Chapter 19
If audio player doesn't work, press Stop then Play button again
Elizabeth's brother, Marcus Dowen, arrived home in a bit of a panic about the time Lord Waverly was showing his young bride around the glass enclosed greenhouse that occupied the southwestern corner of the grounds.
Marcus worriedly informed his father that he hadn't had any letters from his little sister since the beginning of July, and had no idea where she might have gone, or why. Though he resembled his father most in looks, he shared a great deal of his mother's temperament. He wanted to know why his father hadn't been out searching.
"If you can give me an area smaller than the whole of England that you think I should be searching, I'll be more inclined to search," grumbled Sir Matthew to his tall son.
Fortunately for the peace of her family, Elizabeth's letter arrived the second morning after her brother did.
The Lord Justice Matthew Dowen contemplated the letter in the privacy of his study for awhile before revealing it to his worried family. He had noted the seal and recalled the letter Elizabeth had attempted to send to the Marques Waverly. He wondered, and not idly, why the Marques had placed his seal on Elizabeth's letter and just what, exactly, it was supposed to imply.
That she was in Lord Waverly's care in some fashion, was all Sir Matthew was able to conclude with any certainty. When he finally emerged and gave the short missive to his wife, she paid no attention to the wax seal.
He was amused and exasperated by his wife and second son, when they immediately insisted they must rush to London to search for Elizabeth. "And which part of London do you intend to search?" he asked them calmly, since he thought he had an excellent idea of which house to start the search from.
"The whole of it if necessary!" replied Marcus fervently.
"Since according to that letter, Elizabeth plans on returning home within the next 8 or 9 days, and it will take you at least two to reach London..." Sir Matthew trailed off suggestively.
Anne spoke up, "Five days to search the whole of London sounds rather improbable."
Sir Matthew nodded to his daughter.
"She does say that she is safe and well," added Rebecca.
Constance burst into tears. "You don't care that your daughter is running about London alone!" she wailed, "Anything could happen to her."
Sir Matthew patted his wife gently. "Actually, I think I have an idea now as to where she may be staying," he confessed.
"Where?!" demanded his family in chorus.
But he was reluctant to reveal it to them. "If I'm wrong, telling you my speculations will only create more trouble," he told them firmly.
"You must go and fetch her back," demanded his tiny wife, like a great general ordering a charge.
Sir Matthew reluctantly gave in to this idea. He didn't relish the trip back and forth to London again so soon, but he thought perhaps, if the situation were anything like the worst scenarios he feared, it would be better dealt with alone.
Before he left, he spoke with his wife alone in his study. "How long, and how well has Elizabeth known the Marques Waverly?" he asked her quietly.
Confused, Constance told her husband, "He has often attended the same gatherings, but I've never seen him approach her. They sat at dinner at Claire's house party this summer, and Elizabeth said they spoke in the library after." Horrified, she asked, "You don't think Elizabeth has gone to meet him do you? She asked me, and also Claire if we could arrange a meeting..." she trailed off into fearful silence.
Her husband picked up Elizabeth's letter from his desk and turned it so his wife could see the imprint of the wax seal. "She also tried to write to him," he informed his wife quietly, "I destroyed the letter, thinking it inappropriate for her to contact him in such a fashion."
Constance stared at the seal that she hadn't noticed before with mute horror. "What will he think of her?" she whispered.
"I think, that we should keep this idea from our children for the time being," Elizabeth's father said finally, "and I will go to London and see what the situation is."
"Matthew," whispered his wife. He looked at her soberly. "Elizabeth's birthday is tomorrow."
He offered his wife a wry smile and said, "It has been years already since Elizabeth regarded the words of her parents as more than guidelines any way, I doubt coming of age will have any great effect on her."
Marcus wanted to go along, but his father asked him what responsibilities he was leaving at Oxford? Marcus reluctantly admitted that he had several classes he was teaching at the moment, in addition to the ones he was taking, though he'd asked others to cover for his absence. Sir Matthew bade his son to return to the university, and leave the matter to him.
"If I'm wrong about where she is, I'll be returning to wait for Elizabeth to return on her own with the rest of you anyway," he pointed out, "and I can detour to pick you up from Oxford on my return in that case," he added to his distressed son.
The plan was agreed upon, and father and son departed southward first thing in the morning. Marcus toward Oxford, and Sir Matthew to London.
