Dear Charlotte,
 A little high spirits never hurt anyone.  Nonetheless, I shall be happy to advise you, and if trouble does attend you, I stand ready to aid you both.  Do try to give me ample notice, however.  I shall need time to prepare for any escapes from Newgate.
Your faithful servant,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Although I hope Newgate isn’t in my future, I would trust no one but you to break me out.  Now for a more serious matter:  Should I encourage Miss Linley to marry Lord Kirkwood despite his lack of fortune?  She needs a husband of intelligence to make up for her lack of it, and I fear that her parents’ choice, Mr. Chambers, would indulge her silliness even more than they do.
Your always inquisitive relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You and I are in perfect agreement.  The spoiled Miss Linley needs a husband with a firm hand.  Besides, Mr. Chambers secretly frequents the sort of establishment no gentleman should visit, which shows a definite lack of character.
Your opinionated cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
What shocking news about Mr. Chambers!  I should never have guessed.  He has such a sweet face.  Wherever do you learn these things?  And what do your sources say about Lord Kirkwood’s cousin, Major Lucas Winter?  He has shown an interest in Lady Amelia, which concerns me. He does not have a sweet face.
Your always grateful friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Alas, few men of character have sweet faces.  Life’s trials show up first in a person’s features.  But I shall see what I can discover about Major Winter, even if I must pry the information from his family’s closed lips.
Your obedient servant,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Forgive me for my many notes, but this matter about Major Winter requires haste.  He has the oddest effect on Lady Amelia:  she turns into a pea goose whenever he enters a room.  And I can assure you that she is never a pea goose around men.
Your anxious friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I shall proceed with all due haste.  Remember, however, that gaining information about Americans is more difficult.  Fortunately, I have a friend on the Navy Board.  He might know more.
Eager to oblige your every request,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Have you seen the enclosed newspaper account of last night’s ball?  It mentions the major most unfavorably.  I didn’t realize he had such volatile emotions. Under the circumstances, it’s very worrying.  Amelia isn’t exactly the calmest of individuals herself.
Gratefully yours,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I had indeed read the newspaper’s account.  I dare say, however, that you need not worry about Lady Amelia.  I’m sure she can handle Major Winter if he proves troublesome.  You have well inoculated her—indeed, all of your young ladies—against scoundrels.
Sincerely,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Thank you, kind sir!  I do my best to “inoculate” my ladies, as you put it so drolly.  No disease is more dangerous than a bad husband, for if a woman catch that pox, she’ll languish from it her entire life.
Your friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
At last I have the information on Major Winter that you’ve been awaiting.  I’m attaching a thorough report, courtesy of my friend at the Navy Board.
Your helpful cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Lord Pomeroy has become such an annoyance that he has forced us to resort to drastic action.  I shall keep you informed of the results.  Newgate may be in our future yet.
Your shameless friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Lord Pomeroy isn’t as harmless as he appears.  I heard that he acquired a certain unwise obsession during the war.  Although I can’t confirm the rumor, I’d advise you and Lady Amelia to be on your guard with him.
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
The most awful thing has happened—we are keeping it quiet until we learn more, but I know I can count on your discretion.  Lord Pomeroy has carried off my poor charge!  I wish I had listened to you—he’s clearly a monster!  And now I am the most miserable of chaperones for having neglected my duty so egregiously.
Your desperate friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I shall await further news with eager anticipation, but I know that you, dear friend, could never be negligent.  Regardless of the circumstances, I stand ready to leap to your aid in any way I can.
Your obedient servant,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I had to summon Lady Amelia’s parents.  No word has come yet from the North.  Then there is this latest scandal with Miss Linley and Lord Kirkwood.  I suppose I should not be surprised, but I did think his lordship had more sense than to elope so quickly after his cousin ran off after Lady Amelia.  What was he thinking?
Your very distraught friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I doubt the rash of elopements will hurt the school’s reputation.  I don’t think anyone will protest the Kirkwood wedding; he’s of good blood and connections.  But the other might cause gossip, assuming that the major can recapture Lady Amelia before the marquess marries her.
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Lord and Lady Tovey are both half-mad with worry, and I am little better.  I was tempted to tell them the information you sent me about the major a few days ago, but until we know which man Amelia has ended up with, I did not think I should betray your confidence.
Your anxious cousin,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You must not fret over your charge.  You will make yourself ill.  Lady Amelia strikes me as someone with a great deal of good sense.  She is not going to let any man run roughshod over her.
Your obedient servant,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
We have still heard nothing of Amelia and her new husband, whoever he may be.  Lord Tovey torments Lady Kirkwood daily for information, but her ladyship has been most unhelpful.  She seems more concerned that her son’s carriage be returned unharmed than she does about whether Major Winter was able to stop Lord Pomeroy.  Have none of your connections learned anything?
Your anxious friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Forgive me for taking so long to answer, but I can learn nothing of the whereabouts of any parties involved.  I’ve spoken to Lord Kirkwood’s friends and to the American consul, but no one knows anything.  It is most vexing.
Your baffled cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Lady Kirkwood has finally admitted to the Toveys the most astonishing thing—Major Winter was imprisoned at Dartmoor during our late war.  Given the horrible events taking place during that time, Lord Tovey is now even more worried to learn that his daughter may have married a vengeful man.
Your concerned cousin,
Charlotte

