Despite her regrets at leaving Bath, Julia enjoyed the journey home with Aunt Lucy and Eliza. They stopped for the first night in Oxford, staying at a comfortable inn. The college and university buildings were very handsome, and Julia imagined that Kit would have enjoyed studying in the city, if he had thought that it would be worthwhile for his chosen career. But, she reflected, if he had done so, they might never have met.
With the sun shining brightly, they took the chance to walk around the city for a couple of hours on the following morning before rejoining Eliza and taking their places in the carriage. Then they travelled on through the English Midlands, a long and dusty journey, before stopping again in the town of Market Harborough for the second night. On the last day, the scenery became more familiar, and eventually the chaise made the slow journey through the busy streets in the centre of Derby and then on for the last few miles towards Banford Hall.
The sound of the wheels on the gravel forecourt brought Sophie and Harriet to the front door. Aunt Lucy and her niece had difficulty in emerging from the carriage before they were enveloped in happy embraces, and they had to try to get inside the house before imparting all their news.
“How is Papa?” was Julia’s first inquiry. Sophie was busy talking to Aunt Lucy, so it was Harriet who answered.
“You will see for yourself. He is resting at present, so let’s wake him with some tea in about half an hour.”
“Where is your mama?” asked Aunt Lucy.
The two younger sisters hesitated and looked at each other. Then Sophie said, “She has gone to shop in Bakewell and will be back later this afternoon.”
Aunt Lucy and Julia exchanged looks—that meant that Mama was really displeased if she had deliberately absented herself when she had known that they were due to arrive. However, in the excitement of unpacking the trunks and exchanging other news, Julia did not have time to worry, and soon it was time to go to see Papa in his dressing room, where a bed had been set up so that he could see the view over to the dales from the first-floor window.
He opened his arms to Julia with a wonderful smile of welcome, although she could see that he had lost more weight, and he had difficulty in lifting his shoulders from the pillows.
“Julia, my dear, how well you look! Lucy, thank you for caring for her so well. You must both come and sit by me now and tell me all the news.”
They did as he asked, and Julia gave a lively description of the activities in Bath. Emily had already told Sophie and Harriet about the expedition on the canal, but they were eager to hear it all again, as well as the details of life in the fashionable city at the height of the season.
“And what about your visit to Dorset, Lucy?” said Papa.
Julia was glad to have Aunt Lucy answer for her on that subject. She was intrigued to note how her aunt’s account made no mention at all of her injured ankle. Although there was no deliberate deception, Aunt Lucy’s description of what Julia had seen and done was told in such a way that it appeared that the two of them had experienced everything together. When Sophie asked her aunt to describe Mr. Hatton, she spoke of a pleasant man glad to assume his new responsibilities.
Sophie persisted in asking Julia, “And what did you think of him? Is he of marriageable age?”
“Yes, I suppose so, but he is definitely not your type, Sophie, and Dorset is a very long way from here!”
To her relief, that topic was not taken any further. In a while, more wheels could be heard on the gravel below the window, and Mama swept in, all graciousness in greeting her sister and, less so, her eldest daughter.
Aunt Lucy had brought a special gift for Mama, but mentioned it as though it had been entirely Julia’s idea instead of the choice being shared between them. “Show your mother now, my dear.”
Julia went to fetch the carefully wrapped package, which they had purchased in Milsom Street in Bath. Even Mama had to exclaim with pleasure when she saw the dress length of blue silk shot through with gold threads.
“Thank you both, my dears! How grand I shall be.”
That evening, Aunt Lucy said firmly to her nieces, “I want to have a quiet discussion with my sister, Olivia, about your father, so why don’t you all go up to Julia’s room together? I’m sure that you have a lot to talk about.”
Upstairs, Julia said to Sophie and Harriet, “Mama looks very worn.”
“Yes, she is very unhappy that the doctor cannot do any more to help Papa,” said Harriet. “We asked Emily Brandon if she knew of anyone else who could be consulted in Derby, and she asked the Countess. But apparently the local doctor is the best available in the county. And we asked Mr. Douglas as well, when he came.”
“Oh! Has he been here recently to visit Papa?”
“Yes, Mr. Douglas came to Banford Hall a few days ago, to see Papa and to tell us that he would be away down south for a while visiting his younger son. He asked to be remembered to you, Julia.”
