Chapter Twenty-One
T he next day, Edith decided she felt perfectly well and needed a change in scenery. She was also impatient to discover whether Lord Harbury had news about their missing veterans. She couldn’t write to the baron, but she could write to his sister.
Edith also penned a note to Charlotte inviting her for a visit at Thorne’s Lending Library if she was feeling up to it.
After a late breakfast, she and Louisa traveled to Berkeley Square. Once they were settled in the seating area at Thorne’s, Edith told her friend about the missive she’d sent to Alicia.
“You mentioned transportation to the girl?” Louisa shook her head. “The ninny will probably faint just reading the word.”
She rolled her eyes. “Alicia is made of sterner stuff than you think. I do hope she mentions the article about transportation to her brother.”
“Fingers crossed,” Louisa replied, doing just that with the fingers of one hand.
A moment later, Charlotte swept into the library, greeting Robbie with a bag of sweets.
“Charlotte!” Edith rose to her feet to give her friend a gentle hug. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better. I can keep food down, at least. I was thankful for your invitation to Thorne’s. Ashford and Diana are becoming quite tiresome, constantly asking after me and the babe.”
Charlotte took a seat on the sopha next to Louisa while Edith retook her place on the stuffed chair.
Louisa patted her friend’s hand. “You look much improved. There’s more color in your cheeks.”
Edith nodded. “You do look more yourself.”
“How are you feeling?” Charlotte looked at Edith closely.
“My stomach is nearly back to normal.”
“And you, Louisa?”
“I am perfectly well.” She shrugged. “Although I’m concerned about our missing veterans. Did you know one of their wives is with child? We have to find those missing men.”
Charlotte nodded. “Ashford told me about the three men. All of them are veterans of the Navy and were hired to work with horses.”
“Edith has a few theories,” Louisa replied.
She replied to Charlotte’s questioning look. “Press gangs or transportation.”
“Oh my goodness!” Charlotte’s eyes widened.
Edith continued, “Although press gangs probably wouldn’t be used as often now that the wars are over, it is a line of inquiry Lord Harbury could easily explore having been in the Navy.”
Louisa nudged Charlotte. “Can you believe Edith accompanied Lord Harbury to interview the wife of one of the missing men?”
“Did you really!?” Charlotte gaped at her.
Edith felt heat on her cheeks. “My maid was our chaperone. The baron was sure having a woman along when he interviewed Seaman Wilson’s wife would be helpful. I agreed.”
Charlotte tapped the side of her nose with a gloved finger. “How very thoughtful of Lord Harbury.”
Louisa added coyly, “The baron is very considerate of our Edith and listens to her ideas.”
She shrugged. “Lord Harbury has become a sort of friend.”
Charlotte replied, “Let us speak of the veterans; I’m sure Edith needs a respite from our teasing. Why did you think of transportation regarding the missing men?”
“I read an article in The Times about the great landowners in New South Wales. They cultivate crops and raise flocks of sheep, and the men who own these farms prefer convict workers. They don’t pay the men a wage but provide them with food and a roof over their heads. Transportation provides the landowners with inexpensive labor.”
“Transportation is a good theory.” Charlotte added softly, “If true, our veterans would still be alive.”
The women were silent for several moments.
“I am going to visit the registry office on the pretext that I’m there to look for my earbob.” She looked at her friends. “Would either of you care to accompany me?”
“I’ll go with you.” Louisa leaned toward Charlotte to whisper, “She’s going to look for clues that might help locate our veterans.”
Charlotte got to her feet. “If Louisa and I both come along, we can distract Porter and Taylor if necessary.”
When the women reached the registry office, Edith removed her earbobs and knocked at the door. A few minutes later, Mr. Porter unlocked the door and peered out. “Lady Edith! You do know we’re closed?”
“Oh yes, Mr. Porter! I was down the street with my friends and remembered that I was missing an earbob. The last time I remember having it was when I came into volunteer last.”
The veteran stood back to allow the women to enter the lobby. “I’ll just go upstairs and tell Taylor who was at the door. I can assist you in searching for the earbob if you like.”
She waved a hand. “I wouldn’t want to trouble you. We will only be a few minutes.” As the man made his way up the staircase, Edith said loudly, “Now remember, the earbob is a simple gold leaf with a pearl at the tip.”
“I’ll search the kitchen,” Louisa replied.
Charlotte walked to the bookcase. “I’ll search the lobby.”
