About the Author

Kathleen Judd is married and has lived in both Spain and Italy.

Now back in her native England she can indulge her lifelong

desire to write. On discovering Regency Romance at her local

library she had found the genre that inspired her.

One night she had a dream, and the rest, as they say, is history.

To my husband, who gets asked the strangest questions.

Copyright © Kathleen Judd (2015)

The right of Kathleen Judd to be identified as author of this work

has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78 of

the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any

form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the

publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this

publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims

for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British

Library.

ISBN 978 1 78455 544 3 (Paperback)

ISBN 978 1 78455 546 7 (Hardback)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published (2015)

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.

25 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5LB

Printed and bound in Great Britain

Prologue

The cortège left the London house on its journey to the Earl of

Selgrove’s estate in Buckinghamshire. In the carriage

following the body of his wife the Earl sat in the deepest

depression. Why had this had to happen? What had caused this

terrible tragedy and blighted his life. The light of his whole

being had been his gentle young wife. They had been married

for less than a year and she carried the early life of his child

within her. It made no sense. The doctor could find nothing

wrong with her but still she declined, slowly at first, then

faster, until she had little memory and her body was wasted,

too weak to stand, unable to feed herself. He had tried to visit

her regularly but it was too painful, she did not even recognise

him. This was not his wife, lying pale and vacant in her bed,

her sister feeding her.

The retainers waited at the Hall steps as they arrived, the

carriage with Madeleine’s body, the coach with the Earl and

the carriage with her parents and sister. The Hall was in

darkness save for a few candles along the passageways.

Tomorrow would be even worse, there would be friends and

neighbours offering him their condolences, he was not sure he

would be able to cope.

“I am sorry, My Lord, I understood you wanted to be alone

or I would have made provision for your friends.”

“I may want to be alone but I am not in the habit of

refusing succour to my friends. You understood wrongly. Do

you not know me by now?”

“Miss Ferndale assured me you wanted to be alone and I

should admit no-one, sir.”

“Miss Ferndale! Since when has my wife’s sister given

orders here?”

The housekeeper kept her had bowed. “Send someone to

the local hostelries and see if any are there. Invite them back to

the house.”

“Yes, My Lord.” She walked with purpose, the better to

carry out his orders quickly.

He walked into the parlour to where his family, a group of

distant and ancient aunts and cousins, sat with those of his late

wife.

“Selgrove, why did you not invite your friends back after

their long journey?” Lady Farthingdale, an ageing and infirm

aunt with a temper to match was all he needed now.

“I expected them to come here. It appears they were told

otherwise for reasons I do not understand.” He turned to face

Miss Ferndale. “Can you explain why?”

“You said you wished to be left alone, Albert. I was

merely acting out your wishes.”

“When I wish you to make decisions about my

arrangements I will tell you.”

“Have you not noticed who ran your house since your wife

was ill?”

“My housekeeper.”

“Not so, Albert, I have run it for you.”

Albert Bursted, the Earl of Selgrove was disturbed and

annoyed at the use of his given name from someone whose

only connection was with his now departed wife. He excused

himself and went to his study, with instruction to his butler to

tell him if any of his friends had been found.

“Selgrove, what happened. We made to see you after the

service but were told you wished to be alone.”

“Carstairs, I am so glad they found some of you. I gave no

instructions. I would rather have my friends here than those

currently filling my parlour.”

“Miss Ferndale seemed to be carrying out your orders.

You will have to be careful or you will find yourself married to

her, she appears to be a determined young lady.”

“Miss Ferndale is not of my choice. I would rather not

have had her in my house at all but Madeleine wished to have

her family near her, they had no London house so I unwisely

let them stay at Selgrove House. She is sitting there called me

Albert! In front of my family. I have never given her

permission to use my given name. Would that this day was

over and I could travel far away from here to help put the pain

behind me.”

“What of her family, Selgrove? If you go away will they

stay in Selgrove House?”

“No, I cannot allow that. I need that girl out of my house.

