morning. I cannot imagine what has happened to it.”
“ Ma’am!” He was horrified. “I am so sorry! I will make sure it is found quickly and the thief punished!” To be sure, the poor man would not sleep well until it was found.
“ Be careful, Barreby. I do not care to have anyone accused of taking it without proof. It could be an accidental matter, after all.” She hid her fears under a trusting face, as she had for the morning.
“ Ma’am!” His face gave away that he realized the truth of it. The jewelry was too well cared for to have just disappeared. Normally under lock and key, it had been set out for Winnie to wear to church. Elizabeth had been up and down the stairs a few times, and Winnie had meandered around her suite from room to room, leaving the bracelet unattended, but it should have remained where it had been placed. When the time had arrived to place it on Winnie’s arm, it was strangely gone.
“ I trust my staff, you know. Elizabeth has been impeccably honest, and she recommended her sister to me without reservation. The dear girl was never in any kind of trouble in the town. No housemaid was in the room during that time, as far as I know. And we both know it was not Emma. Why would she take it? Just be aware, and watch for any hint of the bracelet.”
He bowed and started to leave the room in great distress. Winnie stopped him. “Nobody is to hear of this. At least not until I give leave.” As he left, she looked out the window, despairing.
~ Chapter 4~
The London Season; A First for Emma
Sounds of London’s clattering horses, the noxious smells of sewer and industry and the yells of a broom boy rose into the shadows of an ancient room in Bermondsey. Tallow candles flickered by day, their cost having spared many generations in the home the expense of the Window Tax.
But what did the young woman care about the lack of a window? She was out working by day. The darkness of the room somewhat hid the tattered condition of stacked blankets and cracks in the washing bowl. She hung her husband’s wet trousers across the living space, their one room in a moldering house, while he dealt himself a hand of solitaire under a tallow candle on a scratched table. The cards were bright and new, a gift from his wife.
Up the stairs and into the room strode Benedict Scott, the gaunt, lantern-jawed man, and their few weeks of privacy ended. “They are on their way into town,” he reported to his son. “I went to ‘er village and asked around about ‘er, and it seems as though nobody knows anything at all about this. It was a long, expensive trip for nothing! And now my money’s gone. All of it! A waste of time. A waste of money. But if I asked more questions about ‘er, they woulda told ‘em.”
“ We’ll just ‘av ta bide our time, Papa. We can’t do anything right now, like I told you.” Charles, about twenty-five years of age, was always pleased to take things slowly. But in this matter, he was right.
“ I just ‘av ta figure out what we can do. I’m not wanting to wait on it.”
“ We ‘av plenty of time for it! Sit down and play me.” He gathered up his cards and shuffled. “Lucy, get Papa some of that soup.”
“ I need to know more of the law,” the older man grumbled. “I guess I’ll ‘av to find the money for a solicitor!” Lucy quietly scraped her money off a sideboard, into her apron’s pocket, and brought the potato stew.
***
A white, stuccoed, four-terraced home in Belgrave Square, the newest bit of architecture, was much desired as an aristocratic home. Just southwest of Buckingham Palace, it was in one of the wealthiest districts in the world. There was no evidence of concern for the Window Tax. Rather, sunlight poured into every room when any clouds had passed along. Their Graces, the Duke of Trent and his Duchess, had moved in just a year earlier, and this would be Winnie’s third visit, but Wills’ and Emma’s first. The columned porch was a
“ Ma’am!” He was horrified. “I am so sorry! I will make sure it is found quickly and the thief punished!” To be sure, the poor man would not sleep well until it was found.
“ Be careful, Barreby. I do not care to have anyone accused of taking it without proof. It could be an accidental matter, after all.” She hid her fears under a trusting face, as she had for the morning.
“ Ma’am!” His face gave away that he realized the truth of it. The jewelry was too well cared for to have just disappeared. Normally under lock and key, it had been set out for Winnie to wear to church. Elizabeth had been up and down the stairs a few times, and Winnie had meandered around her suite from room to room, leaving the bracelet unattended, but it should have remained where it had been placed. When the time had arrived to place it on Winnie’s arm, it was strangely gone.
“ I trust my staff, you know. Elizabeth has been impeccably honest, and she recommended her sister to me without reservation. The dear girl was never in any kind of trouble in the town. No housemaid was in the room during that time, as far as I know. And we both know it was not Emma. Why would she take it? Just be aware, and watch for any hint of the bracelet.”
He bowed and started to leave the room in great distress. Winnie stopped him. “Nobody is to hear of this. At least not until I give leave.” As he left, she looked out the window, despairing.
~ Chapter 4~
The London Season; A First for Emma
Sounds of London’s clattering horses, the noxious smells of sewer and industry and the yells of a broom boy rose into the shadows of an ancient room in Bermondsey. Tallow candles flickered by day, their cost having spared many generations in the home the expense of the Window Tax.
But what did the young woman care about the lack of a window? She was out working by day. The darkness of the room somewhat hid the tattered condition of stacked blankets and cracks in the washing bowl. She hung her husband’s wet trousers across the living space, their one room in a moldering house, while he dealt himself a hand of solitaire under a tallow candle on a scratched table. The cards were bright and new, a gift from his wife.
Up the stairs and into the room strode Benedict Scott, the gaunt, lantern-jawed man, and their few weeks of privacy ended. “They are on their way into town,” he reported to his son. “I went to ‘er village and asked around about ‘er, and it seems as though nobody knows anything at all about this. It was a long, expensive trip for nothing! And now my money’s gone. All of it! A waste of time. A waste of money. But if I asked more questions about ‘er, they woulda told ‘em.”
“ We’ll just ‘av ta bide our time, Papa. We can’t do anything right now, like I told you.” Charles, about twenty-five years of age, was always pleased to take things slowly. But in this matter, he was right.
“ I just ‘av ta figure out what we can do. I’m not wanting to wait on it.”
“ We ‘av plenty of time for it! Sit down and play me.” He gathered up his cards and shuffled. “Lucy, get Papa some of that soup.”
“ I need to know more of the law,” the older man grumbled. “I guess I’ll ‘av to find the money for a solicitor!” Lucy quietly scraped her money off a sideboard, into her apron’s pocket, and brought the potato stew.
***
A white, stuccoed, four-terraced home in Belgrave Square, the newest bit of architecture, was much desired as an aristocratic home. Just southwest of Buckingham Palace, it was in one of the wealthiest districts in the world. There was no evidence of concern for the Window Tax. Rather, sunlight poured into every room when any clouds had passed along. Their Graces, the Duke of Trent and his Duchess, had moved in just a year earlier, and this would be Winnie’s third visit, but Wills’ and Emma’s first. The columned porch was a
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