Julia and the Master of Morancourt

by Janet Aylmer

  On becoming aware of the eager audience waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs, Sir William said, in an avuncular style, “Well, ladies, Mrs. Maitland will tell you the details, but I am confi dent that Mr. Maitland’s doctor can carry out my instructions, and that the results should be beneficial. Now, Mr. Douglas, we had best be on our way if I am to catch the stage south from Derby today.”

  Mama was indeed very gracious to Mr. Douglas as they left, as Julia had foreseen, and said as soon as the front door had closed, “My dear Lucy, it is such better news as far as Lewis is concerned. And Sir William has told me that he has strict instructions to render his bill for payment only to Mr. Douglas, who took all the trouble to arrange that consultation, and no charge at all is to fall upon us. That is so generous of him!”

  Her eldest daughter then intervened. “Did you know, Mama, that Sir William is a personal physician to the king himself?”

  There was a stunned silence, as Julia had anticipated, and then a hubbub of sound as everyone asked questions at once, and some minutes passed before order was restored. When Aunt Lucy told Mama of the invitation for Julia to visit Norton Place with her aunt the next day, Mama was all smiles and gracious agreement.

  They travelled together in Aunt Lucy’s chaise—much more comfortable than the last time I took this journey, thought Julia—and on the way her aunt inquired what Julia thought the purpose of the visit might be.

  “Did Mr. Douglas give any indication to you?”

  “No, he didn’t. There may be some news about the smugglers, although Mr. Hatton could have sent a letter to you about that.”

  “Will I like Norton Place, Julia?”

  “Yes, I think so. I had expected it to be rather—how can I say—brash? But that was because I was prejudging the house through Mama’s eyes, for she was determined to look down on Mr. Douglas as someone who ‘bought his own furniture’—a self-made man.”

  Her aunt chuckled. “I doubt whether you will be having that problem with your mother in the future, after what happened yesterday!”

  Julia laughed and agreed. With a pleasant and sympathetic companion beside her, the journey passed very quickly and the chaise was soon coming to a halt in front of Norton Place. Julia had forgotten to ask Mr. Douglas whether Jack would be at home, but there was no sign of him in the house as Mr. Douglas led the way to the drawing room.

  Much to Julia’s amusement, for the first half hour she was quite sidelined, as their host and her aunt soon proved to have many views in common, and conducted a wide-ranging conversation over various topics. It was only when the butler came in to ask if tea should be served that Harry Douglas turned to Julia and apologised for his lack of attention.

  “Now, Miss Maitland, first of all I have a note to give to you from Kit. He asks that you should read it through first, and he told me that there were some parts that you could then pass on to us.”

  There was a real twinkle in his eye as he said this, and Julia suddenly wondered how much Kit had told his father about their relationship.

  However, the letter was already in her hand, and she skimmed it quickly. The first half was very intriguing, and the last page so intimately heart-warming that her aunt and Mr. Douglas must be able to see her blushing.

  “What is the news?” said Aunt Lucy, coming to her rescue.

  “Well, Kit—Mr. Hatton—has spoken to Mr. Whitaker, his farm manager, about whether he had had any suspicions about the estate land or buildings being used for smuggling. Mr. Whitaker told him that he had come to think that might be the case, and that he had wondered if Mr. Jones, the husband of the housekeeper, knew more about it.”

  “Did you meet Mr. Whitaker or Mr. Jones?” Aunt Lucy asked Mr. Douglas.

  “Yes, both of them, and they did not seem to me to be dishonest men. But perhaps I’m wrong?”

  Julia continued, “Mr. Hatton goes on to say that when he asked Mr. Jones about ‘free traders’ operating on the estate, he confessed that when he came back many years ago from being a soldier in France, he had become involved in smuggling with Isaac Gulliver. But he said that he had finished with that when he was given charge of the farm at Morancourt by Mr. Henry Hatton.”

  “So he knows nothing of what is happening now?”

  “No, he does. Indeed, he had already heard from Mr. Gulliver that we had been to visit the earthwork at Eggardon!”

