Heirs and Graces (Victorian Vigilantes Book 2) Read online

  ‘Of course it’s not.’ Olivia rolled her eyes. ‘The girls need practical help, not recriminations. Mrs Mansell would be better advised to tell us how she plans to go about finding the money to provide it.’

  ‘Suggesting that the girls give up their babies is cruel,’ Eva said, leaning towards Olivia to make herself heard above the vocal support for Mrs Mansell’s unrealistic proposition. Her own short but agonising separation from her daughter was an all-too-recent memory. ‘She clearly fails to appreciate the strength of the bond between mother and child.’

  ‘And yet she has four of her own.’

  ‘My point precisely. Heartless woman! I am sure there must be households in the capital that would be willing to employ the girls in domestic service and take their babes in as well. I certainly shall as soon as Isaac and I have our own establishment but I have not heard a single person make that very sensible suggestion.’

  ‘If one person did so, then the others would have to follow suit.’ Olivia chuckled. ‘Then where would we be? Half the households in London would be corrupted.’

  At the end of an hour not much had been agreed, other than that something ought to be done. No one was entirely sure what.

  ‘We would be better off campaigning for the poor climbing boys,’ Eva said as the ladies stood and made their way to one of the tea trolleys that had just been brought in, loaded with dainty sandwiches and cakes. Miss Armitage had not spoken to anyone and looked increasingly uncomfortable. Olivia steered Eva in her direction.

  ‘Oh, I beg your pardon,’ she said, having deliberately jolted Miss Armitage’s elbow, splashing tea into her saucer. ‘How clumsy of me. I hope I didn’t spill that on your dress.’

  ‘No, it’s perfectly all right. I expect it was my fault. It is usually me who spills things.’

  ‘I don’t believe we have been introduced. I am Olivia Grantley and this is my friend, Lady Eva Woodstock.’

  ‘Amelia Armitage.’ She offered her hand to each of them in turn, awkwardly juggling her cup and saucer as she did so but managing not to drop it.

  ‘I don’t believe our paths have crossed before,’ Olivia said amiably.

  ‘Very likely not. I have never attended one of these meetings before.’ The young woman’s expression was open, friendly, and she seemed entirely genuine. Whatever Jake’s interest in Armitage’s Glassworks might be, Olivia was sure it could have nothing directly to do with Miss Armitage. ‘An invitation arrived unexpectedly, I was curious about it and decided to come along to see if I could help.’

  ‘Why was it unexpected?’ Eva asked. ‘Mrs Mansell knows very well who is most likely to be bullied into digging into their purses to aid one of her causes.’

  Miss Armitage looked shocked. ‘Surely not? Besides, I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Mrs Mansell, so how could she know about me? That’s what I fail to comprehend. It’s not as though I am part of society.’

  ‘My dear,’ Olivia replied. ‘You must be very new to the capital if you have not heard of Mrs Mansell’s penchant for organising others and knowing at once who is most likely to succumb to her unique methods of persuasion.’

  ‘But surely helping girls who have lapsed or been taken advantage of is a noble aspiration, worthy of our support?’

  ‘Oh, the theory is all very well,’ Olivia replied, helping herself to a cake. ‘And Mrs Mansell has the best possible motives; I would be the first to admit as much.’ She took a bite of her cake, scrunched up her nose at its soapy texture and lack of flavour and placed it aside. ‘But the practicalities are altogether another matter.’

  ‘I suppose you mean encouraging the girls to part with their babies.’ Miss Armitage frowned. ‘I wondered about that myself.’

  ‘It will not prevent Mrs Mansell from continuing to make noises about a regimented approach to the problem,’ Olivia said briskly. ‘She enjoys seeing her name in the newspapers.’

  ‘There is no point in disagreeing with Olivia,’ Eva said. ‘She is right about Mrs Mansell’s tenacity, and the reasons for it.’

  They all turned at the sound of Mrs Mansell’s strident voice. She was taking to task one of her band of devotees for some perceived error of judgement.

  ‘I begin to see what you mean,’ Miss Armitage said, smiling.

  ‘Shall you involve yourself with Mrs Mansell’s activities?’ Eva asked.

