Sherlock Holmes meets Pride and Prejudice in this bewitching and scintillating romance between an eccentric gypsy detective and a young spinster governess.
Harriet Morgan, a shy, nurturing young woman, watches the finishing school she has seen as he...
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London season was upon them, and Harriet's skirts swished with not only purpose toward the drawing room, but indignation. Despite Lady Esma's generous offer, the parents of the girls have decided to have them reside in their own London homes. From all their correspondences it had nothing to do with the Marquess or his wife, but much to do with them wanting time with their daughters and to prepare them properly for their coming out.
Harriet did not believe them for even a mere moment.
Especially when each and every one of them referred to Lady Esma as not the Marchioness, which would be the correct way to refer to her, but the Marquess and his gypsy wife.
Actions and snobbery like that were the reason Harriet had been relieved to not have gone out into society. Not that she would've been presented to the Queen. Harriet did not come from a prestigious family and had an illegitimate birth, but she still had the choice to stay with a friend of hers from finishing school and attend the balls.
But Harriet decided on a life as a spinster.
And she chose it, knowing the ridicule she would've faced if she had gone to those balls. The heartache of standing in the back as a wallflower with no suitors. She knew if she had attended the lack of names on that empty card wrapped around her gloved wrist would've weighed as heavy as an anchor.
Stopping in front of the drawing room door, Harriet listened to the girls chatting amongst themselves. She closed her eyes and pushed down the emotions and rage trying to flood her. There was nothing she could do on Lady Esma's behalf, except give her the lessons she asked Harriet for. But the anvil of unfairness and prejudice weighed heavy in her heart.
Letting out a soft breath, Harriet opened the door and her eyes fell upon Rosa, who turned quickly turned her gaze away. Now a new emotion pushed up Harriet's throat.
Guilt.
She had rejected the offer from Rosa's parents to be her chaperone. Harriet did not blame Rosa for feeling betrayed, but something in Harriet knew that if she had accepted, she would've betrayed herself. She could not accept an offer from people who looked down upon such a gracious and kind woman simply because of her heritage. A woman who had opened up her home after their horrid experience. Harriet had not been given the chance yet to explain herself to Rosa, but hopefully when she did, Rosa would understand how hard the decision was for Harriet.
Straightening her posture, Harriet strode in with disciplined grace. A lesson was about to be conducted. She had taught Esma and the girls the past weeks every day about what was to be expected of them once they enter society.
The girls seemed to be adjusting well, and Harriet begun to wonder if the whole fire had only been a nightmare, but at night she would wake from the depths of hell in a scare, knowing it had very much been real and still haunted her.
As Harriet stacked random books on a table, Felicity stared out the window looking dazed while Anne and Helen where sorting through ribbons.
"What is the lesson for today?" Felicity asked in a bored manner.
