by May Burnett
Among the guests I recognized Mr. Conway, whose existence I had happily contrived to forget until that moment. He immediately knew me, of course.
“Good God!” Belinda cried, paling. “What terrible bad luck!”
“Conway?” Richard asked. “That’s the absentee husband?” Charlotte’s husband had left the neighbourhood long before Dr. Seymour took over the local practice, but he had heard the gossip.
“Yes, an awful bounder. If father had not pressured her, she’d never have married him. I only met him a few times, apart from their wedding, but I know he is a dangerous weasel of a man. Of course he would know right away that she was not me.”
“Unfortunate, that,” Richard commented, trying in vain to put himself into the shoes of a man who met his abandoned wife at a fashionable ball, under a different name.
“What can we do, Richard?”
“We cannot allow this situation to take its natural course, Bel, it will surely end in a scandal that can do terrible harm to your sister. Poor Charlie, - though she at least should have had better sense than to do something so risky.”
“I’m afraid I dared her, Richard. She always finds it hard to say no to me.”
“She should have done so this time. But what’s done, is done. I think the best thing may be to write to Amberley himself, and request him to discreetly disentangle the matter. It will be a lot better if this information comes from you, his cousin, than if he found Charlie out for himself.”
“I don’t see how he could find out. In most respects we are practically the same girl.”
“Not to me,” Richard said, with feeling. “And you didn’t expect Charlie to meet her husband at the very first ball she attended in London, either. Inexperienced plotters like you and Charlie are extremely likely to be found out. I speak from experience.”
“But Amberley’s on his wedding trip, in Scotland, according to Miss Everly. He won’t want his wedding trip interrupted with such news.”
“He’ll want even less to return to London in the middle of a scandal. Have you his direction in Scotland?”
“The family owns a castle in the Highlands, I suppose that’s where he’ll be. But what if this letter should go astray? I would hate it to fall into the wrong hands.”
“We’ll send your groom from the manor, Jacobs, with instructions to give it only into the Earl’s own hands.”
“Oh, all right,” Belinda gave in with poor grace. “And we’ll write to Charlie at the same time, warning her to depart before things come to a head. I feel guilty giving her away like that to Amberley, after sending her in the first place.”
“Next time maybe you could consult me before putting Charlie in jeopardy, Bel.”
“I hate it when you try to always have the last word, Richard.”
“But you don’t hate me, I hope,” Richard retorted, putting an arm around her hips and drawing her close for a kiss. “We’ll get through this, too, darling. Don’t worry.”
Chapter 17
James immediately liked Henry Beecham, the young solicitor whom his friend and partner Jonathan had sent to his rooms in the Albany. After discussing Beecham’s qualifications and experience, - in which discussion James felt a bit of a fraud, since they clearly exceeded his own – he told Beecham all he knew about the Yardley inheritance tangle.
“This is most irregular and unfortunate,” the solicitor commented. “Your cousin could probably have resolved the whole thing long ago, had she immediately retained her own legal adviser. By now the estate should be in probate, and the question of a possible entail settled. But even if you get the will and all other papers from this man Phimes’ chambers, I cannot act on behalf of your cousin without her own, or rather her husband’s authorization.”
“I can see that, but I told you she is almost blind, and resides in Yorkshire. Nobody understood what was holding up the normal procedure. Even now I’m not sure what to make of Phimes, except that he is clearly not all there.”
“I think I would have to travel to Yorkshire to be retained by Doctor and Mrs. Seymour, before I can do anything decisive. Then we can get the Chancery court to act, if necessary, and sort out all these issues in – at least, we can hope - short order.”
“I see. I will bear the expenses for your trip, and your time, if you could depart as soon as possible. In the meantime I’ll do my best to get hold of the will.”
“I’d rather not know how you are going about that,” Beecham said quickly.
“Don’t worry, no crime is involved. However, independently of my cousin’s inheritance, I’d like to retain you as my own solicitor, when the need arises.”
“I’d be honoured to work for you, Sir.”
They quickly came to an agreement.
“I’ll start off tomorrow morning, then,” Beecham finally said. “How will your cousin and her husband know that I am trustworthy, though?”
“Well, the husband is a doctor, and not blind, so I daresay he will be able to tell after he talks with you. I’d give you a letter, but they don’t know me from Adam, I’m afraid.”
“Even so, I would like to bring a short letter of introduction from you. As Mrs. Seymour’s relative, and her sister’s confidant, your word may carry some weight.”
“Very well, then,” James said, sitting down at his small escritoire and dipping a quill into the inkwell, “if you think it may help.”
Dear Cousin Belinda,
Though to my regret we have never met, I have heard much about you and your husband from Charlotte, and I am anxious to serve you in any way I can.
Charlotte and I have visited the chambers of Phimes and Ffolliott, and found that the principal partner, who originally wrote to you, has unexpectedly died since then. His nephew, a very strange fellow, still does not dare touch those files reserved by the late uncle, including that pertaining to your family.
