Page 84 of When She Was a Governess
Soon, they were all settled in the drawing room.
“What do we do to counter this assault?” James’s jaw was tight. “We cannot let this go on for one more day.”
Sebastian turned to Henry. “What exactly has your mother said? We’ve heard fragments, but I want the full picture.”
Henry recounted the rumors—all of them, holding nothing back. By the time he finished, Sebastian was pacing around the room, and James looked ready to put his fist through a wall. Her sisters-in-law had grown pale.
“Half of it’s true,” Sebastian said. “That’s what makes it so damnable. Sophie was a governess. Your courtship was brief. You were at a sanatorium. I did infiltrate Wentworth’s estate as a gardener to find proof.”
“Precisely,” Rose said. “So we counter with the truth. The full truth, presented in the most favorable light.”
“Thomas and I have already begun,” Charlotte said. “We’ve been making strategic calls, planting seeds of doubt about the Countess’s credibility.”
“What have you said?” Sophia asked.
“We have hinted at the Countess’s instability and her vindictive nature, using Rebecca’s will as fodder. What would make a daughter leave her child to anyone but her own mother?”
“Unless there was more to the story,” Charlotte said. “We have not said what exactly, but it has made people curious to find out more.”
“Mother will fight back,” Henry warned. “She always does.”
“Let her try.” James’s voice was steel. “We will take her down, one way or the other.”
“Many times, I have found my own mother’s behavior disagreeable,” Georgiana said. “But the Countess has been far worse.”
Sophia sent her a sympathetic smile. “At least your mother’s in America, where she cannot cause as much harm.”
Rose nodded. “I know a little something about a ruthless and cruel parent. As horrible as it sounds, I am simply glad my father is dead.”
“I find it amazing that we have all managed to remain good people, despite it all,” James said. “Well, some of us are better than others.” He glanced at his wife, humor sparking in his eyes.
“You are not nearly the ruffian you once were,” Georgiana said, her expression indulgent.
“All right, then. What do we do?” Sebastian asked. “We need a tactical plan.”
“That’s where we come in,” Thomas said. “Charlotte and I have been navigating society’s treacherous waters for years.”
“I’ve already begun making a list,” Charlotte said. “Events to attend, people to cultivate, strategic appearances. We’ll coordinate everything so there’s a consistent message.”
“Henry, your mother has attacked the wrong family. We will crush her,” James said with satisfaction.
They spent the next hour discussing tactics—which events to attend, which matrons to cultivate, how to address the rumors without appearing defensive. Charlotte took notes. By the time dinner was announced, they had the outline of a plan.
Over dinner, the conversation shifted slightly, becoming more personal. Georgiana discussed her own experiences in society after she married James. Rose offered insights from her own experience defending the Ashford name when she had first married Sebastian.
“None of this is insurmountable,” Sophia said. “I must keep reminding myself of that.”
“I might not care at all, except we need to protect Amelia,” Henry said. “Her future is at stake.”
“That is correct,” Rose said. “We must eradicate this gossip for all our children’s sakes.”
“The Ashford name has been destroyed before,” Sebastian said. “Surely we can make this go away.”
“We will,” Rose said firmly.
“It might even be a little fun,” Georgiana said, smirking.
“My wife can be vicious, you know,” James said.
