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‘Your brother obviously felt guilty enough to want to repay Walter Dewey in some way.’
‘Thomas must have got addled in the attic towards the end, I can think of no other reason why he would act so peculiar.’ Susannah frowned, her mind travelling back through the years. She’d heard other gossip about the liaison between her brother and Arabella Dewey. When questioned by her, her brother had never owned up to there being truth in it and, by all accounts, Walter Dewey had kept his lips tightly sealed on the whole matter.
‘You know more about it?’ Alex prompted on seeing his mother’s concentration.
‘Just rumours...’
‘Nevertheless I’d like to hear them,’ Alex gently insisted.
‘I’ve never known you show this much interest in any decent young ladies before.’ Susannah gave him a penetrative look.
‘I’ve never been required—by one of your kin—to do so before.’ Alex had emphasised his mother’s vexing relative in the hope she’d feel obliged to offer up a full explanation.
‘Oh...very well...if you want me to feel guilty on Thomas’s behalf I’ll tell you what I’ve heard in reparation for his sins.’ Susannah approached the table to shake the teapot. On finding it only half-full and lukewarm, she rang the bell for fresh to be brought. Reseating herself, she began, ‘There was more of a scandal than simply Arabella defecting to begin an affair with Thomas. Mr Dewey didn’t take being cuckolded lightly. Oh, he must have been furious, and mortified, but he wanted his wife back and attempted to buy your uncle off. He settled Thomas’s gambling debts—which were huge—on the understanding that my brother would end the affair. Thomas reluctantly agreed. He was by then in a financial mess that might have ended with him in the Fleet. I believe it wasn’t just a mercenary decision—he thought sacrificing Arabella was the right thing to do. She was a clingy woman and obsessed with him. I’ve no doubt she would have willingly followed him to gaol and the scandal would have hit new heights.’ Susannah shook her head. ‘Those poor girls would have suffered dreadfully. They were still in the schoolroom, but in their teens, so old enough to understand a good deal.’ She glanced at her silent son. ‘I know what you’re thinking—why wouldn’t your papa help Thomas settle his debts?’
‘I know my father had scant patience with him and it’s becoming clearer why that was.’
‘Scant patience?’ Susannah echoed ruefully. ‘It was a sadness to me that the two of them loathed one another. Thomas would never have asked for a penny piece from George and neither would he have got it if he had.’
‘Perhaps my uncle has got the last laugh. If I settle his debts, it could be argued the money will have come from my father’s estate.’
‘None of this tale has been corroborated. Thomas would never speak about it,’ Susannah said truthfully. Quickly she carried on her account. ‘That’s not the worst of it: the money with which Mr Dewey paid off Thomas’s debts was not his to use. It belonged to clients; he was a lawyer, you see, and held money in trust. I don’t think Walter intended to defraud anybody; he was a desperate man and borrowed the funds until an investment he’d made in the East India Company turned up trumps. Unfortunately, the whole enterprise turned as sour as a barrel of vinegar. And Arabella refused to go home into the bargain. She turned to Lord Reeves instead of her husband when Thomas put her off.’
‘So Walter Dewey lost his wife, his good reputation and I imagine his business because of your brother,’ Alex stated in an emotionless voice.
Susannah bristled. ‘Some people might say his hussy of a wife brought about his downfall. I believe Thomas managed to repay some of what he owed before the end of his life and he did so voluntarily.’
‘Have these rumours come via Lord Mornington?’ Alex asked drily. He knew his mother was the Earl of Mornington’s mistress. ‘I imagine if Uncle Thomas didn’t confide in you another fellow has supplied the details.’ Alex was aware that Lord Mornington had relatives in the judiciary.
‘I’d sooner have left it all well alone.’ Susannah evaded answering. ‘The two people who caused the misery have passed away so it is pointless raking it over now.’ She looked crossly at her son. ‘Why have you only just mentioned this, Alex?’
‘Because I’ve only just found out. I was given the letter yesterday. Thomas stipulated I have it after I turned thirty and only if my father had passed on.’
