5. Visitors and a walk in the garden

The next morning with all of my sisters once again assembled for breakfast, my mother and I behaved as if nothing had happened, except for one moment when she caught my eye and we exchanged one of 'those' looks.

From that I took it that she harboured no doubts about our nocturnal frolic, no misgivings. Certainly, I had none, and why should I? It had been agreed to by both of us, her for her reasons, and me for mine.

It was a long morning, there were several early callers, including a young man - Captain Augustus Fanthorpe, from the War Office at Horseguards.

He was an envoy on behalf of a Lieutenant-General Sir George Bradley, the general officer currently in charge of recruitment for the army. The news of my retirement had reached the War Office a day or so before my own arrival home. Normally the retirement of a captain from a regiment of lesser seniority like the North Staffordshires, would be of little interest to their lordships, and they rarely get a visit from a highly polished and flashily dressed junior officer.

But that changed because of my title.

There were people in the government who opposed the war effort, and I think Horseguards thought that I would be a useful ally, either in the House of Lords or just in general. Anyway, I was invited to call in to meet and take tea with Lt.-Gen. Bradley. I asked the young man to thank the general for his invitation, but I told him that I would have to consider it. I excused my immediate attendance on the grounds that there were many things in my own household that needed my attention before anything else.

Young captains, no matter how immaculately they are turned out, and he was a particularly shiny and well-polished individual in his dress uniform; do not argue with dukes, however much they would like to.

When he had gone, I asked that my sister Charlotte attend me. I was due to see Mr Barthomley, who wanted my permission to call on Hermione, at noon. On a whim, I thought to ask Charlotte what she thought of him.

"He is a nice enough, young man," she told me, "He has a good income."

"Do you think they would make a good couple?" I asked.

"He is sometimes a bit fiery," Charlotte said after some thought. I knew this, for he had challenged me, in my own hallway, not knowing who I was. "Though Hermione matches him blast for blast at times."

"Hermione?" I asked, "My sweet little girl?"

"Oh yes!" Charlotte laughed, "There is steel in that one that nobody suspected."

I was intrigued.

"Don't make the mistake of under-estimating her," my sister went on. "Her sweetness outside conceals a strength within. Mr Barthomley may be getting more than he bargains for. That is ..." Charlotte paused significantly. "... if a dowry can be arranged."

"I have already spoken with mother about that. There will be no further issues in that matter." Her eyebrows shot up.

Before Charlotte could say anymore, a footman announced the arrival of one, Mr James Barthomley, Esq., presenting me with his calling card on a silver salver. Charlotte took her leave and the footman ushered the young man into my study.

An hour later, I was done with my youngest sister's suitor. I sent him off to see Hermione, telling him that he would be welcome to call but also that we would soon be leaving London in the next few days to go to our country seat, Rogeringham Hall.

No sooner had he gone, but that there was a knock on my study door.

"Come!" I called and Charlotte's head appeared around the door.

"Well?" She asked.

I laughed. She sat down opposite me. "You could have warned me." I said, shaking my head. Charlotte had been right - on the face of it, James Barthomley was a nice enough young man, and when we talked about his background it appeared that not only was his family well connected but they had used those connections to good ends and profited thereby.

However, if I had been interviewing him for a place with my old regiment, the North Staffordshires, I wouldn't have given him very long indeed. His fashionably over-puffed attitude would probably have gotten him killed in no short order, and if the French hadn't done for him, he'd have challenged a fellow officer who would have done the job for them. Basically, he was a pompous twit, and an ambitious one to boot.

"I thought it best you discover for yourself." She laughed.

"Has he ever mentioned it to any of you?" I asked her.

"That he wants to marry the sister of a duke because it will further the familial connections? No. Not in as many words."

I moved to sit next to Charlotte, "This is going to happen a lot, isn't it?" I asked. "Many people will see you as nothing more than commodities, access to the family name?"

She nodded. "But that's why I said Hermione will surprise you."

I cocked my head to hear more.

