Mother was distraught, all our family bags were packed and she was living in just the bedroom and the small sitting room waiting for the word to cast her into the street, Dorothy was likewise confined to her room and mothers sitting room whilst the Lady Rose had the entire house re decorated.
I confronted Rose as within an hour of my arrival she too arrived by Carriage, “Oh are you still here?” she asked innocently as mother greeted her, “And you Mr Harnworth, did I not send you hence.”
I cast my eyes down imagining her bared as she was at our last encounter, “Yes indeed,” I explained, “But I have the three hundred guineas.”
“Then buy your mother a hovel,” she snapped nastily, although there was a tremor in her manner as if her self assurance was somehow damaged.
“It is a very fair offer.” I repeated, “But should you refuse then Mother you shall have to live with me.”
“And I?” Harriet enquired.
“Indeed I shall find you lodgings my sister.” I reassured her, “But I have a reputation to maintain and you are by your own admission a fornicant and such I cannot have under my own roof.”
Poor Harriet, I had hoped to shame Rose but Harriet took it ill.
“You shall stay then this evening and take your Mother and Sister hence on the morrow.” Rose said kindly as she plotted how to steal my three thousand.
We ate in the dining room, curiously bare now that Mother and Father’s traps had been packed away and then I was allowed the use of what had been my bed room.
I knew better than to sleep, the rooms at Matson are arranged with a servants wing at the North over the kitchen whilst the highest rooms at the south are the bed rooms with the best views, thus are attics above the bed rooms, not servants quarters.
The ceilings are boarded but panelled such that certain panels can be lifted to access the attics as I knew well.
I set myself the task of entering the attic as soon as supper had been consumed, and by a lucky chance the footboard of the simple box bed was still positioned under the loose panel and I could slide it aside, admittedly by balancing upon the narrow footboard but easily enough I swung into the attic together with my pistols and some discarded worn clothing sheets and blankets I found in the cupboards and drawers which I laid upon some planks to form a make shift bed.
Then in a moment of inspiration I opened wide my bedroom window and climbed to the attic and lay down to sleep.
It was around three of the clock when they came, for the parlour clock struck three just after, I heard their cries as they attacked my bed but they found no one, I eased open the panel and looked into the gloom and there ransacking the place were Rose and two of her servants, Rhodes and Gormerby.
She was in foul temper, “You fools he must have heard us!” she exclaimed before making good her escape.
I waited for the four bells then a half hour bell and then lighting my candle with some difficulty I made my way silently back to my room where I jammed a chair under the door handle and slept fitfully until breakfast.
“Why will you not accept my quite reasonable offer?” I asked of Rose over Breakfast.
“Because I wont.” she said haughtily.
“Then I must see your father,” I insisted, and I changed the subject of conversation.
I noted she was gone before I collected Freddie from the stables, and there were several horses gone also so a wide detour I employed setting off directly away from Marchington and doing an extra five miles at the very least to avoid entirely any wood or copse where Rose and her servants might hide out.
I arrived at Marchington at length, and I was greeted with the barest minimum of civility by the staff, the Lord Gerald refused to see me and also the Lady Marjory but Sebastian was there with his sneering superiority, and he claimed he had power of attorney and that I could pay him the money, ha, idiot what did he take me for?
I upset him by refusing to deal with him, and I asked after Harriet and with a wicked grin he agreed to take me to her, she lay in a bed in the coal hold beside the kitchen, filthy and naked but for a blanket around her shoulders, “A gentleman to sample you Harriet display as you have been shown,” Sebastian ordered.
She didn’t recognise me, she merely reached around and held open the tunnel to her womb like the most wanton whore.
“Hello sister,” I said quietly.
“Oh no! John!” she exclaimed as she grabbed for her blanket.
“No, you’re beautiful,” I lied, she was worn and tired and debauched.
“She is taking a break Mr Harnsworth,” Sebastian insisted, “Shall you rod her or shall you let her about her business.”
“She is my sister,” I said as my anger boiled but I suppressed it and said, “Are you well Harriet?”
“Oh John please.” she said, “I wish the ground would swallow me up,”
I saw Sebastian make a motion and a Yokel approached, “I have an half-penny sir cans’t I rod her?” he asked.
“Indeed!” he agreed, and the Yokel dropped his breeches.
“Don’t you ever wash man?” Sebastian asked, “Have her clean you with her filthy mouth,” he insisted.
He hoped to provoke me, and if I were a man I should and be cut down by his cronies.
Then as the yokel offered his appendage to my sister and she began to suckle him there was a commotion, a fine gentleman and his servant entered the yard shouting for an Ostler and promptly he came to the door, “Damn it a queue,” he announced, “I need relief Sebastian and now yet these common fellows queue before me,” he said.
“Then take precedence, sir,” I suggested and he grabbed the Yokel and threw him from the room before he lowered his breeches and sank greedily into poor Harriet’s womb burying himself to the hilt in an instant. he seemed a lusty enough young chap and besotted if his willingness to risk disease to plough her was any indication, I should check his family and ensure he married her if his means sufficed.
“My good friend Toby Monmouth,” Sebastian intoned, “Toby have you met Mr Harnsworth the whore’s brother?”
“Good god what a disgusting fellow, though I own the whore ploughs exceptionally finely,” he intoned.
“I’m glad she pleases you.” I simpered, and just as he was ready to explode he removed his appendage and splattered her face with his cream.
“I’m told it is good for the skin.” I ventured and I agreed to come again with a better offer.
I returned to Matson, Rose had also returned, and to her I lied that I had paid Sebastian three hundred guineas for the house but she did not believe me.
“I shall await my father’s word before I relinquish possession,” she insisted primly although she did seem to lack conviction on the point, “Shall you stay with us or has your alleged attack scared you away?”
“I’ll stay if I may,” I agreed, “Your brother is keeping my money safe in his strong box,” I assured her.
We ate in humourless propriety and as soon as I could without causing offence or any suspicion that I desired her I proceeded to my bed.
I slept safe with a chair under the door frame and being in my bed by nine I was well placed to be awake in the early hours, and this night I slept well before rising when I heard the parlour clock strike four, I took the chair from my door handle and made sure the door was not locked before embarking upon my adventure.