A Family of Her Own by Rose Pearson
Chapter Twelve
The hours passed so slowly as Sophie remained in her room, waiting for news. The duchess had insisted Sophie not even go out into the grounds or to spend any time with Gertrude, so she was all alone. At first, she had ranted and railed, sobbed and fumed. But now, she was spent. She could not believe that anyone in this house could do such a thing to her – because she knew that she was innocent. Whoever had placed that tiara in her armoire must truly hate her, and that thought upset Sophie greatly.
Nobody came to visit her. Mrs. Grint brought her meals up but didn’t ever stay long. She knew that the housekeeper believed her that she hadn’t done it, but it would not be right for Sophie to ask the older woman to stand by her. Mrs. Grint had worked in this house since she was a girl. Her loyalties had to stay with the family she had cared for so diligently and for so long.
By the second day of her luxurious imprisonment, Sophie had calmed enough to read the book she kept by her bedside, but it was not a long book and so it did not take her long to finish it. She did not know what else to do with herself. She wrote in her journal, trying to make sense of it all, and wondering who had actually taken the tiara, and why they had wished Sophie to take the blame.
About an hour before dinner, a gentle knock on the door surprised her. “Enter,” she said nervously.
Lord Wycliffe’s handsome face peered around the door. He gave her a wan smile. “How are you?” he asked as he pushed the door wide and came inside, followed by Mrs. Grint, who stood quietly in the corner of the room. Lord Wycliffe must have asked her to accompany him to protect Sophie’s reputation.
“I ’ave been better,” she admitted. “Do you have any news? Anything at all? You must know that I did not do this.”
“Of course, I know you did not do it – but I have to prove that to my parents,” he said, his eyes full of concern for her.
“Then what can I do?” she said, wringing her hands and pacing up and down.
“You can start by telling me everything that happened that day, and even in the days beforehand. Is there anything that was unusual, or did you see anyone acting suspiciously?”
He satdown in the chair by her desk and pulled out a sheet of paper and picked up her pen and dipped it in the ink well. Sophie perched on the edge of her bed and thought carefully. “I ‘ave been running through everything, over and over,” she said. “I cannot think of anything strange in my day.”
“It need not be very strange, but perhaps a second pair of eyes might see something you have not.”
Sophie moved to the desk and stood beside him. She bent to the drawer and opened it. She pulled out her journal and opened it to the page where she had written down every minute of that day. He took it and began to read as Sophie paced up and down, biting at the skin around her nails.
“So, you got up that morning at seven,” he read. “You washed and dressed, without the assistance of a maid - so you were alone, and nobody can vouch for your whereabouts at that time?” He frowned.
“That is correct,” Sophie admitted. Lord Wycliffe sounded so serious, and it made her nervous. “But I was in my rooms. I am always in my rooms at that time of day – as is the entire ‘ousehold.”
“Please, don’t worry, Miss Lefebvre,” Lord Wycliffe said, trying to reassure her. “I am just trying to see if there is a time when you were alone and access to the tiara might have been possible. I have asked everyone the same questions. I promise, I am not trying to trip you up.”
Sophie nodded, but she felt like a criminal. She had done nothing wrong, yet she was already being punished for the crime. The past few days had been amongst the worst she’d ever spent in her life. She hated that anyone in this house, but especially Lord Wycliffe and Gertrude might think her capable of stealing from them.
“Did you go down to breakfast as normal?” he asked her, gently.
“I did, at eight o’clock,” Sophie said, tears pricking at her eyes. “Gertrude was in the dining room before me. We both ate and then agreed to meet in the garden at nine o’clock to take the air. We walked for perhaps two hours, as we normally do, then changed our clothes for lunch.”
“So, there was little time when you were alone all morning?”
“No more than five minutes at any point. Only when I dressed for lunch was I alone longer, and then it was not long enough to get changed and to the other end of the house to the duchess’ chambers,” Sophie said pointedly.
Lord Wycliffe nodded. “I know that,” he assured her. “And after lunch?”
Sophie sighed and sank down onto the bed again. “I went straight to the music room for Gertrude’s piano lesson. She wanted me to teach her some Beethoven.”
“And she came with you to the music room?”
“She did…” Sophie paused. “No, no, she didn’t. That day she was a little late. She said she ‘ad forgotten some ribbons she wanted to sew onto her gown later that afternoon. She said that she went to her room to fetch them.”
“She is often late, and often forgets things, so we may probably discount that as being anything to be concerned about,” Lord Wycliffe said with a wry smile. “Yet, how late was she?”
“Per’aps fifteen, maybe twenty minutes.” Sophie forced herself to smile wanly back. She had replayed the day over and over again in her mind, and it was the only thing that was in any way unusual – but Lord Wycliffe was probably right, it wasn’t unusual enough to warrant suspicion. And what possible reason would Gertrude have for stealing her mother’s jewels anyway? The girl had access to whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. All she ever needed to do was ask.
