A/N - Apologies for the slow updates. usually I am far faster than this but I have had a busy time at work. Also I am struggling to get the next few chapters right. Anyway. I shall post a couple now and hopefully a couple later. Thanks to the people following/favouriting and as always my reviewers.

I know this story isn't as smooth as most stories out there. That was the challenge. tbh I expected much more people to have problems with it! :)

Chapter 25

"Hello?" Elizabeth called as she walked through the doors of Rose cottage

Mrs Tinder appeared from the kitchen.

"Good morning Mrs Elizabeth, you are back earlier than I expected, we received the note sent from the house last evening"

"Yes, quite the downpour. I did not wish to wait for the family to arise today. I had trespassed on their hospitality too long." She had left a note for both Georgiana and Jane expressing her gratitude and taking her leave, citing a wish not to wake them or request the carriage.

"Is my husband still a bed?"

"Not sure ma'am, he did not make it home yesterday either"

"Did he send a note?"

"No ma'am"

Elizabeth decided to break her fast before changing for the day. She had some errands to run in the village and was to call in on her friends that she had made.

When she walked out of the bookstore she spotted Mr Wickham coming out of a house. She was just about to call out and wave when she saw a lady, not fully dressed, lean out of an upstairs window and blow a kiss at him. He chuckled and waved back before turning and walking up the street away from her. She ducked back in the bookstore in case he turned and spotted her.

"Elizabeth? Back so soon?" Mrs Claymore laughed, "even you cannot have finished that book already"

Elizabeth forced a smile "no indeed, I uh, forgot something"

Mr and Mrs Claymore had run the bookstore in Lambton for ten years. Mr Claymore, senior, had passed the running of the store on to his son and new wife on their marriage and had become involved in binding the books more than selling. On her arrival in Lambton, Elizabeth had found that the Claymores were the first to warm up to the intelligent well-read woman sporting the name Wickham.

Mrs Claymore enjoyed her company and they took tea often. Elizabeth had found a good friend and had also been offered some slight employment. Mr Claymore had noted her penmanship when she had written a note to his wife and had enquired if she was interested in scribing books for some local writers. The pay was reasonable but the work was sporadic, not exactly a regular income. Elizabeth had jumped at the chance to earn a little more but had not told her husband about it as of yet. She was not sure how he would react.

Thus, Elizabeth and Abigail claymore had become close and she could see her friend was distressed.

"Mr Claymore, tend the store, Mrs. Wickham and I are in need of a visit"

She hurried the younger lady to the back room and bustled making tea.

"Now dear, what has caused that look upon your face?"

Elizabeth looked up with tears in her eyes "I am not sure what I just saw, there must be some explanation"

"Well if you tell me what you saw I am sure I can help explain?"

She explained

"Ah" Mrs claymore looked grim "which house?"

"Uh across the street and up a ways, next to the White's abode"

"Yes dear, I know the one"

"Who's is it? I don't believe I've been introduced"

"That'd be Ms Scarlett's"

Elizabeth gasped, she had heard of the local loose lady. Widowed young she made her living selling favours.

"No that cannot be"

The older woman came around and put a comforting arm around Elizabeth.

"I am sorry my dear. So early in your marriage to be finding out such truths, tis the way of some men "

"Is there any other explanation? Maybe he just needed shelter?"

"I am sorry dear. But men only visit that address for one reason."

Elizabeth was quite unsure how to think on this. Why would her husband, of a mere three months, feel the need to visit a woman of loose morals? Had she lost his interest already? Was she so deceived in him that she hadn't noticed he was a rake? Her opinion had been slowly changing for so long, but even this idea was a shock. She did not know how to act.