"She knows what is and what isn't, but she sees it as an opportunity. She actually has him twisted round her little finger. He will do anything for her. She does not torment him, as I suppose some women would, but she owns Mr Barthomley as if he were a pet dog. And I believe she will train him as one would a wilful puppy.

"Does that please you, that news?" She asked suddenly.

"Well, yes. It does. Though I am certain she could do better," I told her. "She is pretty, and she obviously has a head upon her shoulders, so why should she not aim higher?"

"Despite his faults, she actually quite likes him," Charlotte explained, "He is intelligent, well-read, and he does seem to be able to learn from his experiences. And, of course, he really would do anything for her."

I nodded. If that was what Hermione wanted, then so be it. I then outlined to my sister what I had agreed with our mother, that all the girls should be provided for, though I did not tell her why I had agreed to it. This brought a smile, a close embrace and a kiss upon the cheek.

"But!" I went on. "It is too late for this Season; we must make ready for the next one."

As I have already mentioned, the 'Season' in London is an horrendous series of social extravaganzas that lasts five months from March to July, at the start of which the eligible young ladies of society are presented to the queen, and then paraded at balls, and picnics in search of suitable husbands. It is an expensive meat market, where even the meat on display shows a distinctly predatory disposition. Everyone concerned pays through the nose for the latest fashions, and entertaining, and of course, ultimately it would mean - if we were successful - that each of my sisters would require a dowry. This was what my mother had been looking for from me, and to which I had agreed. However, my interview with James Barthomley and my experiences in Spain had given me cause for reflection.

The next Season was not that far away - in the spring of the new year, it was time to head for winter quarters as Wellesley had done, to reform and prepare. The social season in London had already begun - it runs from December until the end of July, but I was less interested in that than I was in honouring my promise to Helena. In the country - at Rogeringham Hall, we would organise for the coming campaign, my mother would be head of logistics, 'uniforms' - ball gowns, that sort of thing. No expense would be spared. I also thought that we would indulge in a little training of our troops, my lady warriors. I would make sure that when they went into the field, when the Season opened, it would be the men - the prospective suitors - who were reeling in disarray and not the Rogeringham girls.

"Let us walk Charlotte, I must go to the stables and see how my mare is, and you can tell me more of your gossip while we do it."

This brought another hug and kiss, "I have missed you so very much William."

I kissed her back, hugging her warmly to me, "And I, you, too."

The mare had been carefully re-shod all round and - the boot keeping the abscess off the floor - was walking much better as we walked her round the stable yard, though still favouring her leg slightly. The head groom was of the opinion that the man that had shod her last time had done it blind-folded. The farrier that we used, had taken his time and done an excellent job of it. I agreed with the grooms, who felt that the best course was to keep her rested and let her heal. Eventually they would bring her out to Rogeringham Hall in a horse drawn box, where she could spend the winter. She would need room to exercise, which she would not have in town. In Buckinghamshire she could have that.

I was hoping that she would heal, she was altogether too pretty not to ride about the Ton.

After I had seen the mare, Charlotte and I, took advantage of the pleasant afternoon and walked in the grounds. While we walked, my sister talked.

I listened

My sister is not an empty-headed chatterer, which was why I had sought her opinion on James Barthomley. She told me things that she thought that I needed to know - about her sisters, and their hopes and aspirations. My sisters were not, as I had thought, devoid of male companionship or would-be suitors. However, not being presented and the lack of a dowry precluded any conclusion to the matter. That did not stop them from knowing what they wanted. Margaret and Louise, she said, would probably seek to marry twins if they could, being twins themselves. They were wicked, she told me, often when talking to a man, one of them would pretend to be the other and then they would turn about, the discontinuity in their comportment and conversations leaving suitors baffled and confused.

Charlotte was of the opinion that Caroline disdained the young men she met because she looked for someone older, more experienced. Charlotte was suspicious that she had someone in mind already, but she thought that it was someone not in our social circle, hence the reason Caroline kept it close to her breast.

