Page 41 of Courting the Vicar’s Daughter

Chapter Fifteen

Harry flew through his work the following morning. Mr. Ellsworth barely kept up as Harry shared his vision for the tenant cottages. “My expert from Warwickshire is arriving this afternoon. He will give the estimate on demolishing the cottages and begin looking for a place to relocate the tenants. While I understand frugality is important, the earl himself trusts this builder. Do not dicker overlong on price. The sooner we agree to the work, the sooner it can begin.”

Harry marked off an item on a list he had made for himself. “Make certain he uses as many local men as possible for different aspects of the projects ahead. Then the money stays in the community.”

“Yes, of course.” Ellsworth closed an account book, glancing askance at Harry. “Mr. Devon, you seem anxious about something. Might I be of some assistance? That is why I am here, after all.”

Harry paused in another notation and glanced up at Ellsworth, trying to conceal his agitation behind a mask of ignorance. “Anxious? Not at all. Everything is going quite well.”

Ellsworth folded his arms over his chest and sat back, fixing his employer with narrowed eyes. “If there is something amiss, I should like to know. Especially if it effects my responsibilities.”

“It does not,” Harry said, then clamped his mouth shut. He had grown distracted and as good as admitted there was something on his mind. “Merely a personal matter.”

“Ah.” Ellsworth considered Harry for a moment, then sat forward and turned his attention back to the papers scattered across his desk. “A lady, then.”

“What?” Harry tried to cover his surprise by clearing his throat. “What makes you say that?”

“Everything. From your recent state of distraction to your sudden overly energetic tackling of projects. If you will excuse me for saying so, Mr. Devon, you are either so lost in thought I must repeat myself to be heard or else working yourself into something of a frenzy. Now that you say it is a personal matter, I know it could only be a lady.” He tapped the nib of his pen against a blank sheet of paper as he spoke. “A family matter would incur less bursts of enthusiasm, a financial matter more focus on the actual accounts.”

Harry’s chuckle came out somewhat stuttered. “You are an observant man, Mr. Ellsworth.”

“Which makes me quite suitable for my post.” Ellsworth raised his eyebrows. “It is Miss Ames, isn’t it?”

Surprise overtook Harry and he dropped backward in his chair. It seemed Ellsworth needed no other confirmation, as he nodded once and went back to his notations.

“Tell me how you guessed,” Harry demanded at last, wondering if he had somehow conveyed to all the world his interest in the vicar’s youngest daughter.

“The consuming interest in donating funds to educational causes was a telling sign.” Ellsworth shook his head, his amusement showing clearly though he kept his eyes on the paper before him. “And you may have mentioned her name a few times this past week as well. I do not believe you have spoken even once of any other young woman in our county.”

Harry supposed that did make him rather transparent. “Then you are less a genius than I am obvious.”

“Perhaps.” Ellsworth pulled the news sheet near, looking through the columns. “But everyone knows the curate is hoping to attach himself to her. You ought not to wait too long to make your feelings known, in case he outpaces you to asking for her hand.”

Harry narrowed his eyes. “The curate? I do not think she even likes him.”

Ellsworth glanced up from the paper, his forehead wrinkling. “Are you certain of that, Mr. Devon?”

“I did not take you for a meddlesome matchmaker,” Harry said, frustration coloring his words.

“I am your steward. I have all your best interests at heart.” Ellsworth smirked and went back to his work without another word.

Continuing the conversation would be futile. Harry had already revealed too much of himself, and the bounds of employer and employee had certainly been crossed beyond salvaging. He stood. “I have some business to attend to, Mr. Ellsworth. I will check in with you again before you go home for the evening.”

“Yes, sir.”

Harry tried to retreat with some dignity, and Ellsworth let him.

The curate. Harry shook his head, brushing aside that worry most soundly. Daisy had been relieved when he rescued her from Mr. Haskett’s conversation. She certainly held no interest for the man.

Then again, the idea of someone else expressing an interest in courtship, in exploring a greater connection to the exquisite Miss Ames, before Harry even had a chance, set his back up.

Something needed to be done. But if he moved too soon, would that ruin everything?

§

Leaves scattered out of Daisy’s way, blown by the breeze and practically racing her to the church. She held one hand to her bonnet while the other clutched a basket full of fresh bread. Cook had baked enough for the vicarage and to supply the curate for at least a week. It fell to Daisy to deliver the food to the bachelor, who usually spent his Fridays overseeing the cleaning of the church.

If Daisy hurried, the women who volunteered to sweep, dust, and polish the pews would still be at their work and she would not be left alone with Mr. Haskett. She burst through the door into the vestibule, the wind putting more force into her entry than she liked. Daisy closed the door behind her and loosed the scarf around her neck and face.