Out of my life. I will speak to her father and ask them to make

arrangements to find themselves somewhere to live. I need

time, Carstairs. I have to come to terms with my loss. My life

is too painful to bear at the moment.”

“I am sure it will get easier, Selgrove. Your friends will

help you, we know how much you cared for Madeleine and

how great your loss is. If you need to, come to stay with one of

us, a change of scene will help. Summer is coming and there

will be house parties everywhere that will help to lift your

mood. You can rely on us.”

“No, papa, I will not leave. The Earl needs me here to take

care of him.”

“The Earl asked that I vacate his house with all my family.

I have taken a house in Delcourt Avenue and you will come

there with us. Your mother and I are almost packed and I

expect you to accompany us.”

“I will speak to the Earl myself.”

The Earl was hiding from the packing and removal of his

former in-laws. At least he would not be made to see that

dreadful girl every time he walked around his house.

The housekeeper approached him with some concern

showing on her face.

“What is it, Mrs Lever? Have they left yet?”

“Not quite, My Lord. I understand Miss Ferndale is

resisting the move.”

“I will not have her here, Mrs Lever.”

“Nor I, sir. She gave orders as if she was the lady of the

house.” She pulled out a small box from her skirt pocket. “I

came to ask you about this, sir. It appears the Countess’s maid

saw boxes like this in her room for some weeks before she

died. They had disappeared when we went to clean. But we did

find this trapped at the back of the commode. I wondered if

you knew what it was and if it was important.”

“I expect it was something the doctor gave her. I will ask

him. Maybe Miss Ferndale will know, although I dread

asking.”

“Mr Ferndale is in the library, sir. I believe the move does

not require him at the moment.”

Ferndale was indeed in the library, a drink in his hand.

“I think I will join you.”

“It is a great trial this moving but it must be done. We both

understand the reason, Selgrove. It is the only way for all of us

to make a fresh start. Unfortunately my younger daughter

thinks otherwise.”

“She may not stay, Ferndale. I cannot have her here.”

“Of course you cannot. It would be unconscionable to

expect it. You would both be compromised in the eyes of

society.”

“I will not be forced to marry where I have no affection.

She seems to have some ideas in that direction, she keeps

calling me Albert in front of family and friends. I have never

given her use of my name.”

“She is a headstrong girl. I can only think she wishes to

take her sister’s place to ease your loss.”

The Earl poured himself a drink and moved to sit in the

group of chairs where Ferndale sat. He held out the box.

“Do you know what this is? The maid has seen boxes like

this in my wife’s room recently but when they cleaned they

had all disappeared. We are all at a loss. This was found where

it had fallen behind furniture.”

Ferndale took the box and studied it. “It looks as if it held

some powder, there is residue still here. Perhaps the doctor

gave it to her. I will ask my daughter if she remembers it”

“I would rather you did, I prefer not to do it myself. In the

meantime I will ask the doctor.”

The move was complete. They had all left, even the

annoying sister. Why she had left so willingly in the end he

had no idea. The doctor had arrived and been questioned about

the box but it was not from him. He had spoken to Mr Ferndale

for information from his daughter and assured the Earl he

would check what it had contained.

The doctor stood rigid in front of the Earl.

“I went to ask about the box from the local apothecary.

Apparently it had held arsenic. Miss Ferndale bought it for her

complexion, she had said. I went to see the Ferndales to check

what the Countess used it for. The illness of your wife is

consistent with poisoning by arsenic, My Lord. Mr Ferndale

was profoundly shocked. I was not content with the attitude of

Miss Ferndale. You said boxes in the plural so I returned to the

apothecary to ask how often she bought it. I also visited other

apothecaries in the vicinity. It appears Miss Ferndale bought a

regular quantity in increasing amounts starting some six

months ago.”

Selgrove stared at him, disbelief washing over him.

“She was poisoned by her sister.” his voice was a whisper.

