Page 31 of The Mad Marchams

Colin started to feel slightly depressed as his hosts merrily chuckled away.

“This place looks amazing now,” Mabel said politely from beside him. “But it would be really helpful if you could share what you chose to work on first so that Colin has some idea where to start.”

“That’s a wonderful idea.” Frizzy smiled warmly. “Well, it all started in the attics.” She rose to her feet. “Would you like to come upstairs and see what we had to deal with in the roof space?”

“I suddenly remembered who Frizzy’s father is,” Colin remarked as they drove back down the drive through the setting sun.

“Who?”

“He owns one of the premier league football clubs and is a bazillionaire. Made his money in beer and then moved onto investing.”

“Ha! Then comparing their situation to yours isn’t fair,” Mabel said.

“It certainly is not,” Colin agreed. “No wonder bloody Bumpy just has to hold out his hand and money pours into it.”

“They were very nice. And their kids are adorable.”

“Yes, they are.” Colin sighed as he negotiated the turn out of the gates. “I’m just being crabby. I don’t suppose you know any footballers back in California?”

To his surprise she didn’t laugh or answer him immediately.

“You do?” Colin asked. “And you just don’t want to share their names with me in case I bankrupt them? Very wise of you, Howard.”

“I know a couple of players who invest in tech companies.” She hesitated. “And I do know some good venture capitalists, but I’m not sure if they’d be willing to invest in an English country estate.”

He patted her knee. “It’s okay. I was only joking. Bumpy did have some good ideas to share amongst all that deluge of available funding. I don’t regret hearing what he had to say, and I don’t really expect you to come up with the funding for my family home.”

“I could⁠—”

He spoke over her. “No, you couldn’t. This is my problem and it’s up to me to fix it. I’ll start contacting the various conservation charities tomorrow and see where we stand. I’ll also put on my best suit and pay a visit to our bank in London.”

“Why do you have to go all the way to London? Don’t they do online banking?”

“Not these guys, and not for this kind of serious money loan.” Colin stopped at the crossroads and peered up at the sign. “Left or right?”

“How the heck would I know, Collywollykins?” Mabel asked.

Colin made an executive decision. “Let’s go left and if we get lost, we can find a pub, have dinner, get our bearings, and find our way home later.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

“I’m going down to London tomorrow to see the bank,” Colin told his father who was propped up against his pillows in bed enjoying a late supper. “I’m hoping they’ll at least give us a loan to redo the roof.”

His father frowned. “They damn well should. They’ve made enough money out of this family over the centuries to trust us to pay it back.” His knotted hands shifted against the sheets. “Edward said you are doing quite well with everything.”

“That’s good to hear,” Colin said lightly, almost reeling from what was close to high praise from his father. “Although I did tell everyone not to bother you about the annoying details while you weren’t feeling up to it.”

“Fat chance of that.” The earl gave a short bark of laughter. “Ever since you arrived, I’ve been inundated with notes and visits from the family about your callous treatment of them.”

“Because I’ve asked them to make a contribution to the place that has given them a home, no questions asked, for years?” Colin raised his eyebrows. “We can no longer afford to pay for everything, and the sooner they get that idea into their heads the better.”

“I don’t disagree with you, Colin. I should have done something of this nature years ago when I first inherited from my father.” The earl sighed. “I fear I was too busy holding things together and dealing with the women in my life to have time to consider all the leaks in the sieve.”

Colin privately resolved to tell Bartle, his father’s valet, not to let anymore notes or people through the door. His father looked exhausted enough as it was.

“I understand your American is still here.”

“Yes, and she’s been amazingly helpful.” Colin nodded. “All that American positivity and can-do spirit has started to rub off on me.”