Edith entered the backroom and noted that the floor was swept clean. There was nothing amiss in the drawers of the desk or the armoire. When she returned to the lobby, she found Charlotte sitting on a chair, looking rather pale. The other male employee, Porter, stood nearby looking concerned as Louisa plied her friend with a glass of water.
“Are you okay, Charlotte?”
“I’m just a bit tired. I should return home and rest. Did you find your earbob, Edith?”
Edith pulled out one of the earrings she'd removed earlier from her pocket. “It was in one of the desk drawers in the backroom. Perhaps someone found it and put it there for safekeeping.”
“I’m glad you found your jewelry, Lady Edith. Is there something I might do to help you, Lady Charlotte?” Porter rubbed his hands together nervously.
Charlotte smiled weakly at the man. “I merely need to get home and rest. Thank you, Mr. Porter.”
Louisa helped Charlotte to her feet. Porter unlocked the door, the women exited, and he locked up behind them.
When they had walked several paces away from the registry, Charlotte halted. “I was startled a moment, but now I’m quite recovered.”
“What happened?” Edith asked with a frown.
Charlotte opened the reticule she carried and pulled out a small object. “I found this under some papers on the bookshelf.”
Both Edith and Louisa gasped upon seeing the item.
In Charlotte’s palm lay a black snuffbox with the letters RA emblazoned on it in white: proof that someone who belonged to the Rogue’s Alliance had been in the registry office.
* * * * *
A licia joined Nathaniel for a late breakfast the next day. “Is there any news about the disappearance of our veterans?”
He shook his head. “I’m waiting for a response to an important letter.”
“Speaking of letters, Lady Edith wrote to me this morning. She mentioned an article in the latest issue of The Gentleman’s Magazine about the transportation of criminals to New South Wales. She thought you might be interested in the subject.”
He knew immediately why the lady would think so. Despite his eagerness to leave the table and read the article, he spent a few more minutes with Alicia as she discussed the upcoming musicale Lady Kettering was to host.
Once Nathaniel excused himself, he made his way to his study, sure there would be copies of The Gentleman’s Magazine in the room.
He located the issue of the periodical he needed and sat at his desk. Opening the magazine, he scanned several pages until he found the article Edith had mentioned to his sister.
New Holland Landowners Want More Convicts
Mr. Basil Lambourne of the British colony of New South Wales has traveled to London to address his need for more transported labor. As the representative of five other landowners in the New Holland territory, Mr. Lambourne has an audience with The Transport Board and the Home Secretary, Lord Sidmouth, to discuss the matter. Despite British prisoners that would have once been sent to the former colonies now being transported to New Holland, the increase in transportation isn't sufficient for the wealthy property owners.
Lady Edith might be on to something. And how interesting that the landowner was to meet with Lord Sidmouth.
There was a knock at the study door.
“Come!”
A footman entered and proffered a silver salver with a single letter. Once the servant had exited, Nathaniel broke the wax seal on the missive with a letter opener.
Lord Harbury,
Thank you for your kind inquiry into my health. I am much recovered and was glad to hear that you were unscathed and that your sister is now in good health. Do give her my best.
I need to speak with you privately on a delicate matter. Please call on me today at three o’clock.
Sincerely,
Lady Sandhurst
A glance at the carriage clock on a nearby table showed him the time to be only eleven o’clock. There were several hours before his meeting with Lady Sandhurst.
As the registry office was closed, perhaps Lady Edith would be at Thorne’s Lending Library. If she wasn’t at the library, he would go in search of Cecil and discuss convict transportation with him.
To his good luck, the lady was at the library, along with her friend Louisa.
Robbie greeted him from behind his counter when Nathaniel entered the shop. “May I help you, my lord?”
“Not at present. I’m here to speak with friends.”
As he approached the women in the seating area, Nathaniel was aware of two pairs of eyes assessing him.
Lady Edith’s smile upon seeing him made him nearly stop in his tracks. She might only be interested in any news he had about the missing veterans, but his heart hoped she was happy to see him.
“Lady Edith, Lady Louisa, it is a pleasure to find you here. I do hope you are both well after your exposure to Lady Sandhurst’s supper.” He took a seat on a chair.
Lady Edith nodded. “We are much recovered.”
Both ladies looked at each other, their eyes bright. Lady Louisa then said, “Go ahead. Tell him.”
He looked inquiringly at Lady Edith.
“We visited the registry office with Charlotte. She has since gone home to show Ashford something important. Something she found in the registry office only a few minutes ago.”
“Something important?” he asked with a frown.
Edith nodded. “A Rogue’s Alliance snuffbox.”