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Letty didn’t know if it was her imagination or the nanny truly sounded as suspicious as Letty thought. She turned to face her, tucking a stray tendril of hair back into a cap, a smile fixed on her face.
“Yes. Do you have any other questions?”
“No, no. I’m fine.” Mrs. Haversham lay back down quickly, and turned away from Letty. She sighed inwardly, shaking her head. Even Mrs. Haversham could not resist questioning her about her movements.
Everyone must have heard by now, that I am a French spy.
She knew how servants talked. They were usually her best source of information.
Perhaps I should use that to my advantage. Find out what’s being said about me.
She crept over to Mrs. Haversham’s bed, and leaned down to peer at her. The nanny jumped, turning her head to peer over at Letty with wide eyes.
“May we speak?” Letty whispered.
Mrs. Haversham immediately turned around and sat up, seeming quite eager to do that. “Of course.”
Letty sat down on Mrs. Haversham’s bed with a sigh. “I imagine you have some questions.”
She shook her head. “N-no. Why would I?”
“Because the other day, the Duke asked for me to be located and detained, and then sent me away and now, here I am, back in your midst.”
“I’m sure His Grace did what was best for the household.”
“I’m sure he did, too. But that doesn’t mean you cannot be curious.”
Mrs. Haversham’s shoulders dropped as if she was relieved. “Well, itisa very curious thing, you must admit. They are saying you’re a traitor.”
“Really? What else are they saying?”
The nanny shrugged, looking away. “That you either tried to kill the Duke…or…” she stopped, swallowed, flashing Letty a glance from beneath her lashes.
“What?”
“That you seduced him.” Mrs. Haversham said the words quickly as if that would lessen the sting.
“So I am a traitoranda barque of frailty?”
“I think it’s ratherorthanand…” Mrs. Haversham blinked at her. After a moment, they both burst into laughter.
“Well, do you want to hear the truth?” Letty asked once the fit had passed.
“Yes of course. If you’d care to tell me.”
Letty furrowed her brow as she tried to think what to say. “Iama spy in the French Army. My father was a Frenchman, and my mother is English. She left us so my father raised me.”
She nodded attentively and Letty took a breath before she continued.
“I was sent to spy on His Grace, it’s true. And whilst I was doing that, I overheard a plot to take his life.”
The nursemaid gasped.
Letty nodded. “Yes. And so I was faced with a dilemma. To run, or to warn the Duke.”
Mrs. Haversham leaned in, her eyes wide. “What did you do?”
“I warned the Duke.”
“Oh…that is why you came back?”
“Yes.”
Mrs. Haversham clutched her hand. “Thank the Lord for small mercies.”
Letty smiled, knowing that by the end of the day, her words would have spread like wildfire.
“Yes, thank the Lord.”
