Chapter 30 #2
‘Miss Lucas,’ she said after a moment, her voice edged with bitterness, ‘permit me to offer you one piece of advice. Never trust too readily in the promises of men. One day they swear eternal devotion, and the next they vanish without explanation.’
Charlotte tilted her head, feigning wide-eyed innocence. ‘Surely you do not mean Lord Wolverton left you for another?’
‘What else am I to conclude?’ Lady Susan snapped. ‘He left no message, no explanation whatsoever. He simply disappeared. And directly after we—’
Her face turned scarlet.
Charlotte’s heart ached for her.
So their attachment had gone beyond flirtation.
And yet Lady Susan clearly knew nothing of the dreadful truth.
Charlotte found herself wondering whether the lady’s influence might have contributed to Wolverton’s growing unease with the Odd Fellows. Perhaps affection—or guilt—had finally awakened his conscience.
‘I am sorry,’ Charlotte said quietly. ‘Though I cannot imagine any gentleman with sense overlooking your worth for long. Half the assembly watches you whenever you enter a room.’
A faint smile touched Lady Susan’s lips.
‘You are a sweet girl,’ she said. ‘I hope Lord Stanley proves deserving of your affection. And does not grow cold once the ring is on your finger.’
With that, she cantered away.
Charlotte watched her go. There was no guilt in her expression, no sign of complicity—only disappointment and heartbreak.
Whatever Lady Susan knew of Wolverton, it did not extend to murder.
Up ahead, Charlotte glimpsed Lord Stanley riding with Mr Hamilton and Lord Boulton. The three gentlemen appeared deep in conversation, though from the stiffness of Lord Stanley’s posture, she suspected the exchange was less than cordial.
Then an idea struck her.
Lady Boulton, feeling too unwell and frail to ride, had opted to remain at the mansion.
Charlotte made a hasty decision. Now that the lady was temporarily free from her husband’s overbearing presence, it might prove the perfect opportunity to speak with her privately.
Falling back slightly, Charlotte guided her mare towards Mrs Wilberforce.
‘I fear I must return to the house,’ she said, pressing a hand lightly to her temple. ‘I have developed rather a headache.’
‘Yes, dear, head back, and when I return I shall send up one of my tinctures for you. They are remarkably restorative.’
Charlotte murmured her thanks, relieved that Mrs Wilberforce did not insist upon accompanying her, and immediately turned her horse back towards the mansion.
Upon her return, she searched the usual rooms—the drawing room, the library, the morning parlour—but Lady Boulton was nowhere to be found.
When she questioned the maids, she learned that Lady Boulton was taking a walk in the pleasure gardens.
Charlotte smiled inwardly.
So much for being too delicate to ride.
She hurried outside and soon found her quarry smelling the roses and looking the picture of health. Lady Boulton spotted her and waved her over, appearing positively serene.
‘Lady Boulton.’ Charlotte smiled pleasantly as she joined her upon the gravel path. ‘I abandoned the ride rather early, though I found myself still desirous of a little fresh air.’
She felt compelled to justify her presence, though she hoped she did not sound too deliberate.
Lady Boulton appeared not to notice.
‘The grounds are particularly lovely at this time of year,’ she said gently. ‘I have always admired Mrs Wilberforce’s pleasure garden—she cultivates such a remarkable variety of flowers.’
‘I had no idea you possessed such a keen interest in gardening. Do you have gardens of your own at Boulton Hall?’
Lady Boulton’s expression dimmed slightly.
‘Once, before my marriage, I kept several hothouses at my parents’ estate. I grew herbs and flowers there constantly.’ A wistful note entered her voice. ‘But Lord Boulton considers such pursuits a frivolous waste of time. Though I still indulge in them occasionally when he is away upon business.’
Charlotte bit her lip to stop herself from voicing precisely what she thought Lord Boulton ought to do with his opinions.
A fierce wave of indignation rose within her.
‘I cannot imagine any genuine passion being a waste.’
Lady Boulton gave a faint, amused laugh. ‘You are kind to say so. And I must thank you again for the other evening. Lord Boulton can be... particular. It is often easier simply to endure his displeasure in silence.’
Charlotte felt sympathy swell within her chest.
Poor woman.
Lady Boulton waved a hand at Charlotte’s visible concern. ‘Think nothing of it, child. One learns to manage.’
‘And how does one manage such a husband?’
That earned her another small laugh.
‘I doubt you shall encounter the same difficulties with Lord Stanley. The man seems quite besotted.’
‘Oh no, I—’ She broke off, then, remembering her purpose, forced herself to continue with studied carelessness. ‘Though I confess he can occasionally be rather... overbearing.’
Lady Boulton patted her arm. ‘Oh, my dear, Lord Boulton is something else altogether, trust me. You shall do very well with Lord Stanley.’
‘Still,’ Charlotte said gently, ‘forgive me if I speak too plainly, but you do not appear particularly happy.’
Lady Boulton’s face clouded.
‘He travels a great deal—which, in truth, is something I encourage. We spend very little time together, save during this annual house party.’ A faint, rueful smile touched her lips.