“I am stumped,” Lord Wycliffe admitted, setting down the pen and looking gravely at Sophie. “I have interviewed almost every single servant, every merchant that came to the house, and have peppered my family with questions. There is not a single piece of evidence I can find that proves you did take it – nor one that proves you did not.”
“I wish that were not true,” Sophie admitted. “I know I did not do this. Even if I was such a person, I ‘ad no time to do such a thing.”
“I know you did not. But I don’t know who did. And I have to tell my father what I have found out. I am afraid he will not be best pleased – and I do not know if I can convince him of your innocence. The most I might be able to convince him of will be to let you go, and not to demand to see you before the magistrate.” His eyes were full of despair, though he was trying his best to remain calm and positive for her sake.
“You ‘ave tried your best,” Sophie said. “I am grateful for that at least. But I shall pack my bags and prepare to leave. Whatever the outcome of this matter, it is inconceivable that I can remain in my position here.” Lord Wycliffe bowed himself out of the room, his shoulders hunched, the weight of the world resting upon them.
Mrs. Grint remained behind. “I’m sorry,” she said sadly. “It is not right that you should have to leave when you’ve done nothing wrong.”
“You believe me?” Sophie asked. She had not thought anyone other than Lord Wycliffe did. The housekeeper had been so resolutely silent until now, her expression always giving nothing away.
“Of course, I do,” Mrs. Grint said firmly. “I know your character. You’d never do such a thing. There’s people in this house as might, but not amongst the staff.”
Sophie was surprised at her comment. It seemed that the housekeeper was pointing a finger towards someone in the family – but what reason could any of them have for doing such a thing? “What do you mean?”
“We’ve talked on it before, when a child is starved of love and showered with possessions, they don’t develop the values they should.”
“You think Lady Gertrude did this? Lord Wycliffe?”
“I cannot say, but the young mistress is the most likely, do you not think?” Mrs. Grint paused for a moment. “She wasn’t where she should be, and it took longer than it should to do what she said she was doing? She is a difficult child, always has been. She is used to holding her brother’s heart in her hands, and your being here has distracted him from her.”
“It ‘as not,” Sophie protested. Lord Wycliffe had been kind. He had perhaps even flirted with her from time to time, but there was nothing more to his attentions than that. Gertrude would surely not have been so put out by such a fragile acquaintanceship, would she?
“Oh, my dear, it has,” Mrs. Grint said with a wry smile. “Anyone with eyes can see how enamored the young lord is with you – and though you have tried to hide your feelings, I’ve seen them growing. Gertrude would have seen it, too. She’s no fool, that child for all her willfulness.”
“She is very observant,” Sophie noted. “But you are wrong. There is nothing between Lord Wycliffe and myself.” She didn’t dare hope that the housekeeper was right. It would make the fact she must now leave this house even more unbearable.
“Whatever you say,” Mrs. Grint said. “The truth will out, though it may be too late for you by then. And for that, I am very sad. You have been good for Lady Gertrude, and Lord Claveston. They both need you in their own way.”
“It is what it is,” Sophie said, sadly. “I can bear it. The people that matter know I did not do this. That is at least some kind of comfort I ‘ave some money saved, will be able to afford to support myself for a time, if Lord Wycliffe can convince his parents not to send me to the gallows” Mrs. Grint winced at the words. Sophie gave her a resigned smile. “Perhaps he might be able to ‘elp me get back to France.”
“I shall miss you,” Mrs. Grint said.
“Thank you, it is kind of you to say so.”
“Do not forget what you have achieved here, even if your leaving feels like a failure. You have changed them both, but especially Lord Claveston. The boy I knew would not be doing what the man today is attempting. He would never have stood up to his father, would never have taken the harder side in any battle. He’s always been one for an easy life, but he’s gone out of his way for you.”
“He would do the same for you, or for Bonnet, I am sure.”
“No, he wouldn’t, or at least he wouldn’t have done so before he met you. I believe he might do now. He’s finally become the fine young man I tried to raise him to be.”
Sophie glanced around the opulent room that had always felt a little too much. “I shall miss this house, Lady Gertrude and you in particular,” she said sadly.
“And we’ll miss you,” Mrs. Grint said. “But I think there’s someone who’ll miss you more than anyone.” She nodded towards the door that Lord Wycliffe had so recently departed through. “He loves you, though I don’t know if he knows it yet.”
“He does not love me,” Sophie said firmly. “And even if he did, there is nothing that could come of it now.”
“But you wish it could be otherwise?” Mrs. Grint gave her a knowing look. “I’ve seen the two of you.”
“There is nothing,” Sophie protested, but too vehemently. Mrs. Grint laughed. “So, what does it matter if I admit it,” Sophie said with a shake of her head. “I ‘ave come to care very much for him. It will be hard to say goodbye.”
“For him, too.”
“He will forget me soon enough.”
“No, I don’t think he will. I’ve never seen him this way about anyone. He truly loves you.”
“And I love him,” Sophie said with a sigh. “But I will be banished and that will be that.”
