Charlotte: The Practical Education of a Distressed Gentlewoman (2 page)

His, normally taciturn, groom
started to speak. “Governor, she's broke, and the near horse
probably lamed.”

Freddy, despite his supercilious
manner, was not dim. “I can see that Henry.”

“
What are you going to
do?”

“
If Miss De Vere is sound, we will
lead the horses to the nearest village and see if there is some
carriage available that isn't insufferable to drive.”

Having adjusted her dress and
dusted as much muck from it as she could, Charlotte gave Freddy her
fiercest gaze. She shouldn't have done that because it was also her
prettiest gaze. Freddy was dazzled rather than threatened. “Mr.
Talbot, we will never speak of this again.”

“
Fine, suits me. Not my finest
hour, you know. Can you walk to the village?”

Charlotte took a few trial steps
then collapsed.

“
I guess not. Looks like your
ankle is banged up.”

She nodded. The pain only added to
her intense dislike of the parvenu. Freddy addressed his groom,
“Henry, it looks like you'll have to manage the horses and curricle
yourself. I'll support Miss De Vere.”

“
No you won't! I'll wait here for
someone to rescue me.”

“
I'm sorry Miss De Vere, but it's
raining hard already, and will only get worse when the evening
chill sets in. You're coming with me.”

“
I could ride your
horse.”

Freddy gave a hopeful glance at his
groom Henry, expecting deliverance from his burden. Unfortunately,
Henry replied, “Miss, no, they've never borne a rider.” Henry
continued speaking, in the vain hope of having the more pleasant
task, and asked, “Sir, could I carry her?”

“
Sorry Henry, but the horses are
your responsibility. Miss De Vere, if you will pardon
me.”

With that Freddy picked Miss
Charlotte De Vere up in his arms and started down the road. When
she objected, he replied, “Sorry Ma'am, but the rain is getting
even harder, evening is coming and I want to have a change of
clothes and then my dinner.”

A quarter of a mile onward, Freddy
asked Miss De Vere, “I'm sorry Ma'am, but you're heavier than I
thought. If you would try to walk, I could support you on one
arm.”

Charlotte remained
silent.

“
Oh well, it can't be helped
then.” He started to shift her from his arms to carry her over his
shoulder.

“
Stop!”

“
Miss De Vere, it's your choice. I
can't carry you in a dignified and ladylike manner much
longer.”

“
I, I can't let you carry me like
that.”

“
Why not?”

There wasn't any good reply to
this.

“
Miss, the last thing I want to do
is to carry you off for an improper purpose. I can't imagine anyone
I'd less want to marry. It's either this, or you walk.”

Charlotte relaxed, a little. To be
held this close by a man, even one she heartily detested, was a
novel experience. She couldn't quite relax completely, but it was
strangely enjoyable despite her substantial misgivings about its
propriety. Freddy continued, “I'm headed to the pub, then to find
that blasted solicitor. Where should I drop you off?”

Charlotte's stony silence
continued.

“
The pub it is.” Freddy shifted
his load, despite her objections, to over one shoulder, carrying
her like a sack of corn and strode off.

They entered the village, and
Freddy stopped. He asked his burden, “Where is the King's
Arms?”

“
It's in Staverton, this is
Holt.”

“
How far is that?”

“
Six miles, back the way you
came.”

“
Damn and blast!”

“
Mr. Talbot!”

“
Sorry, I presume there is a
hostelry in this benighted village?”

“
The Royal Oak. James used to say
the beer was excellent there.”

“
James?”

“
My late brother, Captain James De
Vere the last Lord Staverton.”

“
You have my condolences for your
brother. The Royal Oak it is.”

“
I can't go in there.”

“
Why ever not?”

“
It's a low place.”

“
I'm tired of carrying you, very
thirsty and more than a bit hungry, so that's where we're
bound.”

Freddy found the inn and entered
it. Much to her dismay and the amusement of the pub keeper and
attendant farmers, he unburdened himself. “Do you have a private
parlor for Milady? With a fire, she's shivering.”

“
Aye, we have one, upstairs. Bit
dusty as there's not much call for it.” The publican took a look at
them, and continued, “Miss De Vere's credit isn't good here, her
good for naught brother still owes me a good few pounds for drink,
and I don't know you. Who's going to pay?”

“
I will,” Freddy replied reaching
for his pocket book. It lay somewhere in the mud along their route.
“Damn, I'll have to send to my man Phelps at the King's Arms. I
seem to have lost my pocket book.”

“
Then sir, Miss De Vere can sit by
the fire in the main room.”

Charlotte glared at them, but let
herself be helped to a settle by the fire. Freddy laughed, “It's
warm enough Milady”

“
Please don't call me
that.”

“
Yes Milady, I'll stop Milady. Do
you still have that shilling I gave you?”

With as much grace, dignity and
condescension as she could manage, Charlotte retrieved it and
presented it to her tormentor.

“
Good girl!” Freddy handed it to
the publican. “Get her some food and see that she's comfortable.
Would you please send for the surgeon or apothecary to see to her
ankle? I'll walk back the Red Hart and return with the
readies.”

The publican took the time to
examine this stranger. His clothes might be ruined with the wet and
mud, his boots certainly were, but underneath the layers of grime
it was clear that they were of the first stare. The stranger surely
couldn't be on speaking terms with Miss De Vere if he were totally
shiftless.

“
Sir,” the pub keeper interposed,
“perhaps one of my grooms might carry the message to the Red
Hart?”

“
Really? I'd be much obliged if he
could. My curricle,” he paused, chuckled, and continued, “Well, you
see, we had a little accident, half way from Staverton
Hall.”