  ‘If she thinks I can help,’ Miss Armitage replied. ‘I already spend two mornings a week at the chapel school in Limehouse, helping children with their lessons. One or two of them are illegitimate and the others can be very cruel, even if they don’t fully understand what is different about the subjects of their derision. They simply repeat the things they hear their parents say about the poor mites, I suppose.’

  ‘That’s very noble of you,’ Eva said.

  Miss Armitage shrugged. ‘I like to make myself useful.’

  ‘Is that where you are from?’ Olivia asked. ‘Limehouse?’

  Miss Armitage’s checks flushed. No doubt she expected them to turn their backs on her for having the temerity to admit to such a lowly address. ‘Yes. My father owns the glassworks there and we live a short distance away.’

  ‘Oh, Armitage’s. That is where I have heard the name. I have a chandelier in my entrance vestibule that I commissioned from them years ago.’ Fortunately for Olivia, that happened to be true. ‘It is quite exquisite. The manner in which the facets of glass reflect the rays of light from every direction is quite breath-taking. I never tire of looking at it.’

  ‘It is kind of you to say so. I believe Papa has people whose only task is to create original designs with coloured glass.’

  Olivia noticed Mrs Mansell bearing down on them. She turned away from her, placed her half consumed cup of tea on a table and smiled at the woman she had been charged with befriending.

  ‘Shall we make ourselves scarce before Mrs Mansell lands us with the tasks that no one else is willing to take on?’ Olivia and Eva walked towards the door and Miss Armitage obediently followed. ‘Do you have a carriage, Miss Armitage?’ Olivia asked when they had made good their escape.

  ‘No.’ She looked embarrassed. Perhaps her father didn’t keep a carriage and she didn’t want to admit it. ‘It was more convenient to take a Hansom.’

  ‘Then perhaps I can drop you somewhere?’

  ‘Oh, thank you. You are very kind, but I would not put you to the inconvenience.’

  ‘It is not the slightest inconvenience.’ Olivia linked her arm through Miss Armitage’s. ‘In fact, I am already persuaded that we could become friends. Besides, I have need of you.’

  Miss Armitage blinked. ‘You do?’

  ‘Absolutely. Eva and I spend all day in each other’s company and we are in danger of hating the sight of one another as a consequence. In my experience it is impossible for ladies to be continually together without quarrelling about the slightest little thing. And so, you see, you would be doing us both a huge favour.’

  ‘Olivia’s right,’ Eva said, grinning. ‘In fact, why do you not accompany us to Chelsea? Then we can have some proper refreshments.’

  ‘What a good idea.’ Olivia beamed as she and Eva effortlessly steered their new friend towards Olivia’s carriage. Her coachman saw them approach and opened the door for them. ‘We shall have tea, talk one another’s ears off and them my coachman will take you back to Limehouse. Will that be acceptable?’

  ‘You are very kind to take such an interest in me when we are barely acquainted, ma’am.’ Miss Armitage smiled. ‘How could I possibly decline?’

  ‘Good. That’s settled then.’

  As her carriage made its way back to Chelsea, Olivia wondered whether Miss Armitage knew anything of her history, or of Eva’s. Eva’s problems had made national headlines less than a year previously. If Amelia Armitage harboured any ambition to be accepted by society’s elite, she could not fail to have read about Eva. Be that as it may, she made no objection to being “adopted” by two of London’s most notorious fema
les – which either spoke of loneliness or desperation, Olivia had yet to decide which.

  ‘Tell me, Miss Armitage, or may I call you Amelia?’ Olivia asked when they were seated in her elegant drawing room and had been supplied with refreshments vastly more palatable than those provided by Mrs Mansell.

  ‘Oh please. I wish you would.’

  ‘Then I shall. And you must call me Olivia.’

  ‘And I am Eva.’ Eva smiled. ‘There, now that we are all comfortable with one another I hope we shall grow to be firm friends.’

  ‘I would like that.’ Amelia paused. ‘I don’t have many friends. Well, none at all except for those whom Papa first approves.’

  Olivia raised a brow. ‘He selects your friends for you?’

  ‘He has made a success of the glassworks and thinks anyone who shows an interest in me really has an eye on his money.’

  ‘It does not occur to him that he has an amiable young daughter likely to attract the attention of both genders?’ Eva asked, looking genuinely surprised.

  Amelia sighed. ‘Evidently not.’

