Julie Klassen - The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

2011 by Julie Klassen

Published by Bethany House Publishers

11400 Hampshire Avenue South

Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

www.bethanyhouse.com

Bethany House Publishers is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

Ebook edition created 2011

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4412-6992-8

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Cover design by Jennifer Parker

Cover photography by Mike Habermann Photography, LLC

Praise for Julie Klassen Novels

Christy and RITA nominee Klassen creates a wonderful cast of engaging characters while neatly stirring in a generous dash of mystery and danger into the plot of her latest, charmingly romantic inspirational romance.

This story captured me in the very first pages and there was absolutely no putting it down. I highly recommend The Girl in the Gatehouse as well as Klassens other three novels.

Klassen expertly infuses her Regency-set inspirational tale with a gothic atmosphere, resulting in a sweetly intriguing romance worthy of Victoria Holt.

This book has scandal, mystery, secrets and a budding romance. The characters are written in such detail the reader will forget they are fictional! Klassen has outdone herself with this latest novel. Her writing is comparable to Jane Austens. She writes with passion and readers will not be able to put this book down.

This was one story I wasnt able to put down at all from beginning to end. Full of intrigue and romance, The Silent Governess is steeped in gothic atmosphere and fascinating research. I have been a fan of Ms. Klassens since reading her debut book, Lady of Milkweed Manor , and her books just keep getting better and better. She is a must read author!

This is an inspired and well-told story of mystery, intrigue and the politics of upstairs and downstairs folk in 19th-century England. The author takes the reader back in time effortlessly. If you enjoy Jane Austen or the Regency period, you will love this book.

Klassen blends her tale well; each ingredientromance, friendship, healing arts, mysteryis measured to produce a lively, lengthy tale that will satisfy Regency aficionados and general readers, too.

Once again, author Julie Klassen delivers a satisfying historical account with plenty of twists to make you want to read just one more chapter. Her characters carry a Dickens flavor. The Apothecarys Daughter is a five-star read.

Klassen has written an amazing historical novel and she handles a 19th-century taboo with grace, style and respect.

Julie Klassen weaves a compelling story... fully imagined. I loved it!

This is truly one of the most emotionally gripping novels Ive ever read.... This story is so full of passion that it will make your heart sing.

In each of my four previous novels,

Ive included, as a character,

a kind or helpful aunt.

Perhaps this is because Ive been blessed

with such outstanding aunts in my own life.

And so, I dedicate this book to my aunts

Carol, Madeline, Barbara, Sharon, and Lou.

And to Lila, wherever you are.

Contents

Judge not according to the appearance....

Jesus Christ

The only aristocrat known to have
disguised herself as a servant is Georgiana,
Duchess of Devonshire, in 1786.

Chapter 1

London

August 1815

H e is reading my letters now too....

Margaret Elinor Macy sat at her dressing table, heart pounding. Her face in the looking glass shone pale beneath curly dark hair, her light blue eyes anxious. She glanced from her reflection to the letter in her hand. The seal had been pried open and unsuccessfully re-pressed. Her mothers new husband had obviously begun checking her postperhaps fearful the next invitation she received would not be to a ball but rather to take refuge in another house, out of reach and out from under his power.

It was bad enough when the footman began following her everywhere she went, whether the occasion warranted a servants escort or not. Then an hour ago she had asked to wear her aunts pearl necklace, only to be refused.

Too many footpads on the streets at night, Sterling Benton had said. Though she and her mother had always worn their better jewelry before.

Sterling had locked in his safe almost all the Macy family valuables for safekeeping. Privately Margaret guessed hed sold some pieces and locked the rest away so she couldnt barter them for passage somewhere far away.

He had long since ceased granting her any allowance, claiming strained finances. That might be true, but Margaret knew Sterling had other motives for keeping her dependent on him for every shilling. Though soon to inherit a large sum from her great-aunt, at the moment Margaret was unable to buy herself a hairpin, let alone passage anywhere.

She regarded her wan reflection once more. She was not looking forward to the ball at the Valmores, though in the past masquerades had been her favorite. She loved the disguises, the mystery, the chance to flirt behind a mask, to pretend she was someone she was not. For weeks she had planned to appear as a milkmaid, a costume the Duchess of Queensberry had donned for a formal portrait, sparking a rage of paintings of gentlewomen in servants attire. Margaret guessed she would not be the only milkmaid in attendance that evening.

Her coiffeur was a concoction of dark hair piled high with a long spiral curl gracing each side of her neck. But she was having second thoughts about it. She had relished the notion of fooling the other guests until masks were removed halfway through the ball. At the moment, however, the very idea of costumes seemed frivolous. Besides, the dark hair did not flatter her complexion.

Reaching up, she yanked the wig from her head.

Joan! she called sharply.

The second housemaid had doubled as young ladys maid ever since Sterling had dismissed Margarets abigail. The experienced ladys maid, Miss Durand, was busy arranging Mothers hair. Margaret sniffed. As if it mattered how well a married woman looked. Her future did not depend on appearing her prettiest that night.

Joan, a thin, practical housemaid in her midtwenties, hurried in carrying a lace cap and the cape she had been pressing. She tripped over Margarets dressing gown, bunched on the carpet where Margaret had let it fall. Why had Joan not picked it up?