Woman of Influence (Pemberley Chronicles)

by Rebecca Ann Collins

  Becky stated the reason for her visit directly; she wished, she said, for him to contact Alice Grey immediately and arrange for her to come to the parsonage, where Becky wished to meet with her. She said nothing of their encounter on the previous evening.

  "I should prefer it to be here; I do not wish that the staff at Edgewater be made aware of this meeting. Besides, it could upset Tom, were she to arrive and disappear again," she said, and Mr Jamison agreed.

  She told him no more, determined to teach him a lesson for not having trusted her, but left, asking that he send her a message when the meeting had been arranged.

  It was late afternoon of the following day, when Mr Jamison came to Edgewater with the news that Alice would meet with her at the parsonage later that evening. He had seen the girl himself, he said, revealing for the first time that he did know where she was staying, with a farmer and his wife some distance from the village. He had told her of Becky's desire to see her, and she was willing and indeed eager for the meeting, he said, because she seemed to set great store by Mrs Tate's ability to help her and her husband.

  "Well done, Mr Jamison," said Becky generously, "I am glad we are going to meet, but as to my ability to help Alice, a great deal will depend upon Alice and indeed her husband. But I shall do what I can, and we shall see what eventuates."

  Mr Jamison, obviously contrite, appeared ready to offer his help, but Becky made it clear that she needed no one else at her meeting with Alice Grey. Disappointed, the parson left, leaving her smiling to herself.

  Becky had no intention of revealing her plan to anyone else.

  That evening, accompanied by her maid, Nelly, she went to the parsonage, where they waited for Alice Grey to arrive.

  When she appeared, Becky was amazed at the calmness with which she greeted them and even more by the matter-of-fact manner in which she listened to what was proposed. It seemed as though Alice Grey, having once decided that she would take the first step to find her husband, had no reservations about what risks she would take to achieve her goal.

  At the outset, Becky asked, "Alice, have you heard from him?"

  The girl nodded and took a folded sheet of paper from inside her gown and handed it to Becky, who glanced at it and saw but a few sentences in what was clearly an educated hand.

  The message was a deeply personal one from a man to his wife and son, from whom he had been forcibly and, he believed, unjustly separated. Becky did not wish to pry and so read it quickly before returning it to Alice, whose hand trembled as she took it and hid it away. It had been the first evidence she'd had in three years that he was alive.

  Becky's voice reflected her own feelings. "I am sorry, Alice, that you and Tom have had to suffer for so long. I do hope we can get your husband back. We shall certainly do our best. But we need your help."

  Alice nodded, indicating her willingness to assist.

  Having listened without interruption to the information Becky had gathered and the plan she had devised, Alice asked but one or two questions, relating chiefly to the situation of her husband, before agreeing to participate. Assuring her that neither of them would be in any danger and that her son would be safely lodged and cared for, Becky had outlined a daring scheme, whereby she would travel to London, taking Alice with her as her maid, while Nelly would remain at the Dower House and look after Tom. No one, save the three of them and Mr and Mrs Burnett, would know of the plan, not even Mr Jamison or Mrs Bates, she promised, and Alice calmly agreed.

  "It will give you a chance to tell everything you know about the conduct of Mr Danby and the rest to the gentlemen who hope to help William," Becky explained. "Once they know all the facts, they will be in the best position to do what is required to get William his pardon." It was plain from her response that Alice had no qualms about her part in the scheme.

  Having sworn Nelly to secrecy and cautioned Alice about saying anything to anyone, Becky and the two girls entered the front room of the parsonage, where they waited for Mr Jamison to return.

  Clearly, he had hoped to be taken into their confidence, but neither Becky nor Alice revealed anything of their plans before thanking him for his help and leaving to return, Becky and Nelly to Edgewater and Alice to her lodgings in the village.

  As she walked away, towards the village, they noted a figure come out of the trees and join her, protectively shepherding her along the path. Becky wondered who it was, but said nothing, except to warn Nelly not to speak a word of this to anyone at Edgewater.

  On the morrow, Becky went with Nelly to call on her sister.

  When she revealed her plan, Catherine was understandably sceptical at first. "Becky, are you sure this is possible, let alone wise? Will not someone discover the truth and thwart your plan, probably placing both Alice and you in danger?"

  But Becky was confident.

  "What is there to discover? Nelly and Alice are the same size and can pass for one another quite easily, and since she is to be my personal maid, no one else will have access to her. It will give us the opportunity to let Mr Elliott and his lawyer friend get a firsthand account of what went on in Blessington with Danby and his uncle, and the manner in which William Rickman was falsely accused and unjustly convicted.

  "Alice, you must remember, is a gentleman's daughter; she is educated and well spoken and makes a most credible witness. Her evidence together with the information I have from Mrs Bancroft will make a more powerful case than if I presented it alone. Remember, Alice was a witness to everything in this case, whilst I am only able to repeat what others have told me."

  Catherine had to agree.

