Why had he not presented himself properly? She did not seem the kind of woman to be overawed by his rank and title. Whatever her situation was now, she had been raised a gentlewoman, if not a lady, otherwise she would not have been so top-lofty or put so much store on an introduction. Was it too late to retrieve the situation? And why did he want to? He could ask others his questions, as she had suggested; she had already given him an idea of what questions to ask. So why did he feel as if he could not let her go?
He watched the crocodile out of sight, but instead of going back to the blacksmiths, he followed, keeping far enough back not to be seen, laughing at himself for his folly while he did it.
They stopped at several of the cottages and he was obliged to conceal himself behind trees while she saw her pupils safely indoors, one by one, until there was only her own two daughters with her. Then she walked more briskly until she turned into the gates of Easterley Manor. He did not venture there, but stood thoughtfully tapping his boot with the riding crop he had been carrying when he spoke to her, then turned on his heel and went back to the village.
As she turned the bend in the drive, Charlotte saw Mr Hardacres carriage coming towards her on its way out. She had missed him and it was all the fault of that supercilious stranger for delaying her. She stood to one side as it went to pass her, lifting her hand towards the occupant. He was looking grim and for a moment she did not think he would even acknowledge her. The interview with his client had evidently not gone well. She went to move on, when she realised the carriage was drawing to a stop. Turning, she retraced her steps as his head poked out of the door. He had removed his hat, revealing a shock of white hair. Lady Hobart, good day to you. Miss Elizabeth, Miss Frances, how you do grow!
They each gave a little curtsy and stood waiting while their mother went to speak to him.
Mr Hardacre, I am glad you stopped. I would be glad of your advice.
Anything I can do for you, I will, my lady. Do you wish me to return to the house?
She smiled, realising he was reluctant to do so. No, there is no need for his lordship to know I have consulted you.
Oh. He paused. But you know Lord Hobart is my client, I can do nothing against his interests.
I am aware of that. It is not about Lord Hobart. At least, only in as much as his arrival has presented me with a problem. She spoke warily, wondering how much he knew or could guess. But I am afraid I cannot come to London to consult you.
I see. Then I shall put up at the Dog and Fox for the night and return tomorrow.
I would rather you did not come back here. Could we meet in the church? It is a public place, but quiet in the middle of the week.
Very well. At ten oclock, if that is convenient.
It was like a secret assignation and they both smiled at the idea. He was elderly and had served the Hobart family for several decades and his father before him; she was a relatively young widow and still very handsome. Ten oclock will suit me very well. She stood back as he rapped on the roof to tell his driver to proceed, and the coach rolled away.
She took the girls back to the house, entering by the side door. She had no wish to draw attention to her return by using the front entrance. But her precaution was in vainCecil saw her coming along one of the back corridors to the stairs. It was three oclock in the afternoon and he was still dressed in a stained dressing gown.
What have you been up to, my lady? he enquired. Creeping about like a thief in the night.
I am not creeping about and it is not night, she retorted, thrusting her chin upwards. It is the middle of the afternoon and I am returning from my duties in the village and going up to my room. She gave the girls a little push. Upstairs with you. Go and find Miss Quinn.
He watched them go and then turned back to her, leering at her so that the scar on his cheek deepened. She wondered idly how he had come by it. Duties in the village, he queried. What might they be?
I teach a few of the village children at the Rectory. And I visit the sick and take them a little sustenance.
From my larder?
Why, yes, but only what would have been thrown away. It is no more than your own mother did in her lifetime.
Yes, she was a good woman, but I am sure she did not teach peasants.
Perhaps not, but education is something I feel strongly about. One should help those less fortunate.
Oh, so you do consider yourself fortunate. That is good. One should always be grateful for charity.
Knowing he was trying to goad her into an inconsiderate reply, she did not answer. She would have passed him to continue on her way, but the passage was a narrow one and to do so meant pushing past him, too close for comfort.
Nothing to say? he asked.
What do you wish me to say?
