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“Why the mystery mother?”

“There is a young lady, who is occasionally seen in town. But it is a fleeting visit, and she only ever goes to that bookseller. From what I have been told, she visited once a quarter, and not even every quarter and until July she wore full mourning. Since then it has been half-mourning.”

Andrew Fitzwilliam, heir to the Earldom as Viscount Stonehaven, looked puzzled.

“That seems entirely normal. If she is a widow then she is following the strictest of societal guidelines. Visiting a bookshop once a quarter is perfectly acceptable.”

“All that you say is correct, and expected. But it is the mystery surrounding her that is the real issue. You saw the carriage, Georgiana pointed out that it is the same matched team, that the livery is elegant and spotless. That speaks of wealth.

“And now we have a name. It is not the daughter of a successful tradesman, rather she is Lady Napier. The only Napier in the Peerage was the old Baron, who was contemporaries with the old Earl.”

Meaning Andrew’s grandfather.

“Lady Napier, from the little that has been seen of her, is barely older than Georgiana here. If she has reached her majority then it is not by many years.”

The Viscount was used to the ways of society, and as the heir to an Earl had to be on guard to compromise.

“What was Napier worth?”

He jumped to the crux of the matter.

“Somewhere between £2,000 and £3,000 a year. If we split the difference she now has more than £50,000 in her reticule.”

A dowry of that size would be in the top ten in any given year.

“And although you did not see them from where we were standing, she employs several former soldiers and not as footmen. What distinguishes them is the fact that all of them have lost part or all of one of their arms.”

“That seems very sensible. And given how poorly the country treats her wounded ex-soldiers it is to be commended. She knows she will be a target and is taking appropriate measures.”

At first, Andrew Fitzwilliam was inclined to forget about this woman, but his mother had been very keen to identify her. And had taken the time to explain to him who she was. Apparently she was a young woman, with £50,000 in her reticule, and now a widow soon to come out of mourning? On reflection he realised that he would keep his eye open for Lady Napier if she returned to society.

Chapter 15

“You do not seem excited about the prospect of returning to society my Lady.”

Elizabeth had selected Harriet for employment as her secretary because she was an astute and sensible woman.

“You are correct Harriet. Or rather you are only partially correct. I am not returning to society but rather entering it for the first time.”

She was now at the point of having to trust someone, take them into her confidence and she was unsure of taking this step. Her secretary sat and waited, unsure as to what to say, if indeed she should say anything. She loved this job and did not want to lose it. Little did Elizabeth know but Harriet was feeling the same emotions as herself, safety, security and freedom. She heard her mistress sigh.

“Lord Napier stumbled leaving his doctor’s office. And was heading head first towards the pavement of Harley Street, at a sufficient speed to split his head wide open. That event did not happen through sheer luck, I was walking past and unexpectedly broke his fall.”

She shook her head.

“It was a miracle that I was there, and that neither of us broke any bones. However I was black and blue from being knocked over and then landed on. He hired a nurse to care for me, and to be a chaperone, and insisted that I stay with him while I recovered.”

Elizabeth paused there to let that sink in. What was not said was more important than what was. It took Harriet several seconds until she realised the important point.

Why had Elizabeth not returned to her own home.

When Elizabeth saw Harriet had made the connection she nodded. And moved on. Harriet Underwood realised that this was the issue.

“Once I was recovered Lord Napier proposed and we were married back at the end of Winter in the year ’12. We returned to Napier Hall immediately and I have lived here ever since. Other than the month of recovery I have not lived in the townhouse, Napier House.”

“I see.”

It was nothing more than extemporising. How on earth was she to help assist Lady Napier with several large and obvious holes in the story. She tried to think of something to say, but nothing was coming to mind. Elizabeth took pity on her secretary.