he turned to help elizabeth , whom he 'd never met , down from the coach while continuing to summarize the prosecutors ' tactics to the duchess : `` as an explanation for the rumors that lady thornton was seen at an inn and a posting house with an unknown man , the prosecutors are implying that kensington hired a young couple to impersonate her and an alleged lover-an implication that sounds very plausible , since it was a long time before she was supposedly traced , and an equally long time before the jeweler came forward to give his statement .