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Rebecca handed her soaked handkerchief to Susan and obediently sipped from the cup Mama held to her lips, then she closed her eyes after Mama set the cup back on the tray.
“Come, Susan,” she heard Mama whisper.
“Promise me,” Rebecca said, nearly asleep already. “Promise me, Susan. You must go, and you must tell me everything.”
Susan sighed. “Very well, my dear. For you, I will go.”
Rebecca nodded with relief. Her eyes were heavy, and she could keep them open no longer.
* * *
The following morning, after a barely edible breakfast of toast and tea, which he’d prepared himself, Ben decided it was time to find a cook and housekeeper—even if it was Sunday. He realized he needed a bit more help beyond the stablehand, MacKay, who’d been retained by his great-uncle’s solicitor to care for the few animals that still remained on the property. The house itself had been cleaned, the furniture draped with holland covers, and everything closed up until the new owner arrived to take possession.
Ben had received documents from the solicitor that contained the names of two other people who had been in his great-uncle’s employ before his death. Ben figured it was as good a start as any; he doubted he’d need much more in the way of service than his aged bachelor of a great-uncle had. Ben had never been particularly fussy that way.
He’d opted not to have a valet at university, and he’d given his current valet, Harris, some personal leave so the poor man could visit his family. It was the least Ben could do after Harris had stayed at his side and kept him trimmed and clean and dressed and standing upright for the past year. There had been a few months, especially at the beginning, when Ben would have preferred to have remained isolated, even if his hair and beard would have grown disgustingly long while his personal cleanliness suffered for lack of attention. Harris had at least prevented that much from happening. He had shown himself to be a true friend as well as a faithful valet.
The man had more than earned the two months of leave Ben had given him, along with Ben’s best wishes and a generous bonus.
Ben carried his dirty plate and teacup to the kitchen at the back of the house and set them in the deep sink there, grateful that MacKay had started a small fire in the grate for making tea and had brought a loaf of bread from his own home for Ben’s use, as there was nothing edible in the larder. Ben had eaten supper by himself at the local pub the night before.
Hiring staff was definitely the first thing he should do. And it might take him the better part of the day . . .
He didn’t know what he’d been thinking when he’d said he would call upon Miss Rebecca Jennings today. It had seemed the appropriate thing to say when taking his leave, considering how upset everyone had been at the time and his part in the whole debacle. He hadn’t intended to startle the young lady and felt dreadful that she’d been injured as a result. He himself had been equally startled to see someone traipsing along the far boundary of his property—shouting had been an instinctive reaction on his part.
But the damage was done, and he must make amends somehow. Truly, he needed to see how she fared today.
He sighed and went outside to find MacKay.
As he walked to the stable, he realized the grounds were neatly groomed and there wasn’t a weed to be found in any of the flowerbeds, even though his great-uncle had been deceased for several weeks now. It didn’t take much thought to conclude that the two people on the solicitor’s list, Abraham and Sally Snow, along with MacKay, had continued to perform at least some of their duties after Great-Uncle John’s death. It did them a good deal of credit that they had done so.
Ben found MacKay in the stable, mucking out the stalls, good man.
“Good morning, MacKay,” he said.
MacKay looked up from his work. “Ah, g’day, Mr. Fortescue,” he said, wiping his forearm across his brow. “I hope you’ll excuse me appearance at present. The cattle needed a bit of tending.”
“Completely understood,” Ben replied. “I have been here not even two days, and already I have learned to trust and depend upon you.”
“Thank you for that, sir,” MacKay said.
“In fact, it is a similar subject about which I wished to speak with you,” Ben said. “Great-Uncle John’s solicitor listed the names of a Mr. and Mrs. Snow who were employed here for several years until the time of his passing.”
“Aye, they were, sir,” MacKay said, resting his arms on the shovel handle. “Took good care of him, too, right up to the very end, they did. I’ve known them for many years. Good people.”
It was what Ben had hoped to hear. “I wonder if you’d be willing to invite them to call this afternoon. Say, four o’clock?”
“That shouldn’t be a bother, sir, seein’ as they live in the small cottage on the other side of the stable there. Tucked away into the copse of trees on that side, it is, but Mr. Arnold wanted them near to their employment, didn’t he, so he had the little place built special-like for them.”
Nothing about that had been in the documents from the solicitor, but Ben wasn’t in the frame of mind to concern himself over such things if they’d been loyal servants. “And your own lodgings?” he asked.
“I’ve got me own place just across the road. Not far.”
“Good to know.” Ben nodded in acknowledgment and turned to leave but then stopped. “Sorry, I also meant to ask, Did Great-Uncle John ever require the use of crutches, by chance?”
“As a matter of fact, he did, at that. For a while, at least.”
“Good. You see, the youngest Miss Jennings fell and broke her ankle yesterday. Unfortunately, I startled her when she was crossing the stile between our properties.”
