alone together. Do you think you could spend some time with Foster, perhaps help him pick a regiment? Now that I know we can afford the colors Arvid promised him, Foster will have something to do, and will not feel so dependent.”
“He needs schooling, the way he rushed out of here.”
“He is feeling his youth. He could have been named guardian, were he older. And he should have been able to manage an estate, if ours hadn’t been lost. Mostly I believe he holds himself responsible that we are all at Arvid’s mercy, or lack thereof. He needs reassurance and advice, not Boynton’s constant sniping. And he looks up to you.”
“That’s what comes of being so big.”
“And humble, too. But you said yourself that a boy needs a man’s influence.”
His wayward tongue be double damned! Rolled up horse, foot, and gun. “I can see I’ll have to weigh my every word around you, Duchess. But yes, if it will set your mind at ease, I will see what I can do. Might even put him to work exercising my old cavalry charger to shake the fidgets out of both of them. Old Beau is eating his head off, wondering what we’re doing chasing foxes when we’re supposed to be chasing Frenchies.”
“Thank you. I know Foster will be thrilled, and I would appreciate it. And perhaps your sister might like to call while you are off drilling your new troops. I’d enjoy the company.” She didn’t say that the loneliness was almost unbearable, what with the dowager turning all the local women against her. She’d not had one visitor in the entire week since the funeral.
Carlinn picked a speck of lint off his sleeve. “I am afraid my sister is taking her new duties as chatelaine very seriously now that she is home from school. She is busy with menus and such, since she’ll be having friends come to stay for the holidays.”
“I see. Later, then, after the baby.” Marisol saw, all right. She saw that this lummox didn’t want his precious sister associating with the Coach Widow. The prig. So much for being her friend. “I doubt I’ll feel like entertaining company anyway, so do not feel obliged to call, my lord. But thank you for coming. I am sure you will be notified if and when your services as guardian will be needed. Good day.”
She had dismissed him! The Earl of Kimbrough found himself cooling his heels in the drafty hall of Denning Castle, his mouth hanging open. First she used dimples to soften him up, then tears to manipulate him into nursemaiding her scapegrace brother, then she showed him the door! That arrogant bitch!
*
Dimm was worried about the thunderclouds. Not the ones obscuring the sun, but the ones on Lord Kimbrough’s face. The earl was driving the horses like all the hounds of hell were nipping at his heels, putting distance between him and Denning Castle. Or Denning’s widow.
“If it’s the dowager’s words what has you so blue-deviled, pay them no never mind. I didn’t take them to heart, so there’s no reason for you to. The idea of you plotting with the duchess don’t hold water.”
“The idea of me throttling her does! She’s the most infuriating female I’ve ever met, looking down her nose at anyone who doesn’t take snuff with one hand. Hah!”
“Seems down to earth to me, for a gentry moll. Puts out a nice tea. Watch that there hay wagon, guv.”
Kimbrough paid no attention to Dimm’s words, either about Her Grace or the lumbering cart they passed with a scant inch to spare. “I don’t know how I’m to maintain any degree of civility with her for minutes on end,” the earl fumed, “and I’m looking at twenty-one years till the boy is grown. It’s a life sentence!”
“But think of all the good you can do for the folks hereabouts if you get to manage that property. You said yourself Denning didn’t take care of his people. Didn’t even have a sawbones to look after them. Which reminds me, I have a nevvy at home what set out to medical school in Edinburgh. One year left of
“He needs schooling, the way he rushed out of here.”
“He is feeling his youth. He could have been named guardian, were he older. And he should have been able to manage an estate, if ours hadn’t been lost. Mostly I believe he holds himself responsible that we are all at Arvid’s mercy, or lack thereof. He needs reassurance and advice, not Boynton’s constant sniping. And he looks up to you.”
“That’s what comes of being so big.”
“And humble, too. But you said yourself that a boy needs a man’s influence.”
His wayward tongue be double damned! Rolled up horse, foot, and gun. “I can see I’ll have to weigh my every word around you, Duchess. But yes, if it will set your mind at ease, I will see what I can do. Might even put him to work exercising my old cavalry charger to shake the fidgets out of both of them. Old Beau is eating his head off, wondering what we’re doing chasing foxes when we’re supposed to be chasing Frenchies.”
“Thank you. I know Foster will be thrilled, and I would appreciate it. And perhaps your sister might like to call while you are off drilling your new troops. I’d enjoy the company.” She didn’t say that the loneliness was almost unbearable, what with the dowager turning all the local women against her. She’d not had one visitor in the entire week since the funeral.
Carlinn picked a speck of lint off his sleeve. “I am afraid my sister is taking her new duties as chatelaine very seriously now that she is home from school. She is busy with menus and such, since she’ll be having friends come to stay for the holidays.”
“I see. Later, then, after the baby.” Marisol saw, all right. She saw that this lummox didn’t want his precious sister associating with the Coach Widow. The prig. So much for being her friend. “I doubt I’ll feel like entertaining company anyway, so do not feel obliged to call, my lord. But thank you for coming. I am sure you will be notified if and when your services as guardian will be needed. Good day.”
She had dismissed him! The Earl of Kimbrough found himself cooling his heels in the drafty hall of Denning Castle, his mouth hanging open. First she used dimples to soften him up, then tears to manipulate him into nursemaiding her scapegrace brother, then she showed him the door! That arrogant bitch!
*
Dimm was worried about the thunderclouds. Not the ones obscuring the sun, but the ones on Lord Kimbrough’s face. The earl was driving the horses like all the hounds of hell were nipping at his heels, putting distance between him and Denning Castle. Or Denning’s widow.
“If it’s the dowager’s words what has you so blue-deviled, pay them no never mind. I didn’t take them to heart, so there’s no reason for you to. The idea of you plotting with the duchess don’t hold water.”
“The idea of me throttling her does! She’s the most infuriating female I’ve ever met, looking down her nose at anyone who doesn’t take snuff with one hand. Hah!”
“Seems down to earth to me, for a gentry moll. Puts out a nice tea. Watch that there hay wagon, guv.”
Kimbrough paid no attention to Dimm’s words, either about Her Grace or the lumbering cart they passed with a scant inch to spare. “I don’t know how I’m to maintain any degree of civility with her for minutes on end,” the earl fumed, “and I’m looking at twenty-one years till the boy is grown. It’s a life sentence!”
“But think of all the good you can do for the folks hereabouts if you get to manage that property. You said yourself Denning didn’t take care of his people. Didn’t even have a sawbones to look after them. Which reminds me, I have a nevvy at home what set out to medical school in Edinburgh. One year left of
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