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“I see. Is Darcy’s sister younger or older? If she is older then I presume she is married?”

“She is unmarried and much younger, the mother died not long after she was born. He is close to 30, she is of an age to make her presentation.”

Elizabeth considered all this.

“He is the heir, and unmarried. He has a sister about to be presented to the Queen. And he is the talk of the town, and not in a good way.”

She flushed slightly.

“Is there not pressure from the Earl and the Countess?”

“There we run into a blank wall. It is presumed so, yet he still allows the Bingleys to ride his coattails to social events well outside their circle.”

“You talk of a blank wall, yet you seem remarkably informed about most other matters.”

It was not phrased as a question but it demanded a response.

“Servants talk. Or at least most servants do. A steady income of shillings, an occasional crown, has my men receiving the up to date word.”

Elizabeth looked at him with wide eyes.

“You bribe servants?”

“Yes.”

The blunt uncompromising one word answer rocked Elizabeth back in her chair. Lawrence continued.

“It is commonplace. It is how many of the scandals in the newspapers are initially discovered. If either the Master or the Mistress of the house is committing adultery then they will have to pay the servants to keep it quiet. If they foolishly do not buy their silence then they will be discovered, and quickly.”

Elizabeth would need to think on that further. And think about her own servants! Lawrence pre-empted her.

“Two things. The first is that you are very well protected by Mr. Jones. Even in the house he is always armed, and all the servants know this. He was a bitter man, and saw nothing but a slow, cold, painful death facing him, and you rescued him. Through Matthews’ sister you found out about Matthews and through him Jones himself. But then you also did something about it. Jones acknowledges a debt to Matthews, since it was him that suggested Jones himself. All of them know you consciously hired them, despite their injuries. You have their loyalty. Jones is just more vocal about it, you have his loyalty until his dying day. And all the staff know this. The second point is that I suspect the Earl has a similar loyal retainer which keeps the Matlocks free of servant gossip.”

“Thank you for explaining that. Back to Darcy. You know through various means that his name is being tarnished by the Bingley connection, both brother and sister. Is one worse than the other?”

“The brother, even although the sister is the more obvious and noticeable.”

“Is it loyalty? A lifelong debt owed to the man?”

“Bingley is a year younger and they met at Cambridge. There is a gap in their acquaintance due to the death of both fathers. They have been close companions for three years now.”

Lawrence looked uncomfortable.

“I do not wish to cause you pain Lady Napier but we need to consider your own circumstances. And the impact of Miss Bingley.”

Chapter 17

Before Lawrence started Elizabeth asked the question back to him.

“How do I make my way in society with Caroline Bingley ready to damn me to all and sundry?”

“Thank you for saving me the embarrassment of saying that, my Lady.”

“And we both know that she will be listened to, not necessarily believed, but I will be disgraced forever. Do you have any suggestions? Recommendations? A plan?”

Lawrence understood the strength of Lady Napier.

“Money might be power, but power is only useful if you are prepared to wield it.”