That you agree, that you know you are here because I, in my charitableness, have allowed you to stay and you are suitably grateful.
I am suitably grateful, she said, aware of the ambiguity in the statement, though whether he realised it she did not know. He was not the most intelligent of men. How could the late Lord Hobart have sired two such different men as Grenville and this man? The one was honourable and considerate, the other the exact opposite.
But my generosity comes at a price, he said.
I thought it might.
Until I marry, you will continue to act as my housekeeper and keep those servants in line. I never saw such a shabby collection in my life. And who told them it was permissible to answer back, to voice opinions of their own? I have a mind to dispense with the lot of them, except that I am expecting guests and there is no time to hire others.
Guests?
Yes, a real house party. So, please prepare for them. Open up the house, get in some decent food and restock the wine cellar.
Her mind flew to the stranger in the village, but quickly returned to what he had asked. Very well, but I shall need money.
Money? He started back in pretence of shock. You speak of money? Dont you know such a thing is never mentioned in polite company?
She forbore to point out that he was hardly an example of polite company. Nevertheless, we have to pay for food and wine, not to mention coals, oil and candles, and laundry women. Guests make a great deal of washing.
Was my fathers credit not good?
I am sure it would have been, but he made it a point of honour not to ask for it, but to pay his bills promptly.
He, my dear sister-in-law, had the blunt to do so. Until I have overturned that preposterous will, I have not, so until that happy day you will obtain credit. If my father was as scrupulous as you say, you should have no trouble.
Surely Mr Hardacre
Ah, I forgot, you are privy to that ridiculous legacy.
I do not know anything about that, my lord, she said quickly But I cannot believe Lord Hobart left you without any means at all.
I am supposed to have made a profit from my time in India.
And did you not?
It must be self-evident that I did not, certainly not enough to sustain the life of a gentleman.
I see. Then should you not postpone your house party until you have improved the estate and made it pay again? I am afraid that when Lord Hobart became ill, it was let run down. But it will reward a little attention.
Surely Mr Hardacre
Ah, I forgot, you are privy to that ridiculous legacy.
I do not know anything about that, my lord, she said quickly But I cannot believe Lord Hobart left you without any means at all.
I am supposed to have made a profit from my time in India.
And did you not?
It must be self-evident that I did not, certainly not enough to sustain the life of a gentleman.
I see. Then should you not postpone your house party until you have improved the estate and made it pay again? I am afraid that when Lord Hobart became ill, it was let run down. But it will reward a little attention.
Do you presume to tell me what to do? No wonder the servants question their orders, when they have the example of the mistress of the house to teach them. But you are the mistress no longer. He stopped suddenly and laughed. It was an ugly sound. Unless you would like to take up the role? He put out a hand to touch her cheek and she jerked her head away.
No, I would not, she said and, taking a deep breath, pushed past him and went to the kitchen to see about carrying out his orders. The servants were working, but gone was the cheerful willingness that had been there when the late Lord Hobart was alive and Charlotte had the running of the house. There were frowns and mutterings and she felt they might have been disagreeing among themselves. Such an attitude would not get the work done and she tried to sound cheerful and efficient as she gave them their new orders.
How can we do all that? Betsy demanded. She was middle-aged, plump and red-haired. She was also the most outspoken; Charlotte guessed it was Betsy who had angered Cecil. Are we to have more staff?
I will ask his lordship, she said.
Hes bad enough, but those other twoUgh!Cook said, banging the dough on the table and sinking her fist into it. This batch of bread would be well kneaded. They send down here, demanding food in the middle of the night, and expect it to appear like magic. Had to get out of my warm bed, I did. And I was hardly asleep again when Betsy came and woke me to be getting breakfast ready.
I am sorry for that, Mrs Evans, Ill ask the gentlemen to be a little more considerate. Perhaps you could leave something cold on a tray when you go to bed and their own servants can fetch it for them. She paused, looking round at them all, some seeming unhappy, some mutinous, the younger ones sniffing tearfully. I know it is difficult getting used to a new master, but we must do our best to keep everything running smoothly.
