“But, George, what if they verify my characters? They will discover they are all false.”
“Karen, I used to live around this type. As soon as they see the names of some like, and even above, them, they will never check because that would be like questioning the honour of their friends. I guarantee you that you will be invited to interview and then they will give you the position.”
“And once I have it?”
“You will be a good companion for a few months and gain their trust, especially that brat Elizabeth. It will be spring by then, and you will put something in her food to make her seem ill. Then you will suggest she may benefit from some time near the coast in a place like Ramsgate or Brighton. The parents will be too busy to go with you, as they do not care for the foundlings like they used to. They have regretted taking them in for a long time.
“If they bother to send any footmen with them, you will dismiss them, as you will be in charge of the household, and then begin to take walks per directions I will give you. I will meet youby chanceand win her confidence with your help and encouragement. She was too young at the time, so she will not remember our past interactions. I will suggest an elopement, which she will agree to. We will return to London and contact herparentsand tell them that unless they want their house embroiled in scandal, they are to turn her dowry over to us, and we will return her unharmed.
“Of course, once we get the funds, we will pay a man to ruin her. It will be worth the money, as I have no interest in a woman who is not you.”
Wickham sat back and allowed his paramour to digest his words. He kept his face impassive as he watched her cogitate over his plan. He was supremely confident it would not fail. It was too well thought out not to succeed.
“Alright, George. I will help you get your due,” Miss Younge decided.
“Thank you, my dear.” Wickham kissed her languidly. “You will not regret this. One thing; I am skint now. Would you have ten pounds to pay the forger? It is integral to the success of our plan.”
Karen Younge was used to George not having money. She agreed to help, but she would not give it to him; she would go with him to pay the forger herself. She ignored George’s wounded look. She knew only too well how he loved to throw money away at the tables. Hence, she would make sure the money was spent as planned.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
With Jane’s coming-out ball behind them, the search for a companion took precedence. Edith had called on the Duchess of Bedford at Bedford House and been given leave to speak to Mrs Annesley regarding a position after Lady Marie married Andrew in November.
The lady had agreed to work for the Carringtons if, by the time her charge married, the post had not been filled.
Edith was very pleased to have the option of employing Mrs Annesley because so far she had not interviewed a recommended candidate who came close to the skills and quality of the aforementioned lady. Her thoughts about a companion were interrupted when Paul entered the room, an epistle in his hand.
“You remember that I placed an advert in the papers for qualified companions to apply, do you not?” Holder verified.
“As I am not in my dotage yet, yes, I do remember,” Edith replied with a tease.
“You should read this letter because it seems that Lady Marie Russell had two companions, and we were unaware of that fact,” Holder stated sarcastically as he handed his wife the letter along with those from the lady’s supposed prior employers.
Once she had the letter in her hand, Edith began to read. The more she read, the easier it was to see that whoever wrote this drivel was too enamoured with their own intelligence, which they seemed to seriously lack. “I am sure the motivation was what is being reported about our girls’ dowries,” Edith stated after she had read the fiction in her hand. “I wonder if Lady Georgiana realises that she wrote a character for a companion who was never employed by her.”
“I think that Bedford will take a very dim view of someone forging a letter from his duchess. I will wager the forger is not aware that Lady Georgiana Russell is a distant cousin of our king[7]. It is obvious the authors of this nonsense were convinced that seeing the Bedford, Jersey, and Esterhazy names would blind us to all of the falsehoods in their application. I wonder if Mrs Karen Younge is even the woman’s proper name,” Holder stated.
“We need to invite her for an interview so we can see what is behind this attempt to infiltrate our household,” Edith suggested.
“I agree, and we should have some guests here when she arrives.”
Holder kissed his wife and returned to his study to write some missives. This woman would regret the day she attempted to defraud the house of Holder.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“George, you had the right of it. I just received a letter from Lord Holder,” Karen Younge said excitedly. “Here, read it.”
Wickham took the letter and began to read.
4 November 1807
Holder House
Park Lane
London
Mrs Younge:
