by Regina Darcy
The Worthington girls had considered themselves very fortunate: no one really wanted to live with Edgar Herbert. Besides, as far as boarding schools went, St Bernadette’s was second to none. And as to the legitimacy or illegitimacy of other students, that was never discussed in private or in public.
Since Robert Savage had arrived, their world had been turned upside down. At one point they had envisioned that Cousin Edgar had sent for them and might be willing to take back their guardianship, but despite Esther travelling to London to secure their future, nothing had come of it. Her whereabouts were now unknown and no clear answers were provided by Robert Savage.
As to her sister Abigail – Charity clenched her fists, only the Almighty knew what had become of her. She had randomly one day disappeared from the face of the earth.
Charity silently mourned the loss of her sisters, even though Robert Savage had assured Miss Hemsworth that they had both entered into wonderful marriages. That did not explain why they had not written to Charity, given that they knew where she was. A clawing nausea rose in her stomach at the thought.
“Open it,” Miss Hemsworth exclaimed, leaning forward in her chair and distracting her from her thoughts. “What is it that’s keeping you?”
Looking down at the gift in her hand, Charity found that she could not answer, knowing that she couldn’t explain her sudden need to treasure this moment. This was the kind of thing other women took for granted, was it not? Receiving gifts and other notes of affection was quite commonplace in upper society circles, she presumed, and therefore not considered to be something of import, but it meant the world to Charity.
Slowly, she pulled the ribbon open, letting the cloth-covered package turn this way and that as it freed itself from the ribbon’s bonds.
“You might well be able to keep that ribbon,” Miss Hemsworth murmured, holding out her hand to take it from Charity. “A quick wash and it would look quite lovely.”
Charity glanced up at Miss Hemsworth with a brief smile, before turning her attention back to the parcel. Folding back the cloth, she pushed it aside to reveal a small book of poetry.
A confused frown flickered across her face, only for her stomach to tighten immediately as she remembered where she had seen it before.
This was the book of poetry she had held in her hand at the general store, the one she had dropped when Viscount Cunningham had looked her way. Her fingers traced over the cover of the book, recalling how he had purchased it himself. There was no need for a note or any other kind of missive, for she knew exactly who had sent the book to her.
“What is it?” Miss Hemsworth asked, excitedly. Craning her neck, she looked over at the book in Charity’s lap, her brows furrowing. “Someone has sent you a book?”
“A book of poetry, yes,” Charity replied, wondering why her voice sounded so breathless. “It is a beautiful and most unexpected gift.”
Miss Hemsworth sat back and studied Charity for a brief moment. “But there is nothing to say who has sent it,” she said, evidently waiting for Charity to explain who had sent it to her.
Charity swallowed, not knowing what to divulge about who the sender was. Should she reveal the sender to Miss Hemsworth, when she was not quite sure of what to make of the gift herself?
“Come now, Charity,” Miss Hemsworth pressed. “We are friends, are we not? Can you not share your admirer with me?”
“I do not think he is an admirer,” Charity replied at once. “We simply have a shared love of poetry, that is all. I am sure he just wishes me to borrow this for a time before returning it to him.” She glanced over at Miss Hemsworth, who had a look of slow dawning realisation, making Charity’s cheeks burn with heat.
“Viscount Cunningham has sent you this!” Miss Hemsworth breathed, her eyes bright. “Oh, my dear Charity! This is wonderful!”
Charity wanted to break into laughter, such was the giddy expression on Miss Hemsworth’s face.
“It is not quite as good as that, Miss Hemsworth. We were discussing poetry earlier that is all. I am quite sure that he simply feels sorry for me, and for how dismissive he was of my situation earlier, and is attempting to make up for it.”
Miss Hemsworth chuckled. “Or, perhaps, he thinks you quite lovely.”
“Then he is quite right,” Charity declared, with mischief in her eyes. “But I cannot think of him as a potential suitor, Miss Hemsworth. You know that.”
