Jane Austen Mysteries 08 Jane and His Lordship's Legacy by Stephanie Barron Page B
Book: Jane Austen Mysteries 08 Jane and His Lordship's Legacy by Stephanie Barron
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Authors: Stephanie Barron
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carpet, chairs overturned, and all our papers in a considerable disorder. Gray had spent much of yes-terday attempting to determine what, if anything, had been stolen."
"And?"
"He cannot make head or tail of the business. Neither our post bills nor our banknotes were touched."1
My brother Henry has made a considerable fortune in re-cent years as a payroll agent for several valuable regiments around the country, including some in Hampshire, Kent, and Derbyshire. He serves, in essence, as go-between for the dis-bursement of salaries to officers and enlisted men, which sums are sent out by the Paymaster General in London to regimental representatives such as Henry. The role of agent is a coveted one, held in the gift of each regiment's Colonel; and that Henry has secured so valuable a living, may be attributed to his pol-ished manners, his knack for cultivating The Great, his former commission in the Oxfordshire Militia, and the connexions of his wife--who is everywhere received in Society, and does not hesitate to turn her acquaintance to advantage. Henry's pros-perity has induced my brother Frank to become another part-ner of the London concern, bringing naval patronage within Henry's orbit; and if I suspected that Henry occasionally turned a profit on the negotiated sale of commissions in prized regi-ments, which we are taught to consider beyond the pale of the law, I have never taxed him with the subject.
1 At this time, country branches of London banks were authorized to print notes backed by currency held in their London branches. For a full de-scription of Henry Austen's banking activities, see "Jane Austen's Banker Brother: Henry Thomas Austen of Austen & Co., 1801-1816," by Dr. Clive Caplan; Persuasions ( Jane Austen Society of North America), No. 20, 1998, pp. 69-90. --Editor's note.
52 ~ Stephanie Barron
"What, then, can have been the burglars' object?" I enquired.
"I have not the smallest notion." He hesitated. "And that is not the only oddity. Leaving that Bengal chest aside--Mamma tells me you have had an interview with Lord Harold Trow-bridge's solicitor."
"Mr. Chizzlewit. Yes--he came to me yesterday before din-ner. It was in the act of securing the chest belowstairs that we discovered the corpse."
"Your solicitor paid a call on Gray in all his state not two days ago--lackeys and trunks behind--enquiring your direc-tion in Chawton. Curious gentleman, by all accounts."
"But perfectly respectable," I returned.
"All the same--he did draw notice, Jane. The better part of Alton was positively agog at his errand. I heard talk of pirates'
treasure and a king's ransom of jewels--not to mention the name of Austen-- everywhere. Do you think it possible that this burglary of my branch was an attempt to secure whatever Chizzlewit carried in that heavy great chest of yours?"
For all his style and badinage, Henry is possessed of consid-erable understanding, and not above speaking plainly when ne-cessity absolutely requires it.
"I think it very likely," I replied. "No doubt your burglar be-lieved a bank the properest place for safekeeping such a be-quest. I am sorry for your trouble, Henry, but indeed I had no notion of causing it."
My brother cast me a sidelong glance. He would not at-tempt to force my communication; but having been a little ac-quainted with the Trowbridge clan in London, he was naturally curious. "If you should ever wish--if there is a matter of a legacy involved, and you require advice as to the terms of invest-ment--in short, dear Jane, I should be happy to serve you in any way I can. As banker or brother."
Jane and His Lordship's Legacy ~ 53
"Thank you. His lordship was far too discreet to ruin me with gold, however. Lord Harold offered me carte blanche nei-ther in death nor in life. The solicitor delivered a quantity of papers only."
"So Mamma said. But I made certain you were giving her a Banbury tale. Why should anyone attempt to steal old letters?"
"Perhaps with the object of
"And?"
"He cannot make head or tail of the business. Neither our post bills nor our banknotes were touched."1
My brother Henry has made a considerable fortune in re-cent years as a payroll agent for several valuable regiments around the country, including some in Hampshire, Kent, and Derbyshire. He serves, in essence, as go-between for the dis-bursement of salaries to officers and enlisted men, which sums are sent out by the Paymaster General in London to regimental representatives such as Henry. The role of agent is a coveted one, held in the gift of each regiment's Colonel; and that Henry has secured so valuable a living, may be attributed to his pol-ished manners, his knack for cultivating The Great, his former commission in the Oxfordshire Militia, and the connexions of his wife--who is everywhere received in Society, and does not hesitate to turn her acquaintance to advantage. Henry's pros-perity has induced my brother Frank to become another part-ner of the London concern, bringing naval patronage within Henry's orbit; and if I suspected that Henry occasionally turned a profit on the negotiated sale of commissions in prized regi-ments, which we are taught to consider beyond the pale of the law, I have never taxed him with the subject.
1 At this time, country branches of London banks were authorized to print notes backed by currency held in their London branches. For a full de-scription of Henry Austen's banking activities, see "Jane Austen's Banker Brother: Henry Thomas Austen of Austen & Co., 1801-1816," by Dr. Clive Caplan; Persuasions ( Jane Austen Society of North America), No. 20, 1998, pp. 69-90. --Editor's note.
52 ~ Stephanie Barron
"What, then, can have been the burglars' object?" I enquired.
"I have not the smallest notion." He hesitated. "And that is not the only oddity. Leaving that Bengal chest aside--Mamma tells me you have had an interview with Lord Harold Trow-bridge's solicitor."
"Mr. Chizzlewit. Yes--he came to me yesterday before din-ner. It was in the act of securing the chest belowstairs that we discovered the corpse."
"Your solicitor paid a call on Gray in all his state not two days ago--lackeys and trunks behind--enquiring your direc-tion in Chawton. Curious gentleman, by all accounts."
"But perfectly respectable," I returned.
"All the same--he did draw notice, Jane. The better part of Alton was positively agog at his errand. I heard talk of pirates'
treasure and a king's ransom of jewels--not to mention the name of Austen-- everywhere. Do you think it possible that this burglary of my branch was an attempt to secure whatever Chizzlewit carried in that heavy great chest of yours?"
For all his style and badinage, Henry is possessed of consid-erable understanding, and not above speaking plainly when ne-cessity absolutely requires it.
"I think it very likely," I replied. "No doubt your burglar be-lieved a bank the properest place for safekeeping such a be-quest. I am sorry for your trouble, Henry, but indeed I had no notion of causing it."
My brother cast me a sidelong glance. He would not at-tempt to force my communication; but having been a little ac-quainted with the Trowbridge clan in London, he was naturally curious. "If you should ever wish--if there is a matter of a legacy involved, and you require advice as to the terms of invest-ment--in short, dear Jane, I should be happy to serve you in any way I can. As banker or brother."
Jane and His Lordship's Legacy ~ 53
"Thank you. His lordship was far too discreet to ruin me with gold, however. Lord Harold offered me carte blanche nei-ther in death nor in life. The solicitor delivered a quantity of papers only."
"So Mamma said. But I made certain you were giving her a Banbury tale. Why should anyone attempt to steal old letters?"
"Perhaps with the object of
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