“Not in the least,” he answered.
“And, if I recall, you also said the last Lady Day audit was in order. Are you sure?”
“Of course, I’m sure.” His words had come out harsher than he’d intended.
“Anderson has been with the estate…how long?”
Damnation. He hadn’t the time for this conversation now. “Since before I was born. And his father before him.”
“A family with deep roots in the community, then. Mrs. Townsend mentioned a daughter. Does he have a son? Anyone to carry on the tradition?”
“Ah…no. There is no one.”
A tiny crease appeared between her brows. Yes, he knew his answer had been evasive.
“The Wexfords are expecting us,” he reminded. This was not a time for confessions and explanations. “Are you close to choosing a necklace?”
“This one.” She held out the necklace with the cross. “Will you help me with the clasp?”
Harbury rose from the bed while Mercy snorted his displeasure at having been abandoned. He caught up the necklace. The chain felt thin and fragile in his hand.
“The other day Mrs. Townsend told me prices have been down.”
The necklace fell from his suddenly clumsy fingers. “Did she?” After locating the chain at her feet, he glanced up. “When?”
Her lids lowered. “Following the war.”
He turned down his lips. Ten to one, her misunderstanding of his question had been deliberate.
“I’ve been thinking,” she continued. “One way to alleviate some of the hardship would be to delay rent collection from Michaelmas to Christmas, or even Lady Day. Better still, to give further reductions based on any documented improvements made by the leaseholderover the winter months.”
He stared at her in astonishment.
“Estate income would be down, of course,” she continued, “but we could economize…” Her voice trailed.
She’d been doing far deeper analysis than light contemplation. She’d come up with a plan similar to the one he’d been contemplating, the one based on Townsend’s information.
Coincidence?
Unlikely.
She kept an expectant gaze on him as he rose. “The tenants would then be secure in the knowledge they can count on fair treatment during challenging times,” she added.
“You said your interest in attending tea with Mrs. Townsend was because of your fascination with her fenugreek.”
“Iaminterested in her fenugreek.” She shifted her hands in her lap, folding one atop the other and then reversing their positions. “I am also interested in her concerns. Inyourconcerns. We ladies are equally aware of troubles. You men give us ladies much less credit than we deserve.”
“Apparently!”
“Don’t be angry.” She reached out. “Allies, remember?”
“Allies share strategy,” he pointed out. “They don’t sneak around behind each other’s backs.”
“Allies”—she raised her chin—“don’t dismiss each other’s concerns, either.”
“Ihave notdismissed your concerns.”
“You are doing so right now.”
