Page 59 of The Earl's Forbidden Governess
Mr. Harper’s voice was low and urgent as he continued. “She wants to marry Lord Wessex as soon as possible. She’ll maintain the charade until she births a male child. Then... then she plans to murder both Lord Wessex and Lady Emily in a staged robbery, just like their parents.”
“No,” Catherine breathed, horror flooding through her. The thought of Edward and Emily, both so dear to her, falling victim to Isabella’s cruel plan was unbearable. “We cannot let that happen. We have to stop her!”
Mr. Harper nodded, his face grim. “That’s why I’ve come to you, Miss Winslow. I... I can’t live with this secret any longer. Allowing the murder of Lord and Lady Wessex was bad enough, but Emily... I’ve watched her grow up. I’ve seen her pure heart, her sharp mind. Killing her is a step too far. I’m ready to face the consequences of my actions, if it means saving her life.”
Catherine studied his face, searching for any sign of deception. All she saw was genuine remorse and fear. “Why now?” she asked. “Why come to me?”
“Because you care for them,” he said simply. “Lord Wessex and Lady Emily. I’ve seen it. And... and I think Lord Wessex cares for you too. More than he’s willing to admit, perhaps even to himself.”
Catherine felt her cheeks flush at this, but she pushed the feeling aside. There were more important matters at hand. “What can we do? We need proof. No one will believe us otherwise.”
Mr. Harper reached into his coat and pulled out a small packet of letters. “These are from Isabella. They detail her plans, her instructions to me. I’ve kept them all these years, as... insurance, I suppose. I thought if she ever turned on me, I could use them to protect myself. But now... now I see they’re worth far more as a means of protecting Lady Emily.”
Catherine took the letters with trembling hands, the weight of their contents feeling far heavier than the paper itself. “This is... this is incredible. But Mr. Harper, you realize what this means? You’ll be implicated too. You could hang for your part in this.”
Mr. Harper nodded solemnly, his face set in grim determination. “I know. And I’m prepared to face that. What I did... what I allowed to happen... it’s unforgivable. But if I can save Lady Emily, if I can prevent any more bloodshed, then perhaps I can die with some measure of peace.”
As the full weight of his confession settled over them, the forest around them grew darker. The chirping of birds gave way to the eerie hooting of owls and the rustling of nocturnal creatures. Catherine felt as though she were standing on the edge of a precipice, the fate of those she cared about hanging in the balance.
“What do we do now?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Samuel Harper’s eyes met hers slowly, the fear evident in his gaze. “We go to Lord Wessex. We tell him everything. And then... then we face whatever comes next.” Despite the fear in his eyes, his voice was surprisingly steady.
As they rose to leave the clearing, Catherine couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding. The truth had finally come tolight, but at what cost? And how would Edward react when he learned of the betrayal that had shattered his family?
With heavy hearts and minds full of uncertainties, Catherine and Samuel Harper made their way out of the darkening forest, ready to face the reckoning that awaited them at Wessex Manor.
Chapter 25
The journey back to Wessex Manor seemed interminable. Catherine’s heart raced with each step, her mind whirling with the weight of the revelations she now carried. The forest path stretched before them, dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy above. Beside her, Samuel walked with his head bowed, a man marching to his own execution.
As they approached the manor, its imposing silhouette looming against the darkening sky, Catherine saw a figure pacing on the terrace. Even from a distance, she recognized Edward’s tall frame, his agitated movements. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart raced.
Oh, how she loved him.
Edward spotted them as they neared, his body going rigid. He descended the steps swiftly, gravel crunching under his boots. His face was a mask of confusion and concern, brow furrowed deeply.
“Catherine?” he called, his voice filled with utter bewilderment. “Where have you... Samuel? What’s going on?”
Catherine took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation to come. “Edward, we need to talk. It’s... it’s about your parents.”
Edward’s eyes darted between them, narrowing suspiciously. The muscle in his jaw ticked, a tell-tale sign of his rising tension. “My study. Now.”
Catherine frowned. He’d always been so adamant that he would not discuss his parents’ death. Was it Samuel’s presence that changed his mind?
Yet, when she looked at his weary posture, she knew—it was not. He had fought for far too long, and he was exhausted now.
The tension in Edward’s study was palpable as Samuel began his confession. The room seemed to shrink, the air growing thick and oppressive. Catherine’s heart shattered just a bit as she saw Edward’s face pale, and his hands gripping the edge of his desk, knuckles white with strain.
Samuel’s voice trembled as he recounted the events of that fateful night, each word seeming to physically pain him. “I let them in, My Lord. The men Isabella hired. I... I disabled the locks, showed them the way to your parents’ chambers. I didn’t... I thought I...”
Edward’s face paled, a sheen of sweat breaking out on his forehead. “You... you helped murder my parents?”
Samuel nodded miserably, unable to meet Edward’s gaze. “Yes, My Lord. I... I’m so sorry. I was blinded by my feelings for Isabella, I never thought...”
As Samuel finished, a heavy silence fell over the room. Edward stood motionless, his back to them, staring out the window. The last rays of sunlight cast long shadows across the floor, painting the room in shades of gold and deep crimson.
“Edward?” Catherine ventured softly, taking a hesitant step toward him.
