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deal more serious. "The rest concerns David's private activities," he said and still seemed to speak reluctantly, when a carriage was heard coming up the drive.
Elizabeth went to the window and he followed her. The carriage belonged to the Gardiners, but the occupant was not one of them.
"Good God, it's Amelia-Jane," he exclaimed. "I thought she was with Aunt Gardiner," he said as they went out into the hall.
Amelia-Jane had alighted and was quickly ushered indoors. Seeing her husband with Elizabeth, she was clearly pleased. "Jonathan, I am so glad you are here. I've come directly from Matlock, where Becky Tate has told me all about David Wilson's disgraceful behaviour, and I was determined that Aunt Lizzie should know..."
She was hushed and almost dragged into the morning room by her husband, "Amelia, dearest, you must not talk about it so openly."
"Why ever not?" she asked, "I believe everyone in London knows about it except poor Emma."
Elizabeth had by now realised that something much worse than she had anticipated was about to be revealed, and she experienced a cold, unpleasant feeling totally unrelated to the wintry weather.
This time it was Amelia who related the story, in far more colourful terms than her husband would have used accompanied by a high degree of indignation.
Since his defection to the Tories, David Wilson had been the subject of investigation by two journalists employed by Anthony Tate's newspapers. Ordered to discover the motivation or at least the reason for his defection, they had spent a good deal of time in London and their inquiries had turned up some quite startling information. Amelia-Jane did not mince her words when she gave her aunt the news. "Aunt Lizzie, David Wilson has not only betrayed his colleagues in Parliament; he has consistently deceived his family and betrayed his wife," she went on.
As she related the information that she had gained from Rebecca Tate, who now managed the newspaper empire that her husband was building, Amelia-Jane added her own comments.
"I have never liked David Wilson; earlier in our acquaintance he did try to insinuate himself into the good graces of my family, and I would have none of it," she declared, having explained that the information uncovered by the Tate's investigators was sufficient to destroy the man's political career and his marriage. "He is not only a turncoat and an adulterer, but he has got himself so deep in debt through gambling and high living that he seems beholden to a group of villains who could ruin him if he does not do as they demand. He is corrupt and disreputable, Aunt Lizzie. Clearly, neither his mother nor Emma would be aware of his conduct or they would not tolerate him."
"I am astonished that his brother, James, who we met here a few weeks ago, has not discovered this," said Elizabeth, but Jonathan intervened to suggest that it was quite likely James, whose integrity and honour were unquestioned, may have been spared the knowledge because most of his colleagues were reluctant to embarrass him with gossip about his dissolute younger brother.
"I know of no one who has a bad word to say of James Wilson, and I would venture to suggest that most members would have deliberately avoided the subject of David's profligacy rather than cause him pain and embarrassment," he said.
Amelia agreed with her husband. "Becky tells me that the two men who investigated David's activities heard not a single accusation against his brother or any other member of the family. His father and uncle were highly respected, and it seems Mr James Wilson is not only well regarded at Westminster; he has, since taking over management of his father's affairs, acquired a reputation as a fair and decent businessman. I cannot believe that he will tolerate the type of impropriety and wild behaviour that David has indulged in, should he be told of it."
Elizabeth realised that they had now reached the very nub of the problem. "Is he to be told?" she asked. "Is this what