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Amy frowned. ‘What are we to do? You were thinking of inviting our neighbours to a Christmas Eve party. Shall we still be here, or must we look for another home?’
‘Mr Breck insists that we must stay as we are for the moment. He will speak to the earl when he sees him and ask if we may stay on until he is ready to demolish the house.’
‘Who is going to demolish the house?’ Millie asked, coming in at that moment. She had a book in hand, and had obviously been immersed in it until that moment. ‘What are you whispering about? Why does no one ever tell me anything?’
‘The earl is returning to England. He intends to live in London for the moment, but apparently he wishes to pull this house down and build a new one in its place.’
‘He can’t,’ Millie wailed. ‘Oh, I hate him. I’ve just got to like being here. Men are horrid. I wish they would all go to war and get killed so we could live as we please.’
‘Millie! That isn’t nice,’ Selina admonished. ‘The earl is not concerned with us for the time being, so we may carry on as we wish. Mr Breck is coming down next week to have a look at what we’ve done and make a check on a few things I pointed out to him. He may know more of the earl’s intentions then. If he gives us a few months, we shall be able to find a nice cottage somewhere.’
‘It won’t be like living here, in this wonderful old house,’ Millie said and her eyes filled with tears. ‘We shan’t have many books, and there are so many I want to read.’
‘Well, perhaps the earl won’t want to be bothered with this place for a while,’ Selina said hopefully. ‘I should not have come here had I thought this would happen—but it seemed ideal for us. Had we been granted a few months of peace, Amy might have found a husband, and I … well, I might have found something, too.’
‘Don’t worry, dearest,’ Amy said, a gleam in her eyes. ‘I’ll find a husband by Christmas—you see if I don’t. All we have to do is give a few dinner parties and invite all the eligible men and their mothers and sisters.’ She smiled confidently. ‘I might not catch an earl or a lord, but I don’t mind a sir—or even a plain mister if he is rich enough.’
‘No, you must not rush into marriage for our sakes,’ Selina said hastily. ‘Please promise me you will not, dearest. I want you to be happy. Millie and I will manage in a cottage for the time being if we have to—but you must marry well. You were born to shine in society, my love, and I refuse to let you sacrifice yourself for us.’
‘It would not be a sacrifice if he could give me the things I want—and provide a decent home for you.’
‘But you like to mix in good society, and you long for a season. No, Amy, whatever happens I will not have you sacrificing yourself for us. Remember you are not yet twenty and I am your guardian. I shall not allow it.’
‘You would not refuse me if I really wished to marry?’
‘Not if you were in love and the gentleman was suitable,’ Selina said firmly. ‘Do not give up yet, my dears. We owe this placing to Mr Breck, and should we need to move on, I think we can rely on him to help us. We shall simply carry on as before.’
‘My instructions were that you should employ a housekeeper, sir,’ Robert said, glaring down at the lawyer from his superior height. ‘My uncle did not wish for a tenant and neither do I.’
‘You said you would not be returning for some years, my lord. I thought there could be no harm in it since the young ladies were in such desperate straits. They had to leave their home before the builders moved in—and they have taken good care of your property, I assure you. Miss Searles is an excellent manager, and had been helping to care for her father’s estate for the past three years.’
‘I take it she is a spinster of advancing years?’
‘I would not say that, sir—though she is not a very young lady. In her early twenties, I believe. Miss Amy is nearly twenty, and the youngest girl will be thirteen shortly.’ Mr Breck threw him an anxious look. ‘It was my intention to visit them tomorrow and discuss the matter. I have heard of a house that might be suitable, but it will not be vacant until the second week in January. If you could see your way clear to allowing them to stay until then …’
Robert’s expression hardened. ‘You say she is acting as an unpaid housekeeper?’
‘It was an arrangement that I thought suitable, my lord, though I offered remuneration. Miss Searles felt unable to accept a monetary reward. She needed a home quickly and the house was empty. She and her sisters and her servants have moved in—and I’ve had good reports of her. She has already found some things that she thought needed to be brought to my attention regarding the tenants of one of your two farms.’
