“How did you find this?” The duke repeated in shock.
“I didn’t find it. I don’t know what you’re speaking of,” Sofia said, shaking her head in dismay.
“Woman, if you don’t answer me right now, you’re going to find yourself out on the street,” Lord Garret exclaimed. Anger was flooding through him and he had lost all patience.
“Please don’t put me out on the street!” Sofia finally said, dissolving into tears.
“Then speak the truth. I want it now!” Lord Garret cried, his voice frighteningly deep and loud.
“I took it from the chest when it was still in the attic!” Sofia said, collapsing into a chair.
“That makes no sense, woman. We returned the locket to the chest.”
“It’s all a mess, you see,” Sofia said through her tears. “It’s all one terrible mess.”
“Explain yourself,” the duke said.
“I took the locket when the chest was still in the attic, one month ago.”
“And so it was not Katherine that did so?” Lord Garret asked fearfully.
“No, it was not,” Sofia wailed.
Lord Garret felt his heart fill with joy and utter despair at the same time. If Sofia was speaking the truth, it could perhaps be the very beginning and the very end of his life, all at once.
“Go on,” the duke said.
“I took the locket. I knew of it because I went up to the attic to clean one day and I saw Constance wearing it while she played with her dolls. I was in awe of the beauty of it. But then the oddest thing happened,” Sofia said, knitting her brow. “I go to Katherine’s room to put her socks in the drawer, and I hear the sound of metal. I dig into the drawer, and there I find a locket, like the one that I just saw Constance wearing!”
“It’s impossible,” Lord Garret said, shaking his head.
“I saw it with my own eyes. So, I put the locket in my pocket and go back up to the attic to make sure. And there I found Constance again, still wearing the locket.”
“Unbelievable,” the duke said.
“And this funny idea comes to me, you see. This funny idea that I can’t shake from my head. I go back down to Katherine’s room and I return the locket to where I found it, and that night, after Constance had gone to her room, I go back up to the attic once more. I find the chest and open it, and there the second locket is. I take it, put it in my pocket and stash it in my room.”
“So, there were two lockets?” The duke asked.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. For the life of me, I didn’t know that there were two.”
“Why did you do this, Sofia?” Lord Garret finally asked, wishing to get at the truth.
“Because, I thought,” Sofia said, the tears returning. “I thought . . . I was in terrible need for more pay, you see. I tried to get a raise before Katherine came on, but to no avail. I was told another staff member needed to be hired. When I see these lockets, I see an opportunity to get Katherine fired, even though I was so fond of her. It was sink or swim, as they say.”
“And then I gave you a raise,” the duke said shamefully, bringing his hand to his forehead.
“Yes, but I was having a terrible time living with the guilt. It’s been eating away at me all this time. The extra pay wasn’t worth all the effort.”
“You don’t know why Katherine had an identical locket in her room?”
“No, but she did mention to me her sister giving her some kind of gift before she arrived. Never said what it was. Maybe it was the locket? I can’t say for sure.”
Lord Garret was beside himself. How could everything have gone so terribly wrong? And how could anyone explain that second locket and how it was an exact copy? Lord Garret felt the inclination to go to Katherine’s home at once and speak to her about it. And he had to admit to himself that he was also desperate to see her.
“I shall go to the Chance home at once,” Lord Garret said, exiting the room.
“Stop, Garret!” The duke said, halting him. “This is not the right thing to do.”
“What, in your estimation, is the right thing to do?” Lord Garret asked with anger. Not towards his brother, but towards himself.
“Calm yourself. I shall write an official letter to the Chance home on Bonhomie letterhead. This is a much more sane approach in this matter.”
“There’s nothing sane about this matter,” Lord Garret said, pulling his hand through his hair.
Off in the corner Sofia continued to cry and Lord Garret abruptly left the room, fearing that he was going to do the same. Just as an extra precaution, Lord Garret found where the chest was now hidden, which was in a safe in the study.
He opened the safe and then the chest, taking the locket in his hand and holding it up to the light. Then, he took the other locket from his pocket and did the same. They were exact copies. He didn’t need a magnifying glass to see that. The two lockets were identical in every respect. Lord Garret sighed to himself and did feel a tear drop down his cheek.
What are you, a child?
