Letter from Harriet Osberton

Wortham, September 4^th, 1763

My dearest Emy,

we fled from my parents house and the whole neighbourhood. It was not to be born anymore. My mother intruded upon us every day without any notice. The atmosphere at home is horrible and we decided to leave. It is very vexing, especially in my current condition. I know not for how long I could have hidden it from my mother or the whole family. My morning sickness is terrible and Clive did his best to keep anyone from me to keep the secret. Now we are on our way home to Clarington. Hester is to join us in town for the season, but I don't know if we go at all regarding my health... But they do not know of course. I will not tell them until the very least. - My brother is gone too. We don't know where. He disappeared over night and nobody noticed. His manservant was gone sometime before him, the butler informed us later... I'm very tired of it all my dearest and glad to go home. I will write again from Clarington.

Affectionately,

yours

Harriet.

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Letter to Harriet

Leyland Manor, September 2^nd, 1763

My dearest sister,
it is five days already since we're home. Your Emy was very busy visiting all the neighbours and we had guests on the day we arrived. Ms B greets you very warmly and hopes you are well. We had a charming night with cards and I returned many a visit to my ladies this week. Furthermore we are expecting a family visit. Lord C's aunt and his cousin – not the son of the aforesaid aunt – are coming to Leyland and will stay for a while. He only told me on our journey hereto and sent me into quite some anguish about who they are, how they are like, if they will like me and so on. - But the most important news I have yet deprived you of. When we stayed at the Inn the night we left Wortham, we had to share one bedroom. You can believe your friend couldn't sleep at all. I was quite scared about this situation and wished it to be over. But it all came different in the end. When Lord C entered I had already changed into my night gown and went to bed. Jenna was in the closet next door. He went ínto his and his valet helped him change for the night. It took him quite some time and I think I fell asleep. But it startled me of course when I noticed someone being in the same bed as I. There was no fire and no other light, the room so dark I couldn't see my hand in front of me, but feel my husband next to me. - 'Emmeline, are you still awake?' - 'Yes, my lord. I... am...' - 'Can you turn around, please?' - I hesitated and felt the colour rising in my cheeks, but did as he asked. And he took my hand in his, Harriet, kissed it, drew me closer and kissed my forehead and my lips. Oh dearest Harriet! I never felt anything like this before! I was not afraid any more... He was so very warm and kept holding me close also after wishing me good night. I am so happy about, dearest! I believe it will change things considerably and I'm looking forward to it. I have a very good husband.
Yours affectionately,
Emy.

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August 28th, 1763

This morning we left Wortham and I hope we do not have to return so soon. I will miss Harriet, but writing to her will be almost as comforting as having her with me. We had lunch at a small Inn I didn't know and tonight we stay at the usual place. There are many people visiting the lakes this summer and the Inn is very crowded. We had supper at a tiny table near the window and could overlook the main street with all the huzzle-buzzle of the travellers. Lord C is talking to our coachman and I have retired to our room. Tonight we have to share a bedroom, as the Inn has no rooms to spare for idle travellers like us... I'm anxious and very sure not to find a single minute's sleep.

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August 27th, 1763

My Lord had heard my prayers! We are going home.
Harriet was happy for me and promised to write almost every day. Clive and my dear friend want to move in a little house on her fathers estate to enjoy some privacy. Though her mother is more than happy about Harriet's 'situation', she is worried about Hester and doesn't want to tell her about her sisters pregnancy...
Lord C got a letter. And tomorrow morning we are leaving for Leyland.

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August 26th, 1763

The last two days only supported the growing boredom at my parents house. The days are repeating themselves and neither Lord C nor the Fairweathers can get any more details out of Max. He won't speak to any of them and Harriet is very worried. The accusations of her parents are puzzling us all. Whatever Fred and Max were up to, it is very strange Harriet, Lord C or I could have been involved... They apologized already but we all are still curious about any possible connection. My husband told my father this morning - we were at the breakfast table - that he asked his lawyer in town to investigate into the matter and to see if this infamous lady, at who's house they had found Max, knows more and would talk under the right circumstances.
When we ladies were alone later and I had no letters to answer my mother took the opportunity again to question me about the usual topic...
I want to be home.

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August 19th, 1763

I cannot believe what my eyes show me! My brother and my husband are becoming friends. Or have become already. Something like that might occur between their sex when on a crusade against another male and perhaps for the virtue of some lady in distress, I believe. The funny thing is, they often stay friends thereafter. It is not like that with ladies. Not very often at least. And I for my part, have witnessed something different:

When I had to endure my first season in town, I had a friend coming from Bath who told me of her best friend and how they love each other so dearly, sharing any secret and would never have come anything between them. Well, until there came that gentleman from Essex; a very good looking fellow with an even more handsome purse and estate. - I never enjoyed a play in theatre better than this spectacle between sister-like ladies of the ton and their husband-hunting-war against each other. Unfortunately he went off to marry someone else entirely and my friend and her temporary enemy swore never to look at a man again - for friendship's sake. It lasted until the next season and they are still unmarried.

Musing about this, a theory is forming in my mind, that women are very strange characters when it comes to men. Jeremiah and Lord C kept me wondering about all this today.

