“My other siblings are younger than I and Brant saw to it that they were sent away to school.” Agatha frowned. “I am not certain what happened, but Mama had no more children after Brant for almost seventeen years, and then she had me, Jasper, and Emery.”
Olympia could all too easily guess what had occurred. A man too short of funds to afford the mistresses and courtesans he had enjoyed the company of for years suddenly decides to make use of his long-neglected wife. For a moment, Olympia could almost feel sorry for Lady Letitia, thinking how the behavior of her husband could have caused all her bitterness, but then shook the sympathy aside. Lady Letitia’s actions concerning Brant, the ones that had caused him to turn his back on the woman, were too dark and evil to be explained away by the neglect of a husband. There had to have been a darkness already seeded deep in the woman’s soul.
“Do you know how to reach Ashton or Brant, m’lady?” Agatha asked, cutting into Olympia’s thoughts.
“As I said, Ashton awaits the birth of another child so I do not believe you will find much help there, no matter how sincerely he may wish to offer it. He will not wish to leave his wife. Nor does he truly have the power to help you since he is not a member of your family, not even a distant cousin.”
“He could shoot Minden,” muttered Agatha.
“There is that but I believe Penelope would prefer it if her husband was not hanged or exiled.” Olympia bit back a smile when Agatha grimaced. “I could attempt to reach your brother.”
Even as she said the words, Olympia wished she could take them back. She had but recently been caught up in her brother Argus’s troubles and, before that, those of her niece Penelope, and their cousins Chloe and Alethea. This trouble was not one that affected her family at all. Yet, she knew she would march right into the midst of it. What woman would not wish to help a young innocent girl avoid a forced marriage to a man with as black a reputation as Minden had?
“Would you do that for me?” Agatha asked, clasping her hands together and pressing them against her breasts.
“I will try. That is all I will promise. Now, finish your tea and I will see that you are safely returned home.”
“And discreetly, if you please.” Agatha blushed. “Mama cannot know that I sought out someone to help me for she will do all she can to stop it. I do not think she will allow anything to stop her plans. I have to move about with the utmost secrecy.”
“Trust me in this, m’lady. One thing my family excels in is secrecy.” Olympia frowned as it began to sound as if more than an unwanted marriage was entailed here. “Since your brother is the head of the household, however, I do not see how your mother could believe that she could marry you off without him knowing all about it. She would, at the very least, need your brother to sign a few papers before she hands you off to Minden.”
“She intends to forge his signature. She has done so many a time. I think she has also convinced some men in power that she must be the one who rules over me because of what my brother has become.”
For the next half hour, Olympia gently drew out all the information Agatha had concerning her mother’s tricks and schemes. Agatha had learned the art of eavesdropping well and had a lot to tell, even if the girl did not appear to fully understand all she had heard. Brant’s sister held no firm proof of anything, was even uncertain about her suspicions at times, but everything she told Olympia was more than enough to reaffirm Olympia’s personal opinion that Lady Letitia Mallam was long overdue for a hanging. It would not surprise Olympia in the least to discover that Lady Letitia was joining up with Minden for far more than marrying off the last of her daughters.
The moment she was certain that young Agatha had no more to tell, Olympia called in her footman Pawl. She gave the girl strict instructions on how to secretly get in touch with her if she needed to and then made sure her footman understood the need for discretion in getting the girl back to her home unseen. When the door shut behind Agatha and Pawl, Olympia slumped in her seat and closed her eyes.
She needed to harden her heart, Olympia mused. She truly could not help everyone who asked. If nothing else, the difficulties her family constantly stumbled into all on their own took up enough of her time and strength. While helping Argus she had actually faced physical danger and the fear that had caused still shadowed her mind, stirring up old and ugly memories. Each incident she had involved herself in over the last three years had held many dangers but none of them had actually touched her personally. Now that one had, she realized she was reluctant to charge to the rescue yet again.
“I have become a coward,” she muttered, utterly disgusted with herself.
“Nay, m’lady. Cautious, I hope, but ne’er a coward.”