Jane and the Sins of Society
Book 7 of the Jane, Bow Street Consultant series
Sarah J. Waldock
©Sarah J. Waldock 2018
All rights reserved, no copying of any portion of this book without permission, contact details under author biography.
ISBN 1986837092
ISBN-13 978-1986837095
Dedication
To the museums of Ipswich, Christchurch Mansion and the Transport Museum who gave me a life-long obsession with Draisines.
Other books by Sarah Waldock
Sarah writes predominantly Regency Romances:
The Brandon Scandals Series
The Hasty Proposal
The Reprobate’s Redemption
The Advertised Bride
The Wandering Widow
The Braithwaite Letters
Heiress in Hiding
The Charity School Series
Elinor’s Endowment
Ophelia’s Opportunity
Abigail’s Adventure
Marianne’s Misanthrope
Emma’s Education/Grace’s Gift
Anne’s Achievement
One off Regencies
Vanities and Vexations [Jane Austen sequel]
Cousin Prudence [Jane Austen sequel]
Friends and Fortunes
None so Blind
The Unwilling Viscount
Belles and Bucks [short stories]
The Georgian Gambles series
The Valiant Viscount [formerly The Pugilist Peer]
Ace of Schemes
Other
William Price and the ‘Thrush’, naval adventure and Jane Austen tribute
100 years of Cat Days: 365 anecdotes
Sarah also writes historical mysteries
Regency period ‘Jane, Bow Street Consultant ‘series, a Jane Austen tribute
Death of a Fop
Jane and the Bow Street Runner [3 novellas]
Jane and the Opera Dancer
Jane and the Christmas Masquerades [2 novellas]
Jane and the Hidden Hoard
Jane and the Burning Question [short stories]
Jane and the Sins of Society
‘Felicia and Robin’ series set in the Renaissance
Poison for a Poison Tongue
The Mary Rose Mystery
Died True Blue
Frauds, Fools and Fairies
The Bishop of Brangling
The Hazard Chase
Heretics, Hatreds and Histories
The Midsummer Mysteries
The Colour of Murder
Falsehood most Foul
The Monkshithe Mysteries
Children’s stories
Tabitha Tabs the Farm kitten
A School for Ordinary Princesses [sequel to Frances Hodgson Burnett’s ‘A Little Princess.]
Non-Fiction
Writing Regency Romances by dice
Fantasy
Falconburg Divided [book 1 of the Falconburg brothers series]
Falconburg Rising [book 2 of the Falconburg brothers series, WIP]
Falconburg Ascendant [book 3 of the Falconburg brothers series, WIP]
Scarlet Pimpernel spinoffs
The Redemption of Chauvelin
Sarah Waldock grew up in Suffolk and still resides there, in charge of a husband, and under the ownership of sundry cats. All Sarah’s cats are rescue cats and many of them have special needs. They like to help her write and may be found engaging in such helpful pastimes as turning the screen display upside-down, or typing random messages in kittycode into her computer.
Sarah claims to be an artist who writes. Her degree is in art, and she got her best marks writing essays for it. She writes largely historical novels, in order to retain some hold on sanity in an increasingly insane world. There are some writers who claim to write because they have some control over their fictional worlds, but Sarah admits to being thoroughly bullied by her characters who do their own thing and often refuse to comply with her ideas. It makes life more interesting, and she enjoys the surprises they spring on her. Her characters’ surprises are usually less messy [and much less noisy] than the surprises her cats spring.
Sarah has tried most of the crafts and avocations which she mentions in her books, on the principle that it is easier to write about what you know. She does not ride horses, since the Good Lord in his mercy saw fit to invent Gottleib Daimler to save her from that experience; and she has not tried blacksmithing. She would like to wave cheerily at anyone in any security services who wonder about middle aged women who read up about making gunpowder and poisonous plants.