Dear Cousin,
I have news!  Lord Tovey received a letter saying that his daughter and Major Winter are on their way to London, now married.  I wish I could witness the joyful reunion.  However, matters at the school have called me back there.  But as soon as I can return to London, I shall.  I’m eager to hear how dear Amelia is enjoying married life.
Your much relieved friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I have heard that both pairs of newlyweds have returned to town.  Rumor has it that Lord Kirkwood’s new father-in-law grudgingly agreed to the terms of the settlement his lordship demanded.  As for Major Winter, no one has said what reaction his new father-in-law has had to him.
Your gossiping cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I do hope Amelia will adjust well to her new situation.  The major can be a difficult man, I suspect.  But if any woman can weather his temper, it is Amelia.
Your devoted friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You have good cause to worry about Lady Amelia and her husband.  An American marine officer is unlikely to tolerate impudence in a wife, and of all your pupils, Lady Amelia seems the most capable of impudence.
Your equally impudent cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Amelia’s husband and father have gone to France on an errand neither she nor her stepmother will divulge.  It has made my dear pupil very melancholy, which tells me that poor Amelia is in love with the major.  I can only hope for her sake that he feels the same.  As I learned very well from my marriage, loving a man who does not love you leads to nothing but disappointment.
Your anxious cousin,
Charlotte

Dear Cousin,
I received the loveliest gift from dear Amelia Winter last week—a teapot in the shape of a camel!  She also sent news that she is once more expecting a child.  She says that Major Winter is delighted . . . and does not try to restrict her movements too terribly much.  But knowing our Amelia, no matter what he tries, she will prevail.
Your friend,
Charlotte

Dear Cousin Michael,
Do you know the Duke of Foxmoor who recently returned to England?  I’ve heard such differing accounts of the scandal surrounding his departure that I hardly know what to believe.  The two ladies most affected, Lady Draker and Lord Draker’s sister Louisa, say nothing of it.  Does the duke mention it around other gentlemen?
Yours fondly,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I have never heard anything but rumor about what happened between Miss North and Foxmoor.  And what gentleman would dare ask the duke about it, after the Battle of Kirkee?  Any man whose words can incite a tiny force of sepoys to fight and triumph over a vast enemy is no one I’d want to tangle with.
Quaking in my boots,
Your Cousin Michael

