the good of the village or to please his heart’s desire was a mountainous task. He could be seen as a prospector who had learned the truth and wished to also steal her birthright, or an opportunist, but would she see that he genuinely adored her? He closed the file and sat back down in the chair awaiting Bertram’s return.
The man blustered in, shaking his head. “Women! I shall never understand them and am pleased to have escaped their grasp. I have no wish to have one pester me day and night. However, I will need an heir for my new estate soon enough.” He shrugged.
“Are you staying here then?” Jerome asked, genuinely confused for a moment.
“No, no, not this one! With the proceeds I have plans to buy a property in Kent. Mama has always been desirous of land near Hythe, perhaps we will be neighbours. So, once the funds of this one are through I can make the dear lady’s dream come true and then will be the time to marry and think of an heir to carry on the Munro name.” He did not look happy at the prospect.
“You are planning quite an adventure yourself, it seems.”
“Yes, quite.”
Thena knocked on the door of the study. “Ah, there you are. Could you show Mr Munro around the grounds, my dear? I shall watch you from the window, but I fear my gout plays up again and I must save myself for dinner.”
“Very well,” Thena answered. If she was trying to look less than enthusiastic, Jerome thought she was doing an excellent job of it.
“Thank you, Miss Munro.” Jerome stood up. “I shall like to enjoy the gardens and, as for the fishing, I hear it is excellent.” He smiled and addressed Bertram. “Then I shall return to the village and arrange for the coach and so on.”
“The coach?” Thena repeated as they walked to the main door.
“Yes, I intend to return to London for the Season. My sister is so looking forward to it.” He was walking alongside Thena and she was paying him a deal of attention, which he hoped would impress Bertram who was following on behind, at least to the threshold. “Tell me, Miss Munro, have you seen Pall Mall or the gardens at Vauxhall?”
“Why no, Mr Fender, I have not. Would you care to tell me about them?” she asked as she stepped out and walked carefully down the steps to the path that ran around the old building to the main gardens that ran behind to the river.
“Yes, of course,” Jerome said, and waited a moment before turning to Bertram and whispering to him: “By the end of this week, you shall say goodbye to your cousin for good and she you.”
Bertram slapped him on his back and chuckled. “Good man,” he replied before shutting the door on them.
Chapter 11
Thena was surprised by Bertram’s request that she walk with Jerome alone around the grounds. If he had not whispered to her in the hallway previously as though he had not expected the opportunity to arise, she would have doubted where Jerome’s loyalty lay. He played his role, whatever it was, with complete and convincing confidence.
“So tell me, Mr Fender, what guise do you appear in today, using your own name, but having Bertram’s agreement to our meeting – and in relative privacy?” She stopped at a rose and pointed to it as though discussing its colour or scent.
“Simply, I have come to him as myself offering him my card and help in solving a problem that I have recently become aware of.” He smiled politely at her as they walked and talked.
“What is that?”
“Why, you, of course. I overheard him talking in town and have used my position to infer that I know his business partner and am a party to the knowledge that you stand in the way of him and their intentions. Since then I have seen the plans in his study and they are indeed dark for the future of this beautiful place.”
“I have too. He will destroy everything here for the people. He will bring in many poor souls to work in his mill, and the village and the land will be changed forever. It galls
The man blustered in, shaking his head. “Women! I shall never understand them and am pleased to have escaped their grasp. I have no wish to have one pester me day and night. However, I will need an heir for my new estate soon enough.” He shrugged.
“Are you staying here then?” Jerome asked, genuinely confused for a moment.
“No, no, not this one! With the proceeds I have plans to buy a property in Kent. Mama has always been desirous of land near Hythe, perhaps we will be neighbours. So, once the funds of this one are through I can make the dear lady’s dream come true and then will be the time to marry and think of an heir to carry on the Munro name.” He did not look happy at the prospect.
“You are planning quite an adventure yourself, it seems.”
“Yes, quite.”
Thena knocked on the door of the study. “Ah, there you are. Could you show Mr Munro around the grounds, my dear? I shall watch you from the window, but I fear my gout plays up again and I must save myself for dinner.”
“Very well,” Thena answered. If she was trying to look less than enthusiastic, Jerome thought she was doing an excellent job of it.
“Thank you, Miss Munro.” Jerome stood up. “I shall like to enjoy the gardens and, as for the fishing, I hear it is excellent.” He smiled and addressed Bertram. “Then I shall return to the village and arrange for the coach and so on.”
“The coach?” Thena repeated as they walked to the main door.
“Yes, I intend to return to London for the Season. My sister is so looking forward to it.” He was walking alongside Thena and she was paying him a deal of attention, which he hoped would impress Bertram who was following on behind, at least to the threshold. “Tell me, Miss Munro, have you seen Pall Mall or the gardens at Vauxhall?”
“Why no, Mr Fender, I have not. Would you care to tell me about them?” she asked as she stepped out and walked carefully down the steps to the path that ran around the old building to the main gardens that ran behind to the river.
“Yes, of course,” Jerome said, and waited a moment before turning to Bertram and whispering to him: “By the end of this week, you shall say goodbye to your cousin for good and she you.”
Bertram slapped him on his back and chuckled. “Good man,” he replied before shutting the door on them.
Chapter 11
Thena was surprised by Bertram’s request that she walk with Jerome alone around the grounds. If he had not whispered to her in the hallway previously as though he had not expected the opportunity to arise, she would have doubted where Jerome’s loyalty lay. He played his role, whatever it was, with complete and convincing confidence.
“So tell me, Mr Fender, what guise do you appear in today, using your own name, but having Bertram’s agreement to our meeting – and in relative privacy?” She stopped at a rose and pointed to it as though discussing its colour or scent.
“Simply, I have come to him as myself offering him my card and help in solving a problem that I have recently become aware of.” He smiled politely at her as they walked and talked.
“What is that?”
“Why, you, of course. I overheard him talking in town and have used my position to infer that I know his business partner and am a party to the knowledge that you stand in the way of him and their intentions. Since then I have seen the plans in his study and they are indeed dark for the future of this beautiful place.”
“I have too. He will destroy everything here for the people. He will bring in many poor souls to work in his mill, and the village and the land will be changed forever. It galls
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