‘Indeed? What may that be? I should hardly have thought a young, single woman capable of finding something my uncle or his bailiff had missed.’
‘It was to do with a tithe that was payable to the church but had been mistakenly paid to the estate, but it does not, however, show up in the accounts. Also, there was a matter of a lease on some land that had lapsed, and the tenants had been allowed to stay on—if no rent is paid, they could claim the land in another few years. I have already set the matter of a new lease in hand, so you may thank her for it.’
‘Remarkable. One wonders how my uncle’s man of business could have overlooked something of that sort—unless he had good reason?’ Robert said thoughtfully.
‘Precisely. Miss Searles thinks there might be some kind of relationship between the agent and the tenant. Your uncle’s agent left rather abruptly when the earl told him you would be taking over the charge of the estate. I think what Miss Searles uncovered may be the tip of the iceberg, my lord. I daresay your uncle had been cheated for some years.’
‘In that case I cannot put off my visit for as long as I planned. I must go down and poke about—discover just what has been going on.’
‘Will you wish Miss Searles and her family to leave?’
‘No, of course not. I am not a barbarian and nor do I have a heart of stone. I think there are enough rooms for us to share a house for a while. Pay your visit as you planned, Mr Breck—and tell Miss Searles I shall come down in eight days from tomorrow. She may hire some more servants from the village and open up the west wing. I shall move in there with Henry Norton and Jobis. Jobis was my batman in the army, and he looks after me as well as most valets—though I admit he does not understand how to black my boots. I have hired a man to help for my stay in town, but I shall not be taking him with me to the country. Henry, Jobis and my grooms are all I need for the moment.’
‘As you wish, my lord.’
Robert stared out of the office window at the busy London streets. Rather to his surprise, he had found them dirty and less than welcoming after the warmth and beauty of Italy.
‘Before I can think of pulling the house down, I must have plans drawn. If you could furnish me with the name of a good architect, I shall ask him to come down—perhaps stay over Christmas and give me an idea of the cost of a complete rebuild.’
‘Very well, my lord. It is generous of you to agree to my clients staying on in the house for the moment. I shall tell the ladies they can stay until the new house is vacant—which means they can have Christmas where they are. I believe it was Miss Searles’s intention to give a little party for your neighbours.’
‘As I am in official mourning for my uncle, it must not be a large gathering, but I see no reason why she should not have a small one if she wishes—though you did say she is also in mourning?’
‘Yes, my lord. However, she wanted to get to know her neighbours.’
‘Who will not be hers for much longer …’
‘She will not be moving too far. The house I have found is a large farmhouse no more than ten miles from your estate. The owner is settled abroad and the tenancy is for five years—should she wish to take it.’
‘Then she must do as she thinks fit,’ Robert said, and frowned again. ‘The name seems to ring a bell, but I do not recall having met the family.’
‘Her father was Lord Richard Searles, and her mother was a Seymour of the Devon branch—but they were country gentry. I believe they rarely visited London. Lady Searles was often an invalid. Some years ago she paid a few visits to Bath to take the waters, but then her health deteriorated and she stayed at home. Her husband visited London alone sometimes—and that was when he was … unfortunate enough to lose most of his money at the tables.’
‘You say the house was entailed?’
‘It was free of a mortgage, but some of the land was pledged to the bank. Their cousin inherited it, as he is the last of the male line, and he intends to let or sell what is left of the estate.’
‘And he could not be persuaded to allow the ladies to live there?’
‘He claimed they would be better with him—but Miss Searles declined. She feared his intentions towards herself and did not wish to marry him.’
‘She would rather become an unpaid housekeeper than marry respectably?’ Robert’s frown cleared. ‘She sounds an interesting and determined young woman, Mr Breck. Pray tell her she may stay on in the house until next year. I shall not bother her—but she may leave the management of the estate to me. She will continue in the role of unofficial housekeeper. I have no interest in such things.’