Dear Cousin,
I know perfectly well you would not quake in your boots for anyone.  Besides, Foxmoor did not look so fearsome to me at Lady Draker’s fete; he had a monkey who quite got the better of him.  Though, come to think of it, the monkey did vanish later—perhaps Foxmoor had the last word after all.
Your gossipy cousin,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
If Miss North and Foxmoor are as much at odds as rumor says, then perhaps she stole the duke’s monkey to annoy him.  Though I cannot imagine what she would want with a monkey.  Monkeys make poor reformers, you know.
Your fellow gossip,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I daresay you are right about monkeys being unsuitable as reformers.  But I am no longer sure that Louisa and Foxmoor are at odds, for they were strolling through the gardens at Castlemaine with seeming congeniality.  So perhaps they have mended their fences.
Your romantic-minded relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
It would certainly help Miss North if she mended her fences with Foxmoor.  Everyone is sure he will succeed Liverpool as prime minister.  But I cannot see Miss North as his duchess.  She would lead him a merry dance, and I hear Foxmoor isn’t particularly fond of dancing.
Your opinionated cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Foxmoor’s love of dancing must have improved, for he’s shamelessly pursuing Louisa.  He even agreed to help the London Ladies, which worries me.  Because if ever a man could spell danger for our political aims, it is the duke.
Your concerned friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You have good reason to be wary.  By all accounts, Foxmoor’s ambition to become prime minister has not changed, so if Miss North does catch him for a husband, she will take second place to his ambition.
Yours fondly,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Why can’t Miss North and the duke both pursue their ambitions?  Assumptions like yours are why women like myself refuse to marry—because once we achieve our life’s dream, we are loath to toss it aside for the dubious pleasures of matrimony.
Your irate cousin,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You know I admire your accomplishments. But surely you are lonely.  Yes, your marriage was disastrous, but if you could live your life over, isn’t there some fellow with whom you might have been happier?  And wouldn’t you have set aside your ambitions for this man?
Many apologies from your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
No need for apologies.  As for Foxmoor and Louisa, if the duke thinks marrying her will enable him to keep her under his thumb, he is in for a surprise.  I have never met a woman as determined to go her own way as Louisa.
Ever your friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I recently learned that Foxmoor spoke privately to Lord Sidmouth on Monday.  It may mean nothing, but given the Home Secretary’s acrimony for the London Ladies, I would caution you and your friends to be on your guard.
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Thank you for the advice, but I am always on my guard around bachelors.  They have this deplorable tendency to surprise one, and surprises are so very hard on an aging woman like myself.
Your friend and cousin,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I would hardly call a woman of thirty-two “aging.”  Nor can I imagine that all surprises are unwelcome to you.  You are not as unadventurous as you pretend.
Your “aging” cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Will you be surprised to learn that the duke and my friend Louisa are shortly to be married?  I was present when they announced their betrothal.  But do not believe everything you hear about it—Foxmoor was not found naked in her bedchamber.  Though he might as well have been, for she very nearly was.
Your shameless gossip of a friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I did not credit the rumor about Foxmoor’s nakedness, since he does not strike me as the reckless sort. Miss North is another matter. After years of good works, what woman could resist the promise of passion from a man as accomplished as the duke?
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Passion is all well and good, but better that a man give a woman love.  I have had passion—it does not last. For Louisa’s sake, I hope that the duke’s passion comes from something deeper than the needs of his body.
Your cousin,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Surely Foxmoor would not have married her without feeling something deeper for her, not when there are countless more eligible females to hand.  Still, you must admit passion has its place.  It doesn’t make up for everything perhaps, but certainly a great deal.
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
After seeing how Foxmoor looked at Louisa today at the prison, I have hope that their marriage may one day prove a love match, if they can refrain from discussing politics. Louisa tells me that her husband is not at all pleased by our choice of Charles Godwin as a candidate.
Your opinionated cousin,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
A man may look affectionately upon his wife, but that does not mean that when faced with important decisions, he will allow her to influence him.  I would not place too much hope in a tender glance, my dear.
Your forthright cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Surely you acknowledge that a tender glance is sometimes all a body needs or wants.  Once in a great while a tender glance is even more important than having one’s opinion solicited by one’s spouse.
Your romantic-minded cousin,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I hope you’re right.  If Foxmoor can’t influence his wife with tender glances, he will no doubt turn to more restrictive measures, like packing her off to the country. It is what I would do if my wife caused me trouble.
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I had no idea you were capable of being such a tyrant to your poor wife.  Do you even have a wife, or is this the opinion of a bachelor who fancies that he can bully any woman into doing what he pleases?
Your surprised relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You know I cannot tell you about my circumstances or risk losing my anonymity.  But rest assured that I am familiar enough with the ways of women to form opinions about how they should be governed.
Your friend,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Now you make me wonder, sir, about your real reason for anonymity.  Is it genuinely because you wish not to harm my reputation, as you first claimed?  Or does it come from your fear of engaging me in person?  For I assure you, cousin, that if you ever attempted to govern me, I would make you rue the day you met me.
Your irate correspondent,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Govern you?  I would not attempt it. I happen to like having my head attached to my body.  But is it true that your friend the Duchess of Foxmoor may be resigning from the London Ladies Society?
Your curious cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I cannot imagine Louisa ever resigning her position unless some great reason required it.  She might do it for love.  I begin to think that she loves her husband dearly.
Your cousin,
Charlotte

Dear Cousin,
My friend went into her confinement at Foxmoor House rather than her husband’s estate.  She did not want to be away while Parliament was in session, and I gather the duke did not want her away either.  Isn’t that sweet?  She says he is planning a christening party to rival the king’s coronation celebration.  I fear she is only half-joking.
Your cousin,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I hear that your former pupil, Lady Venetia, has once again refused a perfectly good suitor.  Speaking as a disinterested observer, I believe the lady may have taken your rules for heiresses too much to heart.  If she isn’t careful, it will gain her nothing but a lonely spinsterhood.
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I worry about Venetia’s trip to Scotland.  Yes, I know what the papers reported—that the Scottish Scourge was killed three months ago in a fight with Sir Lachlan Ross that left both men dead.  Still, considering the Scourge’s mysterious grievance against the earl, I’d feel easier if someone could produce the villain’s body.
Your anxious relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Don’t worry about Lady Venetia.  The authorities are sure that the Scourge is dead. Rich friends of Lord Duncannon traveled to Scotland a month ago, and saw nary a hint of him on the roads.  So your charge will be as safe in Scotland now as she would be in England.
Your cousin and friend,}
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I’m sure you are right about Lady Venetia’s safety. Lady Kerr is a responsible lady, so I am probably worrying for nothing.  I shall let your assurances ease my mind.
Your grateful friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I perfectly understand your concern.  The thought of two ladies alone on the road with only servants to attend them worries you, since you would never be so unwise as to travel without male protection.
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Once again, sir, you attribute to me notions that never crossed my mind.  Why shouldn’t two women travel the country with only servants to attend them?  This isn’t the England of your childhood.  Highwaymen are scarce these days.  I daresay women have more to fear from London pickpockets than from good country Scots.
Your annoyed relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Once more I find myself in the uneasy position of having to apologize for an insult I didn’t realize I had given.  You seem to take offense easily these days. Is everything all right at the school?  Or am I the only one who annoys you?
Your concerned friend,
Michael

