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September 1810
As their ward, Giana, was now fifteen, Lord and Lady Matlock decided it was time to employ a companion for her. Had Mrs. Annesley, who was companion to Lizzy and Mary for now, been available they would have employed her without delay. Sadly, she was not.
Lady Matlock placed advertisements for the position of companion to their ward in April, not long after Easter. Four ladies had been selected based on the letters they wrote combined with their characters. Interviews had been set to start that afternoon. The first lady to be seen was a Mrs. KarenYounge.
When Miss Younge, Mrs. Karen Younge for the purposes of gaining the position she was confident would be offered to her, was shown into the drawing room at Matlock house, she was a little disconcerted to be faced with not only one lady, but with an additional six ladies.
“Thank you for taking your time to meet with me, Mrs. Younge.” Lady Matlock indicated a chair opposite herself in the centre of the room.
“It is my pleasure your Ladyship,” Miss Younge responded carefully. She was a little nervous as the Countess had not introduced any of the other ladies in the room. ‘George said it would be simple to pull the wool over their eyes, he had better not be mistaken!’ she thought to herself.
“Your characters were the most impressive I have seen from any of the applicants. I am tempted to employ you before I see any of the other ladies…” Lady Matlock began to say.
Miss Younge felt far more confident. The forgeries had done their job.
“…however…” Lady Elaine did not miss the way the momentary confidence disappeared from the woman’s face. “However, I would be remiss if I did not contact each of those who wrote the most stellar characters for you.”
“Y-y-you m-m-must e-e-excuse m-me…” Miss Younge began to stammer seeing that George had been absolutely wrong in his assurances.
Before she could bolt for the door, it was blocked by two large footmen who had appeared when Miss Younge was talking to the Countess.
“You will not be leaving before we know why you sent this work of fiction to try and gain a position as my niece’s companion. Now sit!” Lady Matlock commanded.
She looked around the room for a possible avenue of escape, but there were none. Karen Younge now noted therewere men in the room, and by the fine clothing they wore, she knew they were not servants.
“You sent me four forged characters, one each from Lady Jersey, the Duchess of Bedford, Lady Granville, and Lady Cowper. Those four ladies are sitting to my left. They all happen to be friends of mine, and none have ever employed a Mrs. Younge, as you claimed.” Lady Elaine turned to her friends. “You have never seen this woman before, have you.”
The three countesses and one duchess all shook their heads vehemently.
“Unless you would like to be transported for trying to defraud a peer of the realm, I suggest you tell us the truth, and now,” Lady Elaine demanded.
“George Wickham sent me,” Karen Younge admitted.
“Why?” Lord Matlock insisted on knowing.
“One day before he was cheated out of his inheritance by the lies told to his true father, he saw a document which listed Miss Darcy’s dowry,” Miss Younge related. “I was to convince you to send her with me to Margate or Ramsgate once I was employed. He would have played on her tender feelings from her youth and then have her agree to elope. That would gain him her fortune and gain revenge on those who cheated him.”
“I see he is still as bad a liar today as he was when his father was alive,” Lord Matlock scoffed. “Did it not give you pause he wanted to elope with one, who hepurports, is his sister?” Miss Younge blanched; she had never considered that. “Here is the truth about your man…” The earl told her all. “Before the late Robert Darcy turned him out, George signed a statement attesting to the truth of the facts I laid out for you. Is your name even Younge?”
“Yes, your Lordship, Miss Karen Younge,” she admitted. She knew her only hope was to be truthful now.
“As my wife told you, I will not order you transported as you told the truth. I will honour what she promised,” LordMatlock decided. “You will never come near any of us again and tell George Wickham if he ever tries anything to harm any member of my family, he will rue the day he was born. If I see you, him, or any connected to you, transportation will be the least of your worries!”
With her tail between her legs, Karen Younge was escorted from Matlock House via the servants’ entrance.
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After interviews—assisted by Mrs. Annesley and Fanny Bennet, who had been the other two in the room when the imposter was unmasked—with actual candidates, a Mrs. Hermione Mayers was employed for the position of Georgiana’s companion. She had in fact been the companion of Lady Cowper’s daughter before that young lady married.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Clay Younge was so angry Wickham had sent his sister on a fool’s errand which had almost got her transported, he first beat Wickham with his fists and then threw the man out of his house warning him to leave Margate as soon as may be.
Nursing his wounds, which included a broken nose, Wickham thanked his lucky stars he still had a few banknotes squirrelled away and made for London.
Chapter 21
