The Taming of Victoria Colton

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter 22

The customs of English Society imply the necessity of a sufficient knowledge of the lady to be addressed. This, even in this country, is a difficult point to be attained: and, after all, cannot be calculated by time, since, in large cities, you may know people a year, and yet be comparative strangers; and, meeting them in the country, may become intimate in a week.

~ The Habits of Good Society: A Handbook for Ladies and Gentlemen (The Last London Editor; 1860)

John Fieldman was loyal to a fault.

He was also, unfortunately, the footman Victoria had entrusted the letter to Danielle.

Being the devout and God-fearing man John Fieldman was, he contemplated the dilemma thoroughly before he acted, even though Miss Colton had specifically informed him of the import of delivering said letter with all due haste.

But ultimately it was that that favoured him against delivering the letter to Miss Danielle Carmichael, for Miss Colton’s urgency for the deliverance could ensure only one thing: that Miss Colton was being her usual hoydenish self and was hankering for a bit of adventure to Africa… again.

So John hid the offending envelope under his pillow, convinced that he had saved the Colton and Hawthorne households from imminent ruin. He remembered well Lord Sinclair and Lady Colton’s implicit instructions regarding their disobedient ward. They had gathered all the servants for an impromptu meeting the night before the three-week event and had told them sternly that under no circumstance was correspondence between Miss Colton and any person who would appear inclined to allot her passage to Africa to leave the property. It should, they had stated, be brought immediately to their attention.

As sure as he was of his loyalty, John was even more sure that he could not dampen the momentous atmosphere that had overwhelmed the general populous of Hawthorne at the announcement of Miss Colton and Lord Sinclair’s engagement. He had never seen his Lordship smile as much as he was or be of so pleasant a disposition. It was infectious and every servant noted the change, even adopted their own skip in their step for it.

And it was because of Miss Colton.

Even though the letter was condemning and testament to the lady’s deception, John could not be the harbinger of bad tidings. Rather than be the catalyst that destroyed his master’s relationship with the only woman since… well, since that tramp Regina Atherton, John decided he would keep this little secret his and take it with him to the grave.

Everyone at Hawthorne remembered well the dark time that was. After Regina’s betrayal, they all feared that Lord Sinclair would never find another woman to share his life with. He had been young, yes, and very taken with the beautiful woman, so the blow that she dealt him was severe and he made it apparent to all that he could not, and would not, dally with another woman for longer than a couple of months. His mistresses were plentiful and interchangeable, but anything that began to resemble a commitment of sorts was promptly concluded for another assignation with a different woman.

So he hid the letter, remembering well his dear old mama’s wise words as he did so. “Know your place well, John. Always do as you’re told without question and never be the cause of trouble.”

Those words she had said to him often throughout his childhood. He would never forget them and he would probably someday repeat them to his own children.

Sighing, he covered the envelope with his pillow and gave it a few decisive and smoothing pats for good measure. It would be safe here. Nobody ever visited him in his small, private room.