  Mr. Douglas looked puzzled, so Julia explained about her visit with Mr. Hatton to the hill fort, and the man whom they had met there claiming to be a priest.

  “Apparently, Mr. Hatton says that Isaac Gulliver is a very unusual smuggler. His men are kept constantly at work smuggling wine and other goods, mostly through the village of Burton Bradstock. Some wear Dorset smocks, as used by farm workers, and with their hair powdered like wigs, as a kind of livery to identify them. They are forbidden to offer any physical harm to the revenue men. It is his dislike of violence that led to his opposing another gang, which started operating in the area around Bridport about eighteen months ago.”

  Julia then remembered that Aunt Lucy knew nothing about Frank Jepson, and so explained briefly, without mentioning any connection with the Brandons, what was known about him.

  Then she went on, “Aunt Lucy, there was something that I did not tell you when we were at Morancourt. A young man called Jem, who proved to be the brother of Martha, your personal maid, was brought into the kitchen there with an injury to his leg. Mrs. Jones, the housekeeper, did not know who he was, and he refused to acknowledge his sister. Martha asked me not to mention him or his injury to you.”

  “Why not? Did she suspect that he was up to no good?”

  “Probably.”

  “Was that the same brother that she had told us about on the journey down to Dorset, who had been a miner near Radstock?”

  “Yes, it was. Kit has since traced him after another conversation with Mr. Jones. Jem had been lodging in the village, and working with several other men for Frank Jepson with good pay, smuggling goods into Dorset on the coast near Bridport. When he injured his leg carrying a heavy load, Jepson threatened to break his arm, or worse, if he told anyone how the injury had happened.”

  “That Frank Jepson sounds to be a nasty piece of work,” said Mr. Douglas.

  “Yes, and he stopped paying Jem as soon as he hurt himself, because he was of no more use to the smuggling gang. Kit thought that it would be safest for Jem to go back to stay with his mother at Radstock as soon as possible, so that he was outside Frank Jepson’s reach. Kit gave Jem some money to keep him going until his leg heals and he can get a job as a miner again near Radstock.”

  “So what is Kit doing now about the smuggling gang?” said his father.

  “He has had a long discussion with his friend James Lindsay, who is close to being able to prove that the smuggling gang using the buildings at Morancourt is under the control of Frank Jepson. The revenue men have already found several other places on the estate where contraband goods are being hidden.”

  “What are those?” said Mr. Douglas.

  “Apparently they found that someone had dug along the slope of the hill above one of the lynchets that we saw on our walk on the way to the old castle. Contraband had been hidden underground there, not long ago, before it was concealed by being covered with earth.”

  “And is Kit involved personally in the hunt for Frank Jepson?” said Aunt Lucy.

  “No, Sir James has told him that would be unwise. Kit says only,” she blushed, “that I should not worry about him.”

  Aunt Lucy smiled at her niece. “Mr. Douglas, I believe that you have another son living with you here?”

  “Yes, ma’am, that is my elder son, Jack. But I have sent him to work at my mill in Leeds, to learn more about managing the business.”

  Julia was very surprised at this news, and her host, foreseeing her question, said, “It will be good for Jack to be busy elsewhere for a while. I have appointed a new manager for our farm here, with more up-to-date ideas. You
will know about that, Miss Maitland, as you spoke to me before about the practices introduced at Holkham.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Julia dutifully, but with a twinkle in her eye to match the smile from Harry Douglas.

  “You are lucky, Mrs. Harrison, to have such a lively niece!”

  “I know that, Mr. Douglas, but I have formed the opinion that your younger son is a very worthwhile young man as well.”

  Mr. Douglas looked very pleased at this remark, and again Julia wondered what Mr. Hatton had told him about her stay at Morancourt.

  “That reminds me, Miss Maitland. Kit asked to give you something—I have tried to wrap it carefully for you, but I am not very neat-fingered at such things!”

  Harry Douglas turned to a side table, picked up a small package, and gave it to her. Julia unwrapped it slowly and found herself looking at a book. It was La Passerelle.

