Julia had been at the Athertons’ estate in Suffolk for a few weeks and had not heard from Nicholas Langdon. When she had first arrived, she was afraid the Athertons would refuse her and send her away, if they had heard about her uncle’s treasonous acts against the British crown. But they apparently had not heard and welcomed her with a cold dignity and a bit of relief at having procured a governess at last.
Julia, however, lived in fear that they would hear stories from London that would convince them of her ruined reputation. After a week, Mrs. Atherton called her into her sitting room.
“Miss Grey, it has come to my attention that your uncle, Mr. Wilhern, is suspected of being a spy for the French and has fled the country. Your aunt and cousin are living with relatives now. Is this true?”
“I only know that he is suspected of being a spy.”
The woman stared at her. Finally, she said, “I suppose a girl cannot help her relations. I had been told your reputation was exemplary. You have not been corrupted by your uncle, I hope?”
“No, ma’am. I assure you I have not.”
This seemed to satisfy Mrs. Atherton, and she sent Julia back to the schoolroom.
Now, after three weeks at Donnerly Hall with the Athertons, Julia had settled into a routine. Mornings were filled with teaching her charges reading, writing, and arithmetic—or at least attempting to. Afternoons were for music and language instruction for the older children.
In the evenings Julia was free. She often walked about the extensive grounds of the estate or stayed in her room, reading or doing some other solitary activity. She thought often of Phoebe and prayed that she would not be too miserable and would not despise Julia too much. Julia had rarely ever been without Phoebe’s company, so it was strange not to be able to talk to her or even write to her, since she did not know with whom she was staying.
There was no one else in the house near Julia’s age, except some of the servants. But none of them would speak more than a monosyllable to her—except the children’s nurse, who was at least fifteen years older than Julia and rather coarse in her sentiments and conversation topics. However, Julia was more than willing to overlook some lack of education and niceties simply to have someone to talk to, someone who didn’t look at her as if she resented Julia’s slightly higher position, as the other servants did.
The family members, the mother and the older daughters, all spoke to Julia as if she were too low to deserve to breathe the same air. As the governess, she seemed to be in a class all her own, as Sarah Peck had also found herself—a very lonely place, with no possibility of making a friend who would treat her as an equal.
Julia often sat in her room overlooking the stable, watching people come and go. She was not allowed to go where she pleased. She could not play on the pianoforte at odd times of the day as she had been wont to do when she lived with the Wilherns. Most importantly, she must take care to avoid the master of the house, Mr. Atherton, for he was friendlier with her than anyone else in the house—much too friendly.
In fact, Julia had begun to fear the sight of him, with his fleshy, flushed cheeks and his habit of prowling about the corridor near her room, obviously having overindulged in drink. He had not been bold enough to touch her, but he had been much too eager to have a private word with her in the corridors of the large house. She had always managed to escape him with some excuse or another, but she feared she would need to find a new position soon before he became bolder.
That was why Julia was writing to her friend, Felicity Mayson, to ask her the name and the direction of the school Felicity and her sisters had attended when they were younger. If she could secure a position at such a school, at least she could make friends with the other teachers and not constantly feel as though someone were either looking down on her or thinking she was looking down on them. She could live with the other teachers as an equal.
Julia had written to Felicity more than two weeks ago and told her about her situation. Felicity had written her back. Julia now read her letter again:
My dear Julia,