Page 13 of A Life Diverted

R ichard arrived at Darcy House at the time William had requested he be present; in fact, he was a little early. The purpose of his call was to assist in interviewing two candidates for the post of companion for Giana, who had turned fourteen earlier that month.

In many things, William thought he knew best, but his fastidious nature would not allow him to do anything but follow the dictates to the letter which were in his father’s will, that he and Richard were equal co-guardians of Giana.

William had narrowed down the possible companions to two, Mrs Karen Younge and Mrs Gertrude Annesley.

On paper, both seemed more than qualified for the role, but only once they had spoken to both and seen how each interacted with Giana, and most importantly, verified their characters, would a decision be made.

Initially, William had wanted to choose Mrs Younge based purely on her characters.

She listed some leading lights of society, so he had reasoned that if she had been good enough for them, she was more than qualified to superintend Giana.

He had been willing to employ her without checking her characters.

To this, Richard had objected most strenuously. Hence, acknowledging their equal roles, William had receded.

Mrs Annesley was to be first. She had very good experience as a companion, and Richard had a good feeling about her. Once they had spoken to her, they would observe her with their ward for about an hour. Mrs Younge was to arrive two hours after the first lady.

The lady arrived a little ahead of the time she had been invited to come.

She was very impressive, both in her replies to the questions the cousins shot at her and her unflappable bearing.

A footman was summoned and told to lead the lady to the music room.

The cousins needed some time to speak. Richard waited and allowed William to order his thoughts before they had a discussion.

“I am willing to own that my thoughts regarding employing Mrs Younge were arbitrary. However, I find Mrs Annesley very compelling,” Darcy admitted.

“All I asked is that you be open to both ladies and not to prejudge them. I particularly liked that she encouraged us to speak to those who have employed her in the past. It tells me she has nothing to hide from us. That is something very critical to our selection process when we choose the lady who will have much influence over Giana.” Richard looked out of the window onto the green.

“It is a pity our Aunt Catherine was not feeling up to being in London. I am sure she would have had some opinions about the ladies we are considering.”

“When does Aunt Catherine not have opinions?” William ribbed.

“Then we agree that Mrs Annesley seems to be a good fit?” Richard verified. “I know; we need to see her with Giana, and afterwards, we will speak to those she has used as characters.”

“We do,” Darcy confirmed. “However, I ask that you be as open to Mrs Younge as I was to Mrs Annesley. Thereafter, we will have all the information to make a decision.”

So agreed, the cousins made their way to the music room.

Giana was sitting on the bench before the pianoforte, and Mrs Annesley, who was unaware she was being observed, was helping their ward with her fingering on a more complex piece of music.

Rather than be shy with her, Giana seemed to be very open with the lady.

At the end of her allotted time, the cousins escorted Mrs Annesley to the front door and thanked her for her time. Darcy told the lady they would make a decision within a sennight.

The next lady, Mrs Younge, was shown into the study less than a minute after the time she had been asked to arrive.

“Mrs Younge, thank you so much for coming to see us,” William began after he asked the woman to be seated. He handed her list of characters to Richard. “Have you worked with young ladies of fourteen before?”

Before the lady could reply, Richard stood. “William, may I see you outside of the study for a moment? I just remembered something I need to take care of.”

Darcy was aware his cousin had nothing planned for that afternoon, as he had made sure he was available to be at the house looking into the companions.

However, knowing Richard, he would not have requested they talk unless it was something serious.

He nodded, stood, and followed Richard out of the study. He pulled the door closed.

“William, according to her list of prior positions, she has experience as a companion for over twenty years, and as a governess for ten years or so before that,” Richard pointed out, speaking softly even though the door was closed.

“Yes, her experience was one of the things which caught my eye. That, and where she worked before, was compelling.” William looked rather confused.

“If this is accurate, then the woman has worked for around thirty years. How can that be? She does not look like she is a day older than thirty! Did she go into service the day she was born?”

Before he tried to refute Richard’s words, Darcy thought back to seeing the woman, putting aside what he had desired to see after reading her characters.