He wiped the tear away and placed both lockets in the chest, closing it and then locking the safe. Although it was joyful to think that Katherine was entirely free of blame, Lord Garret was still filled with such a bottomless ocean of regret that he wondered if he’d ever be able to grapple with it.
The way that he had treated her in that very room was an abomination. He wouldn’t listen to anything that she had tried to explain. And how could she explain? There was nothing that Lord Garret had more of a weakness for than deception. Thinking that she had deceived him in that moment, Lord Garret was only able to see red and had no patience to listen to any kind of explanation. It was his mortal flaw, he was beginning to think. Would Katherine ever be able to trust him again? Would she return to Bonhomie? And if she did so, how could he ever make it up to her?
Lord Garret spent the rest of the day in his own company, which he was becoming accustomed to doing. He didn’t wish to see anyone. He had the mind to fire Sofia right then and there, but considering the circumstances, Lord Garret decided to leave it to his brother to take action. All he wanted was rest; rest for his mind and rest for his soul.
Lord Garret went up to his room and lay on his bed, looking up at the high ceiling. Thoughts of Katherine returned; that intimate night that they had shared when she gave herself to him fully. She utterly trusted him while she was in his arms; Lord Garret could feel it. Oh, how he desperately longed to feel that sensation again. How he wished that he might take Katherine into his arms once more and assure her that everything was going to be all right. He prayed to God, something that Lord Garret rarely did, and he asked God to bring Katherine back to Bonhomie. Whether or not she could love him again, Lord Garret did not know. But even if she couldn’t, he merely wished to have her once more under the same roof. He’d take care of her better than he ever had before. Lord Garret promised all of this to God before closing his eyes and falling asleep. He didn’t go down to supper; he did not wish to see anyone that night.
Katherine had left that house peacefully, not putting up a fight. Why had she done so? Anyone else would have gone kicking and screaming, but Katherine had resigned herself to Lord Garret’s treachery. He swore to himself on that night, if Katherine came back into his life, all that she would receive would be his undying love.
Chapter 22
The duke’s head hung low. Each time that he passed a servant in the hall, he could see the grief and dismay upon their face. Nigel looked forlorn and the children were full of despair. What had happened to Katherine was entirely unwarranted and the duke wished to fix it. At dinner that night, Lord Garret was entirely absent and Lord Roland did not send up for him. He knew that his brother wished to be alone after all that had transpired.
“I knew she didn’t do it,” Harry said, barely touching his soup.
“I did, too,” Constance replied.
“I think that we all knew deep down that something was not right about the situation,” the duke admitted. “And we
acted in haste.”
“Uncle acted in haste,” Constance said.
“We cannot blame your uncle,” the duke went on. “I want to make that clear. He merely did what he thought was the right thing. Further examination would have been ideal, but unfortunately his emotions were too high.”
“Because of his feelings for Katherine,” Constance said knowingly.
Although he didn’t wish to admit to it, it seemed as though there was no getting the matter past his children. “That is true.”
“We should go and pick her up this instant,” Harry said.
“I’m afraid that would be too forward,” the duke said.
“Why?” Constance asked.
“We cannot demand that she come back, nor can we assume that she will want to after what has happened. I think the best course of action is to write a letter.”
“I’ll write it!” Harry said.
“No, no. This is my duty. I’ll begin just after dinner.”
“What if she doesn’t come back?” Constance asked, a forlorn look upon her face. “What if she doesn’t want to?”
“Then I shall hire a new governess. I was already in the process of doing so,” the duke explained.
“No,” Harry protested. “We don’t want a new governess. We want Katherine.”
“As do I,” the duke said.
The rest of the meal was undertaken in silence. Although there was a great deal of grief tied into the situation, there was also the guilt. The duke felt wretched for what Katherine had had to go through. Still, it did not explain the mystery of the second locket. If they were lucky enough to have Katherine return, then perhaps she could explain the phenomenon.
Upon completion of the meal, Lord Roland returned to his study where he could finally get down to working on getting Katherine back. Nigel brought the duke his brandy on a silver tray.
“We are not perfect beings,” Nigel said, no doubt sensing the duke’s sadness.
“I know,” the duke replied softly. “Still, it pains me.”
“I sense that Katherine has a heart that is strong enough for forgiveness.”
“I do as well, but some things cannot be forgiven and certainly not forgotten.”
“Lord Garret’s fervor came from a place of love, I take it,” Nigel went on.
