Having finished theday’s work and gone back to her home, Mrs. Day thought long and hard about how she was going to convey her suspicions to Lady Nascent. She could of course just walk up to the Manor and ask to see her and tell her privately. But she was really rather frightened of this new Lady Nascent – nothing at all like her sweet gentle mother. So the next best option seemed to be to write her a letter. So Mrs. Day went to her writing desk, took out a sheet of stationery and took her pen.

“September 4th

Dear Lady Nascent,

I am writing to you because I feel that you should know something which might have an effect on your life in the near future.  You may tell me to mind my own business, and if that is the case, I will do so.

As you know there is a stranger in the village, Peter Jack, he calls himself. I understand that he is now working for you, which of course is your business, and nothing to do with me. If you feel he is all right, then I will trust your judgement. However, when I first saw him I could not help but see in him the spitting image of your dear departed father, Lord Nascent. As you know I have been living in this village all my life, and when I was a young girl, many of my friends and I were very friendly with your father, who of course at that time was young, handsome and very attractive. He would dance with us at the village events, and if I might be so bold as to add, on occasion, he would take liberties with some of us. Not that I let him do it with me, mind you.  I don’t want to point a finger at any individuals, as some of them and their families are still now living in the village, but I certainly know of at least three girls who had a long break from the village, staying with relatives, if you know what I mean.

So what I am now thinking is this. One of those girls, or perhaps all of them, had babies which were subsequently adopted. Maybe one of those babies was adopted by people who then moved to Australia. Maybe this so called Peter Jack is in fact your half brother. Do you not think it strange that he picked this of all the villages in England to visit? Do you know think it strange that he chose to look for work on your estate? My thought it that he might come forward with this information and try to pressure you into sharing your inheritance with him. Or even still, with him possibly being the older of you two, and a male, perhaps he thinks he has a right to take over the property rather than you.

In any case, I felt it was my duty to tell you my thoughts on this matter. I think to be forewarned is to be forearmed.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Jean Day