Sir Matthew set out to visit the Marques Waverly, a man known to have had previous affairs with women of quality, wondering what sort of situation he would find his daughter in.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Elizabeth's brother, Marcus Dowen, arrived home in a bit of a panic about the time Lord Waverly was showing his young bride around the glass enclosed greenhouse that occupied the southwestern corner of the grounds.
Marcus worriedly informed his father that he hadn't had any letters from his little sister since the beginning of July, and had no idea where she might have gone, or why. Though he resembled his father most in looks, he shared a great deal of his mother's temperament. He wanted to know why his father hadn't been out searching.
"If you can give me an area smaller than the whole of England that you think I should be searching, I'll be more inclined to search," grumbled Sir Matthew to his tall son.
Fortunately for the peace of her family, Elizabeth's letter arrived the second morning after her brother did.
The Lord Justice Matthew Dowen contemplated the letter in the privacy of his study for awhile before revealing it to his worried family. He had noted the seal and recalled the letter Elizabeth had attempted to send to the Marques Waverly. He wondered, and not idly, why the Marques had placed his seal on Elizabeth's letter and just what, exactly, it was supposed to imply.
That she was in Lord Waverly's care in some fashion, was all Sir Matthew was able to conclude with any certainty. When he finally emerged and gave the short missive to his wife, she paid no attention to the wax seal.
He was amused and exasperated by his wife and second son, when they immediately insisted they must rush to London to search for Elizabeth. "And which part of London do you intend to search?" he asked them calmly, since he thought he had an excellent idea of which house to start the search from.
"The whole of it if necessary!" replied Marcus fervently.
"Since according to that letter, Elizabeth plans on returning home within the next 8 or 9 days, and it will take you at least two to reach London..." Sir Matthew trailed off suggestively.
Anne spoke up, "Five days to search the whole of London sounds rather improbable."
Sir Matthew nodded to his daughter.
"She does say that she is safe and well," added Rebecca.
Constance burst into tears. "You don't care that your daughter is running about London alone!" she wailed, "Anything could happen to her."
Sir Matthew patted his wife gently. "Actually, I think I have an idea now as to where she may be staying," he confessed.
"Where?!" demanded his family in chorus.
But he was reluctant to reveal it to them. "If I'm wrong, telling you my speculations will only create more trouble," he told them firmly.
"You must go and fetch her back," demanded his tiny wife, like a great general ordering a charge.
Sir Matthew reluctantly gave in to this idea. He didn't relish the trip back and forth to London again so soon, but he thought perhaps, if the situation were anything like the worst scenarios he feared, it would be better dealt with alone.
Before he left, he spoke with his wife alone in his study. "How long, and how well has Elizabeth known the Marques Waverly?" he asked her quietly.
Confused, Constance told her husband, "He has often attended the same gatherings, but I've never seen him approach her. They sat at dinner at Claire's house party this summer, and Elizabeth said they spoke in the library after." Horrified, she asked, "You don't think Elizabeth has gone to meet him do you? She asked me, and also Claire if we could arrange a meeting..." she trailed off into fearful silence.
Her husband picked up Elizabeth's letter from his desk and turned it so his wife could see the imprint of the wax seal. "She also tried to write to him," he informed his wife quietly, "I destroyed the letter, thinking it inappropriate for her to contact him in such a fashion."
Constance stared at the seal that she hadn't noticed before with mute horror. "What will he think of her?" she whispered.
"I think, that we should keep this idea from our children for the time being," Elizabeth's father said finally, "and I will go to London and see what the situation is."
"Matthew," whispered his wife. He looked at her soberly. "Elizabeth's birthday is tomorrow."
He offered his wife a wry smile and said, "It has been years already since Elizabeth regarded the words of her parents as more than guidelines any way, I doubt coming of age will have any great effect on her."
Marcus wanted to go along, but his father asked him what responsibilities he was leaving at Oxford? Marcus reluctantly admitted that he had several classes he was teaching at the moment, in addition to the ones he was taking, though he'd asked others to cover for his absence. Sir Matthew bade his son to return to the university, and leave the matter to him.
"If I'm wrong about where she is, I'll be returning to wait for Elizabeth to return on her own with the rest of you anyway," he pointed out, "and I can detour to pick you up from Oxford on my return in that case," he added to his distressed son.
The plan was agreed upon, and father and son departed southward first thing in the morning. Marcus toward Oxford, and Sir Matthew to London.
Sir Matthew set out to visit the Marques Waverly, a man known to have had previous affairs with women of quality, wondering what sort of situation he would find his daughter in.
