Chapter 29
============================================================
Snap. Tap-tap.
The sharp, rhythmic sound of Jacqueline’s fingernails echoed in the tense silence. Elizabeth’s complexion turned a vivid, angry crimson.
“You—how dare—Jac—!”
“As you’re well aware, my reputation is already in tatters; I have no honor left to protect. If you continue, I wouldn’t hesitate to tear the hair from your head right here. Shall we see if I’m bluffing?”
Elizabeth froze. She knew better than anyone that Jacqueline was never one for empty threats.
“Take one last bit of sisterly advice, Liz—don’t break Uncle Walter’s heart.”
“Stay out of our father’s business!”
Elizabeth spat the words with ice in her voice, taking a ragged breath to force down the fury simmering in her throat.
It was a dynamic that had started back at Bristol Girls’ Boarding School. Out of respect for Walter, Jacqueline usually endured Elizabeth’s petty cruelties in silence.
However, once she reached her breaking point, she would deliver a single, chilling ultimatum—and Elizabeth always found herself forced to back down.
Jacqueline had never been short on methods, whether it was a physical scuffle or a formal challenge to a duel in the school gymnasium.
Despite her temperament, Jacqueline had been the darling of both her peers and the faculty. Elizabeth loathed the way her sister commanded the room’s affection without seemingly lifting a finger.
Samantha let out a derisive snort. “Why does she keep picking fights she’s destined to lose?”
Elizabeth shot her friend a lethal look, then ground her teeth as she glared at Jacqueline.
“Don’t think this is over, Jacqueline. I won’t forget this.”
“Careful, Liz. To an outsider, it might look like I’m the one being bullied.”
With a sharp turn, Elizabeth marched toward the stairs, regaining her poised, aristocratic gait as if the outburst had never happened.
Victoria, glancing nervously between the two sisters, called out, “Wait for me, Liz!” and scrambled to follow. Samantha watched them go, shaking her head.
“Honestly, it’s hard to tell the ladies from the servants these days. Victoria graduated years ago—why is she still following Elizabeth around like a lost puppy?”
Jacqueline watched Elizabeth descend into the ballroom, where her fiancé waited to escort her into the crowd. She then turned her attention back to Samantha.
“I have to go check on Benjamin. My shift isn’t over yet.”
Samantha’s playful expression faltered for a second before she gave a stiff nod.
“Fine. But now that I’ve found you, don’t think you’re getting away. Don’t you dare act like a stranger just because I’m being persistent.”
“I could never do that, Samantha. You’re my closest friend.”
“And you’re mine, Jackie. I’ve truly missed you.”
Jacqueline offered a soft, tired smile and took her leave, feeling a sudden, heavy sense of her own diminished circumstances.
The moment she cleared the ballroom doors, the fragile mask of a smile fell away.
“Whew.”
She let out a heavy, soul-deep sigh. Her shoulders, which had been held rigid with tension, slumped like lead.
Reflecting on Elizabeth’s parting threat, Jacqueline gave a small, cynical shrug.
“It seems I’ve traded a minor nuisance for a major enemy. I’m hardly in a position to be giving Lord Preston any advice on diplomacy.”
With a self-deprecating grin, she made her way toward Benjamin’s playroom. She looked forward to seeing the boy’s eyes light up when he saw the birthday present from Lord Preston.
She needed a bit of pure, uncomplicated joy, and Benjamin’s smile was the perfect remedy.
“What…?”
But when she arrived, she found Benjamin looking utterly miserable.
“Rawrr!”
“Wait, you shouldn’t be running in here—”
“This is it? How boring!”
“Hey, that’s my book—”
“Hahaha! Look at this drawing! It’s pathetic! My baby brother could do better than this.”
“Please, that belongs to Miss Somerset—”
Crash! A deafening thud shook the room. A dozen children were stampeding through the space, shrieking like a pack of wild animals.
Benjamin stood paralyzed in the center of the wreckage, watching his sanctuary be demolished. In the corner, the nannies were huddled together, gossiping and ignoring the chaos entirely.
Haaaaah.
Jacqueline drew a massive, lung-filling breath—and then let out a command that cut through the noise like a blade.
“Everyone, be quiet!”
The room went still instantly. The children skidded to a halt, eyes wide, finally noticing Jacqueline framed in the doorway.
The nannies snapped their heads toward her, their expressions shifting to a mix of guilt and unease as they recognized her.
The largest boy in the group puffed out his chest and pouted.
“So what? It’s just the governess.”
“You will address her as Miss Somerset, Oakley,” Benjamin snapped, finding his voice to defend her.
Oakley only became more defiant.
“She’s still just a servant. My governess doesn’t dare tell me what to do.”
It was the typical arrogance of a viscount’s son; his own tutor likely came from a family of low-ranking nobility with little leverage.
Benjamin bit his lip, his small hands trembling with a fury he couldn’t quite unleash. He looked ready to fight for her honor.
Jacqueline felt a surge of affection for him. Even in his helpless rage, he was a comfort.
