Page 44 of Lady Charlotte and the Lending Library
Edith replied with a shrug, “I gave her some suggestions on being more personable. Mrs. Thorne finds it extremely hard to converse with most people, so I advised her to make one or two attempts a day.”
“Excellent!” Charlotte smiled at the other girl. “Well done!”
“Mrs. Thorne does appreciate how much we have helped the shop. She just doesn’t know how to say thank you,” Edith continued.
Louisa replied, “I would never have believed she could change.”
“The best news is that she has agreed to take out an advertisement!” Edith clapped her hands. “Robbie and I helped her design it.”
She didn’t want to minimize Edith’s triumph, but Thorne’s had a new problem. “Now we have to figure out if the dead animals outside are being put there or just dying there.”
“I think Robbie should contact Lord Ashford,” Edith replied.
When Charlotte didn’t respond, Louisa stared at her for a moment before getting to her feet. “I’ll suggest it to him.”
She watched as Louisa spoke with Robbie. The young man started writing on a piece of paper. Not for the first time, she marveled that Robbie could read and write. Mr. Thorne had taught the boy his letters after finding him begging outside the shop and giving him a job.
Louisa returned to the seating area. “Robbie will inform Lord Ashford about the dead mice.”
“Do you think the marquess will help?” Edith asked.
Both girls looked at Charlotte for an answer. After her comments about his sister Diana, she was very much afraid the marquess had washed his hands of not only her but Thorne’s Lending Library as well. Perhaps it was time she took matters into her own hands.
“He may, although we shouldn’t depend on him.” She asked Louisa, “Have you ever heard your brothers mention James Landry?”
“I overheard my youngest brother talking about Mr. Landry once. The man was trying to tempt him to marry his daughter. He figured with four sons in the family, one might be willing to marry into trade.” Louisa shook her head. “James said he laughed in the man’s face.”
“Have your brothers said anything else about him?” she asked her friend.
“They told me he has a rather garish mansion in Hampstead Heath, and his offices are in Cheapside.”
“Cheapside?” Charlotte felt an idea coming to her.
“Charlotte?” Edith squinted at her. “I know that look. You are not going to Cheapside.”
She knew she couldn’t be seen in that part of London. Despite what Lord Ashford believed, she wasn’t that careless with her reputation. Mr. Landry wanted to purchase the land, so that meant someone else still owned it. Perhaps that someone could be reasoned with. “I won’t visit Mr. Landry, Edith. I do have another idea of how to save Thorne’s.”
Louisa leaned forward in her chair, her expression grim. “Whatever you have planned, Charlotte, I won’t let you go alone.”
Chapter Fifteen
That morning, Ashford was surprised to see his mother at breakfast.
“I’ve had a letter from Diana,” the marchioness said after she selected a slice of honey cake and an apple from the sideboard and sat beside him at the round rosewood breakfast table.
“What does she have to say for herself?” Ashford spread a liberal amount of lemon and lime marmalade on his toast.
“She’s coming to London.”
He took a bite of toast, delaying his response. “That would be dashed inconvenient.”
His mother held up her hands. “She insists on returning.”
“I haven’t found out much about Lady Lamb’s book,” he replied with a frown. Diana wasn’t supposed to return to London until he sent for her.
“You have been awfully distracted of late.” His mother’s eyes widened. “Perhaps by a young lady?”
He shook his head and replied carefully, “No, Mother. Just parliamentary business.”
