Oh no!Henry recognised the error as soon as the words left his mouth. ‘No! That’s not what I meant. Dapplebury estate, the village at large. I have nothing but the best interests of Dapplebury at heart. To me, they are synonymous.’
‘Speak English!’ Pauline called out.
‘The same,’ Henry corrected. ‘Dapplebury House, the grounds, the wider estate and the village — to me they are one and the same.’
‘All yours for the taking!’
Henry couldn’t see who made the remark, but similar jeers from around the hall followed. Hearing enough, he lifted his palms in front of him, an attempt to stop the heckling and a sign of surrender. ‘I am not here to take anything. Rent increases, along with the sale of some land to the north of the village, are necessary moves to secure the future of Dapplebury, to see it prosper. To secure your homes and livelihoods.’
‘It’s all lies. Your father will be turning in his grave!’
Henry faltered at the comment. As he’d visited his father’s grave earlier, he’d thought how, for the first time in a long time, his father wasn’t wracked with the worry of maintaining his reputation, of the risk of losing the estate, and of leading the family name into financial ruin. He was very much at peace, a peace Henry knew he could have helped him find during his too-short life if only he had returned from America earlier.
‘That’s not fair!’
Henry looked up at the sound of Ava’s voice, and the crowd fell silent as she awkwardly got to her feet. Gino stood to balance her, and Henry noticed the look of thanks she gave him.
‘We all know the village is in trouble. We’ve known it for a long time.’
Henry welcomed the voice of reason. And the fact it came from Ava, after Dermot had revealed his plans too soon, gave him hope.She’ll still listen.
‘I can’t condone Lord Bramlington’s methods, especially not regards the sale of the land housing Critters’ Lodge.’ She looked at him directly, and disgruntled murmurs spread around the hall.
Henry cringed. Hearing her address him so formally cut as much as her wounded expression and sentiment.
‘But you can all rest assured I will fight to save All Critters Great and Small, our rescue centre is the heart of all that we do. We will not roll over. We’ll renegotiate terms, pay higher rent, if that’s what it takes.’
It won’t be enough.Henry knew the pittance paid in monthly rent by the charity for the land Critters’ Lodge was on, and he knew it was unlikely they could afford the premium such a piece of land could command.
‘We’ll do more fundraising. We’ll bring people into the village.’
Ava looked to the stage. Henry felt the penetration of her eyes upon him as she spoke about the work of the charity and the years it had been established. Henry wanted to speak out, to reassure her that his plans included a strategy for safeguarding the future of All Critters Great and Small. Critters’ Lodge was just a building — it was the people and the work they carried out that made the charity what it was. He hoped she would see that. But he knew now was not the time. He needed to speak to her alone; he needed to be sure she would agree, and, what he expected to be the greatest challenge, he needed to get his mother on side with the whole concept without revealing the fact his father had almost led the estate into financial ruin.
‘But, Your Lordship, we need to know if you mean what you say. We need to know you won’t run away when the going gets tough. We need to know you’re here to stay.’
His mind and attention was drawn back to Ava as she addressed him, his title sounding too formal as she spoke it.Henry swallowed. He adjusted his cufflinks, feeling the family crest, as he met her eyes. He could see the fire that blazed behind them, and the determination. She was challenging him. This was the Ava he knew. This was the Ava he had always loved.
‘I am here to stay.’ He spoke the words with conviction and hoped Ava would know he meant them for her.Honesty!At a time when he had so much to keep to himself, honesty was a welcome relief.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Unable to stand, or speak any longer, Ava sat down. She wasn’t sure if the tremble in her muscles was caused by the pain in her ankle, or the fact, in a room full of people, Henry had managed to make her feel that he was speaking directly to her. Pushing her stray curls back from her heated cheeks, she breathed.
On the journey to the village hall, she planned a speech. She wanted him to know she was a force to be reckoned with. All Critters Great and Small had a tenancy agreement with regard to Critters’ Lodge; they had been established on the land in question since demand for their services had outgrown her mum’s cottage. The original stable block on the site had been converted for use and the prefabricated buildings that housed the office and treatment rooms had been added over time. They were not trespassers on Bramlington land. They had rights, and she would fight for them.
But, as she had seen Henry, standing, a man alone while the rest of the village compared him to his late father, her heart had softened. As she spoke, her determination had waned, and the clarity of her convictions blurred. She knew what it was like to live up to a parent who was held in such high esteem, to people who only ever saw the good — the façade presented to and for them. Empathy had a lot to answer for. That, and the glass of whisky Mary had administered to help with the pain in her ankle, were playing havoc with the clarity of her mind.
While others around the hall took up the mantel of asking for promises and reassurances regarding Henry’s commitment to the village, Ava watched. As much as he had always insisted he didn’t want the role that came with his title, there was no doubt that it suited him. Of course, she could still see her Henry, the one she grew up with — who came alive in the grounds of Dapplebury House. But now, there was something more.
While she initially felt sorry for him, as the meeting progressed, it was clear he was taking control. Listening and responding to each of the concerns raised, he was calm and patient, and yet persuasive and strong in his convictions. Perhaps her empathy had been misplaced. While she often felt out of depth trying to live up to her mum’s reputation, it seemed Henry was more suited to his father’s role than she ever imagined. The thought once again reminded her how little she knew him now.
Looking around the hall, she could see the tide of descent was turning in his favour. Even Gino was nodding, and Pauline’s jeers had stopped as Henry spoke of increased revenue for the struggling businesses and the need for affordable housing. With many of those in the hall being parents and grandparents, he was hitting home the point that too many young people had been forced to leave the village in search of homes and jobs.
Ava had to concede, the new Lord Bramlington was persuasive in his comments and . . .bloody handsome in his suit.She shook her head.Damn that whisky!She needed to stay away from such thoughts. She knew she needed to stay focused; she had to remind herself of all that was at stake. Despite the fact she once loved and trusted Henry, he had let her down, not standing up for her against his mother when she had so desperately wanted him to, and she needed to remind herself of that. The charity had to stay paramount in her thoughts and actions. Of course, changes had to be made to save the village, and it was clear from the tone in the room that anger was turning to acquiescence, but it wouldn’t be at the expense of her mother’s legacy. She would see to that.
Ava wasn’t surprised when Henry began to conclude the meeting.Quit while you’re ahead. Why give the dissenters time to regroup?But as the crowd began to stand to leave, theirsituation no different to when they came in but their minds appeased, Mary stood, whistling for their attention.
‘Right, now on to The Brown Dog! Let’s go and make plans. Promises are all well and good but they don’t put food into hungry mouths, or heal the sick and injured.’
