Page 57 of Her Favourite Daughter

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Two days after that first foray to London’s shops with the group of ladies, the gossip sheets could not print enough information about Her Grace, Lady Bethany Osborne. The veracity of the information was unimportant as long as they could have something to say about the recovered duchess because there was a voracious appetite to read anything regarding Lady Bethany, which increased the purveyors of gossips’ circulation.

Wickham read the reports with glee. At last, he had some information about Lady Bethany so he would be able to begin to make his plans. His thoughts were drawn from making plans when a couple entered the shop. The owner had left some moments before, which meant that Wickham had to pay attention to the clients in the store.

Until he was ready to execute his plans, he needed the employment, so it would not do for his employer to return and find him ignoring customers. He was paying them scant attention until he heard one of them say, ‘Osborne’. From then on, he listened intently and moved closer to them.

“All we know from the gossip sheets is that Leeds House is occupied again,” Karen Younge hissed at her brother.

‘Why had the dunderhead complained about not getting closer to the Osbornes?’ Wickham wondered silently.

“Sorry, Sister, it just be waitin’ is not summin’ I enjoy,” Clay returned contritely.

“We will get our revenge, but we have to have a good plan before we move against them,” Karen Younge whispered near her brother’s ear. “Now say nothing more; all we need is someone to hear and then shop on us.”

“What if the person who heard you also wants a way to get close to the Osbornes?” Wickham asked nonchalantly. He saw the fairly large man move towards him. “Peace, I believe our aims may be aligned. There is no value to me in shopping on you to the runners or magistrate. What you do is not my concern, and also, I have no love for that family and want to make sure they pay me funds they owed my late father. When he passed away, I went to collect what was owed, and they refused to honour their word to him and pay the debt.” When he heard revenge, Wickham guessed that the brother and sister had a grudge against the Osbornes. Hence, he made himself sound like a victim as well.

Brother and sister looked at one another and both nodded. “As they murdered our mother, I am not surprised to hear that they tried to cheat you of money legally owed to you. I am Karen Younge, and this is my brother Clay. If you have been badly done for by these toffs, then perhaps we can work together to achieve our aims. We have a house at 100 Edward Street in Spitalfields. Are you able to call after your work is complete?”

As much as Wickham wanted to help himself to the funds in the strongbox and leave with the Younges at that moment, never to return to this degrading employment, he knew it would not help for him to be searched for all over London for theft. If he was apprehended, he would swing, and Wickham preferred to remain in the mortal world. He would go to meet with the Younges, and he would decide whether to leave his employment based on what he discovered when he called at their home. “George Wickham, here. I am free from my day of toiling at seven this evening; I will come to your house afterward.”

The Younges purchased the latest copy of The Times of London and an edition of The Tatler and left the shop after handing over the coins.

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Seeing the Younges’ house, Wickham was impressed. It was not in a fashionable part of London, but then again, it was not a slum like Seven Dials and St Giles. From what he could see, the house was fairly large and well maintained. Based on the sign hanging from the front façade, he saw that the two operated a boarding house.

He wanted to hear the whole of their tale, so he would be able to evaluate how useful they would be for him to achieve his goal. He cared not a whit why they felt the Osbornes bore responsibility for their mother’s death or whether or not they gained a measure of revenge. If nothing else, they would be fools enough to be a good diversion that he could use to ensure that he could get close to the young duchess. He could tell that the brother was a simpleton, but the sister had a measure of intelligence. If needed, he would employ his charm and make her his paramour so that her judgement would be clouded.

“Welcome, Mr Wickham,” Karen Younge said when one of the two maids they employed showed the handsome man into the sitting room. He was very well favoured in his looks. He had dark blonde hair and light blue eyes. He was a little taller than her brother with a good form, and most importantly, she saw sincerity in his looks.

For his part, Wickham decided that if he needed to seduce Miss Younge, it would not be a chore. She was a rather plain woman; however, at least she was not homely. “Please call me, George or Wickham,” he declared openly.

“In that case, you may address me as Karen and my brother as Clay or Younge. Will you tell us more of how the Osbornes injured you?” Karen Younge requested.

“The reason the late duke was to give my father a legacy of twenty thousand pounds for me was because I am his by-blow,” Wickham prevaricated. “My mother worked at one of his estates, and she was imposed upon by the duke. I am sure you have seen how those who are so-called nobles think they can take what they will.” He saw both Younges nod emphatically. His tale was effective. They would not question its veracity. “Before the money could be paid, my father passed under suspicious circumstances. As he was merely a steward, no one investigated the manner of his death.” He added the last to his contrived narrative remembering Miss Younge…Karen had mentioned something of their mother being murdered. “Mind you, I have no proof that my father was murdered; however, I believe that is so.” His father was still very much alive, but the Younges would have no way of knowing that. “When I went to see my natural father, the Duke of Leeds denied he had promised my father anything and had me ejected from his house.

“The reason you found me working in that little shop is thanks to the Osbornes spreading lies about me, I was not accepted to study at university, and no one else would employ me because of what was being said about me.” Wickham knew he had laid it on with a trowel.[10] At the same time, he believed it was what his audience wanted to hear, so they would not detect anything untoward about him or what he was telling them.

Neither of the Younge twins thought to question George’s account because it fed into the narrative they had been telling themselves for years.

“That toff must’a tried to use me ma ill, and she fought back, so ‘e killed her!” Clay Younge exclaimed.

“What do you know of how your mother died?” Wickham enquired.

“Our father told us she had been murdered when she worked for the Osbornes at their estate, Kiveton Park,” Karen Younge replied. “She worked as a nursemaid. Whenever Clay or I asked Father about what happened to Mother, he refused to speak about it. We had an uncle, our father’s younger brother, and we never saw him again after we heard our mother had passed away. Father refused to mention his brother’s name again.”

Rather than point out that they had no proof that their mother’s death had anything to do with the Osbornes, Wickham said nothing because he needed them to keep believing the falsehood so that when he required it of them, they would do what he asked without hesitation. “It sounds like we are bound by the same family who caused the death of one of our parents. Is your father with you?”

“No, Da was shot. ‘E ‘oo shot ‘im said Da cheated at cards,” Clay Younge responded.

It was disappointing he could not lay the death of the father at the Osbornes’ feet as well because it would have helped goad the Younges to be willing to take even more chances.

Wickham affected a sad look. “It is a great sadness for me that I am trapped working for that man who employs me. It is the only way I can keep a roof over my head since I was robbed of my legacy. However, at least we can meet in the evening to plan how we will make the Osbornes pay for their transgressions against us.”

Karen Younge leant over to her brother. “Should we allow George to reside with us in one of the empty chambers?” she asked in sotto voce.

“Aye, it would be easier for us to plan,” Clay Younge agreed.