Dear Michael,
Lady Venetia, who’s been sending me daily accounts of the king’s visit, has stopped writing.  I know she’s probably just too busy, but it isn’t like her to be so lax.  I worry she has met some unsuitable Scottish fellow she won’t tell me about, and that has made me snappish.
Your woefully peevish friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating.  Your husband may have been a fool, but that doesn’t mean all men are fools.  A pauper may love a princess and still not be a fortune hunter.
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
What do you know of fortune hunters?  Your every need is met—you’ve never had to face your spouse’s creditors, wondering if they will take everything you own.  You’ve never been at the mercy of a fickle man.
Your testy relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You know nothing of my life, my dear.  If you did, you would understand that it is not just men who look at women and see only what they can provide.  Women do that as well.  I long ago learned to accept that the world is full of people who callously use other people for their own purposes.  The question is—when will you accept it?
Your friend despite everything,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
How could I ever “accept” the world you describe?  The best I can do is teach my girls to navigate it well, while making sure they surround themselves with people less cynical than you.
Your relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You, of all people, should recognize that cynicism is necessary.  Otherwise, your young ladies would head into each season like lambs to the slaughter . . . much as you yourself did all those years ago.
Your decidedly cynical friend,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Teaching ladies to be wise isn’t the same as teaching them to be cynical. Is it cynical to make sure that a man isn’t just out for what he can get from a woman?  I think not. Only if I taught my heiresses not to trust any man could you call me cynical. But in the times we live in, a woman must learn to protect herself from scoundrels.
Your perturbed relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Scoundrels aren’t as prevalent as you assume.  Most men are simply looking for someone to listen to their tales, cast them an admiring glance from time to time, and hold them through the long, dreary nights.  I suspect most women are looking for that as well.
Always your servant,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Are you so familiar with what women want that you could make pronouncements about it?  I was under the impression that you are a bit of a recluse, that you do not like to go out into society.  Or am I mistaken?
Your curious friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Why must you ask questions you know I won’t answer? This I will say:  although I don’t much enjoy society, I don’t stay locked away either.  If I did, how could I gain you the inside information you need to help your girls?  Careful, friend; if you don’t stop pestering me with questions about my identity, you may find me much less eager to pass on my gossip.
Your determined-to-remain anonymous friend,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
You should take care, too, or I will call your bluff.  Be fair—I’ve never worked very hard to uncover your identity, because I knew that our agreement didn’t allow for such. But if it soothes your temper, I will refrain from annoying questions for the nonce.  I wouldn’t wish to lose so valuable a friend for such a frivolous reason.
Still your relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Forgive me if my letter sounded sharp.  Family difficulties presently cause me concern.  But I understand your curiosity.  I just prefer you don’t indulge it.
Always your servant,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I’m sorry for your difficulties.  You know I am willing to help however I can.  I even promise not to ask for details beyond what you are willing to disclose.
Your friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Think no more of my difficulties.  I’ve heard disturbing news for you about Lord Duncannon.  Apparently he left for Scotland rather suddenly yesterday.  No one seems to know why, but I fear it has something to do with your former charge, Lady Venetia.
Your friend,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Your news about Lord Duncannon is disturbing indeed.  His daughter said he swore an oath never to return to his homeland.  If he’s willing to break it, then something dreadful must have happened to Venetia.  Can you use your sources to find out what it might be?
Your alarmed relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I’ll do my best, but gathering information about Scottish affairs is more complicated than passing on trivial bits of gossip about gentlemen in society.  It will take me some time.  But do try not to fret over it as you are wont to do.
Your humble servant,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I fret because I lack your talent for uncovering the truth.  Certain things a woman cannot discover, no matter how many female confidantes she possesses.  You men tend to be a closemouthed sort, you must admit.
Your fretting relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
If men are closemouthed, it is because we cannot trust women with our secrets.  Once a woman hears them, she wants to wheedle her way into every part of the man’s life, and most men prefer their privacy.
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin Michael,
If you have a wife, I feel vastly sorry for her.  In my experience, men only prefer their privacy when they want to use it for devious purposes.
Sincerely,
Charlotte Harris