  "I do see the point of your argument, Becky; it is only that I am rather apprehensive about your taking Alice to London. What does Mr Jamison think?" she asked.

  To her surprise Becky replied, "Mr Jamison does not know, and I do not intend to tell him. Please, Cathy, I must rely on you not to give any hint of what I am going to do to him or anyone other than Frank."

  Catherine was puzzled but did not question Becky's judgment. She knew her sister was far more experienced than she was in the machinations that were required in these matters. She agreed not to speak of it to anyone except her husband.

  "And you will let me leave Nelly and Tom with you while I go to London?" Becky asked.

  "Of course. Did you think I would not?" Catherine replied.

  "Thank you, Cathy; I should have known you would help."

  "I am happy to help, Becky, but you must promise me that you will take good care of yourself and Alice. You do realise you cannot afford to make a mistake in this matter?" she cautioned, and Becky nodded, understanding well the gravity of what she was intending to do.

  "Dear Cathy, your good judgement and wise counsel have never failed us. I will be very careful and especially with Alice. You see, as she is to be my maid and travelling companion, she needs must go everywhere with me, and I have the best possible reason for keeping her at my side at all times. No one would expect me to leave a young girl alone in a hotel in London."

  Catherine appeared to concede that this was the case, even though she retained some degree of nervousness about her sister's bold scheme. Accustomed as she was to Becky's impulsive nature, Catherine could not help being concerned that her plans may go awry. She knew she would pray daily that they would not.

  Some days later, having secured their travel arrangements and fixed their appointments in London, Becky and Alice, the latter suitably attired in one of Nelly's gowns and looking every bit the perfect ladies' maid, travelled to London on the train.

  Taking a hansom cab to the hotel, where a suite of rooms had been reserved for them, Becky asked for a light meal to be served to them, before sending a note round to Mr Colin Elliott's office at Westminster advising him of her arrival in London. He responded promptly with a message saying he would call for her at four o'clock and accompany her to the chambers of his friend and colleague the lawyer, Mr Harding, who was keen to assist in resolving this important case. He expressed th
e hope that they might achieve some benefit for the young couple who had been for too long the victims of malfeasance.

  Alice, who was carrying out her duties as ladies' maid most assiduously, was laying out her mistress's clothes and accessories when the message arrived. Becky smiled as she read it, satisfied that the first step in securing the freedom of William Rickman had been successfully taken.

  As Becky read it out aloud, Alice's eyes widened as if in disbelief and as the import of Mr Elliott's words dawned upon her, they filled with tears.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Mr Gladstone's victory, with a substantial majority in the general election and his subsequent determination to initiate a number of important social reforms, had given Colin Elliott a whole new purpose as a member of the House of Commons.

  The establishment of a system of primary schooling for all children had been an abiding interest for which he had striven for many years. It had for all of that time seemed a vain hope; now, it was a genuine possibility and the policy was absorbing much of his time and attention.

  Becky was well aware of this, being herself an ardent advocate of the policy. Which was why, she explained in her letter to Catherine, that it was particularly generous of Mr Elliott to take the time to assist them in the difficult matter of Alice Grey and her husband. She described in some detail the events of that afternoon, when Mr Elliott had called at the hotel to take her to meet Mr Harding.

  Colin Elliott had expected to find Becky Tate ready and waiting for him, but he had not expected that her maid would also be ready and waiting to accompany them. When Becky had greeted him and introduced her companion as Alice Grey (or Mrs William Rickman), he had been truly taken aback. Nevertheless, he had greeted the young woman politely, declaring that he was pleased to meet her. Alice had immediately thanked him for his

  kindness in offering to help her husband, which seemed to impress Mr Elliott, Becky wrote:

  While there is no knowing what Mr Elliott had imagined Alice Grey would look like, it was quite clear he had not anticipated that she would turn out to be such a presentable young person, pleasant in manner, soberly attired, and well spoken. I think, Cathy my dear, that if Mr Elliott was surprised, then Mr Harding was likely to be quite astonished. He was probably expecting a simple country lass!

  Becky had explained to Mr Elliott that she had brought Alice with her "because I felt that her evidence would be far more convincing, if presented directly to Mr Harding and you, than any recital of mine."

  Colin Elliott had concurred, adding that his friend Harding, being an astute lawyer, would welcome the opportunity to hear her story at first hand and to question her about matters that required further elucidation, since she had been a witness to much of it.

  And, wrote Becky, this possibility did not appear to discompose young Alice at all. She nodded and, when I asked if she would mind, responded that she would be happy indeed to answer any questions that may help free her husband.

  Mr Elliott had accompanied them downstairs and helped them into the cab he had waiting, directing the driver to take them to Mr Harding's chambers.

  When Catherine received her sister's letter, she was surprised at first by its lightness of tone. Becky's description of their arrival at Mr Harding's chambers was so entertaining as to make her sister forget the seriousness of their mission.

