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“There was a coach parked just down the street and one of the footmen only had one arm.”

“Georgiana, that is not that uncommon. There have been many wounded men from this endless war with France.”

“I understand that Aunt Susan. But there was a second one armed footman standing to the side in the bookshop. I had only just started browsing when I noticed who he was accompanying. There was a lady in full mourning black also in the shop. Her companion paid for a large selection of books and then the footman took the large package and carried it out to the coach.”

The Countess parsed the unstructured sentences of her niece.

“There were two ladies, one in full mourning and one her companion, and two footmen, both with only one arm?”

“Yes, I just said that Aunt.”

“Did you find out the name of the lady in mourning?”

Georgiana shook her head.

“Mrs. Annesley made discreet enquiries but the bookseller did not know. And it was not that he was unwilling to tell her, just that he was unware of the name. The lady selected the books, but it was the companion that paid for them.”

“Can you estimate her age? Is she my age?”

The Countess was 52 years old, the mother of two adult sons.

“No Aunt. She was not much older than myself. My estimate is that she has reached her majority, but not much more than that.”

She watched her aunt sit quietly and think through all the recent notices of death.

“I can think of none that immediately come to mind that fit your description. The state of dress of the servants? The state of the coach?”

Essential details that every lady and gentleman were trained to spot. You could tell a lot about a person by their servants.

“Immaculate. The servants were well dressed and the coach was clearly in top condition. At least superficially, I would not know about the actual workings of it.”

“No, I understand that. Their appearance was excellent?”

“Indeed.”

“I wonder who she is?”

--

Elizabeth’s year of mourning was quiet and studious. She attended no events, not that she received many invitations. Her only indulgence were regular trips to the bookshops. She went every quarter, twice to Bath and once to Bristol. Other than that she stayed on the estate. Her first visit to Bath was nothing more than the effect of recent poor weather. It was the start of the autumn and she wished to buy some new books. She hoped to get and out of Bath without notice.

In addition to learning to ride, she made other changes that first summer. The most significant was the hiring of a secretary. Gentlemen, and especially Masters of an estate, often employed a secretary to deal with much of the correspondence involved in running an estate. Elizabeth decided she needed such a person.

The task she set for her lawyer was not the usual however. When he received the missive he laughed out loud. Lady Napier wanted a female secretary. And such a person did not exist. But her letter to his response made him stop and think. Governesses were nearly always gentlewomen who had been forced to work due to circumstances. And that drop in status was nearly always not their fault. It was due to either the parent or brother being unable to support them.

‘I wish for you to select a woman who grew up on a sizeable estate, and is sufficiently well educated to perform the essential duties of a secretary. There must be many governesses looking for a role, and if this person suits, then she will be employed for the rest of her life.’

Lawrence sat in silence thinking about what Lady Napier wrote. Would it work? It would need to be someone with the intellect to be a blue stocking, but without the wealth to support it. An indulgent father who had at least partially educated his daughter in the running of an estate, just as Lady Napier had been by her former father. It was not the most impossible of tasks given to him by the late Lord Napier.

After a great many interviews he found exactly the right woman. Or at least in his estimation. Harriet Underwood was approaching 40, not yet of an age to be worrying about finding a position with a new family but definitely not in the first flush of youth. Elizabeth sent one of her carriages to bring her down to Napier Hall.

“You mean there are no children? Why have you brought me here if you do not need a governess?”

“I do not wish to hire a male secretary. I have had my lawyer interview many governesses looking for a candidate who can take on the responsibilities. You would be my secretary.”

There was several seconds of silence.

“What will my duties entail?”