“I believe so, Selgrove. I suggest you contact Bow Street

with some speed. The family know my suspicions although Mr

Ferndale was excessively shocked.”

Bow Street visited the house in Delcourt Avenue. The

family had indeed moved in but had subsequently left at great

speed. They had left no information as to their whereabouts.

Bow Street would keep a record of this for the future.

Somewhere there was a young lady who had deliberately

poisoned her sister.

Chapter 1

London 1811

“My young childhood was happy to my memory. I had an

older brother who took me everywhere with him, he taught me

to swim and to fish when I was only four or five. We had a

maze where we played hide and seek. I could never understand

why he found me so easily but it was quite new and not very

thick and he was taller than me, he still is. It was years before I

realised he could see over the top. It’s not so small now. The

years have seen it grow as fast as I have. I still cannot see over

it.” Michael Pennington sat with a glass in his hand among his

closest friends. Edward Ashford had come up from Kent to say

goodbye, both of them staying with Robert Lansdale the third

member of the close school friends. Michael had been a

regular visitor to both their houses; especially the Lansdale’s

where Henry Lansdale had come to regard him almost as a

second son.

“When did it change, what caused it?” Henry was

concerned for this misfit.

“I have never been able to point to a certain occurrence. It

happened slowly. I think Frederick was such an upstanding

son, the heir to the estate and our father doted on him. If he did

anything wrong accidentally he went and confessed. Father

praised him for his honesty, but if I was with him, which I

usually was, I was punished. If I confessed he said I was trying

to get Frederick into trouble and got caned anyway. When you

are only five you don’t really understand. By the time I went to

Eton he was seen as the perfect son. I still looked up to him,

my perfect big brother. I never remember him being caned. I

thought there must be something wrong with me.”

“What kind of father canes a five year old, all children get

up to mischief it’s part of being a boy, I don’t remember you

caning me, father.” Robert looked over to his father.

“There were times it might have done you good, but not at

that age, and not with an older brother leading you into

mischief.”

“George and I were always up to mischief but we never

told on one another and my father never caned me. I think

George was caned, perhaps that’s why he always blamed me if

we were found out.”

Edward Ashford, beloved of his doting parents, had

offered Michael school holidays in peace and harmony

roaming his father’s estate, helping with the cows and sheep.

He had helped with the wheat harvest when they landed up

rolling on the ground in helpless laughter as they tried tying it

into stooks. There had been good times, but not when he was

at home in Northamptonshire.

“I just wish it did not have to be like this.” Edward was the

most outwardly emotional one, ready to give a helping hand

whenever it was needed.

“What else could I do? I am never going to be able to

support myself on my allowance. I couldn’t at Eton. If it were

not for you two I would have frozen or starved.”

“It’s just that I never saw you as a soldier, it’s completely

against your nature. You can never kill anyone.”

“Then perhaps I shall be killed and the problem will have

disappeared.”

“Michael, don’t talk like that.” Henry Lansdale interjected.

“Focus on what you will do when you come home a hero.”

Michael burst into laughter. “I do not see me as a hero.

Perhaps some General will give me his paperwork to deal with,

that’s more my forte.”

Robert took Michael’s glass to refill it.

“At least you are going in as an officer. I can’t believe

after all this time he stumped up for a commission for you.”

“Nor can I, and after all the problem with not affording

clothing for Eton he pays for the uniform, which is not cheap.

He is obviously glad to be rid of me.”

They sat in their own thoughts for a while.

“What will you do with your pay?”

“It depends on where I am posted and if I need to spend it.

I expect my allowance will stop altogether now, sir.”

“If not, why not let me invest it for you. You are going to

need clothing when you come home. At least that way it would

be inaccessible to your father or his agent.”

Michael looked at Henry Lansdale and light came over his

face. “What a good idea. Wentworth is the most inefficient

agent but father can’t see it. I wonder how long the estate will

remain in funds with him managing the money. I will confront

him over my allowance when I go up to say goodbye, which I

suppose I must.”

