Page 5 of A Loving Governess in Disguise
Chapter 5
If there was one thing in the world that could be perceived as an ultimate truth, it was that Adolphus Athill got what he wanted.
The firstborn son of a firstborn son seven times over, he knew even as a boy that he would inherit the dukedom of Somerset. That meant that he knew, from birth, that he was special. His mother’s special little boy, then her special man. When his father passed, he continued to care for his mother, with her living in his home even when he was three-and-forty years of age.
She was sitting in the parlour room sipping tea as he paced from one blue wall to the other. He had yet to inform her about what had happened, as she had been so excited about the wedding. It was to be the following day, but his blushing bride had vanished.
She was not a complete fool, he hoped, and this was a mere showing of rebellion due to her sister’s disappearance, but the week had passed by with no word from her parents. He would have to see them that day about the matter, but before that, there was his mother to contend with.
“You know, dearest,” she sighed, placing her teacup down and looking at him warmly, “I understand that marriage is a large step, but you mustn’t fret. Your new bride is very fortunate to have you.”
“She is, indeed,” he huffed, planting his feet. “It would appear that everyone is aware of this but her.”
“Nonsense, Addy, I–”
“Mother, what have I told you about that name? It is childish.”
“But you are still my child. No matter how old and wealthy you become, you are still my boy. I shall refrain from it once your wife is living here, which leaves me one final day to indulge. You can grant me that, can’t you?”
“It appears that you have more time to do so than you thought. She is … She is digging her heels in about all of this.”
“Little Euterpe? How strange. She was always so obedient.”
“Which is precisely why I have coveted her for years, but she seems to have taken this as her opportunity to abscond.”
His mother faltered, looking at him with a puzzled expression. Nobody ever refused her son. The only reason he was unmarried, as far as she was concerned, was because they were yet to find anyone worthy. Even Miss Cheslyn was beneath him, but he had offered to marry her out of the goodness of his heart. Adolphus had made sure that his mother was aware of that.
“That is to say that she has followed her sister’s behaviour?” she asked. “Why, that would mean that she is no better. What a horrid family. Those parents should have made their duty clear to them. If they lack discipline to this extent, then it is just as well that you do not marry her. I dread to think what your children would be like.”
“Mother, I will be marrying her, and you will be polite to her. She is all I have wanted, and I intend to have her.”
“But are you certain it is right?”
“Are you questioning me?” he asked, taking a step towards her.
“No! Of course not,” she replied, pressing her back further into the settee. “I only want you to be certain, as I want the best for you.”
“She is the best, and I will be her husband whether she likes it or not. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must speak with her parents.”
“What will they be able to do?”
“Whatever is necessary, I expect. They know that I am her only option.”
He did not give his mother time to respond, immediately leaving for the Cheslyn household. Telling his mother had been mortifying, as she had been lightly pressuring him to choose a bride, and she had thought the Cheslyns to be a respectable family. Regardless, he told himself her parents would find the girl and make her see sense.
If not, he would do it himself.
However, he knew he could not be too domineering with his approach. He had to play the role of a lovesick suitor, frightened for her well-being, or else they might show reluctance towards the match.
And so, as he entered their household, he wore a pained expression. They were apologetic from the moment he set foot in the door, trying to appease him even though he had not asked them to do so.
“Your Grace,” George began, “we do not know what has got into her. This is so unlike her, and the moment we find her, we shall demand to know what she was thinking. She cannot have gone far.”
“Fear not, Cheslyn, I am not angry. With everything she has had to face regarding young Eloise, it is to be expected that she was unhappy. I only fear for her safety. I will help you find her, I swear.”
The gentleman nodded to him, grateful that he was not furious. Adolphus was furious, of course, but they were not to know that. They only needed to know that he would do anything to find her.
“So,” he continued, “who knows about this? The marriage, too.”
“Nobody is aware of the marriage, as far as I am aware,” Beatrice replied. “And nobody knows of her disappearance outside of yourself and this household.”
And his mother, but looking at the deep red circles around the lady’s blue eyes, he decided against mentioning that. He thought that was very gracious of him, indeed.
“And do we know of anything thus far that might lead us to her?”
“Adolphus,” George said kindly, “I appreciate you trying to help us, but it is not your burden to bear. She is our daughter, and we shall do everything in our power to find her and bring her back. All we ask is that you give us some time so we do not need to cancel the wedding.”
Adolphus knew perfectly well that he would not allow the wedding to be cancelled, but he could not tell them as much. He had to create a sense of urgency so they would hasten to find her even more quickly than they likely were.
“I understand,” he replied, nodding slowly, “and I am a patient man, but that patience is not infinite. I will, however, give you aid in any way I can.”
“Are you saying that you may cancel the wedding?”
“I am saying that I am four-and-thirty years of age, and I have a mother that is anxious to see me wed before she passes, which at her age … well, it could always be sooner than we expect.”
The Cheslyns exchanged worried glances with one another. Adolphus tried to conceal his smirk. Perhaps, in their concern, they might tell him something of note.
But they did not. Instead, Lady Essex gave a small nod and left the room hurriedly, her husband not saying another word to her.