Dear Charlotte,
We must stop this foolish argument.  I will never say what you want to hear—that all men can be painted with the same brush.  I’ve lived long enough to learn that plenty of fine fellows are forced into seeking rich wives by the necessity of doing their duty.  And plenty of scoundrels hide their perfidy behind their supposed morality.  Life is not simple, and neither are people.
Your true friend,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I am willing to call a truce between us, if you’ll agree with me on one matter.  A man hunting for a wife ought to admit his situation from the outset.  That way no woman can ever accuse him of treachery.  Surely you’ll admit that the best marriages are built on honesty.
Your relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
A truce is an excellent idea. Only remember, my fine cousin, that an expectation of honesty and truth goes both ways.  And one day soon I shall expect to see some of that from you.  For I sometimes wonder if you’re as honest with yourself—or with me—as you pretend.
Your impatient friend,
Michael

Dear Charlotte,
I’m glad you are finally giving greater responsibility to your teachers, instead of taking everything upon yourself.  Miss Prescott in particular sounds like an asset, given her penchant for bookkeeping.  I know how much you despise numbers—this way you can keep your hand in without having to submit to the tortures of doing sums.
Your friend and cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I don’t remember ever telling you that I hate numbers.  How did you know that I would rather scour washbasins than do the school’s accounts?
Your curious relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You know you need not mention anything for me to find out about it.  Before I ever began supporting the school, I conducted research on its headmistress.  Besides, at least once a year you complain about doing your accounts.  I would have to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to notice.
Your friend,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Speaking of your intelligence-gathering capabilities, do you happen to know the new Viscount Norcourt?  I have heard (do not ask how) that he is intent upon living a more circumspect life for the sake of his young niece, who recently lost her parents.  Do you know if that is true?  Have you seen any evidence of it?
Anxiously awaiting your reply,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Why on earth do you wish to know about Lord Norcourt? Please say you haven’t fallen under his spell.  After what I told you about his outrageous parties, I should think you’d have more sense than to succumb to his much-vaunted talent for seducing widows.
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
In all your alarm I notice you don’t reveal whether you know his lordship personally.  Perhaps I shall ask him about the friends he invites to his parties.  It could be a most enlightening discussion.
Your curious relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You do not mention the nature of your connection with the viscount.  If my opinion counts for anything, I warn you to take care.  You aren’t likely to consider a liaison in the same light as he.  As for your finding out my identity from the viscount, don’t go to the trouble.  I only know of his parties from gossip.
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I’ll toy with you no longer over Lord Norcourt, though I do enjoy your disgruntlement.  I know you will keep this secret—Lord Norcourt wants to enroll his niece here, so Miss Prescott suggested that in return he teach my girls lessons in recognizing the rakehell.  He agreed.  You will probably disapprove, but after hearing her pupils describe his first lesson, I begin to think her idea inspired.
Your teasing friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I do hope you know what you’re doing.  Men like Lord Norcourt aren’t as easy to manage as you think.  If you’re so curious about the viscount, why not ask your friend Godwin about him?  Godwin’s sister is rumored to have been Norcourt’s mistress before she married the second time.  She would know his character better than anyone.
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
What a capital idea, suggesting that I speak to Mr. Godwin’s sister.  How odd that I never knew of her connection to Lord Norcourt, despite my years of friendship with Mr. Godwin.  You really do have quite extensive sources of information.  I wonder why that is.
Your curious friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Wonder about my “sources” all you like, my dear.  You know I’ll never reveal them.  But do write and tell me about the expedition to Mr. Godwin’s menagerie.  Is his collection as wide and varied as rumored?
Your equally curious cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I carried your suggestion one step further and invited Lord Godwin’s sister to join us.  That should make for an interesting day at the menagerie, if nothing else, and it will let me observe Lord Norcourt’s behavior for myself.
Your friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You are quite mad.  Do you really think Norcourt and Lady Tarley can behave around impressionable young girls?  What does Miss Prescott think of your plan?
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
It seems my “impressionable young girls” have been secretly reading a book that explains physical relations between the sexes.  Miss Prescott confiscated it, but I daresay any minor flirtation they witnessed between the viscount and his former paramour pales by comparison.  I swear, sometimes girls can be frightening.
Your alarmed relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Yes, girls can be a trial.  So I hope you know what you’re doing by having Lord Norcourt at your school.  What little I’ve heard of the man makes me wonder if he is even capable of behaving himself around any woman.  How did he acquit himself during your outing?
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Lord Norcourt behaved more admirably than expected at Mr. Godwin’s.  Although Lady Tarley took him off with her, he rebuffed her entirely, judging from her annoyance when she rejoined the group alone.  I questioned Miss Prescott, who said she’d never seen them together.  He returned a while later, which supported her assertions.  And why would she lie, anyway?  She’s as suspicious of the man as I am.
Your anxious relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Do not misunderstand—you and Miss Prescott may fancy yourselves good judges of character, but men of this sort can be very deceptive.  And Miss Prescott is young, exactly the kind of woman a rakehell feeds on.  She could easily be misled if you do not keep a tight rein on her.
Your suspicious cousin,
Michael