Oh, we int blamin you, m lady, Betsy put in. We know its as hard for you as tis for us.
Charlotte smiled; perhaps she had allowed them too much freedom to speak their minds, but it was gratifying to know she had their support. If she left, what would happen to them? Could they find other positions if they decided to leave? Would Cecil pay their back wages if they did? She felt responsible for them. She sighed. Perhaps her plans should also include those servants who wanted to come with her, even if it did increase her problems. Oh, if only Cecil would decide he did not like the country after all and leave. But she suspected the death of his father had been fortuitous for him. There were probably others like Sir Roland and Mr Spike who might descend upon him at any time, dunning for debts to be paid. Perhaps one of them had already arrived. But why had he not come straight up to the house? Why skulk in the village? She gave up trying to work it out and went up to the schoolroom.
Lizzie and Fanny were at their lessons but, like the servants, they were unsettled and unable to concentrate. Miss Quinn was nearly as bad; she kept glancing towards the door, as if she expected trouble to walk through it. Charlotte smiled reassuringly. I shall be in my room, if you want me, she said. Ill come and see you again before I go down to dinner.
We wont have to come down again, will we? Lizzie asked.
No, now your uncle has met you, I think he is satisfied you are being well cared for.
She was becoming a liar in her efforts to keep everyone happy. Did that mean she was weak? She went back to her room and sat at her desk where she spent the time before dinner drawing up lists. And then she endured that meal in the company of men who would never have been entertained by the late Lord Hobart and afterwards left them to their drinking and retired to her own room. It was not as comfortable nor as well appointed as the one she was used to, but at least it was away from the guest rooms and near her children. She felt as if she had been relegated to the status of a servant and fervently prayed Mr Hardacre would help her to do something about it.
He was talking to the Reverend Fuller when she arrived in the church the following morning, but as soon she appeared, the Reverend bade her good morning and left them.
I am sorry to keep you in Parsons End longer than you intended, she told the lawyer. She was dressed in her usual mourning silk, over which she had put her black wool cloak; even though it was late March, the days were still not warm enough to dispense with it and, here in this quiet village, fashion seemed not to matter; other things were more important. But I am in something of a quandary.
I think I understand.
You do? She sat in one of the pews and motioned him to sit too.
I cannot imagine that you want to stay at Easterley Manor. It was once such a happy home when Lady Hobart was alive and the boys were young
It was still so until quite recently, she said. My father-in-laws passing changed everything. I do not think I shall be able to deal comfortably with the new Lord Hobart. We do not view things in quite the same way. And I understand he is planning to marry. She was trying to put it diplomatically. Lord Hobart was his client; it would not help to complain of his behaviour. I must make other arrangements.
What had you in mind?
A school. If I had a house large enough to turn into a small school, where I could take fee-paying young ladies
But, my dear Lady Hobart, how can you contemplate such a thing? Your husband was a baronet in his own right and you come from a noble familysuch a thing is hardly fitting.
I enjoy teaching.
I am sure you do and the Reverend has been telling me all about your work among the children, but teaching them as an act of charity is not the same as asking to be paid for it.
She gave a strangled laugh. You sound like Cecil, as if the very mention of the word money is a profanity. Unfortunately it is a necessary evil, especially when you do not have any.
Surely it is not as bad as that? Is there no one?
No one, she said firmly, dismissing the idea of applying to Lord Falconer as impractical. When Sir Grenville died, I was bereft and leaned very heavily on Lord Hobart. He was a kind man, he knew I had to do things my way, and so he allowed me all the freedom I wanted. It was as if Grenville had already become master of Easterley Manor and I, as his widow, was carrying on. Lord Hobart kept in the background, happy to have his grandchildren about him. I and my children have lost all that. She blinked rapidly, trying to prevent the tears falling.
I see, he said, though she was not at all sure that he did.
Then are you able to help me?
To find you a school?
More than that. To lend me the money to set it up.