Charlotte House Affair 01 - My Particular Friend

chairmen insisted they be paid for delivering her.’
    I found Mr Simms’s story more and more amazing and I noticed from her open mouthed look Mrs Fitzhugh did as well. ‘What did you do?’ I asked him.
    ‘I did not know what to do. I demanded they produce Violet. I even looked inside the chair although obviously there could not have been room for another. I grabbed the woman by the hand and pleaded with her to tell me where I might find Violet but she knew nothing. I do not know why they lied to me. Eventually all our accusations brought the attention of many onlookers and the registrar emerged from his office to ask what was the matter. I pleaded with him and he took matters in hand. As the woman still wanted to go home he told the chairmen to take her there and he advised me that I should seek your advice.’
    He said this last with such a pitiable look that Mrs Fitzhugh and I put our arms around the poor man and I suspect that even Charlotte felt the impulse to comfort him as well, but as ever she kept her mind to the aspects of his story that most interested her.
    ‘Surely the chairmen must have observed her leave the chair and this other women enter. Either that or they are lying.’ I said.
    ‘They claim they never saw her leave or Mrs Mulberry enter. They came straight from her home to the register office.’
    ‘And yet they arrived at the same time as you despite your delay,’ Charlotte said and then spoke no more for several seconds until she suddenly said. ‘We must act immediately, Mr Simms. We must go to Northgate Street. Jane, are you up for travelling in this weather?’
    ‘What? You can’t be serious.’
    ‘I am Jane. Would you deny this man our help? Alice! Alice! Send the boy for the carriage. Margaret, you will remain behind? I would not subject you to this weather and I had expected a few callers this morning. Good. Mr Simms you will take us where you engaged the chair.’
    During all this Alice had entered and left to despatch the boy. Mrs Hutton entered and Charlotte ordered her to ready Mr Simms’s coat posthaste and Mary entered informing me that we had a caller and announced Mr Wallace’s name.
    ‘Who’s this?’ Charlotte cried. ‘Ah, thus your reluctance, Jane. Bring him in, Mary, so we may make our apologies.’
    ‘But I … if I could …’ I did not know what to say. Mr Wallace had called several times in the past week but always at odds with our schedule. I had yesterday sent him a letter informing him that to-day might be suitable for a visit and now here he was, entering our drawing-room.
    ‘Pardon me, have I come at a bad time?’ he asked. He stood uncertainly in the doorway and I noticed he still held his hand stiffly. I looked to him and then to Charlotte and then to Mr Simms.
    ‘This gentleman is in need of our help,’ I said to Mr Wallace with a definite air of frustration.
    ‘Well Mr Wallace, you have certainly picked the wrong day to visit,’ Charlotte said with her annoying indifference.
    ‘Perhaps Mr Wallace might accompany you,’ Mrs Fitzhugh said.
    ‘That is a perfect idea,’ I said.
    ‘What!’ Charlotte cried.
    ‘After all, it would be a more proper arrangement,’ Mrs Fitzhugh said.
    I looked to Mr Wallace with I am sure a pleading look.
    ‘I … uh … would be happy to join you. I’m sorry, what is going on?’
    It was now Mrs Fitzhugh’s turn to order us about, telling me to acquaint Mr Wallace with our new client’s plight and telling Charlotte that Mr Wallace would accompany us. I set about my task while hearing in the background Charlotte’s objections to Mrs Fitzhugh’s plans.
    ‘I am sorry to spring this on you, Mr Wallace,’ I said after I explained the tragedy that had befallen Mr Simms. ‘I had thought with the weather my time would be my own.’
    ‘No, it is all right. But I’m afraid I don’t understand what is going on.’
    I sighed. ‘But I’ve told you! Mr Simms’s intended …’
    ‘No, I understand all that. I don’t know what your friend … Miss House … how is she involved in this? This is a matter for … well I’m not sure who …’ #
    ‘Precisely! You will not change your mind? You will come?’
    He nodded, the look of confusion on his face changing to a smile at my pleading.
    ‘I have been informed that you have picked the right day to visit after all, Mr Wallace,’ Charlotte said with a look of ill humour.
    He gave her a little bow. ‘I hope I will not be an inconvenience, Miss