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“So much?”

It would be forever burned into her memory the rumours swirling about Mr. Darcy at the Michaelmas Assembly. Mrs. Bennet’s own words, in her dulcet tone heard across half the hall, ‘he has £10,000 a year and owns half of Derbyshire’. And yet less than three years later she had that amount to invest, and it was not even the summer solstice yet. It was unimaginable, yet also true.

“The returns for those prepared to invest in the new industries of the north are substantial. We are seeing that with these amounts.”

“My late husband spent many hours, many days, explaining his investment philosophy with me. The most important was spreading the risk. He explained that much of his knowledge was due to the education he received at the hand of your father. What do you recommend?”

It was dry and dull, decisions on investments in a mill versus a foundry, Yorkshire versus Cheshire, even England versus Scotland. But it was Peter Napier’s legacy and his widow was going to be diligent in her duty to the estate.

--

“I wish all my clients took matters so seriously.”

Lawrence sipped his tea once back in his office. His senior clerk made no comment, waiting for more.

“She reads in advance, she knows all of the investments. Not the detail but what percentage, and how much it is returning. She did not disagree with any of my recommendations but she questioned each and every one.”

He bowed his head for a moment, a rare display of public piety. The Napier estate was thriving and he was sure the old Baron was watching from on high, proud of this brilliant woman he had randomly knocked over in the street that ended up as his wife. The title was gone, but the name lived on.

Chapter 24

Queen Charlotte sat with her three unofficial advisors. All were ladies-in-waiting, the official title for attendants to the Queen, but they were more than that. They were all widows, their grown children had already provided grandchildren, in one case great-grandchildren, and they now lived at Buckingham House. But they were more than mere attendants. They were the Queen’s personal counsellors, the three women that she could be totally honest with about any situation. It was to them, and only them, that Her Majesty unburdened herself regarding the madness of her husband. But that morning it was a much lighter topic that was being discussed.

“Tell me of the Season.”

This open question invited lots of responses, and lots of details.

“You saw it yourself ma’am, it was not a great crop of debutantes this Season. The Darcy girl was the best of a mediocre bunch.”

“Did she stand out because there was no competition or does she have more than that?”

“I can think of at least three years in the last five where she would have been lost. ’10, ’11 and ’13 all had beauties with poise, composure and wealth. In both ’10 and ’11 there were several that made very good marriages. Georgiana Darcy was lucky to make her curtsey this year. She was pretty enough but there was something missing. Her poise was clearly manufactured, not natural.”

A damning verdict.

“There was noise about the family at the start of the season, ties to trade or something like that. Was there any truth to the rumours?”

“Yes, there was. The older brother kept some questionable company. But Susan Fitzwilliam sorted him out before the damage became too great. There was a ruthlessness in dealing with it, however it would have been better dealt with last year than this. That being said, it did not impact the debut of the sister.”

“None of that family are wed, are they? All five of the next generation are still single, four of them already 30 years of age or close to it.”

The Queen had a wicked sense of humour.

“Should I invite her for tea? Ask her how the matchmaking is going?”

Gentle laughter.

“That is too cruel. She would go home and none of them would know what had hit them.”

More laughter.

“Do it.”

A note was made, Susan Fitzwilliam, Countess of Matlock was to be invited for tea and conversation. That they were tormenting the men of the family was entirely co-incidental.

“Let us move past the Darcys. What else?”

“The most interesting titbit of the season was probably the appearance of Baroness Napier.”