“Some of my other cousins.” Gigi smiled and grasped Lydia’s arm. The three young women walked together telling funny stories of family foibles until Jane called them back.
Lydie huffed and frowned, “Such a mother hen.”
“If I had younger siblings when mama died, I would likely be a great deal worse than Jane. Keeping my older brother in line was hard enough!”
“I miss mama. Do you miss yours?”
“Every day, Lyddie. Papa too.”
“I’m sorry! I forgot you have lost both parents. I guess I am still selfish and thoughtless. My sisters are right.”
“When was the last time they called you that, Lydia?”
“I…I do not know. It has been a while. You have lost both of your parents too, Gigi. I am sorry for just thinking of myself.”
“It is alright. I never really knew my mother, so I cannot really miss her, can I? I miss my father. I think you are too hard on yourself.”
“I do too!” Beth pulled them both forward. “Lizzy! Ask Jane if we can all go into town this afternoon and check out the shops.”
~~~~~
Mrs. Bernice Young was the daughter of a parson. She ran off with a soldier when she was only sixteen and was a widow by eighteen. Whether she in fact married the man was in question, but her parents disowned her. She had made her way however she could since then. The cousin who owned the pub down by the docks was the only family that would recognize her. For a short time, she had worked at that pub. That is where she met her friend.
Bernice was more than a bit arrogant. She thought of herself as a great actress who could fill any role. She had trod the boards in some smaller venues. Usually playing a princess or someone of the aristocracy. One of her malefriendshad written her a recommendation as an experienced and reliable governess, which is how she got her current position as companion to Miss Darcy. The rest of her references were all forged. She was very lucky Miss Darcy’s guardians were in a hurry to hire someone for the littlemouse. She had grown up well educated, so she assumed she had all the qualifications. Unfortunately, she was not quite as clever as she thought. She sent her note to the pub with one of the house footmen. The younger son of the butler and housekeeper.
“Father, that companion, Mrs. Young wants me to run a note down to the Grey Gull.”
Mr. Riley grimaced. “That’s not a good place. Did she say why?”
“No, she treated me like a bit of dust on her shoe. ‘Take this, boy, and wait for an answer.’ That’s all.”
“You take your brother with you. I won’t have you down on the docks alone. Don’t eat or drink down there. Men have been known to disappear. You’ll find yourself on a ship out to sea when you wake. Be careful. Take note of everything. The Colonel doesn’t seem to trust the woman.”
“Yes, father. We’ll be back as quick as we can.”
Tad went to find his brother Todd and left on his errand. To the relief of their parents, they were back within an hour.
Chapter Eighteen
The blond man had been sitting at the bar when two footmen in livery came in to hand a note over to the barkeep. “We were asked to wait for a reply.”
The burly man at the bar looked at the direction on the front and grunted, “There won’t be no reply fer now. You go on.”
Todd and Tad did not need to be told twice. They were out the door in a flash. The pub stunk and was dirty. They were used to the better parts of town.
When the door shut the barman slid the missive across to the blonde man. “Take it to yer room an read it. Stupid chit shouldn’t a sent housemen down here. Ya should look fer ‘nother place ta stay. Jigs up here.”
The man looked like he’d argue for a moment, then thought better of it and grabbed the note and angrily went upstairs. He threw his things into a valise, read the note quickly, and left to find new accommodations. He grumbled every minute as he walked down the street, ‘Stupid Bernice! Always thinking she’s so clever. She’ll get us both caught and hanged! Her plan already fell apart. Ishould just have her steal the rest of the jewels and escape before my creditors catch up with me.’ Little did the blonde man realize that he was talking to himself loud enough to be heard by one of the many street children who haunted every town. The war had caused there to be a lot of children with no fathers, and mothers who had to work to keep them fed, so the children ran wild most days. Some did honest work, like holding horses leads for gentlemen, or running errands, or cleaning up sidewalks for merchants. Others dealt in thieving or information.
Tommy didn’t have a mother or a father, so he did whatever he had to do. He wasn’t a bad boy. There was a widow lady down near the docks who would let him stay occasionally. She had two children of her own to feed, though, so he usually only stayed there when it was extra cold or stormy. He’d occasionally snatch a loaf of bread or a pie off a windowsill and take it to her in thanks. Usually, he tried not to thieve much. That’d get you transported or put in the workhouse. He did trade in information a lot. People paid no attention to grubby little boys. That blonde man was saying some interesting things, so Tommy followed him. He’d do his best to keep an eye on that one. He’d bet there would be someone who wanted to find that man. Creditors? That woman ‘Bernice’, or maybe whoever he planned to steal the jewels from? That could pay big money! Yep. He’d be watching that one!
~~~~~
Mrs. Young was disappointed she had not received a note back from her friend. She could not be caught walking down to her cousin’s pub on the docks, so she would just have to wait. She believed she had come up with a good plan. Time would tell. If she could just get that stupid little chit to quit spending all her free time with her cousin and those Bennets!
About a week after their arrival, the entire group was walking along the promenade when a grubby young boy ran into her and shoved a paper in her hand. She was about to yell at him when she looked down at the paper. It was her friends handwriting! She quickly shoved it in her pocket. Unfortunately for her, there were three young ladies that noticed. They had been walking arm and arm behind her. Beth, Lizzy, and Lydia had become close this past week. Gigi as well, but Mrs. Young often insisted she walk with her. The excuse was that she was being instructed on manners and comportment as they walked. Gigi also had a rigorous schedule of instruction. An art master to visit twice a week, and Mrs. Young insisted that Miss Darcy must be his sole focus for her lessons,although he visited the Bennets with the same lessons. She also must do her lessons in French and German on her own, although Mrs. Young did not speak either language, and her cousin Beth and all five of the Bennet ladies spoke both languages at least a little. Lydia, Beth, and Lizzy were distrustful of Mrs. Young, and not sure of her motives.
Lizzy moved forward to join Gigi, as Lydia and Beth slowed to speak with John. “I do not suppose you noticed that little interaction with the boy who bumped into Mrs. Young?”