Dear Michael,
Keep a tight rein on Madeline?  She is not a horse, sir—she is perfectly capable of looking after herself.  I know her character well enough.  She may be mad for science and too curious about certain matters, but she is no fool.
Your friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I bow to your greater knowledge of the young Miss Prescott.  Forgive me for being so presumptuous as to question your judgment in the matter, but it was only my concern about Lord Norcourt being at the school with you that made me even broach the subject.
Your ever anxious relation,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I find your persistent dislike of Lord Norcourt strange, given that you claim not to know him personally.  I have observed him with my girls this week, often without his knowledge, and he always behaved like a gentleman.  His lessons have truly helped the girls.  Which makes me wonder if your dislike of him might stem from something other than a mere concern for the school’s reputation.
Your perplexed relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
…. So you can see from Lord Norcourt’s scurrilous attempts to lead poor Miss Prescott down the garden path that my concern over his involvement with the school has naught to do with any personal feelings toward the man.  It is always concern for you and your teachers, not to mention your pupils, that prompts my interference.
Your disinterested cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Methinks you protest too much, sir.  I suspect that you dislike the viscount not out of any noble concern, but because you don’t like his drawing my attention from you, especially given his reputation for seducing widows.  But you need not worry on that score—Lord Norcourt has made it perfectly plain that he has eyes for only one lady.  Thus you remain my most important advisor among your sex.  For now . . .
Your fair relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
If you mean Miss Prescott, then I should warn you that even if his lordship professes an interest in marriage, you should advise her against it.  Rakehells are rarely faithful to one woman.  As for my being upset about his drawing your attention from me, that wasn’t the case, but think what you will if it soothes your pride.
Always your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I share your skepticism about rakehells reforming, but Lord Norcourt isn’t like other men of his kind.  If anyone can keep him settled, it is Madeline.  She has a way with him unlike any I’ve seen.  I believe they suit each other.
Your friend in all things,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
After all these years, you can sometimes be naïve.  Do as you please in the matter of Lord Norcourt and Miss Prescott.  From now on, I will keep my concern to myself, though I pray, for your sake, that nothing terrible comes of your teacher’s involvement with a rakehell.
Your disinterested cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
You’ll disapprove when you hear that I just loaned money to Miss Prescott and her father.  You would have done the same if you’d heard their tale.  As it turns out, nothing is as it seems with either her or Lord Norcourt, so I was happy to help them.  Think what you will, but I believe you and I were wrong about them.  A reputation isn’t always the measure of a man.
Your daft relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Have you never heard the saying, “Neither a borrower or lender be?” Those are sound words in this day.  But I suppose there are times when a man must venture out beyond his principles.  That may be true for a woman, too.
Your philosophical friend,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
A few months ago, you pontificated in your letter about loans, and in the wake of excitement over Miss Prescott’s wedding to Lord Norcourt, I forgot to respond.  Today a bank draft arrived to remind me—payment of the loan I made to her and her father months ago.  So now I’ll point out that if you’d taken your own advice eleven years ago about not giving loans, I would have been in dire straits indeed.  Thank you for going against your own principles.
Your grateful relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
The school must be an empty place with your pupils gone for the Christmas season.  I hope you have friends nearby to look in on you.  A woman alone is never entirely safe.
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I don’t mind being alone.  Our caretaker lives in a cottage on the grounds, and my neighbor is nearby.  When the girls are away, he calls on me to make sure I am well.  So you need not fret for my safety.
Your friend and relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Is your neighbor a man of good reputation?  What is his profession?  Is he married?  Take care—many men prey on women alone by pandering to their concerns.
Your still-anxious cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
My neighbor is a respectable married attorney with three children.  But if you find those credentials insufficient, you’re always welcome to look in on me yourself.
Curious about your identity as always,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Be careful, my dear.  One day when you least expect it, I may indeed show up on your doorstep and reveal myself to be nothing at all as you imagine.
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
My, my, you certainly have my interest piqued.  Perhaps I should guess at your identity, and you can tell me how far I am off the mark.  Might you be a Hessian with a fondness for lemon tarts?  An aging spy for the Home Office?  A woman, even?  No, I know you’re not a woman.  A woman couldn’t possibly be as arrogant as you.
Your “relation,”
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I suppose you think it amusing to taunt me about my arrogance, but you and I are more alike than you admit.  You have a tendency to be rather haughty yourself.
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
I am not haughty, but cautious.  I can understand how a man might mistake caution for arrogance, but I assure you no woman would.  On the whole, women are far more aware of the world’s dangers than men will allow.
Your terribly cautious relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Men don’t believe that women are cautious, because we witness their recklessness time and again.  Even you must admit you let your emotions lead you into trouble.
Your cool-headed cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
You mean that I let my heart lead me into trouble.  I admit to that freely.  But unlike you, sir, I believe that one’s heart will never steer one wrong.
Your emotional friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Follow your heart if you must, madam.  I suppose that is the way of all women, especially at this time of year.
With best wishes for a Merry Christmas,
Michael