Sarah would like to note that any typos remaining in the text after several betas, an editor and proofreader have been over it are caused by the well-known phenomenon of cat-induced editing syndrome from the help engendered by busy little bottoms on the keyboard.
This is her excuse and you are stuck with it.
And yes, there are two more cat bums on the edge of the picture as well as the 4 on her lap/chest
You may find out more about Sarah at her blog site, at:
http://sarahs-history-place.blogspot.co.uk/
Or on Facebook for advance news of writing
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-J-Waldock-Author/520919511296291
Cast list
General
Sir Caleb Armitage, Bow Street Officer, recently knighted
Lady Jane Armitage, his wife
Simon, their adoptive son.
Jem Fowler, Caleb’s general factotum
Ella, Fowler’s wife and Jane’s dresser, helpmate and confidante
Mrs. Ketch, the housekeeper
Jackie, Will and Daniel, three soldiers invalided out, who serve Caleb
Chalky, Peewee, Curly and Pete, other soldiers, hired by Will
Mamzelle Dorothée, aka Dorothy, aka Dolly, a milliner.
Walter, a haberdasher.
Sal, his sister, a seamstress.
Prince George of Wales, regent
Nat, a pug dog, of impeccable breeding
Toby, a dog, of mixed breeding.
Rosalind, Lady Liddel, old schoolmate of Jane, who considered herself too good for Jane Fairfax.
Sir Henry Liddel, her caro sposo. Well-trained.
Stogumber, Halliwell and others, Bow Street Officers
Persons involved in the case of Jane and the Impossible Lady
Dorothea, Lady Lieven, wife of the Russian ambassador and patroness of Almack’s
Lady Caroline Hale, daughter of an earl and widow of a knight, society butterfly
Mrs. Jane Fielding, friend and connexion of Lady Caroline
Miss Cora Fielding, her daughter, making her come-out in society. All windows open and nobody home. Sweet natured and trusting.
Miss Laura Evans, making her come out, a plain but pleasant child fascinated by Miss Fielding’s beauty and concerned for her trusting nature.
Miss Jenny Welbeloved, dark haired beauty, scornful of anyone less lovely than her and all blondes.
Gerard Falk, Marquess Falkrington, handsome, rich, elegible and tired of simpering beauties.
Mr. Ambrose Tyler, wealthy dandy, self-opinionated. Finds Cora a suitable foil
Mr. Andrew Brasenose, a cheerfully ugly young man with moderate fortune, smitten by Cora.
Persons involved in the case of Jane and the Deadly Wagers
Mr. Daventry ‘Beau’ Popham, dandy and fop, spy
Mr. Lawrence Pelham, young man about town with expensive habits and a limited income until he is thirty.
Lady Julia Demomerie, great-aunt of the above, in charge of his capital.
Mr. John Radcliffe, sporting young man with a taste for fast cu
rricles and fast women, moves in same circles as Alexander Montgomery and Roland Grey but no fan of Draisines. Under age. Plays the trumpet indifferently.
Mr. James Radcliffe, the grandfather of John, strict guardian.
Henderson, his valet.
Pierce, his cook
Miss Elizabeth Elliot, heiress, under age. Probably no more lacking in sense and good judgement than most young people her age.
Alexei Ivanovitch Kiasov, second lickspittle to an undersecretary in the Russian Embassy. A poet and fantasist, Miss Elliot’s beloved.
Mrs. Barbara Elliot, Elizabeth’s mother, will not permit a marriage between her daughter and Gospodin Kiasov.
Paul Strode, Viscount Ashall, heir to the Duchy of Braxstrode, has recently inherited the viscounty from his young cousin Stephen. A gamester.
Michael Strode, Duke of Braxstrode, in mourning for his teen-aged son and less than enthusiastic about his heir. Has 3 daughters, older than his dead son. Daughters Georgiana, Lydia and Jessica, under governess Lucilla Peterson.