‘I am certain she will be grateful, sir,’ Mr Breck said. ‘I cannot tell you how you have relieved my mind.’
‘You exceeded your brief,’ Robert said. ‘It might have been awkward had I returned with a bride.’
‘Your lordship is thinking of marrying?’
‘Perhaps …’ Robert was disinclined to reveal more of his personal plans. ‘For the moment Miss Searles and her family may remain in residence. If she will kindly have the west wing prepared for my arrival, I shall be obliged to her.’
‘Of course, my lord. I am certain she can have no objection to sharing the house with you. It is, of course, your house.’
‘I am glad you have remembered that fact,’ Robert replied with a hint of sarcasm. ‘Might I advise you to follow my instructions to the letter in future?’
‘Yes, my lord. I was wrong, but …’ Mr Breck quailed before his look, feeling chastened. ‘Of course. Just as you say.’
‘No need to look so crushed,’ Robert said, and laughed. ‘Just a friendly word of advice. Had you asked beforehand, I might well have granted your request. I had no thought of visiting the estate while my uncle lived—but it is clearly my duty, and I now understand why he wished me to take charge of it. If there is one thing I cannot tolerate, it is that an elderly man grieving for his lost loved ones should be cheated. If I discover there was more than the customary practice going on, heads will roll …’
‘You must not blame yourself, Mr Breck,’ Selina said, concerned to see how distressed the lawyer looked as he told her the news. ‘You have given us a breathing space—and if the new house is not too far away, any friends we make here will be near enough for us to visit.’
‘I fear the property is nothing like this, Miss Searles. I was so sure you would have this for at least a year or more, which might have given you time—’ He broke off, looking self-conscious. ‘Forgive me, I presume too much.’
‘Not at all, sir. It was my hope that I might see my sister make a good marriage. If she should be fortunate enough to do so, I could leave Millie to her care and take a position in the house of a lady for myself.’
‘You must not think of it, my dear Miss Searles. As a temporary arrangement, it is allowable, but you should be living as a lady—not serving one as a housekeeper or a companion.’
‘I think I may not have much choice. I am past the first flush of my youth, sir. I should have had my season three years ago, or sooner, but circumstances would not allow. Papa still had a little money then, and Mama, too. Now I have no prospects and very little as a dowry. Indeed, what I have may need to be spent to ensure Amy has her chance.’
‘Well, you must not act precipitately,’ he advised. ‘Now, you understand the situation? I am sure you can manage to live under the same roof as the earl for a few weeks.’
‘Yes, that should not prove too difficult,’ Selina said, managing to smile. ‘My offer stands, Mr Breck. If you would care to bring your wife to stay for the Christmas period, we should be glad to have you.’
‘Alas, Mrs Breck has made arrangements for her family to visit us. She is most disappointed, for she is of a romantic turn of mind and would have loved to see this place before … the earl may decide to pull it all down and build a new home for himself and his wife.’
‘He is newly married?’ Selina enquired.
‘Oh, no. I believe he may have it in mind, but I have heard nothing definite. Please do not tell him I mentioned the possibility, for it was merely a chance remark.’
‘I should not dream of it,’ Selina replied. ‘Were I to have continued here as the tenant, I should have asked your wife to visit later in the year, but I fear we must leave as soon as this other house becomes vacant.’
‘Then you will take it?’ Mr Breck looked relieved. ‘I promised your dear mama to do what I could for you, and if I have found a solution to your problems, I am happy.’
Selina refrained from telling him that Lady Searles would be less than pleased with the way things had gone for her beloved daughters. Mr Breck had done his best and they must just make the most of it. At least they would still be here for Christmas. Even if they did have to share the house with its rightful owner.
‘He is here,’ Millie said dramatically as she threw open the parlour door eight days later and entered, carrying a basket of eggs she had fetched from the farm nearest to the estate. ‘I saw his chaise arrive. He has brought a baggage coach weighed down with trunks, boxes and crates. Trent says he has collected some art treasures in Italy, but they are to be stored for the moment—until he builds his new house. So we shall not see what is inside them all.’