  ‘Does your father not trust you to detect fortune hunters or sycophants?’ Olivia asked.

  ‘He says I am too trusting.’ Amelia shrugged her slender shoulders. ‘In some respects, I suppose I am. I always see the good in everyone.’ She giggled. ‘Even Mrs Mansell.’

  ‘Ah, be guided by us and you will soon see through the likes of Mrs Mansell,’ Olivia assured her, worried for her upholstery as Amelia’s cup rattled in its saucer. The poor girl was still nervous. Olivia felt sympathy for her and was determined to put her at her ease.

  ‘Do you not have brothers or sisters in whom you can confide?’ Eva asked.

  ‘I have an older brother.’ Amelia wrinkled her nose. ‘I am nineteen but he is twenty-five so we have little in common and have never been close. Besides, he is married and his wife and I are not especially friendly.’ Amelia’s expression was pensive. ‘I ought not to say it, I know, but she has taken over our household and expects everyone to dance to her tune. I feel almost sorry for Henry. I don’t think he is happy in his marriage but he would never admit it. Edith’s father in the famous barrister, Mr Cartwright. She is his only child and has been horribly spoiled. She sulks when she does not get her way.’

  ‘What a very distasteful habit,’ Olivia remarked, turning up her nose.

  ‘I so agree with you. I have been obliged to give way to her in my father’s household and let her run it as she sees fit. Papa sees nothing to criticise in her behaviour and expects me to be friendly with her.’ She shook her head. ‘As if I could! She is everything that I am not, nor ever want to be.’ She lowered her voice, even though there was no one else in the room to overhear them. ‘Edith is cold and compassionless. She thinks only of herself and I would hate to be like her.’

  ‘I have met ladies like her before,’ Eva said, smiling. ‘My friend Lord Isaac Arnold is a barrister also and he tells me that Mr Cartwright is totally ruthless in his pursuit of justice. Ruthlessness in a gentleman is hard to tolerate. In a lady it is insupportable.’

  ‘I so agree with you, Lady Eva.’

  ‘Please, I thought we had settled upon Eva.’

  ‘Forgive me.’ Amelia smiled. ‘I am nervous. I have never met a titled lady before, much less been invited to address her informally.’

  ‘Olivia and I don’t stand on ceremony.’

  ‘Evidently.’ Amelia seemed a little less guarded as she sipped her tea, managing not to spill it. ‘As to my sister-in-law, since I am speaking so candidly you might as well know that Papa thinks I need no friend but her. He says we have outstripped all acquaintances of our own class and that I should strive to broaden my horizons. That is why I decided to attend today’s meeting. It got me out of the house and allowed me to mix with people Papa could not possibly take objection to, if I decide to tell him where I went, that is.’

  ‘Why would you not?’ Olivia asked.

  Amelia looked surprised by the question. ‘I’m not really sure. It is just that I seldom do anything simply to please myself and rather like the feeling of independence it gives me when I do. Besides, Papa is very angry with Henry about something or other. And things have changed at the glassworks. His order books are full but he has cut the men’s hours.’ She wrinkled her brow. ‘I have no idea why but I think he has some sort of secret meetings at night-time in the factory and doesn’t want anyone to know about them.’

  ‘How curious,’ Eva remarked, sharing a swift glance with Olivia. ‘Do you not wonder what he is doing? I know I would.’

  ‘No,’ Amelia replied, sighing. ‘And even if I did, I know better than to ask.’

  ‘Apart from avoiding your brother’s wife, how do you occupy your days?’ Olivia asked.

  ‘Oh, I try to avoid Mr Mason as well.’

  ‘Mr Mason?’ Olivia and Eva asked together.

  ‘Mr Raymond Mason is an architect whom Papa met during the course of his business activities. He likes him very much and wants me to like him too, but I cannot. Please don’t ask me why.’ Amelia appeared confused. ‘He is perfectly amiable and respectable, not unpleasant to look at and treats me with great courtesy. I know nothing that could stand against him and I also know Papa would like me to marry him, always supposing he asks me to, of course. And if he does, I suppose I will but—’

  ‘But you do not return his regard,’ Olivia said briskly. ‘So why would you pretend otherwise?’

  ‘Papa knows what is best for me.’

  ‘It doesn’t sound as though he knew what was best for your brother,’ Eva remarked.

