“My mind will not calm itself,” Diana muttered as she stared at the blank paper. No words would come, not while she was thinking of Jessie and her threat, about to separate her from Owen forever.
She abandoned trying to write and pushed the paper away, just as a sound at the door signalled someone’s arrival. She turned in her seat just as Mrs Jarvis arrived at the door.
“You called for me, Your Grace?” Mrs Jarvis said.
“Yes, please, come in.” Diana beckoned the housekeeper closer, then urged her to sit in a chair nearby. Mrs Jarvis looked wrongfooted at being asked to sit, but she eventually followed Diana’s gesture. “There is a delicate matter I wish to speak to you about.”
“Very well,” Mrs Jarvis said, though she sat tall in the chair, her spine going rigid.
“I know that many young women have disappeared from this house in recent years.”
“Now that is –”
“Please do not deny it.” Diana’s words made Mrs Jarvis fall silent, clasping her hands together. Diana knew there was no time to be wary or nervous in this matter. If she was going to have answers to her questions, then she needed to be confident. She lifted her chin higher, hoping she didn’t look as nervous as she felt.
“I have had it on good authority about the young women who disappear, and it takes no great leap of the imagination to understand why when you hear talk of gowns being let up to hide weight gain.”
“I do not think this a proper conversation for me to be a part of, Your Grace.”
“It is, as you are the one who oversees our maids.” Diana urged the fidgeting of her hands to stop, clenching the fingers together to keep them still. “Do you know what happens to these women once they are with child?”
Mrs Jarvis paled, and her lips parted.
“I … I do not think we should …” She shifted in her seat, looking to the door as though contemplating an escape.
“I am married to the man, Mrs Jarvis. I deserve to know what trouble he has got these young women into. You cannot deny me that.” Diana’s words hung in the air unanswered for a minute or so as Mrs Jarvis continued to shift.
“They are safe, Your Grace. Is that not enough information?”
“I see my husband has not only made you swear a vow of secrecy on this matter but has enlisted you in aiding him.” Diana stood slowly to her feet. “Where are these young women?” Something in Mrs Jarvis broke as she stood to her feet too.
“I merely do what he asks of me. The women are in a home where they can have their children. They are well looked after. He pays for them, provides for them.”
“I suppose that is something,” Diana said tartly, feeling her stomach clench at the idea. How could there be an entire house somewhere full of his previous lovers and their children? “Does he go to see them?”
Mrs Jarvis didn’t answer. Her silence was the only answer Diana needed.
“I see, that would be a no then.” Diana stepped away from Mrs Jarvis, digging her fingers into her palms until her nails formed crescent moons on the skin. “Have you warned the maids of his behaviour in the past?”
“I have, Your Grace.” Mrs Jarvis hung her head forward. “It doesn’t seem to do much. Whatever your husband says to these women, he has them under a sort of control.”
“Do they say they love him?” Diana asked, looking back to the housekeeper.
“I have heard them say such things many times.”
Diana felt sick at the idea, reaching for a nearby chair and sitting down again. It was too awful to think Gilbert could manipulate each maid in such a way to make them love him, maybe even hint at him loving them too. Yet he clearly didn’t, did he? Not if he could move onto the next woman again so easily.
“Where are these women now?” Diana asked. Mrs Jarvis shook her head, clearly having reached her limit. “Where are they, Mrs Jarvis?”
“They are safe. There’s a house in Bath.”
“Please, give me the address,” Diana asked.
“No, I couldn’t. I have my orders, Your Grace.”
“Now you have another.” Diana tried to keep the tremble out of her voice as she reached for one of the sheets of paper and pulled it forward, holding a quill in the air. “The address please, Mrs Jarvis.”
The housekeeper moved forward, taking the quill slowly before she placed it down to the paper, scribbling down an address. As she stood back, Diana picked up the parchment, reading the lines carefully.