Fine, she thought. Let’s make one more enemy today. Let’s make a real scene of it.
With a calm, deliberate pace, she walked into the room. Oakley watched her approach with a sneer, convinced she was powerless against him.
“Haah.”
I can’t exactly get into a fistfight with a child, she reminded herself.
Steadying her nerves, she placed a reassuring hand on Benjamin’s shoulder. He flinched at first, but then relaxed under her touch.
She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze—a silent promise that she had things under control.
She stepped past him toward Oakley. The boy tilted his chin up, while the nannies remained stubbornly uninvolved.
“Hmph!”
Jacqueline’s hand moved quickly. Oakley jumped back, but she wasn’t reaching for him; she grabbed a decorative jar of candies from the nearby table.
“Don’t think you can buy me off with cheap sweets,” Oakley jeered, trying to hide the fact that he’d been startled. “We have much better candy at my house.”
Ignoring his bluster, Jacqueline looked over the rest of the children. They were watching with bated breath, sensing a shift in the atmosphere.
“Listen closely, everyone.”
“This room and everything in it belongs to Benjamin. In a polite society, guests must always ask permission before touching someone else’s property. I expect young lords and ladies to show the manners they were raised with.”
“This stuff isn’t even nice. My father would buy me ten of these if I asked,” Oakley scoffed.
Jacqueline acted as if he hadn’t spoken.
“From this moment on, every child who behaves perfectly will earn a piece of candy.”
“We don’t have to listen to a governess! I’ll give everyone better candy than that!” Oakley yelled.
“The candy I’m giving out isn’t for eating,” Jacqueline said smoothly. “It’s for collecting.”
“Collecting?” a small girl clutching a doll asked, her interest piqued.
Jacqueline smiled at her. “That’s right. You want to gather as many as possible.”
“Why?”
“Because the child who has the most candies by the time the party ends will receive a very special prize.”
“A prize?”
“What kind of prize?”
A boy with a gap-toothed grin—the one called Justin—stepped forward, his eyes bright. The competitive spark had been lit.
They were, after all, only children.
Using the same gentle manipulation she used to manage Benjamin, Jacqueline easily redirected their chaotic energy.
“I’ll give a better prize!” Oakley shouted, but the other children were already ignoring him.
The prospect of being the ‘winner’ among their peers was far more enticing than anything Oakley could offer.
Clack-clack. Jacqueline opened the jar, pulled out a bright yellow lemon drop, and handed it to a quiet girl who had been standing politely in the corner.
“This is for being a wonderful listener. Right now, you’re in the lead.”
“…The lead,” the girl whispered, clutching the sweet.
Justin watched with blatant envy before thrusting his hand into the air.
“What about me? I’m listening too!”
“We’ll see. There’s still plenty of time to earn them.”
“But what’s the secret prize?”
“That’s a surprise. But I will tell you this: it’s one of Benjamin’s most prized possessions.”
“Seriously?”
“Whoa!”
Benjamin, caught off guard, looked at Jacqueline. She gave him a subtle wink, and he nodded along, even though he was secretly worried about which of his toys might be on the line.
Surely not the gift from Uncle? No, she wouldn’t, he thought.
As he pondered this, the other children swarmed Jacqueline with excitement.
“How do we get more?”
“I want one!”
“Give me ten!”
Jacqueline looked at the ten pairs of eager eyes and pointed to the floor.
“First, we tidy up. Everything goes back where it belongs.”
“Okay!”
The room became a whirlwind of productivity. The children began frantically putting toys away and straightening furniture. Jacqueline moved through the room like a conductor, handing out rewards for every completed task.
“Excellent. Put that book on the third shelf, please.”
“I put the paints away! Can I have a candy?”
“Well done. Here you go.”
“Thank you!”
No matter how spoiled they were, they were still just kids—just as Benjamin, for all his gravity, was still only six years old.
Soon, every child in the room had a candy except for Oakley. He stood alone, his face cycling through shades of red and white as he clutched his empty hands.
Jacqueline spoke in a clear, inviting tone.
“Now, I’m going to read a story. The child who sits the most quietly and listens best will earn another candy.”
“Me! Pick me!”
“I’ll be the quietest!”
In seconds, the children had formed a neat semi-circle around Jacqueline’s chair. She pulled a storybook from the shelf and sat down.
The children sat cross-legged at her feet. Even Benjamin took his place at her side, leaving Oakley as the odd man out.
Jacqueline looked at Oakley and gave him a warm, encouraging smile.
“There’s still plenty of candy left, Oakley—if you’d like to join us for the story.”
Oakley, who had expected to be banished, looked up in surprise. With a huff of feigned indifference, he pushed his way into the circle and claimed a spot right in the front.
“Once upon a time…”
Jacqueline’s melodic voice filled the room. The children sat in rapt silence, hanging on every syllable.
The sudden, profound quiet was so jarring that the nannies stopped their whispering, staring at Jacqueline in sheer amazement.
