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What news?Lila wanted to shout.
Garrett calmly began to serve lunch while Beck drummed his fingers on the table. He turned his frown to Lila. “As I’m sure you’ve gathered, I’ve had some rather distressing news.”
“Your sister is well?”
“Yes, of course, nothing like that. It’s the abbey. It might not be a possibility after all.”
“Oh. Why not?”
“Because it has just been sold to an Irishman who means to build a woolen mill there. He intends to raze the abbey.”
“Ohno,” Lila said. “But everyone seems to agree it’s perfect for the school.”
“It is absolutely perfect. I’m as distressed as you are, Lila. I mean to see if I can stop it, but I doubt I’ll be able to. But it is the circumstances of the sale that have made me so bloody angry.”
She glanced at Blythe, who looked disgusted by something. “Why?”
“I have learned who the owner of the abbey was, prior to Monday when the sale was made.”
“Someone you know, I take it?”
Beck fixed his gaze on her. “It was Marley.”
“Pardon?” Lila asked. “TheDukeof Marley?OurMarley?”
“Our Marely, Lila—the very one. He is—hewas—the owner of the abbey.”
Lila frowned. “But he never said so! Here, at your dining table, with all the talk of the abbey, he never mentioned he owned it.”
“Indeed, he did not, and that is a terrible disappointment,” Beck said. “I would expect more from him. I mean to speak to him about it.”
“Oh, darling,” Blythe said. “Do you think you ought? I wouldn’t want there to be any discord between us.”
“I don’t care if there is. What he’s done is abominable.”
“What will you do?” Blythe asked.
“I don’t know,” Beck said. “Appeal to him. Demand an explanation. Garrett, where is the meat?”
The butler moved to a platter of roast beef on the sideboard. He served Beck first, then Blythe. But Lila waved him off before he could serve her and stood.
“What’s the matter?” Beck asked.
“I’m afraid I’ve lost my appetite,” Lila said.
Beck blinked. “That’s not like you.”
“Very true, my lord. But I find my stomach has turned. Please excuse me.” She strode to the door and went out before anyone could utter a word.
Suddenly, everything felt as if it was falling apart, and now, she wouldn’t have her lunch. As if this day could get worse.
And yet, she would soon discover that it could.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
JOSHUAHADN’TBEENsleeping much, and what he’d lost in sleep, he’d made up in drink. But there wasn’t enough ale in the world to fill the void in him. He was disgusted with himself. He couldn’t make sense of his conflicting emotions, about Amelia, about children, about his life. So he chopped wood. He swung the axe over and over again, and with each strike, he let out a primal roar.
That’s where Miles found him. He made him put down the axe. He pointed out that Joshua’s shirt was soaked through and his hands were bleeding. Joshua glanced down, surprised by the open blisters. He hadn’t felt them. Miles took a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around Joshua’s hand. “You have to stop this madness. You realize that, don’t you? Come, let’s have some whisky and clean this up.”