Dear Charlotte,
How thoughtless of your drawing instructor to quit just before the Easter term begins!  At least you have Miss Seton to help you until you can replace the irresponsible woman.  Though I do hope she has grown out of what you called, “her inability to think before speaking.”
Your friend and cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Disaster has struck. That weasel Mr. Pritchard plans to sell Rockhurst to that conjurer in the newspaper, who is looking for a site for his pleasure garden!  You must stop him.  If ever there was a time for you to reveal yourself, it’s now.  Or I fear that the school’s future is doomed.
Your frantic friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I knew nothing of this until now, but I will do my best to find out how this Montalvo can be stopped.  I am appalled that Pritchard could countenance selling his property for such a purpose.  I will see what I can discover about the project and let you know what I learn.
Your outraged cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
We plan to thwart our new neighbor by petitioning the licensing magistrates to refuse him a license. It was Miss Seton’s idea—she has proved quite an asset.  She has matured so much.  Granted, she is still outspoken, but I do not find that nearly as annoying in a teacher as in a pupil.  Teachers should be opinionated.  And it will serve her well in navigating society’s treacherous waters.
Your harried relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I am surprised you tolerate anyone else being as opinionated as you.  We both know you don’t take well to having your ideas contradicted. And I would not pin your hopes on such a petition.  The licensing magistrates are notoriously fickle about their choices, not to mention susceptible to bribery.
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Señor Montalvo has asked that we let him observe the school so he can make a more informed decision about his pleasure garden.  I agreed to Miss Seton’s proposal that she escort him, since she is a fine representative of the sort of woman who benefits most from our classes. And unlike other ladies whom he cast under his spell, his charm and legerdemain do not seem to fool her.
Your harried relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I am working on a possible solution to your dilemma, but I need more time.  Meanwhile, Miss Seton’s association with the magician can surely do no harm, assuming it is properly chaperoned.  And if it actually softens him toward the school, it can only help.
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
We have hit upon a solution of our own.  We are raising money to purchase Rockhurst ourselves.  We can only hope that if we show Mr. Pritchard we have a reasonable expectation of being able to pay for it, he will refuse to sell to Señor Montalvo.
Your friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I don’t know how to tell you, but Pritchard is unlikely to sell Rockhurst to you.  There are things you don’t know about the man, things I cannot reveal.  All I can say is, be careful how you deal with him.  He cannot be trusted.
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
That is all you can tell me about Mr. Pritchard:  Do not trust him?  I know that the man has a sly manner, but I would appreciate some more concrete evidence of why I should not trust him.  You are as impenetrable as our neighbor, the Master of Mystery.  It is most frustrating.
Your annoyed correspondent,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Impenetrable I may be, but surely you know by now that I have only your best interests at heart.  Heed my second warning, and keep an eye out for your Master of Mystery.  He still has not applied for a license, and his assistant is asking peculiar questions about the school and its staff.  Be very careful with him.
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Very well, I’ll concede that you are probably right about Pritchard, but I can’t decide what to think about Señor Montalvo.  He came to our Venetian breakfast and raised an enormous amount of money for our fund, but I also heard rumors about him that give me pause.  These days I cannot tell the good men from the villains.
Your perplexed relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I understand why you are concerned about Montalvo’s latest proposal, but you did not see his face when he spoke of Miss Seton.  He seems quite smitten.  Even you admitted she fell into the doldrums after the breakfast.  Why not see how she feels about it before dismissing it?  You will know how to ask her without her feeling forced.  But if we can save the school while at the same time resolving her feelings for the man, how can that be bad?
Your servant always,
Michael

