Page 54 of The Quiet Wife (Stately Scandals #2)

London - Kensington

“What kind of plan?” Frances asked nervously, surveying the women seated around her.

“That’s my girl.” Aunt Agatha offered her a real smile before a serious look settled about her. She leaned forward. “What are the things taxing Fred at the moment?”

Frances splayed her fingers across her forehead and tried to pull herself together. “Taking over Bibby. I can’t think of anything else apart from being cross with Jemie about the dining room.”

Lizzie grinned wickedly. “He’s not happy about Jemie marrying me and being part of the family anymore.”

“Well, yes.” Frances had to agree that was true.

“So, what is the absolute worst thing that could happen to Fred at the moment?”

She shrugged. “He doesn’t get Bibby.”

Lizzie nodded. “And, because he’s bankrupted Jemie, once I am married to him, we will have to live with you!”

That brought a small smile to Frances’ face.

“He would not like that.”

Aunt Agatha sniffed. “My nephew has always demanded his own way. He never learned to play well with other children, he never learned to give and take. It saddens me to say it, but he is a bully.”

Frances nodded. “There is simply no arguing with Frederick. He can never see a different point of view, only his own.”

“Well, there is no need to argue. In fact, you mustn’t. You simply need to put forward a proposal. One he cannot refuse once he sees the sense of it,” Aunt Agatha said.

“I don’t understand,” Frances began to feel exasperated, and a little afraid. “For heaven’s sake, just tell me. What do you intend me to do?”

“You should put it to Fred that he needs to purchase another house. One in London, perhaps somewhere close to Kensington, like Chelsea?” Lizzie suggested as though that was the simplest task in the world.

Frances’ lips twitched. Jemie lived in Chelsea and the possibility of Frederick agreeing to such a proposal was so minute it was amusing, but she let her sister continue.

“He should give you a generous stipend, ensure that the children can visit, or stay with you as they choose. You will need servants, horses… all the usual things that a lady of quality should have, and the funds to pay staff salaries as well as generous pin money.”

“That sounds lovely.”

“It does, doesn’t it?”

“And how do I persuade my husband that this idyll is a good idea?” she said mildly, smiling at Lizzie and Edith’s eager expression.

“It’s quite simple, my dear. You hit him where it will hurt the most, and then offer him a solution that he can’t do anything but accept,” Aunt Agatha replied.

Frances was still baffled. “How?”

“Well, my love,” Lizzie paused, and they all looked at each other triumphantly.

“First, you tell him you want to divorce him, and you tell him why he would be foolish to decline your request. When he has had an apoplexy, you can suggest a separation might suffice. It will be the lesser of two evils and he might decide it is acceptable.”

“You are all mad,” Frances laughed. “I cannot think of anything that might persuade him to accept such a suggestion. He would most likely murder me on the spot.”

“You tell him that unless he agrees to your wishes, you will make sure that ‘someone’ goes to the newspapers and to the society pages and tell them about his affair with Rosa Caldicott. That he was caught in his own home doing…” Aunt Agatha gestured regally with one hand, “with her whilst you and the guests were dining. You say you will tell them about the baby, how he abandoned her in her hour of need, tell them that Rosa’s husband has left her… ”

Frances shook her head. “Men have affairs all the time. That’s not going to convince him.”

“However, if you were to mention going to the board of Bibby Shipping and informing them that this story was going to be in all the newspapers and the subject of endless gossip…?”

Frances’ mouth fell agape as it struck her. “They would pull out of the deal.” Frederick’s words came back to her. He told her she could not see Jemie anymore because any whisper of scandal could put paid to the deal. That his bid for Bibby would crumble under such news.

“Precisely,” Aunt Agatha’s intelligent eyes twinkled.

Lizzie’s smile was pure wickedness. “To sweeten the deal, I might be persuaded to release Jemie from our betrothal, and he won’t have to endure us living with you.”

Frances’ heart was racing. “It’s blackmail.”

“It is. Perfect, though. You could throw in his affair with Annie Wooster as well if you wanted to. I’ve heard Rosa is devastated,” Edith added.

Frances blinked. “He would be… livid.”

“If that doesn’t convince him, you could tell the world that his father was deported. He didn’t just leave the family to find work abroad, he was a convicted criminal.” Aunt Agatha delivered the killing blow with precision. So much so, Frances had to remember to breathe.

“Is that true?” she gasped.

Aunt Agatha just shrugged.

Frances studied her hands intently.

“If I did that, said those things, he would murder me. On the spot.”