Hall of Mirrors

Clorinda had finally conceded that Sandy did not seem to have succumbed to a cold, after keeping him indoors for a couple of days, sitting by the fire, drinking sanitive preparations, with Motley curled up purring in his lap.

Really, sweet silly creature, one sneeze does not portend an attack of the influenza.

Mayhap not, but you are entire like to neglect precautionary measures, has ever been the case.

He could not contradict her, remembering those occasions in Naples where his neglect to put on a hat had had most disagreeable consequences. But, he said, I am quite entire well and able to pursue our investigations.

I am pleased to hear it.

He was inclined to think better of the matter, and in particular his refusal to take the carriage, saying he was in need of healthful walking exercize, upon venturing out into chill wind and flurries of sleet, but he persisted.

Indeed it was a considerable walk to the City, where the main counting-house for the Knowles' enterprizes was still located. Fortunately he found Sebastian Knowles in and not engaged with anyone else.

Come in, Mr MacDonald – take off your coat and come sit near the stove. What service may I be to you the day?

Why, I am sorry to disturb such a busy fellow as yourself, but 'tis possible that that sad rogue Karl Paffenrath is returned from America and finds himself in Town.

Sebastian sighed and said that one had, alas, heard that he had long given up that plan of going to live in harmony with Nature in the American forests, where one might have hoped he would be scalped by wild Indians, or mayhap, like the late Earl of Nuttenford, eat by a bear.

From his proceedings in civilization one might have expected to hear of him tarred and feathered or ridden out of town upon a rail according to the rough justice of those parts. But, Lady Bexbury takes some concern for poor Gretchen Paffenrath –

Why, I daresay the wretch might go beguile money from her out of the pity of her womanly heart, but indeed Papa was forethoughtful that the fellow might return and wish to live upon her, so he tied up provision for her very careful indeed, and we give her a monthly allowance, and pay the rent and parish rates upon the house, and does she have any especial expenditure, the bills are sent here.

You greatly relieve our concerns in the matter!

Why, 'twas entire proper in him: daresay had she been able to get free of the rascal Papa would have wed her in all due order; sure Vi and I took a little perturbation when he first took up with her, but she ever behaved very proper and respectful and she made him happy. Could have done a deal worse.

But, went on Sebastian, Meg says Bess and Harry are at outs again?

Yes, Bess came lately to open the matter to Lady Bexbury, was in a great taking. Something to do with the Admiralty –

Why, 'twould be a great thing did they get some commission from the Admiralty, but one would indeed want to have Bess in the negotiations.

Entirely, but I apprehend that 'tis very early days. But I will not take up your time any longer.

The weather had grown sufficiently worse when he stepped out into the street that he determined that 'twould hardly be an indulgence to take a hansom to the club where he was to dine with Geoff. He would be somewhat beforehand, but doubtless he could go into the reading room, or mayhap find someone to give him a game of billiards. And would be somewhere where he was in some confidence he knew the various parties and the undercurrents and who was at outs with who and over what. Whereas, at the certain club he felt there was a deal he did not yet apprehend about the fellows there.

Should, he thought, interrogate Maurice - Allard! – upon the matter: and why did his thought go immediately there rather than to Sir Hartley Zellen, that had been in what had once been known as the Raxdell coterie, but more lately as the Mulcaster set, these many years? Because it would be a reason for another private conversation, that always seemed to lead to matters abominated by society and that law and religion deemed unnatural, but seemed so very natural at the time?

He sighed, and the cab drew up outside the very unclandestine entrance of his destination.

He was indeed well in advance of the time of his appointment, and looked about the hall.

MacDonald? He turned towards the voice, taking off his spectacles to wipe away the mist on the lenses from the sudden warmth following the outdoor chill. Replacing them he saw that it was Sir Tom Ollifaunt, Bess’s husband. An agreeable quiet fellow. Come and join me for a drink? He asked.

Gladly.

Once they were seated with glasses of the club’s excellent sherry, Tom sighed and said he apprehended that Bess had bothered Lady Bexbury with this taking of hers over this matter of Harry and the Admiralty? Though he thinks Harry behaved entirely proper, came and opened the matter to her even had he been told 'twas confidential: but surely that could not mean his partners in the ironworks?

