The Nanny 3 (Pages 136 - 285)

 SPOILERS!!!

There seems to be several mysteries in this novel. Now Jo is working in an art gallery in London, and she got the job though a friend of his father, who owns the gallery. The man, Jacob Faversham, is trying to sell one of the paintings that belonged to the Holt family, so he thinks she can help in the negotiation. Virginia is not happy and wants Jacob to let her know, and we discover that the painting is fake, and it seems that Alexander, Jo's father, was involved in some illegal dealings.

As Jo now works in London, she needs someone to look after Ruby. At first, she leaves the girl with the housekeeper, Althea, and her mother, but after an incident with Ruby's friend and his mother, Anthea gives in her notice, and Jo realises that she can't trust her mother. So she has the idea of hiring Hannah, which abhors Virginia.

It is now that we realise that Hannah is not the person who Jo thinks. Hannah reveals that for years Alexander has been paying for her silence, and that is why she is back. After his death money stopped, so she confronts Virginia and demands she give her money, or she will talk. Virginia agrees on the condition she leaves after she receives her money. This is not so straightforward because she has skilfully made Jo to invite her to live in the house. And Hannah is doing everything to show Virginia in a bad light and Ruby as well. Hannah is blind and believes everything that Hannah tells her. Ruby doesn't like her but whenever Ruby says anything against her, Hannah defends her firm faith in her.

Now Virginia is certain that this woman is Hanah, but we know Virginia dropped the body in the lake. This is confusing. I am also curious to know what happened that night thirty years ago. Virginia keeps thinking that they couldn't do anything and they wanted to protect Jo, and they were surprised when Jo didn't remember anything the next day. Maybe Jo did something to Hannah. We know that Virginia and Alexander had to pick her up from the stairs, so maybe Jo did something which resulted in Hannah plunging down the stairs??? I am really dying to know. And I really hope that Jo eventually gets to know her mother and how difficult being her mother has been with Hannah interfering.