Lord John :
A private matter
First published 2005
London, 1757. One fine morning in mid-June, John Gray emerges from his gentlemen's club, the Beefsteak, in disarray. Young aristocrat and high-ranking officer of His Britannic Majesty's army, he has just witnessed a scene that could not be more "shocking" ... His efforts to avoid a scandal liable to destroy his family are however interrupted by a more serious affair. still urgent: the Crown charges him with investigating the brutal murder of a comrade in arms, suspected of high treason. Forced to carry out the two investigations simultaneously, Major Gray finds himself caught up in a network of political and sentimental treachery which touches all strata of society ... and threatens everything close to his heart. From the sordid lupanars of the nightlife to the salons of
1757
Ch 1 Learning to deceive. London, June 1757
- John finds out that his cousin's future husband, Joseph Trevelyan has smallpox
- He has lunch with Harry Carry, Amide Hal, and asks her for advice on Stubbs and John visit a widow whose husband, O'Connel, has been killed in a brawl.
Ch 2 The trip to the widow's house.
- Her husband had abandoned her two years ago. He passed 2 days before.
Ch 3 O, when the plots…
- O'Connell was a spy and Hal had him followed by Trevelyan's valet (Jack Byrd) who also disappeared.
- O'Connell may have stolen some very useful documents from the enemy.
- Gray must investigate his death.
Ch 4 Visit of a valet.
- Tom, Byrd's brother offers to help him
- O'Connell received a fatal blow to the head.
- His widow and mistress argue over the body.
Ch 5 Eine Kleine …
- At his mother's house, Gray meets Von Namtzen, from Hanover.
Ch 6 A visit to the convent .
- Quarry takes John to the brothel. He meets Nessie, a young Scottish girl.
Ch 7 Green velvet.
- He learns that Trevelyan comes there several times a month
- Rab the wearer can teach them more.
Ch 8 The chair carrier.
- Rab took Trevelyan to Lavander House, a men's club.
Ch 9 The “Molly” Walk
- In Lavander he learns that Tr meets a mysterious woman.
- He tastes the same wine there as in the brothel.
Ch 10 It's a men's affair.
- John searches for the origin of wine
Ch 11 German red.
- His mother recommends Fraser and company to him
Ch 12 A Spider Appears
- While joining Quarry on a date at Bowles, John bumps into Stappleton, a regular at Lavander House.
- Bowles investigates O'Connell and gives him a letter of authority.
Ch 13 Barber, shave that pig for me!
- Gray finds the origin of the wine drunk at Lavender and brothel.
- A man dressed as a woman (green dress) is found in St Jame's Park.
Ch 14 A promise is broken
- The widow and her new husband are gone.
- John shows Trevelyan a piece of green robe. As the latter escapes, he informs her that he knows about his syphilis.
- Trevelyan denies and Gray gives him 3 days before announcing the breakup of the engagement.
Ch 15 Poison
- Gray shows Von Namtzen the list of people who bought German wine
- He is unwell. He was poisoned with mercury sulfide: Trevelyan!
- John understands that the dead man dressed as a woman is a German, Mayrhofer. His wife is Trevelyan's mistress.
- Trevelyan and Mrs Mayrhofer have gone to sea!
Ch 16 The Pleasure of Lust
- Gray looks for the boat Trevelyan will take
Ch 17 The Instrument of Divine Wisdom
- Gray boards the sailing boat
- Trevelyan has fallen in love with Mrs. Mayrhofer and tricked her husband into telling him about O'Connell's documents.
- Mrs. Mayrhofer is very ill and it was she who killed her husband
- Trevelyan killed O'Connell.
Ch 18 The dice are in God's fingers
- A ship going to England takes Gray on board with Tom and the documents.
Epilogue: London, August 18, 1757
- Von Namtzen requested that Gray be his liaison in Germany. Stubbs asks permission to court Olivia.