She talked too about our mother - mama, as Charlotte called her - and I found that both she and I felt the same about Helena - that she was still young enough to enjoy her life and that there was no reason why she should not find satisfaction.

"Promise me brother, promise me that you will care for her. She needs it William, she deserves it."

I nodded, acknowledging what she had said, but Charlotte was already chatting on. As she did though I noted how closely she pressed herself, and stroked my hand and looked into my eyes.

"And what are your hopes and dreams, Charlotte?" I asked.

For a moment, my sister dropped her eyes and then she looked at me, "Bless you, William. But I'm not sure that hopes and dreams are for me anymore."

I stood for a moment. "How do you mean?"

Charlotte leaned in and hugged me. "I am too old for the Season now." She smiled ironically, "They describe a woman like me as being 'on the shelf'. I shall take a role as governess or teach at a school. I may marry eventually, but this whole carnival is not for me now."

The sadness was there but well hidden, it was only because I had known her as long as I had, that I could see it. I was reminded of how strong a person she really is, and how she had cared for the other girls as they had come along. She had played the role of 'older sister' all of her life. I love my sisters, as I have said, and it was my resolve, as I have said, that they shall go out of my care as prepared as they can be, and when they have gone to their new homes, I shall never cease to support them when I am needed. My sisters would be cared for in whatever way they wanted, and if this was truly what Charlotte wanted - which I doubted - then I would support her in it, but if it wasn't, then I would do what I could to make it happen.

"Our father, eh?" I asked, intimating that it was his fault she was at this pass.

"Indeed!" She replied.

We started a second turn around the garden.

Suddenly Charlotte started asking about my 'hopes and dreams'.

"To be honest with you, I have none at the moment." I explained that I was still making the transition from army life back to that of a civilian. As I had told the captain from the War Office, there were many things I would need to deal with - for example, the seat in the House of Lords. Father had never really done very much with it. I might take it up, I might not. There was also the running of the estate, an intricate arrangement of leases and tenancies, holdings and investments. However, I told her, my main task was to make things right for my sisters.

"Are you so eager to get rid of us?" She chided me.

"Hardly!" I laughed at the sad face she had pulled. "I love you all dearly. But, if, for example, you told me that you wanted to stay at home until you were an old maid or said you wanted nothing more than to run away and become a kept wife in an Ottoman harem, I should do the best I could to make it happen for you."

"A harem, William?" Charlotte laughed at the idea. "I think I would make a good wife for a sultan; do you not think? All gauzes and waving fans, slaves peeling grapes for me."

Suddenly she stopped her day dream and brought her piercing gaze onto me, "But talking of wives, is there really no one lined up for you?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so."

"Good!" She said emphatically, which surprised me. "You do realise that any woman who even looks at you, will face a hostile jury? She will have to be something exceptional before mama and our sisters will let her near you." The ferocity with which she said this was unusual, in that Charlotte was usually the calmest of personalities, she was patient and tried to envisage everything before reacting. Almost immediately she looked embarrassed by her statement.

We embraced again. It was a very tender embrace, perhaps too tender for a half-brother and sister - let alone a brother and sister. "We all love you so very much William and I know that we are all thankful that you have been returned to us safe and healthy. Though that scar on your cheek does make you look more than a little roguish."

While we were walking back into the house, I told Charlotte to let the other girls know that we would be repairing to Rogeringham Hall in the next week or so, and that they should begin preparations.

"And is there a reason why we should up-sticks and move this early before Christmas?" She asked with a strange sort of smile on her face.

"Apart from the fact that I have business there?" I asked. Once again, she pulled a slightly disappointed face.

"Very well then," I went on, "I feel that I would like to spend time with all of you before you all go off and get married, and that we should do it away from the distractions of the town - in the peace and quiet of the country. Perhaps one last Christmas as a family? Is that sufficient?"

At this point Charlotte said something quietly to herself, which I almost didn't catch "It is - if mama will allow ..." Or at least that was what it sounded like.

I did not get a chance to clarify what she had said because a foot man announced the arrival of my lawyer and my steward from Buckinghamshire.