The duchess claimed it was a matter of happenstance. Thetonwas fickle, and some stories grew without merit while others faded though they be far more significant. Mr. Vance was discussed because he was a favorite of various hostesses who appreciated his good humor and willingness to reliably turn up and dance all evening.
The speculations were many and varied. One heard he’d gone to Germany as he owned an estate there. Another heard he’d gone to America to grow tobacco. Another heard he’d been spotted in Ramsgate, while still another said no, it had been Eastbourne. Worst of all, it was widely rumored that a lady had thrown him over and he was nursing his wounds in a remote location. She had not heard whether her name had been mentioned in association with that idea.
Isabel prayed he’d only gone to the assistance of a relation who had summoned him.
Wherever he went, she felt on edge about it.
*
Harry had beensurprised by how quickly the estate was in hand. Of course, there was a long way to go to secure the future of it, but plans had been set in motion. It was on the right road and need only continue going forward.
Mr. Browning had been lured away from his ill-favored new viscount, and Mrs. Redman had come with him as the new cook. Mr. Browning had announced his intention of marrying the lady and refused to budge unless they were suitably accommodated. Rooms for such an arrangement were located and prepared, with a cottage to be built in future.
Those two reliable people, along with Bertridge, the ever-outraged Lady Easton, and the indefatigable Bemmy, had set balls rolling in every direction.
Wood was cut, laborers were hired for the fields, the beginnings of a dairy were going up, grooms employed, the stables were repaired, and more horses and a carriage brought in.
Lady Easton confronted the clocks and their sadly out of time states and then turned her attention to every corner of the house. Maids swept through the rooms with brooms, mops and pails, Lady Easton ever driving them forward. Linen was laundered and aired. What was left of the silver was cleaned. Every stick of furniture was polished.
Footmen were hired and put in suitable livery. A butler had been advertised for while Rogers had taken to sitting out in a back garden in the sun, having been told his retirement was secured.
As for the earl himself, he had gone through various shades of temper in finding his house invaded and his habits upended. He had made several attempts to throw everybody from the premises, though his less than articulate speech had not assisted him in the effort.
“You. Terrible person. Go,now,” he’d shouted at Bemmy.
For his trouble, he’d only got a smile and the cheeky response of “Do not be such a goose, Lord Somerdon.”
The steward took the earl’s tempers in stride and said things like, “We can’t havethat, now can we?”
Lady Easton was perhaps the most frightening to Lord Somerdon. Whenever he attempted a complaint within her earshot, he was told in no uncertain terms that she would not soon forget the state of his clocks. She accused the earl of keeping time by looking at the sun and hazarding a guess as if he were some sort of caveperson.
The earl, finding himself helpless against so many determined people, took to sulking and refusing to eat. This did not last long, as the earl’s character was not built for such self-discipline. One breakfast come and gone had cured him of it.
Finally, Lord Somerdon was resigned to what was happening around him. Harry found him much easier to manage in such a state and had begun to instruct him on how to actually get his thoughts out of his mouth. He had become convinced that there was not a thing wrong with the earl that prevented it, other than exceedingly lazy habits.
Just now, they were in the breakfast room, that place now sparkling from vinegar and water applied with a scrub brush. Lord Somerdon said, “Rogers. Retired now, don’t you know.Here?”
“My lord,” Harry said, “that is just what I’ve been pointing out to you. There are a lot of words missing in those expressions. Try again.”
The earl stared off into the room as if he might find those missing words floating in the air. He cleared his throat and said, “Rogers.Heretiredhere?”
“Excellent effort, and no he does not. He will go to my estate in Cornwall and take an empty cottage there. I will pay his pension.”
“You?Why?”
“Try again.”
“Whyyou?”
“Close enough,” Harry said. “I have every intention of marrying your daughter, therefore, I feel it my duty to care for your people, as you are not yet up to it.”
“Her married. To you?Why?”
“Why? Because I love her, that iswhy,” Harry said. “Though it has been necessary to get this house in order first. Do you not see what has happened? She’s grown up in poverty and squalor and with the estate entailed what will she be left with? She has no dowry and nothing to fall back on. When you die, what is she to do? Become a governess or companion to a rich relative? Because of this, she believes that if she does not choose the safest course she will have doomed herself.”
“Entailed? Stupid idea, don’t you know.” the earl said.
Harry was caught up short. Of all that could have been examined in his speech, the earl had taken up the mention of an entail. “What did you say?”
