The position of governesses within the 19th century and the surrounding years just fascinates me. The governess was, in a way, a liminal person – neither one of the servants nor one of the masters, a paid employee but also a lady. She wasn’t one of the family, but she knew things about the family. That’s why I love a governess novel, in both classics and historical fiction. That’s why my debut novel, THE SECRETS OF HARTWOOD HALL, is about a governess.   So, here are a few fascinating governesses from literature. These are all great creations, so instead of ranking them as characters, I’m going to rank them as governesses – by how good they are at teaching their pupils!   10. Madame de la Rougierre from Uncle Silas, J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1864) Madame de la Rougierre is probably the most evil fictional governess I’ve come across. She is a perfect gothic creation, depicted almost as a fairy tale witch – she literally cackles the first time she appears. She terrifies her teenaged pupil Maud, our protagonist, making up ghost stories to scare her, then starting to plot far worse.   9. Becky Sharp from Vanity Fair, William…