‘You must not think of intruding on the earl’s privacy,’ Selina told her sister. ‘Just because you can walk into the west wing unheeded, you must not take advantage. The earl is entitled to expect common courtesy from us—all of us. If we wish to speak with him, we shall either send a message by Trent, asking for the favour of an interview, or we shall go to the side door and ring the bell, just as if we were paying a visit to one of our neighbours.’
Millie’s mouth set in a mutinous line. ‘The library is between the two wings. I do hope he will not ban us from using it. I shall simply die if I cannot read more of those wonderful books.’
‘When he has had time to settle in, he may—’ Selina had been going to say he might pay a courtesy call, but at that moment Trent entered the parlour, looking a little flustered.
‘Forgive me, ma’am,’ he said. ‘The earl has just arrived, and he asks that you attend him in the library.’
‘There you are,’ Millie wailed. ‘I knew he would say it was his. It will be just like Cousin Joshua all over again.’
‘It is not the same at all,’ Selina replied, sounding calmer than she felt. She smoothed her skirts, then patted her hair, tucking a wisp behind her ear. She had dragged it back into a tight knot at her nape, hoping it made her look older. ‘I shall come at once, Trent.’
She left her sisters whispering together and walked in a measured pace toward the library. Because Millie loved it so much, she had allowed her sister to have some comfortable chairs installed, rather than the hard sofas which had been there previously, and a fire would have been lit that morning, as it was every day. Reaching the door, she knocked and then entered.
Two men were standing before the fire. As they turned to face her, her heart caught with sudden pain. She knew one of them immediately, and the shock held her as if she had turned to stone. He had changed, but she recognised him for the dashing captain who’d kissed her on the eve of his departure for Spain. How could it be? She had thought never to see him again, but here he was—yet who was he, exactly? Could he be the Earl Banford?
‘Good morning, gentlemen,’ she said, and dipped in a slight curtsey. Her heart was racing wildly, and she felt as if she might faint, but she held her raging emotions on a tight rein. ‘I am Miss Searles—Miss Selina Searles. My sisters are Miss Amy and Miss Millicent.’
‘Miss Searles.’ The man with a scarred cheek inclined his head. ‘Henry Norton at your service. I am secretary to Earl Banford—or, as he prefers to be called, Captain Moorcroft.’
‘And also my friend,’ the slightly taller of the two said, with a wry look at his companion. ‘Nor and I saw service together. He takes care of all the tedious business for me and I tolerate his company. I have not yet seen much of the house, but I must congratulate you on the difference you’ve made to this room, Miss Searles.’
Selina caught her breath. As soon as he spoke, all the memories came rushing back, threatening to overcome her. His smile was just the same, but the years had aged him, taking that bright youth and enthusiasm from his face. His eyes were different, shadowed, as if he had seen too much sorrow and pain—as of course he must have, for she’d heard tales of the harshness of war, though she could have no idea of what these two men had suffered. Mr Norton’s face bore a terrible scar from his left eye to his chin, and she noticed that he walked with a limp, and his left hand was covered with a glove. She guessed that it had sustained an injury that he did not wish to reveal to the world.
‘I am glad you have no objection to my changes, my lord,’ Selina said, keeping her cool smile in place. ‘My youngest sister is a great reader and loves to spend much of her time here. I realise that you may wish to make the library your own, but perhaps she may continue to borrow the books?’
The earl hesitated, then inclined his head stiffly. ‘I, too, enjoy reading. I daresay we may come to some arrangement—providing she is quiet when I’m working on estate matters.’
‘I assure you she will be as quiet as a mouse. Once she has her nose in a book, it takes a Herculean effort to get her out of it.’
‘A true reader,’ Henry Norton said with a smile. ‘I shall look forward to meeting the young lady. Now I shall leave you, Robert. I daresay you wish to be private with Miss Searles. I know you have things to discuss.’
‘You do not have to leave,’ the earl said, but his friend merely smiled at Selina and went out.