“Is Emily coming here soon?”
“Yes, the day after tomorrow,” said Harriet, “and she hopes to have some news of Freddie.”
Sophie interrupted, “Has Mama said anything to you, Julia, about not coming back through London or staying at the Brandons’ town house? She was so thrilled when Emily said that the Earl and Countess had offered that chance to you, and very angry indeed when she got Aunt Lucy’s letter.”
“No,” said Julia, “but our aunt had already made up her mind by then about what route she wanted to use. I wrote to thank the Earl and Countess for their offer, and I’m sure that they would not really have minded. I didn’t meet Dominic Brandon on my way to Bath through London, so it probably would not have been any different on the way back if we had come back through town.”
After the others had left her, Julia took her watercolour picture of La Passerelle out of the bottom of her trunk, unrolled the paper, and pinned it up inside her clothes cupboard, where she would see it every time that she opened the door.
She was about to get ready for bed when there was a knock on the door. Julia had grown so accustomed to her aunt saying good night to her that it came as a surprise that the door opened and Mama came into the room.
As always with her mother, there were few preliminaries.
“You will not be surprised to know, Julia, that I was very unhappy indeed to learn that you did not visit the Brandons’ town house on your way home,” she said in her determined way. “Your aunt’s explanation did not seem to me to justify the disrespect to a family who wishes you to marry their elder son.”
Julia sought to speak, but was ignored.
“You will have already realised how much your father’s health has deteriorated over the past few weeks, and it is imperative that the alliance with Lord Brandon be concluded as soon as possible. With help from Emily, we have an appointment at Cressborough Castle tomorrow morning, to meet the Earl and Countess. Please make sure that you are at the front door at nine o’clock, ready to leave.”
And with that, she swept out, without waiting for any comment from her eldest daughter.
Julia was very tired after the long day travelling, and was longing to fall asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. Instead, she lay there fuming at her mother’s total disregard of her own wishes. She concocted various plans to avoid visiting the castle the next day, only to discard them as unrealistic and unlikely to succeed. Eventually she fell asleep and dreamt of chasing smugglers through the woods at Morancourt with Kit Hatton. When she woke with a start, it was already eight o’clock, and she had to hurry to be ready in time.
There was very little conversation between Julia and Mama on the journey to the castle, and the discomfort of travelling in their old coach on a rather dull morning was in stark contrast to the pleasant journey that she had made several weeks earlier with her father in the Brandons’ barouche.
And it proved to be a rather confusing visit once they arrived at the castle.
The welcome they received was very similar to before, with the Earl and Countess awaiting them in the drawing room, but there was no sign anywhere of Dominic Brandon, much to her mother’s dismay. Instead, Emily was sitting on the chaise longue close to her uncle and aunt.
“Julia, my dear, how are you?” said the Countess. “You look very well, and Emily has told me all about her stay with you and Mrs. Harrison in Bath, and what she knows about your visit with your aunt to Dorset.”
Julia’s quick glance at her friend reassured her that no confidences would have been passed on about the latter, but there was something in Emily’s expression that cheered her. And so it proved.
“I must apologise most profusely, Mrs. Maitland,” said the Earl, “but it seems that our elder son has been detained in town. He had promised us that he would be here to meet you in Derbyshire today, but that has apparently not proved to be possible.”
Behind his back, Julia could see Emily silently mouthing the word “Christina” to her.
Her mama’s disappointment could be heard in her voice (Mama is not a good liar, thought Julia), as she replied, “Please do not trouble yourself, my lord. It is just that my husband’s ill health . . .” She stopped, and did not go on.
“I quite understand,” said the Countess quietly, “and we will ask you to visit again as soon as Dominic arrives. We have sent urgent messages to town, and hope that Julia may soon be able to meet him here.”
At this point, Emily asked her uncle and aunt if Julia could be spared for a few minutes to look at a new gown that she had acquired. The two young ladies sped away to the family’s private rooms, where Emily produced the dress as promised, but indicated that it had really been a ruse to speak to Julia privately.
“Freddie’s regiment has unexpectedly returned from the Peninsula. Dominic has not been seen at the house in town for several days, and Freddie guesses that he is with Christina. He also says that, during the past week, several acquaintances have called in search of my cousin. Apparently he has not been seen in any of his usual haunts for some time.”
“Did his friends say what they wanted?”
