Read Online Charlotte House Affair 01 - My Particular Friend by Jennifer Petkus - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jennifer Petkus
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In fact the rest of the night we tried to avoid looking directly at Charlotte and from that point Mrs Fitzhugh and I were fast friends.
The Winslowes Are Found
‘Get up, Jane. We have found them.’ I awoke to my friend violently shaking me and I cried out.
‘Oh for heaven’s sake, Jane, it’s me. Wake up. We have found the Winslowes and if we act, we may find the author of these letters.’
I got out of bed to find Charlotte and Mrs Fitzhugh already dressed and awaiting me. Mary gave me coffee, which I greedily drank.
‘What time is it?’ I asked after a reviving sip.
‘It’s a little gone four,’ Charlotte said. I had been asleep merely an hour. ‘Get her into these clothes, quickly Mary.’
‘And why am I awake now? Oh my head, I think I had too much negus.’
‘Yes you did, now into this sleeve, Jane.’
I shrugged them off and said, ‘I demand to know what is going on!’
‘I already told you, Jane. My little urchins have located the Winslowes and if we act, we may find out who is sending these letters and if possible, catch them in the act.’
‘Oh,’ I said, finally awakening. ‘That is another matter entirely. You may dress me, Mary, if I might have another sip of coffee first.’
I was dressed while Charlotte related the events of the past hours. Shortly after our return from the ball, Donna and Charlie, the captains of our street Arabs, arrived at the servant’s entrance loudly demanding to be taken to Charlotte.
‘Luckily Mrs Hutton heeded my admonitions and they were brought to me. They had located the Winslowes here in Bath, living a stone’s throw from us in the Circus, but under the mother’s maiden name Hazelton.’ #
‘Extraordinary,’ I said. ‘Living under an assumed name. There is desperation there.’ I could not help but think of the times I wished I could live under another name to escape my father’s shame.
‘Not quite as it seems,’ Mrs Fitzhugh said. ‘Mrs Winslowe and daughter stay with the family of her brother, Mr Hazelton, his wife and their daughter.’
‘Oh,’ I said, ‘that explains it.’ I was a little disappointed that the explanation was so pedestrian.
We were now walking downstairs. ‘Very well, I understand all this, but why must we go in the middle of the night? Can we not visit them in the morning as civilised people?’
‘We do not go to visit. We go to catch our prey. Hurry Jane!’
—&—
A few minutes walk brought us to the Circus where it intersects with Bennett Street and No. 18, the house at the corner. We three …
‘Wait, there are four of us,’ I said.
‘Mary, what are you doing here?’ Charlotte asked.
‘I’m sorry, miss. I just followed you whilst putting a cloak on Miss Woodsen.’
‘And left the house without a covering of your own, silly girl. Go back at once.’
‘Quiet,’ I hissed, ‘the door just opened.’ I motioned us back down Bennett Street out of sight of the young woman who had just exited the house.
‘What if she comes down this street?’ I asked Charlotte.
‘She won’t, but quick, into this doorway.’
We watched the young woman cross Bennett Street and continue south along the Circus. As soon as she was out of sight, Charlotte said, ‘Mary, I want you to return home immediately and instruct Mrs Hutton to have something warm for us on our return. And we may have a guest.’
‘How do you know where she will go?’ Mrs Fitzhugh asked, as we quickly followed behind the woman who had left the house.
‘Because the Ashbys stay in Gay Street. Yes, she has turned.’
We followed the young woman at a distance for at this quiet time of night our footsteps echoed loudly, but we need not have worried, for the singleness of her purpose did not dispose her to look back.
‘Yes, this is the Ashby’s address, No. 40. Down!’ she commanded. ‘We can surprise her on her return.’ We hid in the stairwell of a basement entrance. Only Charlotte had a clear view. #
‘What is she doing,
The Winslowes Are Found
‘Get up, Jane. We have found them.’ I awoke to my friend violently shaking me and I cried out.
‘Oh for heaven’s sake, Jane, it’s me. Wake up. We have found the Winslowes and if we act, we may find the author of these letters.’
I got out of bed to find Charlotte and Mrs Fitzhugh already dressed and awaiting me. Mary gave me coffee, which I greedily drank.
‘What time is it?’ I asked after a reviving sip.
‘It’s a little gone four,’ Charlotte said. I had been asleep merely an hour. ‘Get her into these clothes, quickly Mary.’
‘And why am I awake now? Oh my head, I think I had too much negus.’
‘Yes you did, now into this sleeve, Jane.’
I shrugged them off and said, ‘I demand to know what is going on!’
‘I already told you, Jane. My little urchins have located the Winslowes and if we act, we may find out who is sending these letters and if possible, catch them in the act.’
‘Oh,’ I said, finally awakening. ‘That is another matter entirely. You may dress me, Mary, if I might have another sip of coffee first.’
I was dressed while Charlotte related the events of the past hours. Shortly after our return from the ball, Donna and Charlie, the captains of our street Arabs, arrived at the servant’s entrance loudly demanding to be taken to Charlotte.
‘Luckily Mrs Hutton heeded my admonitions and they were brought to me. They had located the Winslowes here in Bath, living a stone’s throw from us in the Circus, but under the mother’s maiden name Hazelton.’ #
‘Extraordinary,’ I said. ‘Living under an assumed name. There is desperation there.’ I could not help but think of the times I wished I could live under another name to escape my father’s shame.
‘Not quite as it seems,’ Mrs Fitzhugh said. ‘Mrs Winslowe and daughter stay with the family of her brother, Mr Hazelton, his wife and their daughter.’
‘Oh,’ I said, ‘that explains it.’ I was a little disappointed that the explanation was so pedestrian.
We were now walking downstairs. ‘Very well, I understand all this, but why must we go in the middle of the night? Can we not visit them in the morning as civilised people?’
‘We do not go to visit. We go to catch our prey. Hurry Jane!’
—&—
A few minutes walk brought us to the Circus where it intersects with Bennett Street and No. 18, the house at the corner. We three …
‘Wait, there are four of us,’ I said.
‘Mary, what are you doing here?’ Charlotte asked.
‘I’m sorry, miss. I just followed you whilst putting a cloak on Miss Woodsen.’
‘And left the house without a covering of your own, silly girl. Go back at once.’
‘Quiet,’ I hissed, ‘the door just opened.’ I motioned us back down Bennett Street out of sight of the young woman who had just exited the house.
‘What if she comes down this street?’ I asked Charlotte.
‘She won’t, but quick, into this doorway.’
We watched the young woman cross Bennett Street and continue south along the Circus. As soon as she was out of sight, Charlotte said, ‘Mary, I want you to return home immediately and instruct Mrs Hutton to have something warm for us on our return. And we may have a guest.’
‘How do you know where she will go?’ Mrs Fitzhugh asked, as we quickly followed behind the woman who had left the house.
‘Because the Ashbys stay in Gay Street. Yes, she has turned.’
We followed the young woman at a distance for at this quiet time of night our footsteps echoed loudly, but we need not have worried, for the singleness of her purpose did not dispose her to look back.
‘Yes, this is the Ashby’s address, No. 40. Down!’ she commanded. ‘We can surprise her on her return.’ We hid in the stairwell of a basement entrance. Only Charlotte had a clear view. #
‘What is she doing,
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