Charlotte could not blame her in the slightest.
‘Then perhaps your arrangement is not wholly intolerable,’ she said carefully.
‘No,’ Lady Boulton agreed softly. ‘Not entirely.’
Charlotte regarded her thoughtfully as they continued along the garden path. There was something quietly admirable in Lady Boulton’s endurance. She had not openly rebelled against her husband, yet neither had she surrendered herself entirely to him.
‘Lord Wolverton mentioned that Mrs Oswald was related to Lord Boulton,’ Charlotte remarked after a pause, steering the conversation elsewhere.
‘Oh yes. Mrs Oswald is his younger sister, though you would never know it from the manner in which they address one another. Boulton never forgave her for marrying beneath her station.’
‘Oh, I see.’ Charlotte finally understood why they did not get along.
Encouraged, she ventured further. ‘This house party seems something of a tradition. I hear it has been going on for years,’ Charlotte conjectured. She had no idea whether this was true, but was rewarded when Lady Boulton did not correct her.
‘I have always found it rather strange. Lord Boulton is so adamant about attending, even though we do so little else together.’
‘I daresay the gentlemen must be intimate friends. They must all feel the loss of the late Baron Keenly. Still, it must be pleasant to encounter so many familiar faces.’
‘Why yes—though there are several new faces this year.’
‘You must be referring to Mr Wilberforce’s companions, and of course, the new Baron?’
‘Yes—and Lord Bainbridge.’ Seeing Charlotte’s puzzled expression, she added, ‘Frederick used to come here in place of his father. But other than that, yes, I suppose. I was rather surprised that Wolverton departed early.’
Charlotte shifted uneasily. More like departed this earthly realm, she thought grimly.
‘Do you know what first brought them all together in the first place? They appear such an oddly assorted set.’
Charlotte was somewhat disappointed by Lady Boulton’s initial reply.
‘They reside in the same county, I imagine.’
But her spirits revived when the lady added, ‘And I believe they share a number of business dealings.’
Charlotte’s attention sharpened at once.
Had she at last found the common thread binding them together?
Anxious to discover more, she replied carefully, ‘Oh... Lord Wolverton alluded to something of the sort. I believe he mentioned Mr Payne was engaged with your husband in certain investments, though I cannot quite recall the nature of them.’
In truth, Wolverton had told her nothing; but if she gave the impression she knew more than she did, it might encourage Lady Boulton to confide in her.
‘I believe there are investments in shipping, export and import trade. Lord Boulton has plantations in the Caribbean, and Mr Payne assists in distributing the goods in England.’
‘Fascinating. And how does he manage that?’
‘Oh, he owns several warehouses at the docks, I believe.’
‘The Liverpool docks?’
‘I believe so.’
Charlotte’s brows shot upwards, though she quickly schooled her expression.
‘I cannot quite picture Sir Oswald engaged in such... business ventures. Being an architect.’
Lady Boulton shook her head. ‘Not to my knowledge. Sir Oswald attends solely because of Lord Boulton’s sister.’
At this response, another possibility occurred to Charlotte. ‘Oh? I had not realised Mrs Oswald might also be connected to these investments.’ A note of alarm slipped into her voice.
‘Oh no,’ Lady Boulton said quickly. ‘I do not believe she has anything whatsoever to do with such matters. The late baron merely extended invitations to her family as a courtesy to Lord Boulton. Mrs Oswald resides nearby, you see. It would likely have seemed discourteous to invite one sibling and exclude the other.’
Charlotte relaxed a fraction.
‘I see.’ She offered an apologetic smile. ‘Forgive my endless curiosity. If I am truly to become mistress here next year, I feel I ought to know something of the guests Lord Stanley regularly entertains.’
The remark earned her a warm, sympathetic smile and another light pat upon the arm.
‘Quite right, my dear. And ask whatever you please—I do not mind in the slightest.’
Seizing the opportunity, Charlotte asked carefully, ‘And Mr Fraser?’
Lady Boulton appeared thoughtful.
‘I know very little about him. He has attended these gatherings only for the last year or two. I believe he purchased the neighbouring estate rather recently. I hear he came into quite a considerable fortune recently.’
‘Then perhaps he came into an inheritance?’
Lady Boulton shook her head. ‘No, I think not. From what I overheard, his fortune stems from investments he made with Hamilton last year. Some sort of shipping venture between them.’
‘So Mr Hamilton has interests in shipping?’
‘Mr Hamilton was in partnership with his cousin—Frederick.’
‘They owned ships?’
‘Several,’ Lady Boulton replied. ‘They boasted about them constantly during these house parties. I cannot say how matters were settled after his death. Perhaps Frederick bequeathed them to Hamilton.’
Charlotte considered this carefully.
‘I see,’ she murmured.
The two ladies continued their slow progress through the gardens, lapsing into companionable silence.
But Charlotte’s thoughts were anything but calm.
The connections were beginning to form a pattern too distinct to ignore.
A cold chill slid down Charlotte’s spine.
If their fortunes truly stemmed from business dealings with one another... could all four men also be part of the Odd Fellows?