  “Oh no!” She could not stop the expression escaping her lips. “That belongs to Kit.”

  Aunt Lucy looked at her with concern, as did Harry Douglas, but before either of them could say anything, Julia smiled at them tearfully.

  “It is just—oh, it is the most wonderful present that anyone could have given to me, but I really cannot accept it.”

  “Why not, Julia? What is it?” said her aunt.

  “You will know, Aunt, if I tell you that this book is the real La Passerelle!”

  Mr. Douglas still looked confused, but Aunt Lucy visibly relaxed at her recognition of the name.

  “Mr. Douglas,” she said, “perhaps Julia would like to go and sit for a while to examine the book in your library. There is something that I wish to discuss with you.”

  Julia was inclined to rebel at this explicit instruction, but decided that it was best to do as she was asked. Fully fifteen minutes then passed before her host came to the door and asked her to rejoin them in the drawing room.

  “Please take the book home with you, Miss Maitland. You can look after it for Kit until he is next back here at Norton Place. I have had a very useful conversation with Mrs. Harrison, and hope that she can come here again before she returns home to Bath.”

  On the way home in the carriage, Aunt Lucy said, with a half smile, “Am I the only person who thinks that Mr. Douglas might have been getting his elder son out of your way?”

  Julia looked puzzled for a moment, then said slowly, “Do you mean that Harry Douglas has deliberately sent Jack away so that my mother, or even my father, can’t pursue the idea of his being a suitor for me?”

  “Or perhaps Kit Hatton asked him to consider the matter. It would certainly be a good idea from his point of view?”

  Julia blushed, considered, and then replied, “I certainly was very surprised to hear that Jack had been sent to Leeds, for Mr. Douglas once told me that his late wife did not wish either of their sons to work in trade.”

  “Perhaps Mr. Douglas has decided that Jack is better suited to that than any other occupation. For the moment, I suggest that we do not tell your mama that Jack is no longer living at Norton Place.”

  “Aunt Lucy, I do believe that you have missed your true vocation as a matchmaker!”

  “No, my dear, I just wish you to be happy, and I have been receiving some good advice this afternoon!”

  Julia’s cheerful frame of mind on returning to Banford Hall did not last long, for Emily had called in their absence, to say Julia was invited to visit there on the following day.

  “On my own?” said Julia, dismayed at the thought of another visit.

  “No,” said Mama in a disapproving tone. “Emily has told us that her aunt and uncle insist that your Aunt Lucy should accompany you on this occasion.”

  Her elder daughter stared at her in amazement.

  “But—”

  “Yes, I know, the Earl and Countess have never met Lucy, but I did not feel that I could insist that I should go with you instead. I suppose that I am not grand enough for them!”

  And with that, her mother swept out of the room, leaving Julia and her aunt looking at Harriet, who had been standing quietly by during this conversation.

  “Did Emily say anything else to you that she did not tell Mama?”

  “Only one brief message for you, Julia. She said to tell you that the Jepson link had been established. She told me that you would understand what that meant.”

  Aunt Lucy seemed about to ask a question, but then said, “One day, Julia, you must tell me the whole story, not just part of it.” And with that, she left the room, leaving the two sisters together.

  “I suppose that you can’t tell me, either?” said her younger sister.

  “For the moment, no, but I will one day, I promise. It must be good news, or I hope it is, for, if not, I might be about to receive an unwelcome marriage proposal that I would find very difficult to refuse.”

  During the drive to Cressborough Castle the next day, Julia could sense that her aunt was bursting with curiosity about the relevance of the Jepson connection and Emily Brandon. But instead she remarked on how fine they both looked, wearing their most stylish dresses at Mama’s insistence.

  “Do you think, dear aunt, that one should dress in one’s best finery just because one is to visit an earl and countess?”

  Aunt Lucy looked at her for a moment, thinking how well the blue dress fitted her slim figure and suited her colouring.

