The Persuasion of Miss Jane Brody Page 15

  By the time they had passed the classically-inspired gazebo at the far end of the lake, his mount was completely under control and Jonathan could return his attention to his problems. There was probably nothing he could do to prove that Marchmere’s claim was false. Perhaps all he could do was present the facts of the situation and explain how Marchmere might have presumed that Jonathan had taken his advice. Jane’s own brother, William, had been present at the club that day. He could at least pinpoint the date of the conversation and prove that Jonathan had been introduced to her before the suggestion. He resolved to contact Jane’s brother, who was probably still with Lord Stacy. Even so, it might not be sufficiently convincing, he feared. However, decision made, he turned for home choosing a path which took them around the other side of the cold lake, wrinkled with melting ice.

  Returning to the stable Jonathan unsaddled his horse and handed the reins to one of the stable boys to tend to him, while he went off to make ready another of his rangy hunters, full of unexpended oats and bursting to gallop. The fresh air and purposeful exercise was doing him good.

  Astride the subdued horse shortly later he considered the other part of the dispute with Jane – his sister’s marriage to Logan. He didn’t dislike Logan at all. He knew he was worthy and his regard for Elizabeth sincere. He was certainly not a fortune-hunter. However, there was wide disparity in their rank. Aunt Lucinda, who had been in charge of Elizabeth’s come-out last Season, would have put on a real turn if Jonathan had allowed her engagement to Logan, especially before Elizabeth had enjoyed the full benefits of a Season. The last one had been marred by her poor health. If Logan and Elizabeth took their time, waiting until after Elizabeth’s coming of age later in the year and the season, Jonathan believed that she would satisfy his need to know of her constancy. In addition, their aunt would not be able to say that Elizabeth had taken the first man who looked at her.

  The disparity in their ranks and means would always be a barrier, Jonathan feared, and one which may make certain members of society turn up their noses at the match.

  Jonathan was annoyed that he hadn’t seen the proposal coming. If he had, he might have been more prepared with a considered response. He recognised that he had been too wrapped up in his own affairs to notice the romance between his sister and his friend. Too late now for might-have-beens. He could stubbornly let his decision stand or he could go to his sister, his only and very dear sibling, and try to convince her that although immediate agreement wasn’t possible, a short wait to the end of the season in six months should bring the result she wanted. If she still wanted Logan after a full Season of society events and meeting all the eligible bachelors then she could have him.

  Jonathan turned for home. Eating breakfast - make that luncheon - now seemed a possibility. If Elizabeth didn’t join him for the meal, he would follow it with a visit to her sitting room to talk with her.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Elizabeth looked pale and unwell when he went to her rooms later that afternoon. Jonathan did what he should have done previously and explained his strategy carefully. When he finished, he could see that Elizabeth felt her hope returning. He concluded: “So you see Elizabeth, that by the end of the coming season you will be of age and have experienced everything the social round can show you, and be much more able to know that Logan is the right man for you. I am not, and never have, looked for a society match for you if you didn’t want that. Aunt Lucinda does though, so we must be careful how we play our cards – you not hanging on Logan’s sleeve, but taking part in all the social events which she thinks you ought attend. Bear in mind also that if you choose Logan, you will choosing a man who has to work for his living and that will mean that you have to allow him time to do that. He won’t be at your beck and call for social events as a gentleman of leisure might.”

  She nodded. “Jonathan that is part of the attraction – that he has a profession which takes him out to do good in the world. I am willing to support that. It was through our interest in helping people that we first became aware of each other. It is my interest also.”

  Jonathan was reassured by her words and left her to write the news to Dr Logan.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Arriving home late in the evening Jane and her sisters climbed out the carriage and up the stairs to knock loudly on their front door, hoping the Mrs Creevy or Joe would hear them. Jane thought they were a sorry sight after a long day’s travelling. A footman and Dr Logan were grouped behind them on the pavement ready to assist with their baggage. They didn’t have long to wait. Joe cautiously opened the door to see who stood on the front step at such an hour, then flung it open to help them with their luggage.

  Leaving their portmanteau to be unpacked the next day, the sisters quickly prepared for bed and slid under the covers as soon as they could. The house was not warm like Everslie so there was no incentive to dally out of bed away from the heated bricks ready to warm their toes.

  Jane, however, found it almost impossible to sleep. Her mind whirred trying to decide her future based on what was best for her siblings. Should she marry, swallow her pride and accept that decisions other than household management would no longer be hers to make? She had missed Jonathan in her bed last night, but the suspicion that the whole affair had been a set-up for political reasons, with Jonathan as the lead player, made anger burn in her.

  At the end of a long, restless night she was still resolved to end their engagement. She rose at dawn and penned a formal letter requesting that their engagement be dissolved and that a notice to that effect be placed in the newspaper. Tears of sorrow and humiliation trickled down her face as she folded and addressed the missive. Drying her eyes with ruthless determination to return to normality, Jane planned the forthcoming day. She restarted the family routine - lessons for Katherine, sewing and household tasks divided between the sisters, while she and Anna set forth dutifully on social calls.

