the small portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Smelting and placed it on the little table next to the bed where the child would see it. Then she lifted out a silk handkerchief that Mrs. Smelting had often kept on her person. Bridget rolled it open to check its contents. It contained a pearl necklace, matching pearl earrings, and a gold ring with a small blue sapphire.
They had all belonged to Mrs. Smelting. Upon learning of their demise, a series of events took place in rapid succession. Firstly, the house and its belongings were to be claimed by their closest living relative, the Dowager Duchess of Ludford, Mr. Smelting being the son of the dowager’s older deceased brother.
The shock of learning that Betsy would not also be given to the dowager or the duke and was instead to leave and find a place with Lord John had sent actions into motion on Bridget's part.
Outside of Bridget's personal belongings and Betsy's nursery, all of the possessions were expressly to remain in the house. Having grown up herself with no memory of her own parents or even a trinket or image to remember them by, Bridget couldn't bear to allow the same to happen to Betsy.
So in secret, she had taken the folding portrait and the jewellery from the Smeltings' private quarters. Bridget hoped that when Betsy grew older, she could pass on the belongings that had been cherished by Mrs. Smelting.
It was a risky action to take. In some eyes, Bridget might be stealing the items, the necklace and ring of which she was sure had a reasonable sum of money attached in value. Bridget pacified these fears with the knowledge that she was doing what she knew in her heart was best for the child. As long as she kept their presence a secret and secured until Betsy was old enough to take possession of them, she was sure no one would be the wiser to their removal.
Placing the jewellery, wrapped again neatly in the handkerchief, back into the bag, she removed her own precious possession. It was a silly thing, really. It was nothing more than a rag doll. However, it was the only possession she had to her name when she entered her seminary and again when she left it.
After a moment's consideration, she set it down next to the portrait and climbed into bed. Automatically, Betsy snuggled up close to her governess, sighing in contentment. Bridget smiled, kissed Betsy on her forehead, before settling herself down for a well-needed rest.
Chapter 3
Lord John studied the hour on his timepiece. He knew shortly the sun would start to reach its golden rays upwards, alighting the world outside. He hadn't slept a wink. Despite sitting at his office desk since Miss Thatcher and Betsy made their way to settle upstairs, his word-count matched his amount of sleep.
Frustrated, he ran his hand through his dirty-blond hair. He had no idea what he was to do with this whole situation. He wished he could have just put it from his mind and settle to his work, but it had been nothing more than a wish in the end.
Immediately after the lady's departure, he had set to scavenging through the pile of mail that had taken residence on the corner of the large oak desk. He had not so much as given it a second thought as Perkins had deposited letters each morning and night. In Lord John's mind, there could not have been a matter so pressing as the timeline he now faced.
He had found the missing letter almost immediately. It was marked from Frank Smelting's solicitor, a name Lord John had not recognised at a glance and so he pushed it to the side with the rest of the unopened letters.
Now he tore into it in a fever rush, hoping that the letter would somehow shed light on the situation. Of all his relations, he loved Frank and Elisabeth Smelting the most. Betsy had been made his Goddaughter, and he had showered her with love and affection whenever he could. Still, he couldn't fathom why Frank would designate him – a penniless second son with the only prospect a military career to ensure financial stability – to watch over his child.
Lord John had told Frank of his troubles via correspondence over the last few years. He thought of all people Frank would understand his predicament best of all his acquaintances.
As Lord John had poured out his deepest desires to start his own