with one raised eyebrow. "May I help you, Mr. Barrett?"
Charles didn't waste time on explanations. "Where is Lord Leyland?"
Lovett frowned in disapproval at the abrupt question. "My lord is entertaining guests this evening. They are presently at dinner."
Charles hesitated, uncertain how to proceed. But the viscount had told him that he wanted to be informed of important news immediately. Taking a deep breath, he pulled off his hat and made a decision. "Interrupt him."
"I cannot, sir!" The butler stared at him in horror. "This is Viscount Leyland's engagement dinner. Perhaps, afterward—"
"This is important." Charles stepped around the other man.
Lovett hesitated a moment, then gestured to the open doors at Charles's right. "Very well. You may wait in here."
Charles nodded and turned to enter a small ante-chamber. He paced across the carpet as he waited for his employer, wishing he could banish the horrifying scene he'd witnessed from his mind.
It seemed like an eternity before Charles heard the sound of footsteps on the polished parquet floor of the foyer. He jumped to his feet as Lord Leyland entered the room.
"Mr. Barrett, I trust that the news you bring warrants this intrusion?"
Charles swallowed hard and met the pale eyes of his employer. "I think so, sir. There's been an accident."
"Indeed?" His lordship brushed a speck of lint from his black evening suit. "I'm listening."
"A boiler explosion at the factory an hour ago. Sir, a man was killed."
"Was there any damage?"
"Sir?"
"Was there any damage to the factory?" the viscount repeated with a hint of impatience.
"The boiler was half-full and the water immediately extinguished the fire," Charles answered slowly, unable to believe a man could face the news of another man's death with such indifference. "There's some water damage, I imagine, but all in all, we were very lucky."
"That's all?" Leyland's handsome face twisted with scorn. "You interrupted my engagement dinner to tell me this? Mr. Barrett, exactly what do you expect me to do about it at this moment?"
Charles stared at him in astonishment. "I was under the impression that important news should be brought to you immediately, my lord. I thought you would want to see the damage. Talk to the man's family. I don't know."
"You said the fire was put out before it caused any significant damage. So, what is there for me to see or do that cannot wait until tomorrow?"
Charles wished his employer would offer him a drink. He needed one. "A man was killed."
Leyland sighed. "That's unfortunate, but occasionally these things do happen, I'm afraid. Who was he, by the way?"
"Robson. Samuel Robson."
"A pity, but I'm sure we can find another foreman as skilled as Robson."
Charles closed his eyes briefly and again saw Samuel lying lifeless on the floor, his body burned beyond recognition.
"We'll need to replace the boiler, I assume?"
Charles opened his eyes. "Yes," he answered in a choked whisper. "The boiler will have to be replaced."
"Contact Lloyd's tomorrow. Our insurance should cover a new one."
"My lord, the boilers are very old. All of them ought to be replaced. Another one could go at any time."
"I doubt it." The viscount downed the last swallow of port in his glass and set the crystal goblet aside.
"It's unsafe!"
"You worry too much, Mr. Barrett. I plan to replace them next year. In the meantime, we will make do with the ones we have. That will be all."
Charles pressed his lips together and departed. Insurance would cover the damage to the factory, but Charles doubted Mrs. Robson would find any comfort in that.
Chapter Seven
During the next two weeks, Mara tried to avoid Nathaniel Chase and continue with business as usual as if he wasn't even there. To her surprise, he didn't make Michael the supervisor, but let her remain in charge. Nonetheless, when she tried to circumvent his decisions, she found herself blocked at every turn. The workers made it clear that they knew
Charles didn't waste time on explanations. "Where is Lord Leyland?"
Lovett frowned in disapproval at the abrupt question. "My lord is entertaining guests this evening. They are presently at dinner."
Charles hesitated, uncertain how to proceed. But the viscount had told him that he wanted to be informed of important news immediately. Taking a deep breath, he pulled off his hat and made a decision. "Interrupt him."
"I cannot, sir!" The butler stared at him in horror. "This is Viscount Leyland's engagement dinner. Perhaps, afterward—"
"This is important." Charles stepped around the other man.
Lovett hesitated a moment, then gestured to the open doors at Charles's right. "Very well. You may wait in here."
Charles nodded and turned to enter a small ante-chamber. He paced across the carpet as he waited for his employer, wishing he could banish the horrifying scene he'd witnessed from his mind.
It seemed like an eternity before Charles heard the sound of footsteps on the polished parquet floor of the foyer. He jumped to his feet as Lord Leyland entered the room.
"Mr. Barrett, I trust that the news you bring warrants this intrusion?"
Charles swallowed hard and met the pale eyes of his employer. "I think so, sir. There's been an accident."
"Indeed?" His lordship brushed a speck of lint from his black evening suit. "I'm listening."
"A boiler explosion at the factory an hour ago. Sir, a man was killed."
"Was there any damage?"
"Sir?"
"Was there any damage to the factory?" the viscount repeated with a hint of impatience.
"The boiler was half-full and the water immediately extinguished the fire," Charles answered slowly, unable to believe a man could face the news of another man's death with such indifference. "There's some water damage, I imagine, but all in all, we were very lucky."
"That's all?" Leyland's handsome face twisted with scorn. "You interrupted my engagement dinner to tell me this? Mr. Barrett, exactly what do you expect me to do about it at this moment?"
Charles stared at him in astonishment. "I was under the impression that important news should be brought to you immediately, my lord. I thought you would want to see the damage. Talk to the man's family. I don't know."
"You said the fire was put out before it caused any significant damage. So, what is there for me to see or do that cannot wait until tomorrow?"
Charles wished his employer would offer him a drink. He needed one. "A man was killed."
Leyland sighed. "That's unfortunate, but occasionally these things do happen, I'm afraid. Who was he, by the way?"
"Robson. Samuel Robson."
"A pity, but I'm sure we can find another foreman as skilled as Robson."
Charles closed his eyes briefly and again saw Samuel lying lifeless on the floor, his body burned beyond recognition.
"We'll need to replace the boiler, I assume?"
Charles opened his eyes. "Yes," he answered in a choked whisper. "The boiler will have to be replaced."
"Contact Lloyd's tomorrow. Our insurance should cover a new one."
"My lord, the boilers are very old. All of them ought to be replaced. Another one could go at any time."
"I doubt it." The viscount downed the last swallow of port in his glass and set the crystal goblet aside.
"It's unsafe!"
"You worry too much, Mr. Barrett. I plan to replace them next year. In the meantime, we will make do with the ones we have. That will be all."
Charles pressed his lips together and departed. Insurance would cover the damage to the factory, but Charles doubted Mrs. Robson would find any comfort in that.
Chapter Seven
During the next two weeks, Mara tried to avoid Nathaniel Chase and continue with business as usual as if he wasn't even there. To her surprise, he didn't make Michael the supervisor, but let her remain in charge. Nonetheless, when she tried to circumvent his decisions, she found herself blocked at every turn. The workers made it clear that they knew
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