Chapter Fifteen
Joy followed Mrs. Copper through the sprawling townhouse, trying to commit all the servants’ names and the route through her new home to memory.
Good heavens. Winterstone Townhouse was as magnificent as Broadmere House.
She hadn’t realized that when she’d visited previously.
Of course, then she had not received the grand tour.
Owning this place was quite the feat for a member of the landed gentry.
She silently scolded herself for the unintended hint of prejudice in that thought. How dare she? She rolled her shoulders, shaking off the stink of such a ton way of thinking.
Nimbus trotted along beside them as if proud to show her his home.
Mrs. Copper chattered nonstop, only pausing long enough to draw in a quick breath, then chattering on some more.
Joy struggled to keep up with the conversation because the woman tended to switch topics as quickly as she blinked her eyes.
“And be sure to let me know your favorite foods and those you detest,” the housekeeper said. “I shall ensure Cook knows, so you’ve no trouble with anything.” The kindly woman went quiet and peered at her, reminding Joy of an owl about to swoop down on a mouse—and Joy was the mouse.
“Uhm…thank you, Mrs. Copper. I am none too fond of kidneys, liver, or beetroot. Other than that, I enjoy almost everything. Mama and Papa frowned on choosy eaters, always reminding us that those less fortunate often went without and would gladly accept that which caused us to turn up our noses.”
Mrs. Copper smiled, making her bright eyes crinkle into cheery slits. “I always heard wonderful things about your mama and papa. Now I know they were true.”
Joy swallowed hard, suddenly stricken with the need to weep uncontrollably.
“Yes,” she said, struggling for control.
“I miss them terribly.” She batted her eyes, willing herself not to cry.
What in the devil was wrong with her? Mama and Papa had been gone for four years now, yet the sense of their loss kept hitting her as strongly as it had the day they had passed.
She pulled her handkerchief from her sleeve and pressed it to the corners of her eyes.
“Oh, dear. I am that sorry, my lady,” Mrs. Copper said.
“Do forgive me for upsetting you. One never quite gets over the loss of one’s parents.
I know that was the way with Miss Aurelia, Mr. Ambrose, and Sir Jansen with their mother’s loss.
They were quite young when she passed, but their father’s accident was only a few years ago. ”
Joy sniffed and shook her head. “No, forgive me. I am not usually so prone to tears. It must be all the change that has my emotions in a stir.”
Mrs. Copper gave her a knowing smile. “Indeed, my lady. Change can do that to a body.”
Joy decided to be completely honest with the housekeeper. “Mrs. Copper, I know absolutely nothing about running a household. I am depending on you to guide me—especially when it comes to entertaining. Can I count on you and Severns for that?”
“Of course, my lady. We have been with the Winterstone household for many years and are proud to help you any way we can.”
“By the way, in what condition did Ambrose leave his rooms?” Joy shuddered. “As I remember, they were very ripe the last time I visited.”
Mrs. Copper wrinkled her nose in agreement. “The paint is peeling off the walls, my lady, and the furniture still reeks even though we have aired it well and scrubbed it several times. We already had to discard the rugs. I strongly recommend redecorating completely.”
“Yes. I had feared as much.” Joy would speak to Jansen about it, even though she felt sure he would not have an issue with doing so.
Severns came around the corner and bowed. “My lady, the Bow Street Runner is in the library with Sir Jansen. He sent me to fetch you, knowing you would wish to be a part of that conversation.”
Joy perked with interest. “Most definitely, Severns. Thank you.” She turned to Mrs. Copper. “Please excuse me.”
“Of course, my lady. Summon me if you need me.”
“I will. Thank you.” Joy hurried to follow Severns to the library. As soon as she walked in, an air of displeasure, perhaps even anger, hit her like an insurmountable wall. She offered the Bow Street Runner a curtsy. “Mr. Rathbun.”
The man offered a polite nod while nervously running the brim of his hat through his fingers. “My lady.”
Jansen stood behind his desk, glowering down at several pouches strewn across it. Joy recognized some of them as the coin bags left in the hollow oak tree in the mews.
“You discovered the blackmailer and recovered all the money?” she asked.
Jansen didn’t lift his gaze to hers. “Yes. Mr. Rathbun gave me some irrefutable proof. I spoke to the guilty party, and after absolutely no cajoling, they surrendered the money and apologized for a misguided plot gone so terribly wrong.” He looked at Mr. Rathbun. “Good day to you, sir, and thank you.”