  “No, my dear. But you have told me that they have both always been very pleasant to you, so perhaps we would have worn the same clothes even if your ambitious mama had not intervened.”

  Aunt Lucy was very taken with the imposing entrance to the castle, though she said quietly to her niece that she was beginning to sound too much like her sister, Olivia. They were received with the usual formalities, and found Emily with her uncle and aunt in the drawing room.

  Julia introduced her aunt, and the Earl said, “You are most welcome, Mrs. Harrison. We are very grateful for your kindness to Emily in Bath a few weeks ago.”

  “It was a pleasure,” she replied, smiling at Emily as she took a seat opposite her hosts.

  The Countess did not waste any time in coming to the point. “Julia, first of all, we owe you a most sincere apology. As you know, we had been encouraging you to believe that Dominic would be willing to marry you—an alliance that both the Earl and I favoured, as we had explained to you previously. Instead, we have discovered this week that Dominic was married a few days ago in London without our consent—to a young woman whose past history has been far from blameless, and who will not be a welcome addition to our family.”

  Julia glanced at Emily before the Countess continued. “Emily has told me that you know that Dominic had been seeing this young woman in London, contrary to our express instructions and wishes. We have also discovered from Freddie that Dominic had been getting deeper and deeper into debt.”

  Julia nodded, as some sort of acknowledgement was apparently expected.

  “Mrs. Harrison, we asked you to escort Julia today rather than her mother because Emily has told us that we can rely entirely on your discretion. You can understand that we are not anxious for all the details of this matter to get around society here in Derbyshire.”

  “I understand, Lady Brandon,” said Aunt Lucy.

  “But Julia, we wish to ask you something further. Emily has told us that Dominic may have got into seriously bad company. That he may, unbelievable as it seems, have taken it upon himself, together with a London acquaintance, Mr. Jepson, to sell contra band goods to his society friends, to make money to pay his gambling debts. Is there any truth in that, to your knowledge?”

  Julia took a deep breath and glanced quickly at her aunt, who was observing her with a certain amount of relish.

  “My lord, Emily may have told you that Mr. Hatton was our host in Dorset. Various events occurred whilst I was staying there with Mrs. Harrison that indicated that unauthorised activities might be taking place in the buildings at Morancourt. I have heard since from Mr. Hatton through—through a friend—that
a close relative of Mr. Jepson was involved in smuggling various valuable goods from France despite the blockade in the English Channel.”

  Julia had to feel sorry for the Earl and Countess, who looked so stricken at this confirmation of the news they had dreaded.

  The Earl explained, “Emily has found out that Dominic was drawn into this illegal trade by one of our own employees, who has a connection with this fellow Jepson. We are both leaving for town tomorrow, to bring Dominic and his—his new bride—back to Cressborough to make their home here, since he clearly cannot be trusted to live sensibly in London.”

  “I am so sorry,” said Julia. “This must all be most upsetting for you both. But please do not concern yourselves about me. There was no formal engagement, and I had been keeping an open mind about the suggestion.”

  Her aunt intervened. “My sister, Mrs. Maitland, had, as you know, been very happy at the possibility of a marriage to your heir, but I am sure that Julia and I can inform her of the situation without revealing anything that you might prefer not to be disclosed.”

  Emily had been sitting listening to this conversation, but now could not contain herself any longer.

  “Well, I think it is all for the better, for Julia could find herself someone far more suitable than my silly cousin. Freddie would never have been so stupid!”

  “Emily,” Julia said swiftly, “you are being very loyal to me, but it is so easy for young gentlemen with plenty of money to be led astray in London.”

  Both Julia and Aunt Lucy noticed that the Earl looked rather uncomfortable at this remark, and could guess the reason.

  “Once Dominic is here at home away from bad influences, I’m sure he will settle down, for he is not an unkind person. Indeed, he was very pleasant and very fair in discussing an alliance with me. Although I only saw Christina once in the distance, when I went to the Vauxhall Gardens with Emily and Freddie, she looked to be a most beautiful girl, and may have a very pleasant personality for all we know.”