Charlotte: The Practical Education of a Distressed Gentlewoman (13 page)

“
Lizzy, you've done so much more
than I have. So what's it like to be in love?”

“
I don't know. I once thought I
was in love with one of Freddy's friends. He visited while he was
in college. Freddy in college, that is, his friend was in the army.
I doubt he even looked at me. I was a gangling young girl at the
time. Still, I wonder about him from time to time.”

“
So you still think about
him?”

“
Not often and only when I'm in
the dumps. Anyway he's either a casualty in Spain or happily
married by now. I'm sure when I really fall in love, my fantasies
about him will evaporate like the morning dew.”

“
I don't know. I've met many men
in the last few weeks, but somehow they just don't make an
impression. Not even a bad impression like Freddy.”

“
Now you're being silly,
Charlotte. If you expect to meet the love of your life during a few
weeks in Bath, I think you will be disappointed.”

“
I don't know. It's just I keep
thinking about your annoying brother. Why can't I get him out of my
thoughts?”

“
Don't ask me about that. I can't
get away from him either.”

“
But you're his sister. Why would
you want to get away from him?”

“
Didn't you ever want to get away
from, what was it, John?”

“
Yes, but he wasn't as nice to me
as Freddy seems to be to you.”

“
Well Freddy is special, but then
I'm his little sister.”

“
The thing is Lizzy, he isn't
always annoying. He hasn't been so annoying lately. I don't
understand it.”

“
I'm glad to hear that. Maybe you
know him better than you did?”

They reached the junction of the
two canals, and much to their surprise there was a party of men
examining the aqueduct and locks at the junction. One of them was
Freddy.

Elizabeth shouted, “Freddy! What
are you doing here? I thought you were headed for
London.”

He walked over and greeted them. “I
was, but first I'm inspecting one of father's special investments,
from his 'canal mania' period.”

“
What's wrong with
canals?”

“
Not much is wrong, but it's not
right either. It's making a decent return for now, but I don't
think it's a good long term solution to moving goods. We've put too
much capital into it, so now the question is how to get some of our
money out without crashing the company.”

Charlotte quietly watched as
Elizabeth queried her brother. They spoke as equals, analyzing a
problem and listening to each other about their ideas. The idea
that a mere female could have any opinion about a matter of
substance worth listening to, let alone seriously considering was
something of a surprise to her.

“
What's the problem with
it?”

“
High maintenance costs, and the
damp.”

“
The damp?”

“
Everything has to float. Just try
keeping your grain dry in one of these barges.”

“
I see. Also, if everything is
horse drawn.”

“
You're right Lizzy, it can't go
any faster than a wagon, and the canal just seems to eat
horseflesh. It's just too expensive to last.”

“
So is there any
alternative?”

“
Stephenson, Trevithick. Steam
engines and tramways.”

“
Sounds risky.”

“
It is. The trouble is doing
nothing is even more risky.”

“
That's true, but will they use
our ironworks?”

“
Of course, initially it might
make a loss, but it won't be long before it becomes a very
profitable endeavor. The canal itself uses steam pumps to keep the
water flowing, and if we can improve those using Stephenson's
higher pressure engines, we'll be ahead there as well.”

Elizabeth remembered her manners.
“Freddy, Charlotte and I were riding on the downs. We'll return to
Bath presently. Would you or your party care to dine with us this
evening?”

Freddy finally seemed to notice
Charlotte, but unfortunately he had to reply, “I'm sorry Miss De
Vere, I'm due to take the next boat back to Reading on my way to
the city. I'll probably be dining, if you can call it that, in a
canal-side pub at Chippingham, if not Devizes or some other such
damned place.”

Charlotte wondered why, despite her
nominal antipathy to this bounder, it was a disappointment that he
wouldn't be dinning with them. “I'm truly sorry to hear that Mr.
Talbot. I'm planning to visit London in a week or so, could we dine
then?”

“
It would be my
pleasure.”

The two women bid Freddy adieu and
headed back to Bath.

As they approached the town,
Charlotte asked Elizabeth, “Lizzy, is it my imagining or did your
brother seem more tired, almost worn down and drawn than when we
first met in Staverton?”

“
I think he is. The weight of
responsibility is on his shoulders now and it shows.”

“
Is it that bad?”

“
Not always, but it can be. Father
sometimes used to get exhausted with it. Still, it is better than
spending twelve hours laboring in a factory.”

“
Or mucking out the
stables.”

“
Charlotte I've just had an idea.
How about I post down to London next week? Mr. Netherfield is due
back by then, so I'll be free, and in any case Mr. Jones is more
than ready to be in charge for a few days without me looking over
his shoulder. You and Lady what's-it can ride with me. That way I
can surprise Freddy and cheer him up. You're welcome to stay with
us, if you want.”

Charlotte looked dubious, “I'm not
sure Lady Chalfield will accept your offer.”

“
Want to bet?”

“
Charlotte, you said don't
gamble.”

“
Except on sure things. She'll hem
and haw about it, but in the end a free ride in a luxurious post
chase is something she won't care to miss.”

“
I thought you and your family
always rode the mail?”

“
Freddy does, but then he likes
it.”

“
Really, Lizzy? I've never done
it, but John did. He said it was awful, full of common folk and the
smells that came with them. Very leveling.”

“
I expect Freddy does it to show
his employees he will do anything he asks them to do. Besides,
we're dreadfully common folk too.”

“
I thought you said you moved in
the first circles?”

Elizabeth laughed, “It's amazing
what having money will do.”

“
Lizzy!”

“
Remember I once told you that I
was only accepted as a wealthy heiress?”

“
Yes, but that was long
ago.”

“
Only seems it. One reason I've
not 'fallen in love' is almost all the men I meet seem more
interested in my fortune than me.”

