Olympia opened her eyes and smiled faintly at her maid Enid Jones. More of a companion than a maid for Enid had been with her since they had both been small children. She knew Enid spoke the truth as she saw it, could see that in the woman’s brown eyes, but Olympia was not sure she believed in that truth herself.
“That young lady needs help and I have just offered myself up as her champion.” Olympia said.
“I suspected ye would and that is hardly the act of a coward.”
“I am too old for this.”
“If that were true, then I must have one foot in the grave, for I am two years older.” Enid smiled as she sat down next to Olympia. “Now, what must be done to help that lass?”
“It appears that Lady Agatha’s mother, a wretched specimen of humanity and a black stain upon womanhood itself, wishes to sell the girl off to Sir Horace Minden, Baron of Minden Grange.” Olympia was not surprised to see Enid pale.
“The man has to be old enough to be that child’s grandfather and he is notorious for the depths and variety of his depravities.”
“He most certainly is and I fear it is those depths the girl’s mother wishes to dip her claws into.”
“Why? Why would any woman wish to stain her hands with the sort of filthy business that man deals in?”
“Money. If dear Mama unites Horace to the family through marriage to Agatha, the woman can then seek to gain new ways to nicely fatten her purse.”
“How could any woman give her own flesh and blood to such a man?”
“Did you not catch the name of my visitor, Enid?”
“Nay for it was you who greeted her and let her in.”
“Ah, aye, so it was. That young girl your adorable husband Pawl is escorting home is the sister of Brant Mallam, Earl of Fieldgate.” She nodded as, after frowning in thought for a moment, Enid’s eyes began to widen with horror. “Exactly. The very woman who sold off to a brothel the woman her son loved and wished to marry is the one who now threatens that girl. Although ’tis true we cannot prove the woman ordered poor sweet Faith to be killed, her actions were what put the girl into that hell and thus into a grave. That sweet-faced child who just left is Lady Letitia Mallam’s daughter, the poor dear.”
“Why did she not go to her brother the earl for help?”
“I do not know if she actually tried to visit the man, but she claims she has been sending him word about this for a fortnight or so. No reply. Not even a little note thanking her for writing to him. She is certain her brother has not seen any of her messages, that despite how careful she has been, someone is stopping her messages before they reach Lord Fieldgate. I suspect she is right. She has probably been writing to him on a regular schedule and gotten some response over the years. There have been rumors that Fieldgate is skipping down the same path Minden did. Well, years ago. When he was still nimble enough to skip. Minden, that is. Last I saw of Fieldgate, he looked very nimble.” Olympia grunted when Enid elbowed her in the side.
“You were rambling,” said Enid.
“I know. Men like Minden put me in a mood to ramble. The thought of that young girl being handed over to a man like Minden turns my stomach which also causes my thoughts to wander.” Olympia shrugged. “What sane person would ever want to think about such things?”
“Not a one, I am certain,” agreed Enid. “Why would the girl think you could do anything about it?”
“She was not looking for me, but for Ashton. She was hoping the earl’s childhood friend would know how and where to get word to her brother.”
Olympia drummed her fingers against the arm of the settee. She supposed she could send word to Ashton but she was very reluctant to do so. It was better for the family to be away from the city. It was certainly best for Penelope, who had conceived again much too quickly after her birthing her twins as far as Olympia was concerned and needed the quiet, clean air, and good food available in the country. And once the child was born Olympia intended to give her niece a very thorough talk on how to avoid getting with child so frequently. Ashton would hear from her, too, if needed.
“I believe we shall try to keep Ashton out of this mess,” she murmured.
“Lord Radmoor might not be pleased with that.” Enid moved to collect up the tea things.
“Too bad. Penelope needs to stay in the country and, if Radmoor thought to go to Fieldgate, she would insist upon going, too. Unfortunately, as I think on it, most of my family appears to be out of the city and quite busy at the moment.”
Enid shook her head. “I doubt that is so, m’lady. If naught else, your family is simply too large. The chances of them all being gone or out of reach at the same time are very, very small.”
“Perhaps, but I cannot think of any near at hand at the moment.” Olympia stood up and brushed down her skirts. “I must send a message to Fieldgate. We shall see if he ignores only those from his family or if he is ignoring everyone and everything.”
“You are intending to deal with this matter by yourself, aye?”