“I do believe the same.”
Lord Roland watched as Nigel left the room and felt gratitude for the old footman. He had a voice of keen reason and the duke was glad that Nigel was part of the family, as he considered him to be. Taking out quill pen and paper, Lord Roland wondered how he could even put into words how penitent he was. It would mean the world to him if Katherine would return to Bonhomie, but there was certainly no guarantee of that.
Dearest Katherine,
It is with the greatest of apologies that I write to inform you that my brother and I were wrong in assessing your guilt as it pertained to the missing locket. What has been discovered is sure to surprise and amaze you, and I do wish to sit down and discuss the whole matter in detail. This is a gentle way of suggesting that you return to Bonhomie and continue as the children’s governess.
They miss you dearly, and I do, as well. I am confident that Lord Garret feels the same. How this has all transpired, and how you have been mistreated throughout, pains me to no end. There is no clearing the matter from my mind. I am penitent and humbled that I have made such a grave mistake. Please send word back on how you wish to proceed, or merely return to Bonhomie, and we will welcome you with open arms.
Respectfully,
The Duke of Easterly
Although the letter seemed insufficient, it was the best that Lord Roland could do. He hoped that through the letter, Katherine could sense his sincerity and the warmth of his intentions. Calling Nigel back in, Lord Roland sealed the letter and handed it off, wishing to have it delivered first thing in the morning. Although it had been mere weeks since Katherine departed, it had felt like months; ages, even. With that letter, he sent off his hopes and his prayers for Katherine’s speedy return.
In the days that followed, the duke waited with anticipation for how Katherine might reply. Sadly, he received the worst reply of all, which was none. Silence, in and of itself, was a reply, was it not? And the silence was deafening.
Lord Roland waited several days without a response to his letter before deciding that more action must be taken. Perhaps his brother had been right when he suggested that they retreat to Katherine’s house immediately. If they would have gone that day, it may have had a greater impact upon Katherine’s decision to return. Although the duke didn’t wish to push the matter, he still felt the need for one last shove. He asked Nigel to summon his brother at once so that they could finally resolve the issue.
As he waited for Lord Garret in the study, the duke considered whether or not the words in his letter had not been enough. Should he have been more adamant? More penitent? In this kind of a situation, it seemed like words could never be enough.
***
As Lord Garret entered the duke’s study, some of the heaviness was already alleviated. In the days since the truth had come out, Lord Garret had turned the matter over in his mind endlessly. What he had determined was that his fervor and distrust had gotten the best of him, and if he lost Katherine’s love for the rest of time, then it was something that he deserved.
This inspired Lord Garret to begin the work on amending his character so that he would never do such a thing to another living soul again. Although resigning himself to the tragedy was no easy business, it did allow Lord Garret a bit of freedom from the pain.
“Brother,” the duke said, seated at his desk. “I have written Katherine a letter, as I said I would.
Lord Garret’s heart began to beat wildly in his chest. Had the duke received an answer? Would Katherine be returning? He knew not why, but Lord Garret was filled with hope. “And?”
“I have not received a reply.”
Lord Garret’s face fell. He heaved a deep sigh and looked out towards the window; rain trickling down the pane. “I feared as much,” Lord Garret finally said.
“When it was discovered that Sofia stole the locket, you wished to go to Katherine instantly and I think that I should have let you.”
“No,” Lord Garret said, shaking his head. “That would have been undertaken with too much haste. Just as her banishment was done with too much haste. In the time since, I have had the space and freedom to consider many things and I think that my senseless behavior has caused all of this harm.”
“It may very well be. But if you believe so, then perhaps you can be the one to fix it,” the duke replied.
“How do you mean?”
“Go to her, this very day. Beg her forgiveness and ask her to return.”
“I will not do it.”
“Why?”
“I . . .” Lord Garret didn’t know how to say it. In truth, he knew that his pride got in the way. To return to Katherine’s house at this point might make him appear as some kind of buffoon. A dog with its tail between its legs. “I don’t believe that she ever wishes to see me again.”
“Nonsense. Of course, she does.”
“I might frighten her, or worse, disgust her.”
“Brother, it’s our last resort. I could write her another letter but it would be of no use. If you wish to have Katherine under this roof again then you must go to her. There is no other way.”
Risky Rules of a Passionate Governess Page 25
