Letter to Harriet

The Five Bells, Harmondsworth Village

July 30th

My darling Harriet,

three days we have been here and after some misinterpreted directions, we found your brother and are now negotiating with him his return to your family and him issuing a statement what happened, after which we will leave him with your father to unravel their problems.

I miss you and it will take us some days to come to Cumberland. I will send you notice on time to meet us, so we can go to Wortham together.

I don't know how much I should tell you so far; everything is quite a mess and scandalous. I beg you, as does Lord Cartwright, not to consign anything to her Ladyship until we know the whole story and can prevent anything becoming public knowledge.

When we came to the village, we first went to the wrong house, presuming your brother to stay with a respectable family of somehow his own state. But no one at the Manor Farm had any idea of who Max was and we returned to the Inn.
Lord Cartwright and Mr. Porter were discussing further steps with Mr. Tredwell, when I went to the shop across the road to buy some writing supplies (I forgot mine in town, being muddleheaded as usual). There I heard a maid asking for something her master had ordered and how she had called him Mr. Maxwell. I pretended to know him and told her what a surprise it was to find him here as I was on my way to town. She was quite an innocent creature and asked me, if my friend was really Mr. Fred Maxwell. - Darling, I am dumb-funded at his impertinence to change his name so abominably.
I had a boy in front of the shop running to call for my friends to meet me at the address the girl had given me. I didn't want to lose time and immediately went with her.
We came to a halt in front of a small, but respectable looking house and the maid let me in to the tiny hall. Not two minutes later I was to enter a salon and stood in front of your brother, holding an infant.
Do not be alarmed, my dear! Though he was speechless and stared at me changing colours instantaneously, nothing worthwhile happened, as the other gentlemen knocked and were let in forthwith. - After some minutes of calming down the strange situation and the woman presumably mistress of that house ordering tea (from the same simple-hearted maid), we learned the baby-girl wasn't your brother's child. But it is worse actually, my love, as it is probably Frederick's and Tredwell post-haste went to find out if they were really married, like the mother vouched (and your brother!)...

Well, my darling, you see now, how important it is not to say a word yet to Lady C. - I will write to you very soon and look forward to embrace you again.

Your loving husband,
CO

Read More

Letter to Emmeline

32 Bedford Row, London

My lady,

let me at first assure you, we are all well and are conducting this business as fast as possible. Your brother joins us at our house the day after we arrived and had since supported us in finding Mr F. He wishes me to tell you, that neither your parents nor Mrs O's family was or is involved in any of this. - He will write to you himself.

On the same day we arrived, Mr Tredwell called and we planned our next steps in pursuing Mr F. Our first attempt at Boodle's was fruitless and the only information we acquired was his absence from town. We had Elliott looking everywhere about Mr F's possible whereabouts, as his house is not occupied by any member of his family at the moment and the number of servants limited to the living-ins.
When we met Tredwell yesterday again, we were luckier. Your friend's brother is supposed to be a guest at some place near Harmondsworth, where we will depart to as soon as we have finished all business here in town, Tredwell accompanying us too.

Your brother informed us, that the F's have not heard from their son for at least two months and he hadn't visited since last winter (also not at Mrs O's wedding?)

I sincerely hope, my dear lady, you're well and beg you to convey my warmest regards to Mrs O.

FC

Read More

July 29th, 1763

When I went down for breakfast, Mr Brittles just brought the mail.
Until that moment, I hadn't realized how I waited for word from my husband. It was a heavy envelope & when I opened it, I knew why: Lord C had sent his letter together with that of Clive to Harriet in one package. He then explained to me, they wanted to be sure we get them at the same time. Leaving tea and rolls aside, we read our letters at once.

Read More

Letter to Emmeline

32 Bedford Row, London
July 22nd

My lady,

be assured, we safely arrived in town this morning and already found a note by Mr. Tredwell, who would come to see us today. Mr. Osberton will send his own note to Mrs O and just asked me to pass on his regards to you.

As soon as we know more and how we will proceed, I will write to you again. Please trust me to deal with this matter and don't answer any inquiries whatsoever from your family yet.

I remain
your servant,

FC

Read More

July 27th, 1763

Finally. A note from Lord C and Clive of their arrival at our London town house.
And I was mroe than assuaged to know, they safely reached town.

When I looked up, I could see Harriet closely examine her note from her husband with slightly more content (but no more information).
As women, we had to sit it out and wait and as far as I made out of Harriet's remarks over breakfast, she hoped the 'gentlemanly manner' in which her Clive had promised (as had Lord C) to deal with her brother, didn't include anything violent.
I had not until that moment thought of this possibility and Lord C's potential involvement into such gentlemanly manners and it struck me, that Frederick might have lost his life in a duel. I noticed a funny prickle inside my stomach and wondered if I feared for my husband's life...

(Harriet did fear for Clive, I don't doubt it. But I don't think it appropriate now to talk this over with her. It wouldn't do any good...)

Read More