little used corridor and stopped to catch her breath. With a hand against her chest as though to stop her heart’s unusual racing, she leaned against the wall in a terribly indelicate way. Her mother would have fits were she to see her, but Felicity couldn’t dwell upon posture at a moment like this.

She had nearly been caught.

If the duke had seen fit to open any of her letters and see for himself what she was writing about, she would have been done in. She should never have let a week go by without stopping at the post office. But she had been so caught up in the children, she hadn’t thought of it. How was she to know the postmaster would take it upon himself to forward her letters for her?

It was clear to her that Rathnelly hadn’t looked too closely at the letters or he would have noticed that a couple were from the same source. She had given all the money she had to her former maid’s sister to forward all her post for her. Between Clara, her sister, and Felicity’s sister Graciela, Felicity had thus far been able to stay in touch with her mother, sisters, and a couple of close friends without any of them noticing that most of what she wrote was pure fiction and that none of them knew where she actually was. She would be forever grateful to the two servants and her younger sister for their assistance, but Felicity was beginning to realize just what they had all risked on her behalf.

As someone who was now employed, she finally realized that Clara and her sister could very well lose their positions if Felicity were caught out. Or rather, if it were revealed that the servants were found to have assisted her. Felicity vowed to herself that would never be the case. Perhaps, she ought to cease in her letter writing for a time. But then, she reasoned, that could cause just as much trouble. With a sigh, she straightened from the wall to return to where she had left the children in the orchard, with only the briefest detour to drop her letters on a table in her room. It was something she would have to mentally wrestle with later. She had responsibilities to care for at the moment. That thought bolstered her floundering spirits, and she managed to find her smile as she returned to the orchard.

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