“And why ever not?” Miss Hemsworth challenged, sitting up a little straighter. “There is the ball coming up, as you are aware and we are seeking a way to remove you from the threat of the colonies.”
Charity let out a brief sigh. “You know very well why Miss Hemsworth. I am not exactly a lady of good breeding.”
The look on Miss Hemsworth’s face was something between sympathy and frustration. “That should not hold you back, Charity. It appears it does not affect the Viscount’s opinion of you.”
“And that is kind of him, if that is the case,” Charity replied, honestly. “But I cannot imagine that he would ever consider matrimony with someone like me. No, I am best suited to a tradesman or such like. Someone who does not mind my reduced circumstance, someone whose reputation will not be adversely affected because of their relationship with me.”
Miss Hemsworth bit her lip, her frustration still more than evident.
“I know you will think that the Viscount cares for me, what with this gift, but I must not allow myself that fantasy,” Charity continued, wishing she could make Miss Hemsworth understand. “He is kind-hearted, I will admit to that, despite his earlier disregard for you and your situation, but that is all. This gift is evidence of his good character.” Swallowing the sudden lump in her throat, Charity tried to smile. “It is kind of you to encourage me to think that the Viscount might consider more than just an acquaintance with me, but let’s been sensible, my circumstances put me to shame.”
“That is where you are quite wrong, Charity,” Miss Hemsworth replied, softly. “A person’s background does not make them who they are, quite the contrary! You may have come from reduced circumstanced, but that does not affect your gentle nature or sweet disposition. In fact, you have already faced censure from society multiple times, and I have never seen you react in anger. You have simply given everyone a kind smile and continued on your way, focusing on your life and your purpose in it. The mistake you make is in considering the Viscount to be like the others within polite society. Not everyone will look down on you with disdain, as he has already evidenced. Do not be so quick to push him from your thoughts, Charity. He might intend to linger there.”
Charity did not want to listen to Miss Hemsworth’s words but found that her heart was already open to them. It was true that she had been snubbed many times by society, but had found a way of hardening herself . Even now, her heart warned her to keep the Viscount at arm’s length and hope for nothing more than friendship.
Her eyes fell on the book in her lap, opening the pages and letting her eyes drift over the many beautiful lines that spoke to her heart. Perhaps Miss Hemsworth was right and she should allow herself to consider the Viscount and his intentions in sending her this book. Her heart quickened as she brought his face to mind, remembering the warmth in his eyes as he’d smiled at her.
“Very well,” she murmured, hearing Miss Hemsworth’s slight squeal of glee. “I will consider him, Miss Hemsworth, but I warn you now that I am more inclined to consider him only an acquaintance.”
“That is good enough for me,” Miss Hemsworth replied, rising so she might refill their teacups.
SEVEN
David got to his feet the moment the owner of the law-practice “Sandiford and Son”; Arthur Sandiford entered the Nettle Arms. He shook the man’s hand and smiled broadly. It had been a long while since they had seen each other.
Mr Sandiford had been a good friend of his father and despite moving away from London to live in the countryside they had kept in touch. In fact, the two clerks that were currently employed
by Sandiford had been hired under a recommendation from David. As luck would have it only a couple of months ago Paul Sandiford, Arthur Sandiford’s son, who was also a lawyer had raised some enquires with David’s clerks regarding a certain Lord Flemingham. A man who had turned out to be a dastardly sort. So he was fairly sure the Sandiford’s might be open to undertaking something out of the ordinary.
“It is good to see you, sir,” he began. “I do hope the clerks I recommended are working hard for you.”
“Of course, of course,” Arthur Sandiford replied, smiling. “They always do. You know I never have any concerns over them.”
“I am glad to hear it.”
“Please,” Sandiford continued, gesturing to a seat. “Please sit. Can I get you something to drink? A small brandy perhaps?”
Tempted as he was, David shook his head. “No, I thank you. My business here will be brief.”