  When we arrived, it had started to rain, and the roads were wet and dirty, and both Alice and I had to tread very carefully indeed to stay out of the mud and other unpleasant-looking matter that was running in the gutters! This is something I complain of constantly whenever I am in London. Of all these well-heeled ladies and gentlemen, does no one look down at what is under their feet and ask for some improvement to be made? The lawyers' chambers in these parts of London are situated in some of the oldest and dingiest buildings you can imagine. Mr Dickens does not exaggerate. One cannot help but wonder that men who are said to make so much money in their profession should continue to occupy such inhospitable, dreary rooms.

  Judging by the surroundings, I was confident that the astute Mr Harding would turn out to be a fusty old man, with his wig askew and a loud, booming voice. Imagine then my surprise, when his clerk admitted us into a room filled with books and papers and shortly afterwards a handsome, well-dressed gentleman entered and was introduced to us by Mr Elliott as "my friend Mr John Harding."

  Cathy, my astonishment was so great, I do believe I stared for a few seconds at least before holding out my hand, over which he bowed in a most courtly fashion, before turning to do likewise with young Alice, who was introduced by Mr Elliott as Mrs Rickman. Mr Harding cannot be much more than forty, or perhaps just a little older, and he is by any standard a most personable gentleman. We are fortunate indeed that such a man should take an interest in our case.

  Catherine read on, hoping to discover what had become of their mission to help free William Rickman, but found only continuing praise of Mr Harding.

  He was courtesy itself, insisting that Alice and I should be seated beside the fire, without which we should have frozen in that room, and take tea and biscuits before proceeding to the business at hand. I have to say I was exceedingly impressed with his manners and subsequently his legal knowledge, which Mr Elliott had assured me was extensive. He explained every particular of the possible application for a pardon, before asking Alice a number of very searching questions, which she, it must be said, answered without hesitation or equivocation. I believe both Mr Elliott and Mr Harding were mightily impressed with Alice. At the end of our meeting, Mr Harding remarked that her statement and answers to questions had been remarkably consistent and credible, which, coming from a lawyer of his standing, is high praise indeed. So you see, dear Cathy, it was certainly an advantage that I had brought Alice along to London with me. I am sure you will agree. We are now safely lodged in this very comfortable little hotel, and tomorrow, if we are fortunate enough to have some fine weather, I hope to take Alice to Regent's Park and visit the London zoo! She is very keen to catch a glimpse of an elephant!

  Mr Elliott did invite us to visit the Ladies Gallery in the Commons, but I think that may be a little unwise in the present circumstances. One never can tell who one might bump into in the lobbies at Westminster. Besides, Alice does not have a gown suitable for such an occasion. We are to meet with Mr Harding again on Friday, and thereafter, we hope to return to Kent. God and the railways willing, you shall see us on Saturday afternoon. Your loving sister, Becky

  In a hurried postscript, written just before sending her letter to the post, she had added:

  Dearest Cathy, a note has just arrived from Mr Harding. He has made some enquiries and would like to acquaint us with the information he has received and has asked us to call on him this afternoon at half past four. I am hopeful this will be good news!

  Catherine could scarcely wait until Saturday afternoon to discover what it was Mr Harding had found and if this would materially affect his ability to pursue the application for a pardon for William Rickman.

  She showed Becky's letter to her husband, saying, "I do wish Becky had waited until after their meeting with Mr Harding to send this letter to the post; she could then have given me some indication of the way things had turned out."

  Frank Burnett heard the frustration in his wife's voice and laughed gently as he read Becky's letter through.

  "Dearest, you should know your sister well enough by now to be aware that she would never have considered holding her letter back once it was finished. It is so like a writer; having added a postscript that whets your appetite for more, she sends it off to the post!"

  Catherine could see what he meant; he was right—it was exactly what Becky would have done. Yet Catherine was impatient to know what had happened; what had Mr Harding discovered, and why was he so keen to meet them?

  "I do wish I knew," she said, and her husband could not but be amused at her impatience. Since being married to Catherine and having her sister Becky living at Edgewater, he had b
een frequently diverted by the divergence in their characters, yet they were so close and clearly devoted to one another. He knew Catherine would fret until Becky returned on Saturday, and then, he was certain, neither would be satisfied until all had been revealed.

  "I fear there is no help for it, my love," he said gently. "You must wait until your sister returns. Meanwhile, can I interest you in a story that may be of some relevance to the situation your sister and Mr Harding are trying to resolve?"

  Intrigued, Catherine came to sit beside him as he continued, "When I was at the British Museum last week, I discovered, by some assiduous searching, that there have been pardons granted to convicted men, not many, mind, and certainly not without a good deal of difficulty, but it has been done. One, I found, involved a man who had been transported to New South Wales, a certain William Robinson of Edinburgh, and another was a young man, one George Bates of Sussex. In the latter case, evidence was adduced of the exemplary conduct of the man Bates after his conviction and the possibility of false witness having been given at his trial by those who wished him out of the way."