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‘Is that what I do?’ Alex wryly enquired. ‘I apologise in that case.’
‘And not before time,’ Elise returned, but her tone held a hint of levity. ‘Pax?’ she ventured appealingly.
‘Pax,’ Alex agreed. ‘Now that’s over with, what else were you about to say to me?’
‘I’m sorry if you thought me rude earlier. I meant no offence; it is just unusual to hear of a gentleman acting as a labourer.’
‘Has your father never used tools or mended things?’
‘Oh yes...’ Elise chuckled. ‘A few years ago when he had better health he would from necessity make economies and do odd jobs around the house. He loved his gardening, too. I would scold him often for coming to the table with soil beneath his fingernails...’ Elise frowned, suddenly wishing that the conversation hadn’t turned in that direction. ‘It must be a worry to you that the measles is infecting people close to your home.’ She fluidly changed the subject. ‘It is a nasty disease. Both Bea and I had it when quite young.’
‘I also had a dose as a child,’ Alex said. ‘Perhaps I was lucky, but I don’t recall being much put out by it.’ He frowned. ‘Yet one family has lost two children out of six and the parents are both afflicted.’
‘How dreadful!’ Elise gasped. ‘Is the doctor of no help? Can such country folk not afford to pay for his care?’
‘He has been regularly in attendance and done what he can for everybody...I made sure of it. A woman from the village is going in to help out with the everyday needs of people worst affected.’
Elise guessed he might have paid for the woman’s generosity and the physician’s visits, too. ‘You are a good landlord and employer?’ she asked simply, wanting to know he was a benevolent man.
‘I hope so...I try to be.’ Alex plunged his hands into his pockets. ‘The matter I wished to discuss with you concerns your family.’
Dejectedly, Elise realised he hadn’t been put off for long in pursuing the subject that really interested him and her admiration for his philanthropy withered a little. She was conscious of deep-brown eyes warming the top of her head and knew he was gauging her reaction to his blunt announcement.
‘I imagine you have heard that my parents had their problems before my mother died,’ Elise began coolly. ‘You might also have heard gossip about a scandal concerning my father’s business. I’ve no wish to revisit any of it, so please do not press me to do so.’
‘I’ve no desire to hurt you by talking about distressing topics,’ Alex returned quietly. ‘I have brought up the matter because I would like your advice on something.’
Elise frowned, her interest quickening. ‘Something that concerns my family?’
‘Yes...’ Alex indicated a bench set beneath a canopy of branches. ‘Shall we sit down while we talk?’
Elise allowed him to lead her to the seat.
After a quiet moment Alex leaned forwards to plant his elbows on his knees and gaze into the distance. ‘Some days ago I had a meeting with my attorney. He gave me a letter bequeathed to me by my late uncle. In it he made mention of members of your family.’ Alex turned to look at her. ‘Tell me...did you know my uncle, Thomas Venner?’
Elise repeated the name in a murmur, looking reflective. ‘I don’t think so. Was he a friend of my father’s?’
‘No...more a friend of your mother’s, I gather.’
Elise’s puzzlement transformed to an expression of wariness. She glanced at his face, noticing there was a softening to his mouth as though pity moulded it. ‘Are you about to tell me they were romantically involved?’ Elise whispered.
Alex pressed his spine back against the wooden bench, let an arm unfold along its top rail. ‘It seems they were. I was abroad serving in the army at the time, so have no personal knowledge of any of it.’ He paused, pursing his lips thoughtfully. ‘I have spoken to my mother. She recalls what went on between our kin many years ago. Her brother seems to have had the affair still on his conscience when he died.’ Alex glanced sideways at Elise to find her watching him intently. ‘He has written out a list of his creditors and included in it that he owes your father a wife and a sum of money. For reasons only known to him he expects me to make reparation for that sin.’
