Highclough?'
'Well, yes.' Verity looked at him. 'If I die, surely Megs would inherit everything, as Sir Ambrose's nearest relation?'
'Nearly everything,' said Mr Bannerman. 'But by the terms of the will, if you do not inherit Highclough, Miss Shore, it comes to me.'
Chapter Ten
There was an uncomfortable silence in the room.
'Forgive me,' stammered Verity, 'I assumed …'
'A very natural assumption,' Mr Bannerman said. He looked across at Mr Worsthorne, who was pouring brandy into a glass.
'I take it you knew of this, Luke?'
'As a matter of fact, no. I did not attend the reading of the will - I was laid up with a sprained ankle at the time, if you remember.' He swore softly as the spirit spilled over the edge of the glass.
'I am sorry, then, if the news is unwelcome.' Mr Bannerman spoke quietly, his eyes fixed on the younger man.
Luke turned. 'Unwelcome? Why should it be?'
The challenge hung in the air. Verity looked at the two men, a slight frown creasing her brow. Mrs Worsthorne flapped her hands.
'No doubt I should have informed you, Luke, had I thought of it, but if truth be told it seemed of little import, for Mr Reedley and Master Rafe had no doubt they would find Charles's child, and then there was your own legacy, the property at Sowerby - that seemed so generous of Sir Ambrose …'
Luke shrugged.
'Pray do not distress yourself, Mama, it is of little matter, after all.'
Despite his nonchalant tone, Verity was aware of the tension crackling in the room. At that moment the butler entered and Lady Winter rose unsteadily to her feet.
'Here is Ditton come to tell us my carriage is here. It will be dark within the hour, Rafe. We must go …'
The spell was broken: goodbyes were said, and Verity accompanied them outside.
'I hope there will be no lasting damage from this afternoon, Sally,' she murmured as Mr Bannerman helped his sister into the carriage and leaned in to tuck a warm rug over her knees.
Lady Winter smiled. 'Of course not. I was merely a little shaken. It is you we should be cosseting! I hope the incident has not given you a distaste for Highclough.'
'Not at all, but I shall have the building checked thoroughly before I venture out of doors again.'
Mr Bannerman turned towards her, smiling.
'A sensible precaution. Goodbye, Miss Shore.' He took her hand. 'I shall be busy with my own estates for the next few weeks, but I will call when I can.'
Lady Winter leaned forward.
'I hope you like my mare, I call her Delphi. She has the sweetest nature. And I shall not be riding again until after my confinement in April.'
'I think I shall love her!' laughed Verity. 'Thank you.'
With a final nod Mr Bannerman scrambled up into the saddle and followed as the coach pulled away, leaving Verity to hurry indoors, where she found Mrs Worsthorne in a state of agitation. It took Verity some time to assure that good lady that she had taken no hurt from the falling stone, and only after Luke had promised to go up to the roof himself and check the masonry could Mrs Worsthorne be easy.
* * * *
A spell of bright days followed, although the sharp frosts at night kept a coating of snow on the higher moors. Verity was eager to try out her new mount, and it was not long before she persuaded Luke to ride out with her. The mare was very different from Mrs Worsthorne's ageing hack and Verity returned exhilarated by her excursion. Her cheeks were still glowing from the exercise when she sat down to dinner, causing Mrs Worsthorne to comment.
'Well I did enjoy myself, Megs,' she responded, smiling. 'Luke was a little anxious because the mare was so fresh, but she is beautifully mannered, and we kept a most decorous pace.'
Luke grinned across the table at her.
'Much to your annoyance, Cousin. But you are not yet familiar with the country, the rocky ground and hidden peat bogs make it very easy to take a tumble.'
'That did not prevent you from racing me to
'Well, yes.' Verity looked at him. 'If I die, surely Megs would inherit everything, as Sir Ambrose's nearest relation?'
'Nearly everything,' said Mr Bannerman. 'But by the terms of the will, if you do not inherit Highclough, Miss Shore, it comes to me.'
Chapter Ten
There was an uncomfortable silence in the room.
'Forgive me,' stammered Verity, 'I assumed …'
'A very natural assumption,' Mr Bannerman said. He looked across at Mr Worsthorne, who was pouring brandy into a glass.
'I take it you knew of this, Luke?'
'As a matter of fact, no. I did not attend the reading of the will - I was laid up with a sprained ankle at the time, if you remember.' He swore softly as the spirit spilled over the edge of the glass.
'I am sorry, then, if the news is unwelcome.' Mr Bannerman spoke quietly, his eyes fixed on the younger man.
Luke turned. 'Unwelcome? Why should it be?'
The challenge hung in the air. Verity looked at the two men, a slight frown creasing her brow. Mrs Worsthorne flapped her hands.
'No doubt I should have informed you, Luke, had I thought of it, but if truth be told it seemed of little import, for Mr Reedley and Master Rafe had no doubt they would find Charles's child, and then there was your own legacy, the property at Sowerby - that seemed so generous of Sir Ambrose …'
Luke shrugged.
'Pray do not distress yourself, Mama, it is of little matter, after all.'
Despite his nonchalant tone, Verity was aware of the tension crackling in the room. At that moment the butler entered and Lady Winter rose unsteadily to her feet.
'Here is Ditton come to tell us my carriage is here. It will be dark within the hour, Rafe. We must go …'
The spell was broken: goodbyes were said, and Verity accompanied them outside.
'I hope there will be no lasting damage from this afternoon, Sally,' she murmured as Mr Bannerman helped his sister into the carriage and leaned in to tuck a warm rug over her knees.
Lady Winter smiled. 'Of course not. I was merely a little shaken. It is you we should be cosseting! I hope the incident has not given you a distaste for Highclough.'
'Not at all, but I shall have the building checked thoroughly before I venture out of doors again.'
Mr Bannerman turned towards her, smiling.
'A sensible precaution. Goodbye, Miss Shore.' He took her hand. 'I shall be busy with my own estates for the next few weeks, but I will call when I can.'
Lady Winter leaned forward.
'I hope you like my mare, I call her Delphi. She has the sweetest nature. And I shall not be riding again until after my confinement in April.'
'I think I shall love her!' laughed Verity. 'Thank you.'
With a final nod Mr Bannerman scrambled up into the saddle and followed as the coach pulled away, leaving Verity to hurry indoors, where she found Mrs Worsthorne in a state of agitation. It took Verity some time to assure that good lady that she had taken no hurt from the falling stone, and only after Luke had promised to go up to the roof himself and check the masonry could Mrs Worsthorne be easy.
* * * *
A spell of bright days followed, although the sharp frosts at night kept a coating of snow on the higher moors. Verity was eager to try out her new mount, and it was not long before she persuaded Luke to ride out with her. The mare was very different from Mrs Worsthorne's ageing hack and Verity returned exhilarated by her excursion. Her cheeks were still glowing from the exercise when she sat down to dinner, causing Mrs Worsthorne to comment.
'Well I did enjoy myself, Megs,' she responded, smiling. 'Luke was a little anxious because the mare was so fresh, but she is beautifully mannered, and we kept a most decorous pace.'
Luke grinned across the table at her.
'Much to your annoyance, Cousin. But you are not yet familiar with the country, the rocky ground and hidden peat bogs make it very easy to take a tumble.'
'That did not prevent you from racing me to
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