“Oh?”
Waiting until the lawyer had sat down, David cleared his throat. “I confess this is something of a strange request, but I have had reason to become involved with the local school for young ladies, run, until recently, by Miss Martha Hemsworth.” He waited until the look of understanding came over the lawyer’s face, before continuing. “Robert Savage, as I understand, has only recently taken over the school.”
The lawyer nodded slowly. “Came right out of the blue, that man did. Turned up with all these papers to prove he was Miss Hemsworth’s uncle and just took over.” He shrugged. “Not much I could do, of course.”
Surprised, David’ brows rose. “She came to you for help?”
“No, no, nothing like that,” the solicitor replied, quickly. “Mr Savage himself came to show me the documents.”
“Ah.” A sudden idea hit David. “Do you still have them?”
“No, I’m afraid not. My clerks may have made copies, but the originals were handed back once they had been looked over.”
David nodded thoughtfully. “And, without being indelicate, was there ever anything about the documents that had you questioning their authenticity?”
The atmosphere changed at once. David could see the way that the friendliness almost seemed to evaporate from the solicitor’s expression, quickly replaced with a frosty glare.
“I am not calling your competence into question,” David continued, hastily. “Not in the least. In fact, I would not have come to you with this if I were not so sure that Robert Savage might be, in fact, a very intelligent man.”
“But you consider him to be a fraud?” Sandiford asked, a little icily.
David took a breath. “I am not sure.”
“And Miss Hemsworth has asked for your assistance?”
“The opposite, in fact. I offered it.”
Sandiford sat back in his chair and sighed. “I must admit that my first reaction is to defend myself and my clerks, but you are suggesting that it is Robert Savage himself who is to blame, not I.”
“Precisely that,” David answered, with an inward sigh of relief. “I will also say that I was disinclined to believe her also until I met the man and discovered his intentions for one of the young ladies at the school.”
At this, Sandiford frowned heavily. “What exactly are his intentions? I had thought that school was set up to provide an education for young ladies who, otherwise, might have been rejected by society.”
David nodded. “It was, yes, and I believe Miss Hemsworth was running it very efficiently. Unfortunately, her uncle has already married off two of the young ladies there, and Miss Hemsworth had not heard from them since. He now appears to be seeking to marry off a third – by sending her to the colonies.”
Sandiford’s eyebrows rose so high that they almost disappeared into his greying hair. “The colonies, you say? I am surprised to hear it. I would have thought that there would have been someone here that he could have found for the girl. Why the colonies?”
“That is exactly what concerned me,” David replied, glad that the man showed the same level of unease. “From what Miss Hemsworth told me, he intends to use the marriage as a payment of a debt.”
A brief silence settled over them as Sandiford blinked a few times, taking in what David had said.
“It is quite shocking, is it not?” David continued, softly. “These women are sent to the school in order to keep them safe, to educate them and attempt to find them good situations so that they might not be used and abused within society. However, from what Miss Hemsworth says, it appears that Robert Savage is doing precisely that.”
“My, my,” Sandiford muttered, shaking his head. “I can see why you have come to me. This is concerning indeed.”
“I am relieved to hear you say so,” David replied, honestly. “I do need your assistance. I must discover whether Robert Savage is, in fact, who he says he is. I am attempting to assist Miss Hemsworth with an idea that will save the woman selected from the colonies trip, as well as some of the other eligible young ladies, but I am struggling to do both at once.”
Sandiford nodded slowly. “Yes, of course. I quite understand.”
“I know it is difficult to consider that this apparent gentleman might be entirely fraudulent, but we have to at least contemplate the possibility.”
“Indeed,” Sandiford agreed, now quite on board with David’ idea. “I must confess that I find it difficult to see how anyone could send a young woman to the colonies against her will.”
“And for matrimony,” David replied. “Surely there are many here who would marry her?” Would you not? came the quiet voice in his heart, which David struggled to dismiss.