Charlotte added, “Had a little
accident? You, Mr. Talbot are a horrible driver, I've never seen
worse.”

An idea slowly dawned in the dim
recesses of the publican's mind, “Sir, Mr. Talbot, aren't you that
young swell come to look at the hall?”

“
As a matter of fact, yes I am. Do
you know where I can find the De Vere's blasted solicitor or even
better, their steward?”

“
It's evening sir, best if you
call on Mr. Cruise in the morning. Mr Barford lives in the village.
I'll send for him.”

“
Now about that parlor, and where
can I send an express to London?”

With Charlotte safely ensconced
alone upstairs in the one private parlor, Freddy began to write his
express to his father describing what he'd found. The noise and
chatter in the common room of the pub was disturbing and making it
difficult for him to concentrate.

“
Landlord? Is there another place
I can work?”

“
Nay Sir, only this room and the
parlor. Miss De Vere is in the parlor.”

“
Bugger it. Is there a maid or
someone who can attend Miss De Vere so that I don't compromise
her?”

“
My daughter Betsy was a housemaid
at the Hall, would she do?”

“
Don't see why not. Send her up to
prepare Miss De Vere for my arrival?”

“
Sir?”

“
I don't want to surprise
her.”

Shortly thereafter, seated in an
opposite corner of the parlor and as far from Charlotte as he could
be, Freddy began his express while Charlotte switched between
studying the fire and glaring at him.

Mr. G. Talbot

Portman Street London

Dear Father,

I've looked at Staverton Hall, and
it appears to suit our needs. The house itself is poorly
maintained, but appears sound and dry. The land is mostly in corn,
appears fertile, but could be managed better. The location is
ideal. The new canal runs just to the south and it's not far from
the Bath road to the north. The land is heavily mortgaged. If you
move quickly, before the creditors find that we're buying the
house, you may be able to purchase old Staverton's debts for
pennies on the pound. His credit was not good. The one De Vere left
standing, his daughter, couldn't even get service in a local pub
without my help.

I'll start negotiations with their
solicitor and check with the steward to discuss the expected income
on the estate.

I know you and mother are a bit
ambitious and have hopes that I'll marry into a country family like
a real country gentleman. I don't expect that will happen with the
Staverton family. The daughter, while pretty, is insufferably proud
and disagreeable. It will be best if she goes to Bath or some other
safe place for spinsters.

Sincerely & etc.

Frederick.

He folded and sealed the sheet,
then left the parlor in search of a messenger. He found his groom
instead. Having safely delivered the horses to the stables and what
was left of the curricle around behind the pub to await the
blacksmith in the morning, he was just sitting down to a
well-earned pint and a meal.

“
Henry, old chum. I have a job for
you.”

Henry looked at his master in
dismay. He had just had a trying walk, bringing a broken curricle,
a lame horse and a healthy but skittish horse to this benighted
little public house in the middle of nowhere. London never looked
so good as it did this evening. “Old chum nothing, Mr. Talbot. What
now?”

Freddy showed him the letter. “This
needs to get to my governor, as quick as possible.”

“
Just quickly?”

“
Well, privately too. That's why
I'm asking you to take it. Important business
correspondence.”

Henry understood. Freddy was
usually an easy master, willing to defer to his groom's superior
knowledge of horses and carriages, but when it came to business
matters, he demanded and expected instant attention. Of course he
paid well for it.

Freddy continued, “I'll hire you a
horse and you can ride up to the Bath road, then catch the mail
into London.”

“
If you're going to hire a horse,
then this might be useful.” Henry held out Freddy's pocket
book.

“
Damn me, you found it. Thank you,
dashed useful to have cash, you know.” Freddy quickly pulled out a
large note and handed it to his groom. “So you'll be
off?”

“
Can I finish my dinner
first?”

“
If you hurry. It is dashed
important.”

“
I can always sleep on the
mail.”

“
Good fellow.”

With his message sent, Freddy could
turn his attention to normal things, like dinner. The groom he sent
to Staverton with a message for his valet, Phelps, hadn't yet
returned. More importantly, neither had Phelps. In the meantime his
appetite had arrived with a vengeance. It felt like he hadn't eaten
in a week. He was about to look up the publican and see what could
be arranged about it when a short, but rather chubby young woman
with brown hair and a plain dress attracted his attention. It took
him a few moments, but he recognized her as the maid from the
parlor.

“
Sir! Sir!”

“
Yes, Betsy isn't it?”

She curtsied and continued, “Please
Sir, Miss Charlotte wonders if there was any chance of a dinner,
Sir?”

Early the next
morning the gig from the rectory arrived for Miss De Vere. Dr. and
Mrs. Answorth drove to retrieve their charge from her dire straits.
While Mrs. Answorth ascended the stairs to help Charlotte get
ready, Dr. Answorth interviewed Freddy. Since his valet hadn't
arrived from Staverton, Freddy was still dressed in his partially
cleaned clothes from the day before. He felt embarrassingly
scruffy, but compared to the rest of the clientèle of the pub,
including the local farmers who dropped in to see this foreigner
from London who might become their new landlord, he was still
elegantly dressed.

Dr. Answorth began the
conversation, “Mr. Talbot, how do you find our little
village?”

“
Primitive, but surprisingly
pleasant.”

“
Primitive?”

“
Look at my clothes, I say, there
is no launderer here that could properly clean them. This jacket is
thoroughly ruined. On the other hand, I spent last night drinking
in the company of the farmers. Decent hard working
folk.”

“
You liked them?”