“My goodness, Richard, you have the right of it. If you had followed your desires to join the army, you would have done well in military intelligence.”

Richard inclined his head in thanks for his cousin’s compliment. “Allow me to speak when we go back in.”

Darcy nodded his agreement.

In the study, Mrs Younge, who was getting nervous, approached the door and put her ear to it.

All she could hear was the low murmur of voices.

As soon as the door handle began to rotate, she rushed back to her seat and had just regained it when the two men returned to the study.

She was certain she had not been observed.

Expecting something nefarious and being very vigilant, Richard had seen the woman throw herself back into her seat. He was positive she had attempted to listen at the door.

“Your list of prior employers is very impressive,” Richard drawled.

“Why, thank you, Sir. I have been most fortunate in those who have seen fit to employ me.” Mrs Younge preened. It was just like George had said; they would accept her unconditionally rather than question the persons who had been listed as those willing to vouch for her.

“Did my cousin inform you it is our intention to contact everyone you have listed as a prior employer?” Richard asked. He did not miss the way the woman blanched and began to sweat. “Also, I am at a loss. How could you have worked for as many years as you have been alive?”

The lady jumped out of her seat. “I-I j-just r-remembered I-I n-n-need t-t-to b-be elsewhere,” Mrs Younge stammered. How could George have made such an error and not taken her age into account?

“You will sit, or I will have you restrained until the magistrate arrives, and we have you arrested for attempted fraud,” Richard barked.

Mrs Younge wisely sank back into the chair .

Darcy was giving thanks Richard had stepped in before he had made a critical error. His pride had wanted to employ the woman sight unseen because of the claptrap she had listed in her application.

“Why are you here?” Richard demanded.

At first, the woman looked away and refused to say anything. She just crossed her arms in front of her waist.

“My father is an earl. Would you prefer he sign an order of transportation?” Richard growled. “You have one chance to tell the truth. If not, you will be branded and transported to serve at least fourteen years of hard labour!”

She shrank back into the chair, shivering with fear. George had been wrong about everything, so she would not protect him now. “George sent me.”

“ Wickham !” Both cousins yelled in unison.

“What was his plan?” Richard demanded. “Do not forget the penalty for dissembling to us!”

“He was certain the Darcy pride would not allow you to check my characters, and I would be employed. Once employed for a month or so, I was to convince you to allow Miss Darcy to accompany me to a place distant from London for a holiday, somewhere like Ramsgate,” Mrs Younge reported.

“He was to join me there, and we would convince Miss Darcy to elope with George so that he could gain that which is his due—her dowry of thirty thousand pounds.”

“His due? What are you on about?” Darcy demanded.

“He said you denied him his inheritance from your father, who liked him better. Out of jealousy, you would not prefer him to a living or give him the money left to him in your father’s will. He told me what he is owed is about the value of your sister’s dowry,” Mrs Younge related.

Richard let out a bark of laughter. “Do you know how to tell that Wicky is prevaricating? ”

Karen Younge shook her head.

“Whenever he speaks,” Darcy completed. “The only thing true in what you were told is that I did deny him money after my father was called home to God. What he failed to mention to you is he was fully aware my father had washed his hands of him. Wicky was told in no uncertain terms that other than paying for him to go to the local school near our estate, there would never be anything more. The man you placed your trust in attempted to get my father to hand over the amount owed to the school to himself. When Father refused, Wicky swore revenge. This was his attempt at that. From as far back as I can remember, he never enjoyed being told no.”

“Where is he now?” Richard enquired.

“He said he would watch the house from the stand of trees on the green. He should be there now,” Mrs Younge reported.

“What can we do, Richard?” Darcy queried. “We cannot prove he did anything illegal. It would be his word against Mrs Younge’s, if that is even her name.”

“Miss Younge,” the lady admitted.

“True, but you know Wicky is a coward. We can put the fear of God into him. Send Thompson and another man or two around the back of the mews. They can work their way behind him and bring him to us here,” Richard suggested.