“What?”
“Lord Harrison, you’re now a member of the aristocracy, and as such, you’re expected to take your seat in Parliament. Parliament will reconvene in November, and it’ll be expected for you to present yourself to the Lord Chamberlain within a reasonable amount of time.”
“I see. I hadn’t even thought about that. I know my uncle only went to London when a bill he supported was being voted on.”
“As a new member of Parliament, it would be better if you made an appearance sooner rather than later. You must wear the proper regalia and pay the fees associated with your rank as well.”
“I understand, Mr. Henshaw, but as November is six weeks away, perhaps we can table this discussion for a later time. You’ve given me plenty to think about already.”
As the solicitor prepared to say something else, a knock on the door interrupted him. Noah had never been so relieved to be interrupted. A few minutes’ reprieve from the solicitor’s monotone voice would be a welcome relief. “Come.”
Jerrison opened the door. “My lord, Mr. Walker is here to see you.”
Noah stood up, his spirit soaring at the knowledge that his friend was here. “Please send him in.” He turned to the solicitor. “Mr. Henshaw, thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I’m sure we will have plenty of meetings as I learn the intricacies of running the estate. I’ll be in touch soon.”
The solicitor looked affronted to be dismissed so lightly, but he finally stood. “Very good, Lord Harrison. I’ll be available whenever you have need of me.”
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Henshaw. Jerrison will show you out.”
Miles strode into the study as the solicitor departed with the butler. He immediately went to his friend and embraced Noah. “I was so sorry, my friend, to receive your letter. I came as quickly as I could.”
Noah was eternally grateful for Miles’s friendship. “Thank you for coming, Miles. I feel so lost. My family’s demise has shaken me to my core.”
“I can only imagine. This turn of events was something no one could have predicted.”
“Would you care for a brandy?” Noah asked, stepping back. “I’ve just spent the past two hours listening to the solicitor drone on and on about this and that. I fear I’ll not remember anything he told me.”
“Yes, a brandy would be just the thing at the moment. Don’t worry about trying to absorb everything all at once. Take the time to grieve your cousin and uncle. Your Uncle Charles was one of the kindest men I’ve ever met. Over the years, I’ve watched him run the estate, and he always took great pains to make sure his tenants had everything they needed. I’m sure you’ll carry on his legacy.”
Noah handed Miles the glass of amber liquid. “I know. Uncle Charles was much loved by everyone on the estate. I remember going with him on his tenant visits when I was a child. I shouldn’t be the new lord—that title should have belonged to Aiden. It’s only been five days since the funeral, and I can hardly believe they’re both gone.”
“Come, let’s be comfortable,” Noah said as he walked over to the fireplace with Miles following him. The men took their seats and sipped their brandy, both deep in thought.
Miles had no words of wisdom to offer Noah. How one processed grief was different for each person. “I wish I had something comforting to say, but their deaths were a tragedy no one could have anticipated.”
“I have no idea even where to begin. I never dreamed there would be a need for me to learn estate management.”
“Noah, take a breath. I’m here to help you figure all this out.”
“Thank you, Miles. I couldn’t ask for a better mentor. The solicitor also told me I’ll need to present myself to the Lord Chamberlain once Parliament is back in session.”
“That I can’t help you with, but I’m sure Robertson can advise you on it. At least you’ll have some time before you‘ll need to travel to London.”
“True. I’ll send a note to Robertson, informing him about Uncle Charles’s death, and find out his plans for the coming months.”
“Good. He’ll definitely want to know. By the way, you might be interested to know that I saw Lady Williams recently.”
“You did? How is the lady?.”
“Missing you a great deal. The baron never told her of your visit. She told me she’d very much welcome a visit from you.”
“She said that?”
“She did.”
Noah’s heart did a little flip at the news. He’d thought she was indifferent to him, but Miles’s information made it clear that she wasn’t, although he had no idea when he’d be able to call on her again.
She had sent him a note on the passing of his cousin, and it was a relief to know she was thinking of him, but would she wait for him even if it took him months to call on her again?
