As luck would have it, it appeared that Fred's father, James Thorpe, was quite well acquainted with Eleanor's father. Joshua Farnham was, he said, a very good barrister, much admired and respected in the City. For Fred this revelation was very good news. A few days after this conversation and while they were all seated at dinner one evening, Fred asked his mother if she would like to pay Miss Farnham a call on Tuesday next.
'I'll take you there and bring you back, Mama. The young lady asked if you would call and take tea with her. Weren't you a friend of her mother's?'
This was a crafty shot in the dark but to his amazement Beatrice replied, 'Oh, yes, Maria Farnham. Not a friend exactly, but I did meet her a few times while she was alive. She seemed a pleasant, clever sort of woman but