The earl stared at her in brooding silence for a moment or two, then, ‘I am sorry if my arrival has made things awkward for you, Miss Searles. I had no intention of coming down yet, but Mr Breck seems to think you have uncovered evidence of my uncle being cheated?’
‘Yes, that is so,’ Selina agreed. ‘I am sure it was the case. The agent who was almost certainly behind most of it has left, but I think there may be more serious offences than I have yet had time to uncover. I have not delved too far, because I was not certain how you would feel about a woman prying into your affairs.’
‘I would normally resent anyone prying,’ he said, with a mocking lift of his eyebrow. ‘However, in this case I can only thank you for the service you have rendered me. I shall ask you to show me the evidence another day—perhaps tomorrow morning if you are not too busy? After that you may leave the estate accounts to me.’
‘Certainly, my lord,’ Selina said, her head up as she met his hard gaze. ‘I was merely trying to save Mr Breck too many trips down here—and to pay for my accommodation.’
‘I think you may consider your rent paid,’ the earl replied, still with that faintly sardonic smile on his lips. ‘As I said, I may not have seen much of the house yet, but what I have seen is a credit to you. Trent told me that you and your own servants are responsible for most of it?’
‘I have hired two maids to clean and serve in your wing, my lord. Also a former footman asked to return when he heard you were intending to take up residence. I told him he must come to you, and I believe he intends to wait on you tomorrow. I did not wish to presume too much, my lord.’
‘For goodness’ sake, call me Moorcroft—or sir,’ the earl said a trifle impatiently. ‘Until recently I was Captain Moorcroft of the Fifth Cavalry, and to be honest, I preferred it that way.’
‘As you wish, my … sir.’ Selina felt the heat in her cheeks. Just for a moment she’d glimpsed the man who had stolen her young heart, but he had disappeared again almost at once. ‘I daresay you did not wish for the bother of an estate like this. My father always said that large houses like this were more trouble than they were worth—but of course his estate was nothing like this must once have been.’
‘My uncle was in mourning for a long time. He let everything slide, and some of the land was lost to bad debt—and perhaps malpractice, as you have already seen.’
‘Yes, I imagine it must have been that way.’ Selina lifted her eyes to his. ‘If you would care to inspect our wing later this evening, I shall be delighted to show you.’
‘I shall visit if you invite me, but it isn’t a case of inspecting. Your wing is your home until you are ready to move, Miss Searles.’
‘You are very generous.’ Selina blinked back the stupid tears that hovered behind her eyes. She might have known he would not remember her. Just as he had changed, so had she. They had both been young and eager that night, but life had taken its toll, and they were now very different people. ‘I have warned Millie she must not intrude on you. I fear she has been in the habit of going wherever she pleases. My sisters are both delighted with the house, sir. They adore the minstrels’ gallery and the priest holes.’
‘Yes, I remember seeing them for the first time as a young boy—before things changed.’ His mouth drew into a thin line. ‘I believe my uncle suffered more tragedy than any man should in losing his wife and sons to the same malady. At the time I did not understand why his house was like a mausoleum, but I have since learned what it is to lose those you love.’
‘Yes, I believe it must have been terrible at times out there during the war. We heard tales, of course, but it is difficult to imagine what went on.’
‘You should not try, Miss Searles. Believe me, you do not wish to know.’
For a moment there was such horror and grief in his eyes that she was shocked. She felt cold all over and her spine prickled. What could have happened to him to make him look like that?
‘I believe I have nothing more to say for the moment,’ he said. ‘I should like to rest. Trent has offered me refreshment—but I understand the cook is employed by you?’
‘Yes, she came with me—together with my mother’s maids and my groom. The other servants are, of course, in your employ. However, since they all work together, I believe we may share their services. You do not have a dining parlour in your wing, so perhaps you will dine with us this evening?’
‘Yes, that may be for the best. I shall have to make other arrangements after you leave or perhaps before. Excuse me now, Miss Searles. I have work to do.’
