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A week had passed and Lady Maria Leonard had become ever more distracted by her thoughts. It was the arrival of her brother that allowed her the chance to talk it through. She managed to get a couple of hours of his time, free from his family. They were joined by her youngest sister, so three of the four siblings were together. The middle sister was in the West Indies with her husband who was an Admiral stationed there.

“Did dear Charlotte tell you about the accident over the summer?”

“She did explain that there had been a partial building collapse on Piccadilly of all places, and that the family was close to it, young Louisa most of all.”

Her brother was the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and had not been in the country at the time. His wife was only in London as she had recently given birth to their 14th child and wanted the best of care for herself and the baby.

“Yes, she was rescued by a young lady. A wagon was about to shed its load and this young lady pulled Louisa out of the danger.”

“I had not realised that she had been in such peril. Although knowing my daughter, she does seem to have a habit of not listening. Is there a reason for the recounting of this tale?”

Lady Maria nodded.

“In the confusion of the incident we were separated from the young lady who pulled Louisa to safety. Quite by chance I encountered her in Hatchard’s last week. I was able to thank her on behalf of the family.”

“Excellent. Did you get her direction? I would like to meet and thank her myself, Charlotte will too I am sure.”

Lady Maria pursed her lips and sighed.

“This is why we are chatting about this. I talked with Georgina last week,” she indicated their sister “and revealed my good fortune in running into the young lady. There is a problem, she is living with an uncle who is in trade.”

It was the turn of the Duke of Richwood to purse his lips.

“She is gentle-born?”

“Yes, a small estate in Hertfordshire. The uncle is her mother’s brother. Her aunt was killed in an accident similar to that which almost befell Louisa. She is helping him raise the children.”

The Duke was not a stupid man. He held to maintaining the distinction of rank but he was also astute enough to know that there were always exceptions.

“Georgina, your thoughts?”

“I do not think that we should meet or promote someone with the taint of trade so close to them. If she had been visiting from her home estate and returned there, then I can perhaps overlook the connection. But she is living at the uncle’s house, and according to Maria has done so for the last two years.”

“Bathurst is President of the Board of Trade.”

Her husband.

“Yes, but he is not at a warehouse every day!”

The Duke nodded.

“True.”

There was silence for close to 30 seconds as the Duke thought about the situation. He looked at his older sister with a suspiciously bland expression on her face.

“What are you proposing Maria?”

She inelegantly shrugged.

“I am conflicted brother. The obvious answer is to send a note, thanking her, but then move on. We are not going to meet her in any social setting and so for contact to occur we must seek it out. Well, other than a random meeting such as I had with her. Yet at the same time she saved a member of our family. If she had not acted so instinctively and bravely then Louisa would be dead.”

She saw her brother close his eyes as he grimaced. This was the blunt truth.

“And through my conversation with her I discovered that she has set aside her own upbringing, her own prospects, to assist her uncle. She is helping her family and with a substantial amount of self-sacrifice. I find myself unable to behave as I would normally.”

“You wish to maintain the connection? Introduce her to society?”

“I would like to help her but in a manner in line with her station.”