I am told that the best way forward would be for you to retain your own legal counsel. Mr. Beecham has been recommended to me as reliable, and I am sending him to Yorkshire so that you and your husband can decide if you want to put the inheritance issue into his capable hands.
Please do not worry about legal expenses for now. I am willing to underwrite Beecham’s efforts until they bear fruit.
I greatly look forward to waiting upon you in person, as soon as Charlotte is free to leave the capital. There are some other issues that must be dealt with first. Please do not write to your aunt, my mother, before consulting with Charlotte.
With deepest respect and best wishes,
Your Cousin
James Ellsworthy.
He was not quite satisfied, but it would have to do. After sanding the paper, he folded, directed and sealed it, and handed it to Beecham. One more thing done – but the list before him was getting longer and longer. How soon until he was through?
“By the way,” he asked the young solicitor, “are you familiar with the law on bigamy?”
The young man looked surprised. “Only in general, what every law student would learn; so far I have never had to deal with the subject directly.”
“Well, read up on it when you get the chance. There is another case where I may need your legal advice, but it can wait until you’re back from Yorkshire.”
Alone again, James rang for his valet and enquired if any information about Conway’s Bloomsbury household had yet arrived; however, it seemed that the boys were scheduled to report later in the evening, not before ten. He had to curb his impatience, and console himself with the written directions of the house in Half Moon Street, and Mr. Bessemer’s city offices.
Just as James was about to call for a bath, preparatory for the evening’s activities, one of the Mount Street footmen arrived with a note from his mother, requesting him to come to her without delay. The matter sounded urgent, almost alarming, especially as it was most unlike his mother to call to him for help. He set out immediately.
To his surprise, he found not only Charlotte, but also his sister Minerva and h
er governess, Miss Montague, waiting for him in his mother’s salon. Lady Amberley looked as though she had bitten into a sour fruit. Charlotte was deeply worried but trying not to show it, Minerva and Miss Montague merely a little perturbed, if he was any judge.
“Ah, good, here you are at last, James!” his mother greeted him. Bowing, James inquired about the reason for the urgent summons.
“It’s not quite clear to me exactly what happened and how serious this is, but it is going to cause talk,” Lady Amberley pronounced, with an accusing glare at Charlotte. “Your cousin was accosted by a madwoman in the park today, in full view of half our acquaintances, including Lady Jersey.”
At this point Miss Montague and Minerva described the scene in the park, but were clearly mystified as to the strange woman’s identity and motives.
“And what do you want me to do about it?” James asked when they finished.
“Why, find out the name and identity of this mushroom and ensure that she can do no further harm,” Lady Amberley stated, fretfully. “Oh, if only George were here!”
James turned to the unusually silent Charlotte. “And you, cousin, have no idea who this woman could be?”
“I am quite sure I have never seen her before in my life,” she replied, “but the man she was with earlier looked somewhat familiar. After thinking it over, I think he may have been a Mr. Conway, with whom I danced one country dance at the Sefton ball. He was presented by Lady Morville, and made no particular impression on me. I haven’t seen him since.”
“That may be helpful,” James replied, his eyes sending Charlotte a silent acknowledgement, message received, before he turned back to his mother.
“I have heard of insanely jealous wives who imagine that every pretty woman her husband ogles is a rival,” he said. “This sounds like a similar case. For all we know, the husband is really straying, and she mistook our cousin here for someone else. As long as she is a nobody and we carry on with head high, I think the social damage is containable.”
“Of course she is a nobody,” Lady Amberley said impatiently. “No woman of breeding could have made such an ill-advised and humiliating scene as that.”
“Well, it’s time Lady Minerva and I returned to the nursery,” Miss Montague said, signalling to her charge. “Always a pleasure to see you, James.”
James took his leave of the governess and winked at Minerva as she left, before turning back to address his parent.
“If George were here, Mother, he would advise you to immediately go out with our cousin and tell everyone how sad it is that the park is apparently overrun with under-bred mushrooms, then proceed as though the matter had never happened. It is essential that you both attend the events to which you sent acceptances, maybe even some others.”
“I know that, James, now you are lecturing me on how to handle gossip?” Lady Amberley still sounded out-of-sorts.
“No, of course I wouldn’t presume, - you always know best, Mother.” He tried to ignore Charlotte’s incredulous look. “Were you going out tonight?”
“We have accepted two invitations for tomorrow, but tonight was to be a quiet evening at home,” Charlotte supplied.
“Then I advise immediately putting on your most elegant gowns and using the family box in Covent Garden. It’s essential that you are seen right away.”
“I didn’t know about the family box,” Charlotte said. “It’s available all the time?”
“Yes – and you don’t need to be there for another couple of hours, there should just be time.”
“But what about dinner?”
“Your reputation is more important than dinner. You can have a sandwich first, and supper when you come back.”
Lady Amberley had listened to this exchange with growing exasperation.
“James, what business is it of yours when and how much Belinda gets to eat? You two are getting much too familiar, I’ve told you before. We’ll go to the opera, I suppose it is necessary, though the caterwauling in Italian always gives me a headache. But never mind that, James, your job is to find out who this strange woman was, and spike her guns.”