We went for a drive around the estate. It was a nice outing and strangely not in the least awkward for any of us. It felt like we were brothers and sisters enjoying a ride through the park. Being unguarded the first time we set foot on my father's estate, we could discuss the problems at hand more freely. So I got to know that Mr Fairweather sr. already begged Clive's sincere pardon for having accused him of any knowledge or accompli[ce]. And that having brought Max back to his family wasn't the end of my husband's and my brother's involvement in this affair. I wasn't however satisfied in my curiosity about this Sarah, who vouched having been married to Frederick. Lord C only stated that he doubts it and thinks Max is hiding more information than he should...

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August 16th, 1763

If one thinks it couldn't be any more complicated it pours down on one. After a strange night of sleeping in my old chamber and having breakfast with my family and Lord C at the same table, I tried in vain to hide behind an instrument and to play myself deaf to all the discussions about scandal and what on earth my husband had to do with it.

The Fairweathers were here as well and without any warning it burst out what no London gossip could make up in decades! - All the eyes turned on me and I knew within that very moment, that first: Harriet knew more than she had told me before and second, that my husband's eyes burned with anguish.

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August 14th, 1763

 

Morning - when I woke up, the weather promised our almost immediate departure from Brackenthwaite. I longed to get on and towards Cresford. Harriet must be craving for her Clive. I am curious how she will proceed with her brother. Jeremiah instead understood it to remind me of the meeting with the rest of my family. I haven't thought of that at all. All I had thought of was the mystery about Harriet's family. Now I am anxious. I do not wish to face them. Not entirely because I haven't answered their letters, but being a guest in their house won't make it easier to run from their curiosity and constant inquiries after my marriage life. Oh, my Lord! Mrs P is with child again and it will make her an insufferable companion! - I have to persuade Lord C to stay somewhere else. But where!? Or to leave posthaste?

The carriage is ready, we're leaving.

Night - It was somewhat relieving to finally reunited at Cresford. The journey thither was so quite and tense, that I longed for fresh air and a walk. Harriet literally jumped into Mr O's arms and was clearly happy to have her husband back without any duel with her brother. I wasn't sure about an upcoming duel between her and Maxwell, but the outcome wouldn't be that surprising. My dear friend tortured her brother with her eyes. I wouldn't pity him anyway.

I had a room next to Lord C, who very eagerly helped me out of the carriage. After I had changed we all met again for dinner, but I wasn't in the mood for much talking. There weren't many details about what happened between the families that I didn't knew yet. The only thing I was longing for was exercise. - Jeremiah looked after Maxwell, and Lord C and I took the opportunity for a walk with the Osbertons. They were a bit behind us; I must have been quite fast. Even Lord C, though quiet, had not expected this briskness.

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August 10th, 1763

We arrived at Brackenthwaite and wanted to take some luncheon and have the horses rest for while, when we were surprised by a heavy thunderstorm. It was uncommonly hot since last week and it was conceivable that it was to rain some time; but it poured down horribly and it was very stormy indeed. It didn't stop for hours and we had no other possibility than to while away the time inside the inn. We then arranged to stay for the night, as did many other travellers. Though our attempted destination was Cresford to meet the other gentlemen, we acquiesced ourselves into our lot. - It is the same inn, Lord C and I stopped at after our wedding and now we would have stayed there on our way back to Wortham. I wonder what it would have been like. Confined to this establishment we couldn't even send word there and inform them when they arrive. But we hope to continue our journey on the morrow and we'll try to catch them there at about midday.
Later today we had tea and some biscuits. - Why is it, one is always eating when bored or condemned to do nothing? - We had nothing with us to seriously occupy ourselves; not a book or cards or anything else. There wasn't any afternoon I can remember, when I was last so bored. After a while we had no topic of conversation which lead us, or better to say Jeremiah, around what I was really wanting to talk about and subsequently we felt into silence; which was again very awkward. But alas my Harriet had the good idea of engaging me into plans to go to Bath this summer and Jeremiah thought it a wonderful idea. I discretely tried to talk him out of his fast idea of joining us there with his family. Please! No summer holiday with Mrs P!!!

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August 9th, 1763

Jeremiah arrived today on horseback. He vouched he stopped at an Inn last night and is quite well, but he is doubtless exhausted. At first it was awkward to have him at our home, but after he had some luncheon and refreshed himself for a while upstairs, he joined me in the music room and chatted eagerly about our family back home, his little son and annoying wife. He seriously confessed his dislike on her temper when with child. Outrageous! But he's my brother, my dear Jeremiah... And on the other hand I wondered why he is annoyed with her moods only when pregnant; I think her insufferable all the time.

Mama and Papa are well; that I know, I get regular accounts on that (together with endless inquiries on my 'state'). J and Mrs P visited Patsy, but stayed not for long, as it was unbearably noisy and chaotic. He hadn't seen Violet since I married and can only suppose her well and very occupied with partying at friend's houses here and there and staying at all possible fashionable places all over the country.

