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Hearing her father acknowledge it must have stirred something deep within him.
I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. What was it with British men and emotions? They were even worse than the men back home.
“That’s a very kind thing to say, Lord Ortham,” I said when it was clear that Xavier was too overwhelmed to speak. “I know we both appreciate it.”
Xavier cleared his throat. “Er—yes. I do.” He blinked. “And for what it’s worth, Bernard, I…considered Lucy like a sister as well. I’m sorry things never worked between Imogene and me, but you understand…”
“Of course.” Lord Ortham offered me a friendly nod. “The matchmaking was more my dear wife’s endeavor. And Henry’s, of course. He was so very determined to strengthen your legacy after you were named heir. More than Rupert, even. Rather like a dog with a bone.”
I frowned. “Why was he so intense about it, do you think?”
Lord Ortham just shrugged. “God knows. Henry always was a bit more intense than Rupert. Quiet, but he loved Kendal. We always joked that he should have been the older brother. He was more suited to being a duke than Rupert ever was.”
The viscount chuckled fondly, like he’d made his own private joke with the two men no longer living.
Xavier grunted, but I could tell he sort of agreed. He always had gotten along better with Henry, who had served as his keeper for so many years. He never said it, but I could tell he missed his uncle dearly. I hoped one day he would find the space to grieve him properly.
“You do look a great deal like him, you know,” Ortham remarked, though he had started swirling his drink again, lost in some memory. “I doubt you hear it often, since you’ve the coloring and that hair from your mother. But it’s in your shape. The shoulders, the way you hold yourself. And those eyes. There were times this year when I thought Rupert himself was looking at me.”
Xavier nodded. “I remember. Henry’s were the same color, too.”
Ortham smiled wistfully to himself while he sloshed the remains of his port. Then he tipped it back and sat up straighter. “Well, with the absurd question of your legitimacy removed, I sincerely hope this means we’ll be seeing you up at Kendal more often. I’m looking forward to when you put your mark on the place.”
Xavier cast me a covert glance, then turned back to Lord Ortham. “Ah, well, that likely won’t be anytime soon, I’m afraid.”
“Planning to move the seat?” Ortham sniffed at the idea. “To London? Or will it be York? That would be a renegade move, to be sure. Hasn’t been done since, what, 1645?”
I smiled. It was cute, actually, that he knew the history of the dukedom since well before his family had ever occupied the area.
Xavier simply made a noncommittal noise that I recognized as him having absolutely no clue and not wanting to admit it. His hand squeezed my shoulder again with some unknown message while he gazed at my belly.
“Actually, no,” he said. “Makes sense for the Kendal seat to remain in Kendal. I just won’t be sitting in it, so to speak. Ces and I will go back to New York for the time being.”
Ortham blinked as though he hadn’t heard correctly. Then, like any well-trained gentleman, he quickly schooled his features into something more nonplussed. “I see. Well, we shall miss you.”
He then picked up a small paper bag he had brought with him and set it on the table. “I see now why Gibson requested that I bring these. He must have known you weren’t to return any time soon.”
Xavier picked up the bag, peeked inside, then handed it to me. I pulled out two more identical journals, which, upon flipping them open, I recognized as written in Henry’s looping hand.
“What are they?” Ortham asked. “I’d never snoop, you know, desperate as I might be.”
I looked up. “Oh, they’re just Henry’s steward journals about the estate. Mostly details about livestock and accounting and stuff like that. I’m planning a research project about them when I return to school.”
“Ah, yes. I was told you are making a study of Kendal and its history, my dear,” Ortham said with approval. “Gibson is quite proud of you, you know.”
I smiled, imagining the stuffy old butler with his deep and abiding pride of Kendal—proud of the uncouth American he’d lectured on my first day there.
“Where did he find these?” I asked. “I went over the entire library making sure I hadn’t missed any. Xavier said he checked Henry’s room and the office too.”
“Henry knew all the best hiding spots,” Ortham said. “He loved a good mystery. He wouldn’t have shown any of us, so Gibson probably found them whilst cleaning or something of the sort.”
I smiled and set the books aside. “Thank you so much. I can’t wait to dive in.”
“Xavier, if you don’t mind me asking, who will oversee things in your stead?” Ortham wondered.
Xavier glanced quickly at me. I nodded.
“Well, it’s something I wanted to ask you,” Xavier said as he sat forward. “I can handle the financial reports from wherever I am, but I’ll need to hire a steward for the actual estate. And have, er, someone I can trust to make sure the steward’s doing right by the land and our businesses around there.”