Elizabeth's brother, Marcus Dowen, arrived home in a bit of a panic about the time Lord Waverly was showing his young bride around the glass enclosed greenhouse that occupied the southwestern corner of the grounds. Marcus worriedly informed his father that he hadn't had any letters from his little sister since the beginning of July, and had no idea where she might have gone, or why. Though he resembled his father most in looks, he shared a great deal of his mother's temperament. He wanted to know why his father hadn't been out searching. "If you can give me an area smaller than the whole of England that you think I should be searching, I'll be more inclined to search," grumbled Sir Matthew to his tall son. Fortunately for the peace of her family, Elizabeth's letter arrived the second morning after her brother did. The Lord Justice Matthew Dowen contemplated the letter in the privacy of his study for awhile before revealing it to his worried family. He had noted the seal and recalled the letter Elizabeth had attempted to send to the Marques Waverly. He wondered, and not idly, why the Marques had placed his seal on Elizabeth's letter and just what, exactly, it was supposed to imply. That she was in Lord Waverly's care in some fashion, was all Sir Matthew was able to conclude with any certainty. When he finally emerged and gave the short missive to his wife, she paid no attention to the wax seal. He was amused and exasperated by his wife and second son, when they immediately insisted they must rush to London to search for Elizabeth. "And which part of London do you intend to search?" he asked them calmly, since he thought he had an excellent idea of which house to start the search from. "The whole of it if necessary!" replied Marcus fervently. "Since according to that letter, Elizabeth plans on returning home within the next 8 or 9 days, and it will take you at least two to reach London..." Sir Matthew trailed off suggestively. Anne spoke up, "Five days to search the whole of London sounds rather improbable." Sir Matthew nodded to his daughter. "She does say that she is safe and well," added Rebecca. Constance burst into tears. "You don't care that your daughter is running about London alone!" she wailed, "Anything could happen to her." Sir Matthew patted his wife gently. "Actually, I think I have an idea now as to where she may be staying," he confessed. "Where?!" demanded his family in chorus. But he was reluctant to reveal it to them. "If I'm wrong, telling you my speculations will only create more trouble," he told them firmly. "You must go and fetch her back," demanded his tiny wife, like a great general ordering a charge. Sir Matthew reluctantly gave in to this idea. He didn't relish the trip back and forth to London again so soon, but he thought perhaps, if the situation were anything like the worst scenarios he feared, it would be better dealt with alone. Before he left, he spoke with his wife alone in his study. "How long, and how well has Elizabeth known the Marques Waverly?" he asked her quietly. Confused, Constance told her husband, "He has often attended the same gatherings, but I've never seen him approach her. They sat at dinner at Claire's house party this summer, and Elizabeth said they spoke in the library after." Horrified, she asked, "You don't think Elizabeth has gone to meet him do you? She asked me, and also Claire if we could arrange a meeting..." she trailed off into fearful silence. Her husband picked up Elizabeth's letter from his desk and turned it so his wife could see the imprint of the wax seal. "She also tried to write to him," he informed his wife quietly, "I destroyed the letter, thinking it inappropriate for her to contact him in such a fashion." Constance stared at the seal that she hadn't noticed before with mute horror. "What will he think of her?" she whispered. "I think, that we should keep this idea from our children for the time being," Elizabeth's father said finally, "and I will go to London and see what the situation is." "Matthew," whispered his wife. He looked at her soberly. "Elizabeth's birthday is tomorrow." He offered his wife a wry smile and said, "It has been years already since Elizabeth regarded the words of her parents as more than guidelines any way, I doubt coming of age will have any great effect on her." Marcus wanted to go along, but his father asked him what responsibilities he was leaving at Oxford? Marcus reluctantly admitted that he had several classes he was teaching at the moment, in addition to the ones he was taking, though he'd asked others to cover for his absence. Sir Matthew bade his son to return to the university, and leave the matter to him. "If I'm wrong about where she is, I'll be returning to wait for Elizabeth to return on her own with the rest of you anyway," he pointed out, "and I can detour to pick you up from Oxford on my return in that case," he added to his distressed son. The plan was agreed upon, and father and son departed southward first thing in the morning. Marcus toward Oxford, and Sir Matthew to London. Sir Matthew set out to visit the Marques Waverly, a man known to have had previous affairs with women of quality, wondering what sort of situation he would find his daughter in.