Mr. Gregory Aspinall, a wealthy young man about town, owns several race horses, recently inherited the wherewithal to indulge his hobby.
Mr. William Devlin, owner of a number of profitable mills inherited from his late father-in-law, but being of the gentry himself not tainted with trade.
Maria Devlin, William’s wife, a quiet and colourless woman, mostly concerned about her 3 hopeful offspring.
Hillborough Ferrant, a suave and bonhomie-filled gambler
Sir William Wetherby, a nabob
Lady Rohini Wetherby, his wife
Belby, their butler
Ram Das, Sir William’s man and general factotum.
Dusty, Johnny, Charlie and Smitty – temporary funeral mutes.
Persons involved in the case of Jane and the Dangerous Draisine
Mr. Alexander Montgomery, a fanatical Draisine owner, wealthy in his own right and heir to an earldom.
Mr. Christopher Montgomery, his younger brother who is not fond of Alexander.
Mr. Roland Grey, a fellow Draisine enthusiast, due to race with Montgomery.
Matthew Coxsedge, a valet.
Ginger, a street child who knew Simon when he was Simmy.
Chapter 1
Jane groaned as she read the letter with the ostentatious seal on it.
“Trouble?” asked Caleb.
“Yes and no,” said Jane. “No, not really, but an onerous duty. I wrote to thank Prinny for the demi-parure he sent, and his reply, shorn of the flowery and exquisite compliments, is that he expects us to turn up in town and be seen with it during the season.”
“The lascivious old goat probably wants to drool over you,” said Caleb. “He asked me what you looked like, and stupidly, I waxed lyrical.”
“Any husband may be expected some bias,” said Jane.
“Yes, but although he’s a fat fool in some ways, he’s shrewd enough in others. Well, we shall have to go; you’d better get on to Screw, Grabbit and Runn to tell them not to let the house this year.”
“What a nuisance to lose all that revenue! Oh dear, and to be back with Mrs. Barnard as housekeeper; such a worthy woman, I wish I liked her.”
“If we turn up early, Jane-girl, Prinny can’t complain, and there may be late-comers who will pay a premium for a house after Easter,” said Caleb.
“Wonderful and practical man that you are,” said Jane, kissing her husband. “And as for Mrs. Barnard, well, we shall endure. And by the way, our solicitors are called Chorleigh, Wright and Jekyll.”
“I liked my names better.”
“Caleb, you are a bad man.”
The conversation turned to other matters before Jane had a chance to turn to writing to her solicitors and to Mrs. Barnard with instructions.
It was almost providential that Mrs. Barnard wrote back to say that she had been offered a job by the people who had hired the house for the little season, and she had accepted.
“They are a large family, newly wealthy, and have asked me to train the maids they will need to run the large house they have recently bought,” she wrote. “I trust you do not mind me accepting this position subject to a reference from yourself , so soon after you have entrusted the running of your town house to me, but to be truthful, I miss the country, and I know I can be of real use to them. I had been about to write when your missive arrived, and of course I will remain long enough to see the pantry stocked and the house ready for your occupancy.”
“I even feel like gritting my teeth in patience reading her letters,” laughed Jane. “Well, I shall not have to worry about snapping unfairly at her through my failure to find any rapport with her, and Mrs. Ketch might come with us.”
Jane promptly wrote back to Mrs. Barnard telling her that she quite understood, wishing her well in her new location, and providing her with a glowing reference. Then the family might have the bustle of packing up to remove to town for a month; and it may be said that Simon and Sylvain hailed with great relief the decision to leave them to their schooling in the country.
Jane sighed as they settled into the London house, on Pembridge Square, after having removed there, at the howling scream of a knife-grinder’s stone. It cut through the rumble of iron shod wheels on the cobbles, the clopping of horse’s hooves, and the cries of the street vendors competing with each other to sell their wares. Nat, the pug-dog, shivered, and pressed close to Jane’s skirts.
