Chapter 17
Everything was deeply confusing. Mary didn’t know what was going on, but it seemed that no one else did either. Her stepmother was still furious, and she had passed along that anger to Mary’s father, who was in an absolute rage over the entire incident.
All morning, they had been yelling and arguing while Mary pleaded for them to listen and believe her. She told them time and time again that she was not guilty of this, but no one wanted to hear her. She was begging the air and even it wasn’t listening.
“What have you been doing? Who is this man? Why are you trying to hide him from us? Is he a footman? Is he indecent for a young woman of your station?” her father demanded, releasing the questions in quick succession as he fired them with the force of all his vehemence.
“Father, it is not true. I promise you! Please, you must listen to me. Am I not allowed to refute the false accusation? Will you not remember that I am your daughter, and I am to be trusted?” she asked, begging him to listen.
“How can you say that you are to be trusted? You have clearly broken that trust. Now, I want to know who this man is! Moreover, I would like to know everyone who is aware of the relationship as it is incredibly important that we find a way to mitigate the consequences once this becomes public knowledge,” he said.
“I cannot give you answers to a false accusation, Father. If there are no answers to give, what am I to say?” she asked.
“You are to be truthful and open with me because this is a terrible thing for our family to endure. It not only reflects on you and damages your reputation with future gentlemen, but it ruins our entire family’s image in society.
I fear what may come if others learn that my daughter has been philandering about with some strange man,” her father shouted.
No one would listen to Mary. She just wanted them to hear her out and understand that she could not confess to something that had not happened. Why wouldn’t they just listen? Why couldn’t they realise that she had done nothing wrong, and this was a terrible lie made up by her jealous stepsister?
“Will you ask Charlotte for this information? I know nothing of the man I supposedly have an affair with, but she seems to be the one with knowledge of it. Perhaps, if I am such a woman as she claims, she knows who he is. Will you not go and speak with her?” Mary asked, challenging her father.
After all, if he truly wanted to know, why would he not ask Charlotte? She was the one making these claims against Mary and if Mary couldn’t give an answer, it only made sense that he would ask Charlotte. And yet, he hadn’t.
“Your sister is in her room. She deserves a moment away from all of this mess. You could have destroyed her reputation as well in your efforts to collude with some gentleman to marry him without my permission. This could ruin everything for us all, Mary. That is why I am furious. You have something to answer for. Your sister does not,” he said.
Mary wanted to remind him that Charlotte was not truly her sister, but she knew that now was not the time. Her father was so angry that it seemed he would not be quick to forgive her if she shared her own anger. After all, she was meant to be the demure, quiet, tender young woman that all noble ladies were supposed to portray. A sense of justice was perfectly unseemly.
“I wish, Father, that you would listen to me when I tell you that I have done nothing of which I have been accused. You may be furious with me if you wish, but you will soon come to learn that I am not guilty of this sin and I have not shamed our family,” Mary told him.
“Ahem.”
Miss Anne was standing in the doorway, and she cleared her throat one more time for attention before Mary’s father finally gave her notice.
“Yes, Miss Anne?” he asked.
“My lord, if you would forgive me but a moment. I wish to speak with Lady Mary in regards to this matter. I understand the importance to the family, but as her governess, I feel that it is also my duty to ensure that she is imparted with good morals and I would like to address the accusations made against her,” Miss Anne said.
Mary’s father looked hesitant at first, but in his frustration, he sighed and gave her a nod without another word.
Mary turned and made her way out into the hall and followed Miss Anne to the library where she shut the door and sat down with Mary.
“I promise you it is not true,” Mary said immediately.
“Good heavens, there is no need to tell me that, Mary. I know you would never do what it is that you are being accused of. You are a good girl and not the sort of woman to go out and fraternise with a man outside of the approval of your father,” Miss Anne said.
“You believe me?” Mary asked, somewhat shocked after the reception she’d had that morning by her father.
“Of course I do. Moreover, I do believe that I have information which is pertinent to this situation and I need you to know what is really going on,” she said.
“What do you mean by that? What is going on?” Mary asked.
Miss Anne sighed and looked somewhat uncomfortable, but she was evidently determined to tell Mary whatever it was. “Your stepsister, Lady Charlotte, she has been up to something.”
“What do you mean? Trying to sabotage my opportunity to marry the Duke?” Mary asked.
“Not only that, Mary. You already know about that, and it would come as no surprise to you. But this is something else entirely. You see, I have it on good authority that she has been going out and meeting with a gentleman. I have seen her sneaking away and I do believe that it is a secret relationship which she has held,” she said.
Mary gasped, putting a hand to her mouth. She was utterly shocked, never having imagined this. She knew that Charlotte was trying to get in the way of her opportunity to be courted by Lord Hanbrooke, but would Charlotte be going around with some gentleman? And why would she make up these lies about Mary if she was the one who had a secret affair going on?