“You only want to show off your new uniform to the local

young ladies.”

“If there were any what could I offer them? No, the only

one is affianced to Frederick and they are due to marry within

the month.”

“What a shame you will not be there at the wedding.”

“I think I prefer it this way, a new life for everyone

involved.”

They sat late into the night talking of their school days,

holidays and places they had visited together. The following

day Michael donned his new uniform and set out for his family

home. He would only stay a couple of nights then return to the

Lansdale’s ready for his departure from England.

There was a house party in full swing when he arrived; all

the local gentry were there. His father rarely entertained like

this, it must have something to do with Frederick and his

upcoming marriage, Great Aunt Letitia was there. He missed

his grandfather, Letitia’s brother. For some reason he and

father must have had a falling out because he used to visit his

mother quite often and he had not seen him for a couple of

years now. The last time was when he had visited him at Eton

when he was sixteen. He would like to have said goodbye to

him. Perhaps he would write to him while he was still in

London at Lansdale’s.

He was not welcome, he knew that. No-one actually

ignored him but any conversation had to be instigated by him.

After dinner when the port was handed round he listened to the

tone of the conversation. There was some ribald mention of a

new family in the area, the Firbecks. It was presumed they

were in reduced circumstances, especially if you listened to the

daughter Lucy talking about their previous residence in

London, and you could not fail to hear what she said, she had

one of those sharp whining voices that cut across everyone’s

conversation.

The men were joking about her obvious advances to Lord

Williams, a distant cousin of Harwood who attended a dinner

recently at Harwood’s house. Michael thought the

conversation not the kindest if the family were financially

reduced. All it meant to him was that they had come from a

much higher level of gentry than those pouring scorn. Mr

Firbeck was not there, only his wife and daughter attended or

they would not have been so free with their vindictiveness.

When the men joined the ladies Michael gravitated to his

great aunt.

“Michael my dear, you look very handsome in your

uniform.”

“Thank you, Ma’am, I am grateful not to be in that of a

normal soldier. I had not expected papa to buy me a

commission.”

Sharp laughter broke across their conversation as Lucy

Firbeck dominated some group’s discussion. Aunt Letitia

gritted her teeth.

“I think I will retire shortly, would you escort me up to my

room?”

“Of course, Aunt.”

The tea was being served and the conversations stopped

while cups were passed, emptied and returned to the tea

trolley. Michael found it amusing when she announced she

was going up and asked him formally to escort her.

Once in her room he went to ring the bell for her maid.

“Good gracious, young man, I am not ready to retire yet. I

wanted to talk to you away from the mealy mouthed harpies

downstairs. I do not know how your mother stands it. But then

she has had a great many years with them so she probably does

not notice any more.”

She looked him straight in the eye. “Sit down and tell my

why you chose to go into the army.”

He was a little taken aback at her directness.

“What else is there for me? I have no future here, my

allowance will not keep me dressed as a gentleman and I have

no training for a profession, father would not have paid for

that. The army at least gives me a life, food to eat, camaraderie

and something to occupy my time.”

“Why did you not go to Oxford and study?”

“Father refused to allow me. I am quite surprised he

bought me my colours. I believe he expects me to be killed and

cease to be a burden to him.”

The old lady looked angry but made no comment.

“When do you leave?”

“I was intending to stay a couple of days but in the face of

such a lack of welcome I believe I will leave again in the

morning.”

“Then I shall leave tomorrow also. Have you been to talk

with your mama yet?”

“Mama refuses to see me any more. I do not believe I will

upset her again by trying.”

His aunt was genuinely distressed. He wondered whether

to ask after his grandfather but decided not to distress her more

by broaching what was obviously a sensitive subject.

“If you will excuse me, Aunt Letitia, I will leave you to

retire.”

“Good night, Michael. And keep safe.”

He bent and planted a kiss on her cheek. “I will wish you

goodbye, I expect I will have left before you come down in the

morning.”

She clasped his hand for a moment then turned her face

away.