“Some did, saying that Dominic had borrowed money from them that was now overdue for repayment, and another was looking to collect some ‘fine goods from Dorset’ as he put it.”
“Oh!” said Julia. “That sounds like contraband. Did Freddie take any note of who these people were?”
“Yes, some of them, including the one waiting for the fine goods. We had better go back to the drawing room now, but I thought that you ought to know.”
Emily and Julia went back to join the others and, after a further exchange of pleasantries and some light refreshments, Mrs. Maitland and her daughter took their leave and began the return journey.
Julia was disinclined to talk, but her mother spent much of the time before they reached Banford Hall regretting their wasted visit and urging Julia to keep her informed of any news that Emily might convey about her cousin’s return to his ancestral home.
Julia had forgotten how lively it was sharing a house with her younger sisters, and she was glad that Papa’s dressing room was tucked away at one end of the house so that they did not have to worry about disturbing him. It proved quite difficult to find an opportunity to speak to him privately. However, Aunt Lucy had brought with her a magazine showing the latest London fashions, and she persuaded Sophie and Harriet to join Mama in the drawing room so that they could all examine it.
Julia then went to the dressing room and found her father, as always, happy to talk to her.
“Did you enjoy your stay in Bath, and then in Dorset?”
“Oh, yes, Papa, you were quite right. I really needed a break from Derbyshire, although it would have been so much nicer if you could have been there as well. But I did my best to enjoy myself, and I had great fun with Emily in Bath. And when we went to Dorset, Aunt Lucy was very kind to me, and Mr. Hatton was a very civil host.”
Her father asked her to describe the house at Morancourt, and he liked her account of its condition and furnishings, and the surrounding countryside. She mentioned the ruined abbey, and the view to the sea, and told him about Sir James Lindsay and their visit to his house. She hinted a little at the possibility of there being smuggling in the area, and this did not seem to worry him as much as it would have done her mama.
In reply to her question about his health, he looked rather more serious and said, “Julia, I have not told your mother, and I have asked the doctor to say very little to her. There is really no easy way to tell you, but he has warned me that I may not be here this time next year.”
At this news, tears welled into her eyes, and Julia tried to turn her face away.
“No, my dear—please do not upset yourself too much, for there seems to be nothing at all that we can do about it. But, as the eldest in the family now, I feel that you should not be kept in the dark, as we may need to make financial plans for when the family can no longer live at Banford Hall.”
Julia could not think of anything to say to this and put her arm around him, trying to put her strength into his weak frame.
When she had left him to have his rest, she found Aunt Lucy alone in the hall, opening a letter. After she had read it through, she turned to Julia.
“This is from Mr. Hatton, in reply to my note of thanks that I sent from Bath. He asks me to pass on a message from Sir James and says that you will know what it means. He says that the name that you wanted is François Jepson Labonne, and that his mother lived locally in Dorset at the time of his birth, but that she came from northern France. Do you understand all that, Julia?”
“Yes, thank you, dear aunt. That is exactly what I need to know.”
“I must admit that I am consumed with curiosity.”
“Forgive me, Aunt Lucy. I need to speak to Emily when she comes tomorrow before I can tell you anything more. It might be very useful if you could persuade Mama to go with you to Derby with my sisters, to choose a design for her silk dress at the dressmakers there.”
“Very well, as long as you promise to let me in on the secret before too long.”
Her aunt then asked Julia what had happened during the visit to Cressborough Castle, as her sister had clearly been dissatisfied with the outcome. Julia gave her a short account of what had happened, and Aunt Lucy said, “Very good, a few more days’ delay may be helpful.”
Aunt Lucy was as good as her word and, when Emily Brandon arrived the following morning, she had already left with Mama, Sophie, and Harriet in her chaise for the visit to Derby.
Julia and Emily spent the next hour catching up with all the news from Derbyshire and from Freddie. Dominic had not been back to Cressborough Castle since Julia had seen him there. Emily was anxious to hear more about what Julia had done in Dorset, and her friend told her as much as she could without revealing anything about her relationship with Mr. Hatton. But she did explain that there seemed to be a problem on the estate with contraband goods being brought onshore and hidden in farm buildings, before they were being sold to eager purchasers further inland.