  They walked through the grey streets, devoid of snow and ice but still wet from the rain which had washed them in the night. Their first call was to Mrs Courtice. Expecting to spend a talkative half hour with their old friend, Jane was surprised when the butler greeted her and with great sadness in his voice told her that the dear lady had passed away the previous day. Stunned, Jane returned home with Anna, putting off their visiting until the next day. She then set out to confer with Dr Logan - not only had they lost a dear friend but also a valued, essential co-worker in their charities.

  Jane joined the doctor’s waiting room queue anxious to speak with him. At last it was her turn. His response to her news was as shocked as Jane’s had been. He, however, as Mrs Courtice’s doctor, had known much more about the elderly woman’s ill-health. Jane agreed to take on Mrs Courtice’s philanthropic tasks for the Welfare League as well as her own. Despite this they both knew that finding a benefactor to replace her would be almost impossible. Wearily Jane returned home. The emotional blows seemed to be coming thick and fast. She felt despair, but determinedly told herself that the silver lining to the cloud was waiting to be found.

  A day later she heard from Mrs Courtice’s solicitor, inviting her to attend a reading of the lady’s will in his office the day after the funeral. Jane was not completely surprised by this as she hoped that Mrs Courtice had endowed money on one or more of the charities which they jointly served.

  Mr Pettigrew’s office was now familiar to Jane from her previous depressing visits concerning her father’s affairs. This time she did not wait alone. A gentleman she had met a few times over the last few years waited also. Jane knew him to be Mrs Courtice’s nephew, Viscount Travener, a blond and attractive dandy, whom she presumed was to be the principle recipient of the lady’s estate. They passed courteous greetings before their conversation lapsed into silence. Jane noted that he tapped his walking stick against his boot in impatience. To her delight Dr Logan arrived also, striding briskly into the crowded room. He bowed to Viscount
Travener, and took a seat beside Jane after greeting her. Soon they were ushered into the office and settled into chairs in front of the solicitor’s large desk.

  Mr Pettigrew, still looking morbid, greeted them formally and stated that he would read Mrs Courtice’s will and then explain how its recent codicils affected them. Jane became curious to know how the will could affect her, except in the administration of charity funds. She fixed her attention wholly on the solicitor as he began to read. Her state of curiosity was satisfied by the endowments that Mrs Courtice had left their charities – enough money in trust to continue the current munificence that the lady had supplied. Jane smiled at Dr Logan and relaxed into her chair with relief.

  The majority of Mrs Courtice estate, less gratuities for a number of people who she wished to acknowledge, was to go to her nephew, who couldn’t help but smirk in expectation. With the solicitor’s reading of the final codicil, written a few weeks before, came incredulity for all as its implications became clear. To Dr Logan she gifted £20,000 so that he might achieve personal happiness and continue his medical services to the charity homes they had established. To Jane, Mrs Courtice had also left £20,000 and her father’s former house in Harley Street, recently purchased, so that she might retain her independence and continue her educational establishment and philanthropy.

  Jane was astonished. Never had she had any expectation of benefiting from her good friend’s death! It was too enormous a gift for her to justify and clearly Viscount Travener felt so too, if his exclamation of annoyance and surprise was anything by which to judge.

  “What is the meaning of this Mr Pettigrew?” he asked, outraged.

  Quietly and firmly the solicitor responded that Mrs Courtice had called him to her about a month previously. She had been her usual brisk, efficient self, quite in command of her faculties, and she had instructed him in detail on the bequests for Dr Logan and Miss Brody. He was to hold the money in trust for Jane. The house was available for her removal to it with her family at a time that suited them. The title, in her name, was in his strong room. He calmly reminded Viscount Travener that he was the recipient of a Cavendish Square property, its contents and more than £40,000, so he couldn’t possibly resent the gratuities that had been given. Viscount Travener had the conscience to look sheepish at the rebuke and swallowed his pride and astonishment to congratulate Jane and Dr Logan.

  The solicitor gave them more details and ushered them from the office. Viscount Travener briskly farewelled them and set off down the street. Dr Logan turned to Jane offering his arm to walk with him. “Well Jane, it seems Mrs Courtice is still organising her world from the grave.”

  Jane agreed. “Bless her, it means the charities she worked so devotedly for will be able to function indefinitely, and she has given us the freedom to choose our futures.”

  “Yes, she was a wonderful woman and a good friend to us both.” He smiled in his austere way.

  Jane hesitated before changing the conversation. “Dr Logan, surely there can be no real impediment to your marriage now? Lady Elizabeth will be of age in a few months and you have more than enough money to support her in the manner in which her brother wishes her to live.”

  “I have more hope now than previously. As long as Elizabeth doesn’t change her mind in that time.”

  “Have confidence in her. She is not a weak person, just an occasionally unwell one. She has fortitude and constancy in her nature.”