“Good day, Sir Jansen. Lady Joy.”
Joy clenched her teeth, holding her questions until the door clicked shut behind the Bow Street Runner. “It was Ambrose, wasn’t it?”
Jansen slowly shook his head. “No, my love. It pains me to tell you that it was Aurelia.”
Staring at him, Joy realized her mouth gaped open and snapped it shut. No. That couldn’t possibly be true. Not Aurelia. Not her best friend. “That cannot be.”
He nodded at the money on the desk. “Every last penny is accounted for, my angel. Turned in by Aurelia before she went to her room to pack.”
“To pack?”
“I asked her to leave—after she returns the money to whom it belongs and apologizes to them, of course.”
“But she is your sister—”
“And yet she did this to us. To you.”
“She had to have good reason.” Joy shook her head, still unable to believe it. “She had to have done it to get back at Lady Prudence and Lady Constance. That was her reason, wasn’t it?”
“She did it to distract you so you would not send me away. She felt it would draw the two of us together if we had a common enemy.” He sucked in a deep breath and released it with a low, rumbling growl.
“Or at least, that is what she claimed when I confronted her with Mr. Rathbun’s witness’s statement. ”
Joy slowly dropped into the chair in front of the desk, staring at the pile of money. “What did she intend to do with that?”
“Donate it to London’s Children’s Home as soon as the topic cooled enough for it to be safe for her to do so.”
Tears overflowed even though she fought to hold them back. Her dearest friend had betrayed her—well meaningly so, but betrayed her nonetheless. “She truly thought that blackmail would ensure you and I would not part before we married?”
“That was her excuse. I found it somewhat weak as well.” He scrubbed his eyes while slowly shaking his head. “She claims it was because she knew us so well that she thought that. How you always relish a challenge perceived as dangerous and daring, and how I would protect you at all costs.”
Joy snorted a wry laugh. She couldn’t help it.
“She does know us well.” Throat aching with more tears, she covered her face with her hands, trying not to wail aloud.
Good heavens, what on earth was wrong with her?
It wasn’t as if Aurelia had done it to separate them.
She had done it to keep them together, to bind them over a common enemy. “Where are you sending her?”
“To a distant cousin. I am too angry presently to allow her to stay here.”
“She is your only sister, Jansen.”
“She is our mutual betrayer, my angel. Think of the pain she caused you.”
“At least I haven’t spoken to Chance yet.” There was that. If she had endured Chance’s fury, perhaps she would feel differently about Aurelia. But thankfully, they’d had Mr. Rathbun check Winterstone Townhouse’s residents once more. “Who was the witness?”
“Mrs. Copper. She knew of Aurelia’s game but had always indulged her. If not for her years of loyalty, she would be gone too. She thought it a harmless prank and begged me to allow her to stay.”
“I suppose it was harmless—in most ways.” But the betrayal. Playing the part of a victim herself. Joy closed her eyes and swallowed hard, suddenly nauseated by the whole ordeal and very, very tired.
“I am sending her away, Joy. She has to learn that all actions, all decisions, have consequences.”
She pushed up from the chair and turned to the door. “I must lie down for a little while. Do not make her leave until I have spoken with her. Please?”
“I will have her come see you before she leaves.”
“Thank you.” She hurried up to her room.
Her room, where she slept alone because of her husband’s nightmares.
More tears sprang forth. She so wished she and Jansen could wake in the mornings in each other’s arms, but it was not to be.
Sometimes during the night, she heard his shouts through the door that connected their rooms. She had come to hate the darkness and knew he did too.
But nothing she had found, no books she’d read, told her how to help him.
All she could do was pray, and that she did every night.
She fell asleep begging the Almighty to heal Jansen or show her a way to help him.
But so far, her prayers had gone unanswered.
“My lady?” Flora called as she tapped on the bedroom door. “Mrs. Copper saw you rushing upstairs. Can I be helping you?
“Come in, Flora.” Joy sat on the window seat, staring out at the garden below. Maybe some tea or some of Flora’s herbals would help her manage this infernal weepiness, so she could sort through this Aurelia mess and Jansen’s nightmares.
Flora entered carrying a tray with a cup and a small teapot, as if reading her mind. “I know it is time for your courses. So I took the liberty of preparing your herbals. All your pads are laundered and ready. I unpacked them yesterday and placed them in the small dresser behind the privy screen.”