Then Julia explained that one of the people suspected of being a ringleader in the smuggling ring was Frank Jepson—christened François Jepson Labonne. “Labonne!” said Emily, startled. “But that is the same surname as Annette, the Countess’s abigail. Do you remember that we saw Annette in Bath talking to Dominic and his friend Mr. Jepson—Jepson! But that is the same name as the smuggler?”
“Yes, and I saw Patrick Jepson in the square at Beaminster, the small town near Morancourt, a few days before we left there to go back to Bath, talking to the man called Frank Jepson.”
“So,” said Emily slowly, “we have two Mr. Jepsons, both seen in Dorset and one in Bath. At least one of them knows my cousin Dominic. And one had a French mother with the surname Labonne, the same as Annette?”
“Yes, and Sir James Lindsay, who was at school with Mr. Hatton, told him that Frank Jepson is the illegitimate elder brother of Patrick Jepson, his mother’s nephew. So I wondered, Emily, whether there is any way that you could confirm whether Annette is really closely related to Frank Jepson. And rather than ask Annette directly, would it be worth speaking to the Countess herself?”
Emily considered this for a few moments. “Yes, that is the best idea. I will not mention Dominic, or the smuggling ring. I do know that Annette has worked for the family for many years, since my cousins were very young, but the Countess may know where she lived before then.”
“Is the Countess still at the castle?”
Emily nodded. “I think perhaps that I will not stay today for as long as I had planned. I really must find out what she knows about Annette.”
“Then just stay to take a cup of tea with Papa, for he enjoys having visitors he knows well.”
Papa was glad to see Emily and was entertained by the lively conversation between the two girls before she left. When the party returned from Derby in Aunt Lucy’s travelling chaise, Sophie and Harriet were disappointed to hear that Emily had already gone home, but were mollified by Julia’s confirming that their friend would be back soon.
Aunt Lucy persuaded all her nieces to go with her during the next few days to Buxton and Bakewell, and to visit Chatsworth, one of the largest stately homes in the locality. These excursions kept Julia’s mind occupied, although her thoughts often strayed to Mr. Hatton in Dorset and, although less often, to Emily, hoping that she would be able to add a piece to the puzzle about Dominic.
Eventually the message came from the castle that Emily would be visiting Banford Hall that afternoon and, even better, that she would be bringing Freddie with her.
Whilst he regaled her younger sisters with news about his regiment’s sudden return from Spain for the rest of the winter, Julia took her friend up to her room, where Emily lost no time.
“The Countess has told me that Annette has an older sister who met and married an English soldier while he was serving in France. When they returned to his home county of Dorset, Annette came with them, for the situation was then getting very dangerous in northern France, with skirmishes breaking out and risking the lives of the local people. She was about fifteen years old when she arrived in England.”
“Very young to leave the rest of your family behind,” said Julia.
“I’m not sure that there was any other family to leave. Anyway, Annette found work in a large house further north in Dorset, a live-in job helping care for the younger children. And you can probably guess what happened next.”
“The elder son of the house made her pregnant? And didn’t want to have anything to do with her afterwards?”
“Exactly! A very common story! Her sister agreed to take the child and bring him up with her own family near Bridport. But they had no room for Annette as well, nor could she find another job locally. So she travelled to London and sought another post there, and was taken on by the Brandons.”
“So Frank Jepson is her son, and he may be able to speak some French if he was brought up by his aunt?”
“Yes. She didn’t tell the Countess all this when she first worked for the family, of course, but when Annette was promoted to be her personal maid, they got to know each other much better, and little by little the story came out.”
“Do you suspect that Annette is part of the smuggling ring?”
“No, probably not, but it might explain how Dominic got to know about it, and even perhaps how he met Patrick Jepson. My aunt wanted to know what the reason was for my interest, and I explained as much as I could without mentioning the possible connection with my cousin. She says that Annette is very honest, and very loyal to her own family and to the Brandons.”
“So,” said Julia, “there are two things missing now. A proven link between the smuggling ring and Frank Jepson, and something to show that Dominic was drawn into that business through Annette, presumably to make some money quickly.”
“I spoke to my cousin Freddie before we came here. He is of the view that, if he can get Dominic in his cups, he might be able to get him to admit that he has been using Annette as a gobetween.”
“Yes, but the first point that I mentioned, about Frank Jepson, can only be done in Dorset. I should be able to persuade Aunt Lucy to send another letter to Mr. Hatton—he might be able to think of something.”