“I’ll get to that then,” James said, bowing to both ladies, and making his escape.
Chapter 18
Thanks to Charlotte’s hint James knew who the gentleman and the lady had almost certainly been; in fact he already had their address, supplied by his valet, and immediately went onwards to their residence in Half Moon Street.
Alas, it seemed that Mr. and Mrs. Conway were out, or not receiving – it was impossible to tell from their butler’s stony expression.
James left his card, adding before he left, “Please remind your master that I am expecting him to settle our little matter within the next day.” He was pleased to see that the butler nearly lost his composure for an instant. Those ominous words had been the beginning of the end for all too many households.
Should he try to run Conway down at the Bloomsbury address, or at Denton’s? It was far too early for the latter. Remembering Charlotte’s plaintive question, he took himself to his club for his own dinner. His girl did seem very fond of her victuals, he reflected, though she was not putting on any weight that he could see. Some people could eat all the time without getting fat. He himself was one of them. Would that always be the case? Older people sometimes changed and broadened over time.
“Why so morose?” Alphonse materialised next to him, and settled himself at the table without asking for an invitation.
“I was just wondering if I would turn fat in middle age,” James told him.
“Your father never did, I believe? And your mother is still slim at her age. I don’t see much danger of that happening.”
“You are always a comfort, Alphonse.”
His friend grinned. “Now my own parents were getting rather stout during their exile here in England, but since they returned to France last year they have both lost weight. French food is more delicious and less fattening.”
“So why are you still here?”
“I have my reasons,” Alphonse said, evasively. “Time enough to go over myself when I become the Marquis, which I hope is a long way in the future. In any case, if I were not still here, I could not report success to you now. Your papers are in my possession. You owe me ten guineas for expenses.”
“That was very quick.” James was surprised and pleased. At his friend’s advice, he had left the choice and instruction of a suitable actor in Alphonse’s hands. The man would not be able to identify James, if the question ever arose, as being involved in the matter.
“Has Conway paid up yet?”
“No, and in fact I need to do something about him right away.” James told his friend about the scene in Hyde Park in the afternoon. “The woman must have been his new wife, the former Miss Bessemer.”
“Why would she confront your cousin like that?”
“I must suppose that Conway drove her insane with jealousy, and somehow gave her the impression that he was interested in my cousin. Apart from one dance at the Sefton ball, I don’t think they had ever met.” James felt only a small qualm at lying to his best friend; Charlotte’s protection was his paramount consideration.
“The man must be a total fool.”
“No more so than the wife,” James observed. Despite never having met her, he had already formed a violent dislike of the former Miss Bessemer.
“True. Well, that’s what comes of marrying an under-bred cit.” Alphonse shuddered in exaggerated horror. James thought of pointing out that you could find fools in all social classes, but decided it was not worth arguing the point.
“What are you going to do now?”
“I thought of having a talk with the woman and getting her to see sense, but she is not receiving, no doubt mortified after realising what a priceless fool she made of herself in full view of the world. The man himself has yet to pay his debt, but he could just send a messenger for that.”
“He’ll do it himself,” Alphonse predicted. “Won’t
want anyone else to know about his gambling problems, or trust his blunt to a servant.”
“Then there’s the Bloomsbury address. With any luck, there should be a report waiting for me at home when I return tonight. I want to find out what the man is up to there.”
“A report? So apart from me, you are employing other minions for your intrigue?”
“I would never call you a minion, Alphonse,” James assured his friend. ”But I do seems to be acquiring some others as I go along.”
“What about hiring a Bow Street Runner? They are supposed to be the best at ferreting out evidence.”
“Yes, I’ve thought of that, but I’m not sure how far I can trust their discretion. This is a very delicate affair; a single loose remark could cause disaster.”
“And of course your own lips are sealed,” Alphonse teased him. James shrugged.
Alphonse continued in a more serious tone, “If you need more help, you know you can count on me. The season’s ending, and I’m getting rather bored with doing the same things day after day.”
“Thanks. I actually might take you up on that.” James drank some wine. “I’ll be going to Covent Garden later in the evening. Mother is taking my cousin, so as to show that we are not cowed by malicious gossip. I’ll come later on, see how they are doing.”
“Rallying round in support,” Alphonse approved. “Very proper. It seems to me that you’re taking a more than cousinly interest in your pretty relative.”
“Well, as George is not here, it falls on me to keep an eye on the ladies of my family,” James replied, trying not to betray his true feelings. “Pretty” was not a word he would have chosen to describe Charlotte.
“Oh, is that all? I think I’ll go to Covent Garden, too, and draw my own conclusions.”
“You are always most welcome, of course.”
Chapter 19
James returned to his lodgings to quickly bathe and change into evening attire. While he was tying his cravat, always an intricate and delicate manoeuvre, Jouvin announced that a Mr. Conway had arrived and was awaiting his host’s convenience in the salon.