He finally went on to the topic most interesting to me: what they were achieving in town and Harmondsworth. When they finally encountered Harriet's brother, they were surprised to find him in utterly unexpected circumstances. J didn' t give me details on how exactly unexpected they were but asked me to be patient as my husband wanted to - how did he put it? - protect me. Now I am surprised. What have I to do with it to need protection!? He is Harriet's brother and I would think her and her family the first to be affected by his actions and conduct... Jeremiah is not very gifted in distracting my curiosity. His tale had quite the opposite effect. But I'll be tame and wait for Lord C to explain it once and for all and after that, I want:

1) return home as soon as possible
2) don't waste any thought on Frederick and Max any more and
3) making efforts in attaining my husband's friendship

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August 6th, 1763

We are preparing to go to Wortham. I had a letter from my brother informing me, that he will come to Leyland and accompany us there. Lord C and Clive will meet us at Cresford and from there we will go together. It is most mysterious as neither Jeremiah nor Harriet told me what all the stealthiness is about. I know when someone is keeping something from me. They act strange and it is so obvious they are hiding important information. But I am not yet worried. They are all well and they come together. So no duel between Max and Lord C or Clive. We all will be reunited and all will be well.

The only thing I am not looking forward is to see my family again. They surely will besiege me with thousand inappropriate questions!

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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

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July 31st, 1763

Today at service I caught myself praying for the gentlemen to succeed and coming back soon. Though I heartily enjoy spending time with Harriet in my own house and being at leisure to do what we like, their absence is nonetheless governing the atmosphere.
We took the girls out today in our small coaches and the misses enjoyed themselves tremendously. They were cheering at any turn of the road and urged Higgins to go even faster. Harriet, though sometimes a bit pale, and I, had at least the same amount of girlish fun on this adventure.
I had Mrs Lewis prepare some picnic and Tom and Neville were there in time to set it up for us on a small clearing near the stream.

No word from town or Harmondsworth yet...

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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

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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.

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July 27th, 1763 - night

I won't possibly ever forget this day. My dearest Harriet told me this morning, that she is quite sure to be with child. Somehow I expected it to occur in the near future. And somehow I feared it would be so soon.

When Harriet was to become a mother...

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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...)

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July 25th, 1763

After Lord C had shown me his library, I wanted to read some of those books and now, that Harriet and I are alone and can't possibly visit all people around here every day, we decided to stay in the library. It is unbearably hot today but in this room. Since it is so warm this summer, I noticed how perfectly well Mrs Lewis had trained the staff to move around the house and shutting and opening the Venetian blinds according to the sun. I will keep that in mind, when we stay at other places. I never saw any of our servants running about at Wortham, nor ever hearing mama advice such things. Maybe she needn't bother; I should ask her some day...
We were comfortably reading and now and then browsing the shelves for treats of adventures or novels, when I stumbled upon an edition of Mandeville's "Fable of the Bees". Mama had me read it a dozen times and learn it from heart, when I was a child; how I detest that thing!
...containing several discourses, to demonstrate, that human frailties, during the degeneracy of mankind, may be turn'd to the advantage of civil society, and made to supply the place of moral virtues...
Thinking about it, it seems my mother saw me as the black sheep long before my rebellion against this marriage, though I always thought to be a good child... - I sincerely hope, this book was bought by Lord C's parents and not by himself; or I seriously have to watch him carefully...

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July 24th, 1763

I dreamt of my husband last night.
It was dawn, when I woke with a start. First I couldn't make out what had startled me so. But slowly I remembered the dream and had to sit up straight to digest it.

After breakfast, H and I went into the shrubbery to relish the cherries. I have some very sweet at the moment, as Isaac brought them in after dinner. I would have Mrs Redbourn bake a cherry pie (I still should ask her), but as Lord C isn't here to enjoy it; well, they might return in time for the rest of the fruits to be due.
I am more calmed down now, but in the shrubbery with H analysing my changed disposition towards my husband, I was partly surprised by her accurate and deep observations and, though distracted by the sweet gooseberries, a bit annoyed at myself. It is true, I changed consiberably during Hs absence, which is an unsignificant time frame anyway. But she is my friend and she was right. maybe H didn't expect me to overcome my stubbornness and follow her advice so fast and so soon.

I am glad you decided to see him what he is: your husband, your partner in life, Emmeline. Trust him to be a very good one too. He is not like his brother. Your own dear Jeremiah said so.

I wish I could talk to my brother; I wish, he could be here, but more so I wish him to be with Clive and Lord C in London helping them.

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July 23rd, 1763

Ms B called this morning and Mrs H and her daughter came later to tea. We were invited to the Barrett's tonight for cards and stayed quite long; Mr B's sister insisting on some music as well.
I lost twice at Quadrille and Harriet rather liked to sit with Lady Humberdross, who never played cards or anything...
Sir H was not a good partner for me, as he never remembered which card was trump. After the second lost game I decided to relieve Mrs Kettle from from staying all night behind the harpsichord and, selfishly (i wouldn't lie to myself here), hid behind the instrument. It was soothing not to be bothered by anyone.
When we returned home, H was obviously in a good mood and we had some tea before we went to bed. Whatever Lady H had to tell her, it has brightened her up enormously.

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