  ‘No…well there is that, I suppose.’

  ‘My advice, for what it is worth,’ Olivia replied, ‘is to follow your heart. Bear in mind that marriage is for a lifetime. If you do not care for Mr Mason’s society now when your friendship is still new then I very much doubt if love with follow later.’

  ‘Papa says that love is a figment of the imagination.’

  ‘Papa quite mistakes the matter,’ Eva said forcefully. ‘I should know. And by the way, it is kind of you to pretend you do not know who I am—’

  ‘Well, I…’ Amelia’s cheeks flooded with colour.

  ‘It’s all right,’ Eva said with a reassuring smile. ‘Of course you know, which means you must also know that I speak from experience. I married William in order to save my family from ruin and I was miserable the entire time. By the sounds of things your family does not need saving and so you have no reason to sacrifice yourself if you would prefer not to.’

  ‘Well, when you put it like that—’

  ‘And,’ Eva added, smiling, ‘love most certainly does exist. What’s more, it has a habit of creeping up on one when one least expects it. I recommend that you politely rebuff Mr Mason’s advances, endure your father’s dissatisfaction, pretend you did not know that he wants to see you married to Mr Mason, and wait until the right gentleman comes along.’

  ‘Very good advice that is too,’ Olivia added. ‘You are only nineteen, after all.’

  ‘Edith, my brother’s wife, keeps telling me that is beyond the age when I ought to be married.’

  ‘Nonsense! Better never to marry than to marry for the wrong reasons.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Amelia let out a long breath. ‘You can have no idea how refreshing it is to hear you speak in such a forthright manner. I was starting to think that I was being selfish; or considering marriage just to get away from Edith.’

  ‘Quite enough talk of marriage,’ Olivia said briskly. ‘Let us speak of more agreeable matters. Eva and I are planning a shopping expedition tomorrow. I happen to know of a shop in Knightsbridge that has a new shipment of Indian silk. What say you that the three of us take a look before it is all snapped up?’

  Amelia’s face lit up. ‘How very kind of you to invite me. Thank you so very much. I should be delighted.’ She glanced at the long clock in the corner of the room. ‘Goodness, is that the time? I really ought to be going or Edith will pepper me w
ith questions about my absence and I would prefer for her not to know where I have been. She will only tattle to Papa and I would like to keep our friendship a secret, at least for now.’

  ‘Understandable,’ Olivia said since Amelia’s wishes coincided with her own.

  ‘I am not the least ashamed of you,’ Amelia added in a breathless rush. ‘It is just that…well, you will think me foolish when I tell you that it was a great act of rebellion for me to attend that meeting this afternoon. Edith would have said it was an unsuitable subject for an unmarried lady and forbidden her permission.’

  ‘Do you need her permission?’ Eva asked.

  ‘No, but if we argued she would have run to Papa and I would have had to endure a scolding.’ She smiled. ‘Anyway, I rather enjoy my little victories over Edith and am especially glad that I came out today. If I had not, I would not have had the pleasure of meeting you and Olivia. And since Papa and Edith are not aware of our knowing one another, they cannot possibly object.’

  ‘We understand perfectly,’ Olivia assured her. ‘I have always thought that since we cannot help our relations we can be excused for not liking them if we prefer not to. Friends are entirely another matter and I think it a terrible shame that you are not in a position to choose your own.’

  ‘I absolutely agree,’ Amelia replied, a newfound sense of resolve in her expression. ‘And I have not the slightest intention of giving you or Eva up. It is just that…well—’

  Eva smiled at her. ‘Don’t say another word.’

  They arranged a time and place to meeting the following morning and Olivia summoned her coachman to deliver their new friend home.

  ‘Well,’ she said when the door closed behind Amelia. ‘I think I will take her up, regardless of whether or not she can aid Jake’s mysterious cause. I like her and feel sorry for her situation.’

  ‘As do I,’ Eva agreed. ‘I think she will make a loyal friend, and if we can help her overcome her nervousness, she has pretty manners and will easily mix in our circles.’

  ‘There is absolutely no reason why she should not. Times are changing. Social barriers are breaking down by the day now that the country is so prosperous. And much of that prosperity has been brought about by middle-class tradesmen of Armitage’s ilk. It is no great surprise that they aspire to join our ranks.’