Sandy was inclined to think that indeed it did, and that Harry should not even have been making a memorandum of the meeting: but he did not say so. Instead he said that must be entire irksome to Bess was she supposed merely a sleeping partner in the business.

Quite! And then she is having some difficulties over this new theatre she purposes – the town council are a sad Evangelical set and go about to prevent her acquiring a suitable property, even though there is a considerable party in the town has solicited her, seeing how well her others do, the opportunities for business &C.

At this moment arrived Geoffrey Merrett, greeted them both very amiably, and said he would join them in sherry before he and Sandy went to dine. He seemed, however, a little preoccupied during Ollifaunt’s account of certain recent proceedings at his local assizes. At length the latter left them and they went to dine in one of the private rooms.

Geoffrey was unwonted silent while they were being served, and drank rather copiously of the wine that was poured. When they were finally left alone he sighed and said, there have been further developments concerning these extortionary demands.

Indeed? You mean, the matter has not entirely gone away?

Alas, no, and the matter becomes yet more troubling. He took another drink of his wine. There came another note to Lady Sarah, saying that did she have difficulty raising the ready, could she contrive to obtain certain documents of her husband’s, and leave 'em in a specified place, that would ensure their silence.

This was intriguing: possibly had been intended all along, for who would consider Lady Sarah a lady with much in the way of ready money at her disposal? While there was Sir Stockwell engaged in confidential matters at the Admiralty, and if matters were confidential, there were almost certainly those who would pay to discover them.

But the really dreadful thing, went on Geoffrey, is that she seems in every disposition to concede to the matter, because 'tis not even as if they desire to retain the documents: she may go away and then come back within the half hour. But who knows who this is or what is the intention?

(Half an hour, thought Sandy, was scarcely enough time, was it? to copy documents that he would imagine must be of some intricacy. And then a thought dawned upon him. But he would say nothing just yet to Geoffrey.)

She cannot have thought the matter through, said Sandy. 'Tis quite entirely wrong. And even are the documents returned, there will be some time during which they might be discovered missing.

Geoffrey groaned. Says 'tis like any suspicion would fall upon one or other of the servants, or mayhap some clerk at the Admiralty, was it so.

Sandy could feel the dour Calvinistical glare settling upon his face. Really, that was a deal worse than taking a lover, that might be excusable given the particular circumstance of her marriage.

What, he said, does she fear is your liaison disclosed to Sir Stockwell? A crim. con. action, and mayhap bringing a divorce before Parliament?

Geoffrey shrugged. Seems not to fear that, but that he will send her to live on his estate in Yorkshire, that she detests, even was it not exile from Town.

Sandy took the supposition that Sir Stockwell was unlike to bring the matter to the courtroom and the interest of the scandalmonging press, and that it would entirely suit his interest to remain married in the eyes of Society. Certainly his inquisition into whether she had a lover manifested more concern over the possibility of scandal, or so he made it seem, than for the gathering of evidence.

'Tis the greatest pity, he said at length, that Lady Sarah is not in Lady Bexbury’s set –

Alas, no, she dangles about that hell-cat, Lady Trembourne, that will, I confide, ever try to find somewhat adverse to say about Lady Bexbury and her friends.

- for I am entire sure that did she open the matter to her, she would find some way through this maze.

Oh, cried Geoffrey, if only she would!

Well, I will go convoke with her on the matter, she may find some means to come at it. I suppose, he went on, that you do not have the note?

Why, 'tis a curious thing, but I do: she was in a great fret that her maid or someone might find it, so she gave it to me to look after. He fumbled in an inner pocket and produced a somewhat crumpled note.

Sandy spread it out upon the tablecloth. It was written on less coarse paper than he had anticipated. The hand, though not elegant, showed some education, and the spelling was correct, and yet there was a little something stilted and unEnglish about the style – was there not something a little Germanic in the cadence?

Might I take this and show it to Lady Bexbury?

If you think it may help, my dear fellow, I should be entire willing.