A Governess of Discretion by Emily E K Murdoch

When a governess of great talents is required, there is only one place the nobility of England go: The Governess Bureau.

And one of the most trusted? Miss Anne Gilbert. She’s known for keeping her employer’s secrets, and when she is selected by the Earl of Clarcton, that is precisely why.
Because the Earl, Timothy Lexington, has secrets. Secrets he has worked hard to keep from the world for the last two years. While scandal waits in the wings, Clarcton Castle has entire wings that are shut off and the Countess is nowhere to be found.
Anne may be discrete, but that doesn’t mean she’s not curious. When Timothy makes a scandalous request of her – pretend to be his countess at the Christmas Ball to prevent rumors of her disappearance from spreading – he doesn’t tell her why. He doesn’t tell her she has a strange and unexplainable resemblance to his wife.
Anne is faced not only with half-lies and stony-faced servants…but a growing passion for the man she knows is lying to her. When an Earl won’t tell the truth about his own wife, a governess has only one course of action: accept the lies demurely. What a shame Anne isn’t going to stop seeking the truth.
As the Christmas Ball grows closer, will Anne learn to trust a man she knows is trying to deceive her? Is it possible that the truth, once found, will bring them closer together – or break the connection forever?