“I did not mean to cause any upset,” Adolphus explained. “Nor do I wish to make any of this more difficult for the two of you than it already is. I only want to find Euterpe.”
“As do I,” George sighed. “I would never have expected my daughters to do this. Eloise, I can understand. She was always a dreamer, and she always planned on fulfilling those dreams, but Euterpe was always such a well-behaved girl. This isn’t like her, not at all.”
“Then it is likely that she will regret her actions and return from wherever she has gone. Might you– might you have any idea as to where that might be?”
“I’m afraid not.”
But Adolphus saw it, the flicker of betrayal in George’s eye. He did know something, and for some reason, he was not willing to share it with him. Fortunately, if he knew, he knew precisely who else would be aware of it: his staff.
He also knew servants would tell him anything for the right price, and he had funds to spare.
“Very well,” he replied. “I shall take my leave. Please do tell me if there is anything I can do to help you, or if you find anything. I want her back, George, more than you could possibly know.”
“I know. Shall I see you out?”
“No, no, that will not be necessary. You have enough to do. Besides, I know this household almost as well as my own reflection.”
George managed a half-hearted laugh, and Adolphus went on his way. Instead of leaving, however, he went directly to the servants’ quarters and found a kitchen maid, who was astonished to see him there. She was young and small, easy to intimidate if necessary, and naive enough to trust him. She was perfect.
“You– you should not be here, Your Grace.”
“No, I should not, but I am afraid it is urgent. I need to know where Miss Cheslyn has gone.”
“I do not know. Nobody does.”
“Yes, but you must know something. Name your price, and it is yours; then you will tell me what you know, and I shall be on my way.”
She looked at him with a pained expression as though unwilling to betray the earl and countess, but there was nothing that could not be bought.
“Fifty pounds,” she whispered.
“Good, good. I shall return within the week with it. Now, what do you know?”
“They believe she has taken the advice of a Miss Charlotte Fletcher. The girls have been friends for years, and it is likely that she left here and went to her home if only to say her goodbyes. She is accompanied by her lady’s maid, Emma.”
Adolphus nodded. It was not a perfect answer, but it was enough to tell him where to start. He thanked her with a promise to pay her soon and left the household. He would, indeed, pay her, not because he was a man of his word or anything of the sort, but because she would have to keep quiet if he bought her silence.
As he rode in the carriage into town, he planned his next steps. He could not search for her himself, though he thought himself to be the best man for it, because he had been told not to do so. If he were known to be doing all this without permission, it would not be looked kindly upon.
Not only that, but he knew that if he found Euterpe first before they were married, he would be unkind to her to say the least, and he could not do that until she was his. By then, he could do anything he wanted with her, but first, he needed to bide his time.
Instead, he found an investigator, Mr Colin Williams. Aged seven-and-thirty, he was experienced in his work but not too well known, which was exactly what Adolphus needed. He met him in his office, a messy room with papers strewn everywhere. It was not the wonderfully and perfectly organized place that Adolphus would typically frequent, which only made it that much more enticing. Nobody would suspect him of using someone so eccentric.
Eccentric described Mr Williams well: shoulder-length black hair tied back messily, brown eyes hidden behind spectacles, and a strangely shaped moustache. He welcomed Adolphus in and then made a vain attempt at clearing some of his things away.
“I never can decide on the right way to file these.” He laughed brightly. “Now, how may I help you?”
“I am looking for a young lady. Before I go any further, I require your assurance that this will be strictly between the two of us.”
Williams eyed him carefully for a moment before nodding.
“Very well, you have my word if you can afford it.”
“I can afford three of you with a small percentage of my wealth. Does that satisfy you?”
Williams blinked. Adolphus had not meant to speak with such ferocity, but he couldn’t stand even the mere suggestion that he was not wealthy and powerful. Until he had a wife, that was all he would ever be.
“Yes, quite,” Williams replied. “I shall need a name and any other information you can give me, of course.”
“Her name is Miss Euterpe Cheslyn. It is my understanding that the last person she will have seen is Miss Charlotte Fletcher after disappearing around six days ago.”
“Six days … she could be anywhere by now.”
“And I shall pay you handsomely to find her. She and I are betrothed, and her disappearance has ruined me. I need her back, unharmed. I cannot make it any clearer than that.”
He saw a flicker of sympathy in the investigator’s eyes. He played the role of the jilted groom very well, he thought, but he had to continue the act rather than congratulate himself.
“I will do what I can. I lost my own wife in the last year, so I understand how you must be feeling.”
It was perfect.
“I am pleased to have someone helping me that understands. Please, find her as soon as you can.”
He left soon after, no longer having to conceal the smirk he had been pushing away that day. He had the means and motivation to find the girl, and he was going to do so whether her parents liked it or not. Vows and ceremony be damned, she was his, and she would have to do a lot more than simply disappear to change that.
In the meantime, he had to continue his charade in front of the Cheslyns. He had to make them think it was urgent, but only so that he could have her sooner. In truth, he would wait for her. He had longed for her for years, so what was a little more time? As long as he had her in the end, he would be a very happy man, indeed.
And that, he thought as he returned home to a hundred questions from his mother, was precisely what he deserved.