“You said you were attempting to help some of the other young ladies at the school, as well as the one meant for the colonies, did you not? What do you intend?”
David cleared his throat, trying to rid himself of Charity’s image which had pressed itself to the front of his mind ever since he had mentioned the idea of matrimony to Sandiford. “I am assisting Miss Hemsworth with a ball.”
The astonishment in Sandiford’s eyes was immediate. “A ball? For women of their standing?”
“It will not be a ball for high society, of course,” David corrected. “But for baronets and knights, those who are looking for a genteel woman who may have some kind of high connection.”
Sandiford continued to frown. “You believe they will find suitors, even though most of them come from a less than distinguished background?”
Sympathy clenched around David’ heart. “It is hardly their fault that a majority of them were born out of wedlock. In addition, most of these young ladies have significant dowries, and some have a fixed amount that will be bequeathed to them once they marry.”
A look of understanding crossed over Sandiford’s face. “Guilt money.”
“Indeed,” David replied, heavily. It was quite true that, for the children born from either an affair or out of wedlock, the gentlemen involved would often put a large amount of wealth at their disposal, with some stipulations of course. It meant that they would never have to see their children again, could almost forget about them entirely, feeling that they had cleansed the guilt from their soul by doing so. The other girls were just unfortunate victims of circumstances. They had nowhere else to go and no one else who wanted to care for them.
Miss Hemsworth had explained as much to him earlier in the day, although Miss Worthington had remained quite silent. Was it because she had not been one of the fortunate ones? Had she no money to speak of? Was this why she was being treated so poorly by Robert Savage, because she had no wealth to speak of?
“Then it is just as well you are involving yourself,” Sandiford said, interrupting David’ thoughts. “Although I quite understand why you cannot look into Robert Savage alone.” A slight grimace crossed his face. “We will need to have a look at his papers, however.”
“The genuine ones?” David asked, his heart slowly sinking into his boots. “I thought you believed that the clerks might have copies.”
“Regardless, those will tell us
very little. I will need to study the originals, if I can. There might be a very small detail that tells us more than the clerks copies will ever do.”
David gave a slight shake of his head. “I am not sure how to get my hands on them, I’m afraid.”
“Well, you shall need to find a way,” Sandiford replied, firmly. “Perhaps if I find those copies, you might swap them for a time? The copies will not stand up to scrutiny, of course, but I doubt very much that Savage studies them in great detail these days. Considering he believes that he has got away with his deception, if that is what he has done, then he will not need to study his papers regularly.”
Hope began to blossom in David’ chest. “I am going to see Miss Hemsworth and Miss Worthington tomorrow afternoon,” he said, in reply. “Might the clerks find the copies of those papers by then? I might be able to cajole Miss Hemsworth and Miss Worthington into conducting a search of Robert Savage’s rooms so that we can switch the papers. Or Miss Hemsworth might already know where they are.”
“I am quite sure I can have those papers sent to you by tomorrow morning,” Sandiford replied, a determined gleam in his eye. “I shall task one of the clerks to begin searching for them now.”
“Ensure that they are discreet,” David urged, getting to his feet. “The fewer people who know about our search, the better. I have noticed that Savage has a few men by his side. I have felt more than one pair of eyes watching me whenever I have entered the school’s premises.”
“No doubt another sign of a guilty man,” Sandiford commented, grimly. “Be careful, my lord.”
David nodded, with a grim smile on his face. “I will. Thank you, Mr Sandiford. I am much obliged to you.”
“Anything to ensure the wellbeing of young women in our county.
David nodded. He shook the man’s hand firmly, before making his way from the room.
Once outside, David drew in a long breath, a feeling of satisfaction rising in his chest. He had not been sure whether Sandiford would be willing to help him and, at one point, had been quite sure he’d made the wrong decision, only for Sandiford to eventually agree with his concerns over Robert Savage. The only thing he had to do now was convince the two ladies that they needed to search Robert Savage’s rooms.