Julia blushed as she said this, but her sisters calling them to come downstairs to join Freddie meant that Emily did not notice.
Before they left to return to the castle, Freddie told Julia that he would be travelling to town on the following day with his father, and hoped to have some conversation with his brother before the end of the week.
That evening, Julia brought Aunt Lucy up to date with the story, and she was delighted to assist.
“Do you know, Julia, I was really quite bored before you came with Emily to stay with me in Bath. And despite my having that painful ankle for a few days, my life has been so much more pleasant and interesting ever since. Of course I will write to Mr. Hatton. Do you know whether his father is still there with him in Dorset?”
“Well, there is something interesting, or perhaps amusing, that Papa told me yesterday.”
“What was that?”
“Kit—I mean Mr. Hatton—told me at Morancourt that his father was going to travel by stagecoach with his valet from Derbyshire to Bath, for he is very prudent with money. We had a laugh together about that. But Papa has told me that he had received a letter earlier this week from Mr. Douglas, saying exactly the opposite. Apparently Kit insisted that Mr. Douglas travel all the way from Derbyshire to Dorset in his own carriage, saying that he, Mr. Hatton, would be disgraced in the whole neighbourhood around Morancourt if his father arrived by the post.”
“That surprises me, for Mr. Hatton did not seem to be someone who would care about that?”
“No,” said Julia. “Exactly, I agree.”
“When is Mr. Douglas expected to return home?”
“That was the main purpose of the letter, Papa said. Mr. Douglas was due to leave Morancourt about two days ago. I suppose that he might make a short stop in Bath, but he should be back at Norton Place by the end of this week. I know that my father is looking forward very much to seeing him.”
Julia had assumed that Aunt Lucy would not stay very long at Banford Hall before returning home, for usually she and Mama found that a few days were enough in each other’s company, but so far no mention had been made of a date for her aunt to leave for Bath. Julia suspected that she was not only waiting for a reply to her letter from Mr. Hatton, but also to see if any news came from Freddie in town.
Mama took Julia aside one morning and told her quietly that the local doctor would be making one of his regular visits to the house in an hour’s time to examine Papa’s condition.
Julia asked her mother whether she thought that Papa was getting worse. Her mother did not often show emotion, but Julia could see that tears came readily to her eyes as she replied, “I fear so, although I have said nothing to your sisters. The physician does not tell me very much.”
The doctor came at the appointed time and went in to examine his patient. After a little while, he called Mama in to join him.
Aunt Lucy was in the drawing room and Sophie and Harriet were upstairs when Julia heard the noise of more carriage wheels on the gravel at the front of the house, and she went into the hall.
When the housekeeper opened the door, Harry Douglas was standing in the entrance, and Julia was surprised to see just behind him a tall white-haired gentleman, smartly dressed in city clothes and with a black bag in his hand.
“Mr. Douglas! How good to see you! It is so long since we met. Please come in, and your companion also.”
“Thank you, Miss Maitland. I am equally delighted to see you. Can we please go into the dining room?”
Surprised, she did as he asked, for she would normally have taken the visitors into the drawing room and then gone to find her mother.
There Mr. Douglas continued, “This gentleman has been most kind in travelling with me in my carriage all the way from Bath. Is Mrs. Maitland at home?”
Julia looked doubtful. “She is in the dressing room with Papa, Mr. Douglas, where the local physician is carrying out one of his regular examinations of my father’s condition.”
“In that case, the timing of our visit is most opportune. Would you please ask Mrs. Maitland and the local doctor to join us here? It is very important.”
Julia was surprised at this request, but did as she was asked.
Her mother was not at all happy with the interruption, but Julia eventually persuaded her to comply and to bring the physician with her.
When they entered the dining room together, Mr. Douglas said, “Mrs. Maitland, I do most sincerely apologise for not giving you any prior warning of my visit. However, I would like to introduce Sir William Knighton to you.”
Mama looked blank, but the local physician exclaimed without hesitation, “Sir William, I am so honoured to meet you!”
Julia and her mother waited for an explanation as the doctor continued.
“How exceptionally fortunate, sir! Your name and your excellent reputation for treating problems of the heart are well known to my profession even in this very rural location. Mrs. Maitland, if your husband is to improve, this is the gentleman who can achieve it.”