Shocked, Christopher looked down at the ledger in his hands. “And they accepted the new terms?”
“They did, and quite quickly. That is why I came to you directly.”
A nervousness settled in his stomach. Mr. Morton had studied at Oxford a few years after Christopher had become faculty. The man was very intelligent as well as observant. “You have bad news.”
“I do.” Mr. Morton pointed to the ledgers. “The former steward helped himself to a substantial amount of what profits there were. When he left, the owner paid his staff one last time and released the tenants from their next rents then fled to America.”
“That was at least three months ago.”
Mr. Morton nodded. “Half the tenants have abandoned their land and moved to London. I do not know the plans of the rest. There are a few staff still living in the house as they search for work. It is a roof over their heads and there is some foodstuffs left from the harvest.”
Christopher set the ledger on top of the others and rose from his chair. “This is not good.” He strode to the fireplace, not sure what to do.
“No, sir, it is not. I did take the liberty to search out the former butler, a Mr. Riley. The man served under the last three owners and is quite dismayed at the condition of the estate when he left.”
Christopher turned at that. “Does he have a position currently?”
“No. He’s living with his daughter and her family. I did inquire if he would be interested in returning if paid, as he appeared to genuinely care about the house.”
Hope rose at the prospect of moving the estate into a better condition, no matter how small. “And what did he say?”
“He said he would. But he did say not to look for the housekeeper, as she was only there three years, and when she wasn’t being paid, she took some silver when Mr. Riley wasn’t looking and left the county.”
Christopher rolled his shoulders, finding what he thought would be an exciting start to a new life as a landed lord suddenly had become daunting. “A housekeeper is probably not my first concern.”
“Sir, if I may?”
“Please. I welcome any thoughts you have.”
“I believe the best recourse is to hire a new steward and the old butler.”
He set his hands on the back of the settee. “I agree, but where am I to find a reliable steward?”
Mr. Morton sat straighter in his chair, if that were possible. “I know someone who is very reliable and trustworthy but still learning the trade. He is being mentored even now, and would welcome the chance to find a position.”
“Who is this person?”
“He’s my younger brother, and I would recommend him highly even if he wasn’t.”
Surprised, Christopher hesitated. “I’m not sure that having a new stewardanda first-time landowner would be the best idea. However, I will consider him if you can also provide me with two other possible stewards.”
“Of course, my lord. I can set up interviews for all three when you are ready. Do you have a time in mind for moving in, or rather visiting the estate?”
That Mr. Morton would suggest that Christopher might not wish to move in at once said a lot about the state of the property. “I am needed here for about a fortnight, but I would like to establish a steward sooner. If you could set up three men to meet with me inthree days’ time, I will travel there to review the premises and meet with them. Also, set a time for me to meet with the butler. I can only stay the one day before returning here.”
Mr. Morton rose. “I will have all ready for you.”
Despite the state of affairs at his new estate, a feeling of excitement filled Christopher. “Good. In the meantime, I will go through these ledgers to learn more about what to expect.”
“If you have any questions about them, sir, I will be happy to answer them. I’ve studied them thoroughly.”
At Mr. Morton’s frown, Christopher had a feeling he wasn’t going to like reading them. “I appreciate the offer. I will see you in three days.”
Mr. Morton gave a quick nod before exiting the room, leaving Christopher to his thoughts.
He stared at the ledgers lying on the table. He’d read his father’s and then his brother’s ledgers many times in the past. They were, in fact, what had given him the idea of owning his own property after learning of his lost legacy. He didn’t want a large estate, just something that could sustain itself. It had taken years of listening, talking, and waiting for the right one to go up for sale. Mr. Morton had done him a great service in saving him money, which he would use to pay his butler and steward, but he couldn’t feel obligated to hire the man’s brother. However, he was open to talking to him. After all, Mr. Morton had shown his own trustworthiness over the years.
He walked around the settee and picked up all three ledgers. He’d read these immediately and then start preparing questions for the plays he’d assigned his students.