  Dr Logan looked relieved. “You are right. I will write to her immediately. May I ask what you have decided with regard to your future with Lord Dalton?”

  “I have already written to him to end the engagement. He needs heirs and a partner in society; I need the freedom to think and help others.”

  “Can you not do both?”

  “I think not. And I am unsure of his sincerity now I have heard what Lord Marchmere repeated.”

  He looked concerned. “Do you think that Marchmere is a reliable source? I have my doubts. I would put my money on Dalton’s sincerity. If I’m wrong, he should take to the stage.”

  “We shall see.” They had arrived at the door of the Brody residence and Dr Logan took his leave and set off for his practice.

  Upon entering, Jane called her sisters together in the sitting room and revealed their good fortune. Astonished, they were unable to utter anything coherent until Katherine asked, “When can we go home Jane?”

  “Very soon. We have only a short lease on this house, in case we had to move to something less expensive again, so we may move in a couple of weeks I suppose.”

  “Let us celebrate with a good strong cup of tea,” suggested Charlotte

  “Tea!” said Anna. “Haven’t we something stronger?”

  Jane laughed. “Only medicinal brandy! It will have to be tea and cakes today. I’ll ring for Mrs Creevy and Joe and tell them the news.”

  Eventually Jane left her sisters to write an important letter. Seated at her escritoire Jane felt all the weight of the financial worries and responsibility for her sisters’ futures finally crumble to dust. She was free! Free to live her life as she chose, and able to provide for her family. Her invested money would provide more than enough to live upon, and her sisters could expect some of it upon their marriages as independent income. She pulled a page of writing paper towards herself from the pigeon hole and inked her pen. She must release Lord Dalton from the contract providing income for her and dowries for her sisters. It would be the last bond severed.

  Why was she hesitating? There was no reason to delay. The daydream was over. Chest aching with unshed tears, she steadied her hand to write:

  You may have seen the notice in the paper informing all that our friend Mrs Courtice passed away on Boxing Day. Her will was read today. She has been as much a supporter of her charities in death as she was in life, endowing them generously. She has also been overwhelmingly kind in settling some money on me so that I may continue my charity work. Consequently, your kindness in providing for my sisters and me into the future, is no longer required. I wish to convey my extreme gratitude for your willingness to support us even in the event that our families did not join through marriage. Whatever else was the motive for your offer of marriage, you have been kindness itself in your treatment of me and mine. My hope remains that Lady Elizabeth will be permitted to find happiness with Dr Logan now.

  She concluded and folded the letter ready for mailing. All contact with Jonathan was ended. There would be no reason to see him again except by chance meetings through her connection with Elizabeth. Why did she feel so bleak when the future looked rosy in so many ways?

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Jonathan had expected to remain in the country until the end of January, returning to London for the commencement of parliament.

  His hopes for the future turned to ashes the day after Jane’s return from Everslie when the mail arrived, bringing two letters. The first was from his friend in the foreign office who reported that Charlotte’s husband’s regiment was indeed bound for India and would leave immediately after Christmas. If the officer wasn’t on board, he would be court-martialled and could cause no trouble to anyone afterwards.

  The second letter came from Jane confirming she was breaking their engagement and his heart along with it. He hoped Aunt Lucinda had the good sense not to congratulate him on his narrow escape from marriage with an unsuitable party. Remaining politely amused by her performance would be too hard for him to achieve.

  Despite Jane’s request, he resolved not to put a notice in the newspaper for now - that would be too final. Surely there was some way of persuading her to reconsider once she had calmed down?

  Perhaps he would have a better chance if he were in London where they would meet occasionally, if only by accident through friends.

  So the next morning the carriage stood before Everslie ready to take the siblings back to London.
As they were about to leave the mail arrived bringing another of Jane’s letters, telling of their friend Mrs Courtice’s death, her will and Jane’s good fortune. Her financial salvation meant his complete excision from her life. Elizabeth must have seen his change of demeanour because she put her hand on his arm asking what was the matter.

  “Bad news followed by good really,” he answered. “Mrs Courtice has passed away. Jane received a bequest. Her future is secure, as are her sisters.”

  “I am so pleased to hear of Jane’s good fortune, but to lose Mrs Courtice – how awful. I shall really miss her kindness. It must be what Marcus has written me.” She indicated a letter in her hand which Jonathan hadn’t noticed until then.

  She tore open the seal and scanned the page. Expecting sadness in her face, Jonathan was intrigued to see it light up. “Oh Jonathan, as you say, good news with bad! Marcus has received a bequest from Mrs Courtice as well!”

  “Has he indeed?”

  “Twenty thousand pounds!”

  “My goodness, Mrs Courtice knew how to fulfil the dreams of her friends and allies,” Jonathan remarked.

  “Now there can be no financial impediment to our marriage surely?”

  “Not from my point of view.” A faint smile briefly lit his features.

  “Thank you Jonathan.”

  “You still need to wait to the end of the season before an engagement announcement,” he added as a caution.

  “Of course. We have an agreement Jonathan. I won’t go back on it.”