“
Lizzy, that cannot be true.
You're just being cynical.”

“
No, realistic. I'm sure someday
I'll meet someone who doesn't care about my blunt. But then they'd
be out of their right mind and I could never marry someone who is
out of his right mind.”

Elizabeth's
predictions about Lady Chalfield and the chance of a free ride were
spot on. She hemmed and hawed, claimed she didn't want to be a
burden, but quickly acquiesced to the idea of taking a seat in the
Talbot carriage. The Answorths were pleased as well, while they
couldn't put their finger on the reason, something about their
erstwhile neighbor bothered them. Having a steady young female like
Miss Talbot ride with their friend was reassuring. Knowing that she
would be living not far away in London was doubly so.

The post chaise Elizabeth hired
left Bath for London early in the morning. Not as early as
Elizabeth wished, but earlier than either Lady Chalfield or
Charlotte would normally rise in the morning. Naturally this lead
to a certain amount of matutinal silence. They took the Bath road
through Chippingham, Marlborough and Newbury. In Newbury the Bath
road changed to the London road and Charlotte asked if anyone else
was perhaps a little in need of refreshment. Elizabeth took the
hint and asked the post boy to stop at the next respectable inn.
Lady Chalfield was visibly distressed, “Could we move
on?”

“
Why?”

“
This place has unfortunate
associations, poor Lord Chalfield took ill in Newbury.”

Elizabeth innocently inquired, “On
a race day, perhaps?”

Lady Chalfield gave her a hard
stare, “No, of course not.”

“
If you say so.” Elizabeth thumped
on the carriage, then looked out and addressed the postilion,
“Driver, can you drive on?”

The post boy pointed out that they
had to change horses at the next post house and they were stopping
there no matter what. He was not about to lame his horses simply to
satisfy a woman's whim.

Charlotte smiled at her friends,
“So I guess we're stopping after all, Lizzy.”

Lady Chalfield quickly left the
coach and fled to a table in the back of the house, while Charlotte
and Elizabeth followed at a more leisurely pace. “Lizzy, why was
Lady Chalfield so worried?”

“
Probably she made a bad bet at
the races, owes some money to a bookie, and shot the bolt to avoid
payment.”

“
Lizzy!”

“
Of course I could be wrong about
it. It's just I tend to be cynical about people, especially when
there's money involved.”

Elizabeth wasn't wrong. A rather
large and somewhat greasy and ill-dressed man had cornered Lady
Chalfield in the back of the room. He was loudly demanding that she
settle her debts with him, now.

“
I'm sorry who are
you?”

“
Gentleman Jack, bookmaker. Now my
fine lady, will you settle your account, or do I call the
bailiffs?”

“
I- I-” she stammered, desperate
to find a way to avoid being trotted off to debtor's prison or,
worse still, paying her debt. Seeing Elizabeth, she threw one last
desperate toss of the die. “Miss Talbot, I seem to have mislaid my
pocketbook. Can you help me settle with this
individual?”

Charlotte was dismayed to see her
friend in a sticky situation. Elizabeth was amused by it, and had
to restrain her natural sense of fun. “You know Lady Chalfield, my
brother told me never to loan money without collateral.” A hard,
ugly expression flickered on Lady Chalfield's face, then she was
sweetness itself. “Of course, my dear. It's not a loan, I'm
temporarily a bit short. I left my money in the
luggage.”

Gentleman Jack growled, “There's
plenty of time to retrieve it.” Elizabeth thought quickly, while
she would prefer to remove Charlotte from the company of this old
leech, she was acutely aware that exposing Lady Chalfield and
causing a fuss could have more bad effects than good. Especially if
it led to difficulties with the Answorths or Charlotte.

“
How much is the debt?”

Gentleman Jack studied Elizabeth
with a measuring eye, he liked what he saw and recognized a lady of
means and quality. Smiling, he warned her, “Miss, this old croaker
ain't worth it.”

“
How much?”

“
Fifty pounds.”

Elizabeth gasped in pretend
amazement, “Why Lady Chalfield, I'm shocked, shocked that you
wouldn't carry such small change with you. Especially on a journey
like this where there are bound to be expenses.” Charlotte's
expression was puzzled, and she asked, “Lizzy, are you making fun
of Lady Chalfield?”

“
Of course not,
Charlotte.”

Lady Chalfield, desperately
suggested to Elizabeth, “I'll pledge my necklace to you, it's worth
at least ten times that.”

“
Paste, most likely.” Gentleman
Jack unhelpfully interjected. Elizabeth had already noticed that
the diamonds lacked brilliance and the silver mountings were
unusually tinny. She replied, “Undoubtedly and not very good paste
at that.” Elizabeth thought about leaving Lady Chalfield to dangle
in the basket, but the driver of the chase came in and said the
horses were nearly ready. “Charlotte, why don't you go purchase
some food? I'll settle with these two.”

After Charlotte slipped off,
Elizabeth pointedly told Lady Chalfield. “Ma'am, Miss De Vere is a
bit naive, a sweet little bird unused to the ways of the world, I'm
not. Please remember that she is my friend, and my family looks
after its friends. Understand?” Lady Chalfield, aghast at such
blunt, almost threatening, language from someone she assumed was a
young lady of refinement, nodded. Elizabeth pulled a sheet of paper
from her reticule, and drew up a repayment contract. She abruptly
commanded Lady Chalfield, “Sign this. Here.”

Once that was complete, she paid
Gentleman Jack. “Thank your Miss, but you know that vowel is only
scrap paper to her kind.”

“
I know, but I have a few friends
who are good at getting people who borrow money from me to pay
up.”

“
As good as me?”

“
You'd be surprised. You've heard
of the Kennet County Bank or maybe its owners, the Talbot
Company?”