Page 18 of The Mad Marchams

“How many staff did your grandfather have to run this estate?” she asked as they stopped in the middle of the vast gold and white ballroom. Several buckets dotted the floor, indicating that the flat roof above them had a few holes.

“Not as many as he needed. The rot started after the First World War.” Colin sighed. “After that carnage, no one wanted to work in draughty old English country houses and tug their forelocks to the gentry anymore.”

“I think we started that trend back in 1776,” Mabel said gravely.

He smiled and reached for her hand. “Thanks for being so good about all this.”

“About you being an aristocrat and heir to an earldom?” Mabel looked around the vast, echoing space.

“No, for me not telling you that part when we met.”

“Why would you?” She met his gaze. “I haven’t told you everything about my life yet. We hardly know each other.”

“True.” He drew her against him. “But you did come all the way to England with me for some reason.”

“Your accent?” she teased.

“That’s it?”

She let her gaze drift down his body. “And other things.”

He leaned down and kissed her mouth. “Then I’d better take you back to the dower house so we can continue with those other things before the family solicitor arrives this afternoon and ruins my life.”

CHAPTER FIVE

“Ah, Colin, my dear boy. How are you?”

Edward Deville stuck out his hand and enthusiastically shook Colin’s hand. They were in his father’s extensive library but there was no sign of the earl even though it was now past four o’clock. Colin had left Mabel sleeping in his bed flushed and rosy from her exertions with him. He’d felt far more positive coming into the house. Perhaps her can do nature was rubbing off on him.

“Very well, thanks, and you?”

“Almost ready to retire and leave my business in the very competent hands of my daughter, Olivia.” Edward indicated the woman who was setting up her laptop on the desk. “Olivia? Come and reacquaint yourself with Colin.”

“How could I ever forget him?” Olivia came over carrying her laptop and grinned at Colin. She had blond hair drawn back from her face in an elegant French pleat, brown eyes, and her father’s pleasant smile. “He once pushed me off the top of a stack of hay bales at the home farm.”

“Did I?” Colin grimaced. “I’m terribly sorry about that.”

“Still have the scar on my head to prove it,” Olivia said cheerfully. “Seeing as you spend so much time in America these days, you’d probably be able to advise me. Can I still sue you?”

“Not my area of expertise, unfortunately.” Colin smiled back. “You’re the lawyer.”

“That’s correct.” As her father moved away to open his briefcase Olivia lowered her voice. “And it seems I’m going to be your legal contact for the estate in the near future.”

“That bad, is it?”

“Put it this way. I’ll be surprised if I ever get paid,” Olivia murmured.

Colin groaned and then straightened up as his father came in, leaning heavily on his cane. His hair was striped with grey, and his once luxuriant moustache was a shadow of its former self. He wore his favorite tweed trousers and jacket with leather patches on the elbows, an immaculately starched shirt, and his regimental tie.

“Ah, good you’re all here.” The earl turned to Freddy who had accompanied him into the room. “Off you go now, boy. This has nothing to do with you.”

Even as Colin winced at his father’s dismissive tone, Freddy locked eyes with him, gave him the finger, and turned smartly on his heel.

“Your brother is very pretty,” Olivia murmured.

“Is he? I can’t say I’ve noticed. He’s generally a giant arse around me.”

“He’s probably jealous.” Olivia refreshed her laptop screen. “Although, if he knew what I know, he’d probably be thanking the gods he’s not the heir.”