“I had almost forgotten how noisy London is,” she sighed, petting the little dog’s ears. “I know we must have knives sharpened, and he, poor man, is never free of that awful din, but I do miss the country.” She pulled a face. “I had also forgotten just how bad the city stinks.”
“Never mind, Jane-girl, just remember that this was where it all began, and where we met,” said Caleb.
“You big sentimentalist,” said Jane. It did not sound like a criticism.
Caleb went to check the coal store. It had been snowing desultorily on their journey and he wanted to check they would not run out of fuel on what promised to be another cold spring. Jackie, one of the invalided soldiers who worked for him, was bringing a cart load of logs up from Daisy Hall. Coal lasted the course better than logs, but there was nothing like a cheerful blaze from a wood fire to raise the temperature in a room. Caleb had a theory that if they could get a room warm with wood, the temperature could be maintained with coal, if the door wasn’t opened and shut too much. He had got used to cosy wood-panelled rooms and blazing logs. True, the metropolis tended to be warmer than most of the provinces save Cornwall, presumably because of the sheer numbers of people with fires, and the town house was sandwiched between two others to keep the heat in, but Caleb found it cold.
Annie, the nursery maid, was sensible enough to oversee burning logs in the nursery, and the fireguard was fixed firmly to the wall in any case. And Fowler had been given orders to give the maids permission to come down to a guest bedroom to dress and undress, where a fire would be kept in all the day, its chimney passing between the two main maids’ bedrooms. There were no fireplaces in the attic rooms for the maids, but Jane had progressive ideas, on making sure the maids were as comfortable as possible. They might also heat bricks in the fire of what Jane called the ‘warming room’, an idea taken, apparently, from the monasteries of old.
Jane was busy nursing baby Susanna when Ella came in.
“Please, Mrs. Jane,” she said, “I don’t want to be ignorant in front of other dressers. I know Sir Caleb is Sir Caleb, but are you Lady Jane or Lady Armitage?”
“It is very awkward, is it not, Ella? I looked it up to check, and it is Lady Armitage. I pray you will continue to call me ‘Mrs. Jane’ in private, however, as I do not feel like a Lady Armitage. I would only be ‘Lady Jane’ if my father were a peer.”
“It’s very silly, if you ask me, madam,” said Ella, severely.
Jane reflected that she had not asked Ella, but that was one of Ella’s strengths as a helpmate, in private she would express her o
pinion.
“I’m inclined to agree with you, Ella,” Jane sighed, “And I shall have to wear those wretched diamonds and I shall be terrified all the time I am out that something will happen to them.”
“Well, Mrs. Jane, the captain, Sir Caleb I should say, can always have them copied in paste and put the real ones in the bank.”
Jane gave a gurgle of mirth.
“Now, Ella, you know we have investigated jewels stolen from a banker, do you really think that’s going to make me sleep any more securely at night? Oh, and never mind calling the captain just that. He’s prouder of that than an accidental bit of traitor catching.”
“When you put it like that, Mrs. Jane, I quite see your point. And all the staff think he deserves recognition and if it takes a nasty traitor to get it, well at least the Good Lord arranged a traitor convenient-like to make sure he was honoured duly.”
“Thank you, Ella,” said Jane, weakly. The loyalty of the staff always amazed and humbled her.
Jane received her first caller the day the Armitage household arrived, in the person of Mr. Daventry Popham, also known as ‘Beau’ Popham. Jane and Caleb had met this deceptively willowy exquisite soon after their marriage, in relation to a case in which Caleb had been involved at the request of an old schoolfriend of Jane’s.[1] Jane greeted him readily when Fowler announced him, and asked for tea.
“Why, Beau, how nice to see you!” she said.
Beau Popham chuckled as he kissed Jane’s hand. He also bent stiffly to pet Nat, who came out from under the chair when it was apparent that this was a friend.
“I didn’t put you down as the sort of woman to own a pug, Lady Armitage,” he said.
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