Dear Charlotte,
And another thing.  Sometimes we must weigh the good of the many against the good of the few.  But do not worry—if I should hear anything to imply Miss Seton is in danger from Señor Montalvo, I will send him packing.  Richmond’s businessmen will not be so eager to see his pleasure garden established in their environs at the risk of his preying upon their innocent daughters.
Your protective relation,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Lucy does seem to have feelings for Señor Montalvo.  That does not mean he has feelings for her.  If he made any offer to her at their meeting, she did not reveal it to me.  Either he did not offer, or she refused him.  I will give her some time and then demand to know more of what happened.  It alarms me how quiet and contemplative she has been this evening.  Lucy is never contemplative.
Your anxious friend,
Charlotte

Dear Cousin,
I awakened this morning feeling a vague unease, though I cannot put my finger on what has caused it.  The school is quiet, there is no cause for alarm, and yet I am worried.  Do forgive my mood, but I cannot shake the feeling that something has changed.  I believe I shall close this letter now and go to breakfast.  Being with the girls in the morning never fails to settle my nerves.
Your pensive relation,
Charlotte

Dear Cousin,
I told you of the elopement, but the news grows worse by the day.  We now believe it was not an elopement.  Tessa is certain that Lucy did not write the note.  I pray she is wrong, but I begin to fear the worst.  I will know more as soon as I hear from the Lord Stoneville, who has gone north to fetch the colonel.
Your alarmed relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I received your messages about Miss Seton.  Do not blame yourself.  I alone am at fault. I should have realized what Montalvo intended, but I truly thought he meant to make a respectable offer of marriage.  Is it possible it was Miss Seton’s idea to elope?  Perhaps she feared her father would not approve of a Spanish son-in-law.
Your guilty cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
One piece of interesting information has come out of our discussions with Señor Montalvo’s assistant Gaspar.  It appears that Diego Montalvo is a Spanish count!  So perhaps it really was an elopement.  We begin to believe they traveled by sea, possibly to Scotland, though more likely to Spain.  A neighbor saw people boarding a steam packet in the wee hours of the morning on the day in question but was not close enough to confirm it as them.
Your still concerned friend,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I took the liberty of having Mr. Baines speak to Mr. Pritchard about his tenant, only to find that he was as oblivious to the Spaniard’s true purpose as any of us.  What does the colonel say?  Has he arrived in London yet?
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
We expect the colonel any day now, and we hope he will have answers, for he knows his daughter’s mind best.  Still, I beg you to learn everything you can about Señor Montalvo’s character beyond what we already know.  If he proves a scoundrel, then she is ruined for certain.
Your anxious relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
I can learn nothing of Señor Montalvo’s past, but I do not have the same access to foreign affairs as I do to London gossip.  If I were to believe the papers, then he is at once brilliant and foolish, generous and despicable, a great man and a small one.  Which is why I never rely solely on the press for information.
Your cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Though Lucy’s fate still weighs heavily on my mind, I have a new concern.  Mr. Pritchard is actively seeking a tenant for Rockhurst, and some of his choices would make inappropriate neighbors for a girl’s school.  Yesterday, a gentleman surveyed Rockhurst who wishes to convert it into a cricket ground.  Today, Mr. Pritchard took round a man who runs a prison.  Has the man no conscience?  Does he not care what this will do to us?
Your concerned relation,
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
You should assume that Mr. Pritchard has no one’s best interests at heart but his own.  I shall try to counter his tactics, but unfortunately he has a right to do as he pleases with his own property.  Perhaps it is time you consider finding another, better place to locate the school.  This situation will only worsen in time.
Your concerned cousin,
Michael

Dear Cousin,
Move the school?  It has taken me years to adapt this building to my purposes.  How could you even think it?  Or perhaps you have another reason for your appalling suggestion.  Perhaps you are reconsidering our paltry rent. You could gain much higher rents these days.  Perhaps you grow tired of carrying your “cousin.”
Yours sincerely,
An outraged Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Have you so little faith in me after everything we have meant to each other the past few years?  Can you really think I would betray you for a few pounds increase in rent?  You wound me to the heart with such an accusation. And what do you mean by putting “cousin” in quotes?
Your equally outraged cousin,
Michael

Dear “Cousin,”
You know perfectly well why I put “cousin” in quotes.  In the past few years, I have sought out every one of my late husband’s relations.  None has either your knowledge of society or your financial capabilities.  It is long past time that you admit you are not my cousin, by marriage or otherwise.  As for being wounded by my accusations, you wound me far more by continuing to protect your precious privacy while I am fighting for my very future!
Your “relation,”
Charlotte

Dear Charlotte,
Then perhaps it is time I remove myself from your life. I have always ever asked one thing of you—that you accept my condition of anonymity.  If you cannot even grant me that, I fear there is no hope for us continuing our correspondence.
Yours sincerely,
Michael