Page 56 of Rough Around the Hedges

“I don’t know. Maybe you should—”

“I can help, dear. I spent a lot of time here, after all, so I’m very familiar with how this place works.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Mum…”

She got up off the sofa and walked over to my desk, touching my hand. “I will never be the Duchess of Hanbury, but until you get married, I’m still the

Viscountess of Thorgen and the lady of the house. Let me help.”

She was right. I did need help—and all the better if it was from someone who understood the nuances of managing an estate. My grandfather and father really didn’t have the best relationship, but that wasn’t to say no knowledge was imparted, and Mum had often acted the part of the duchess when it was required of her.

It was a fucked-up family dynamic that had somehow worked and would continue to do so until someone actually became the duchess.

“All right, fine.” I sighed, lightly squeezing her hand. “Your help will be invaluable, no doubt. Do you want to stay in the main house or in one of the annexes with more privacy?”

“The main house will be just fine.” She patted my head. “When you get married, I’ll move to a cottage then.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“I’m glad we’ve got that settled.” She squeezed my hand so tightly that I let out an involuntary pained noise. “That five-year-old was right, you rotten bastard. How could you walk into this sweet little village and rip out its heart? What are you, a vampire? I didn’t raise you for thirty-one years just so you could take advantage of these people to line your pockets!”

“M—Mum! That hurts!”

“Does it? Good?” She whacked me on the back of my head and released my hand. “You miserable little swine!”

“What are you—”

“Rose is a pain in your arse? Really? Imagine how these people feel about you, then.”

“Wait. You said you’d help—”

“I did.” She grabbed her bag of sugared doughnuts and grinned. “I didn’t say I was helpingyou, though, did I?”

“Mother!”

She stopped at the door and pointed at me. “Don’t you ‘Mother’ me in that tone, Oliver Rupert de Havilland. I want you to sit down and think about what you’ve done.”

“I’m not five.”

“Then stop acting like a brat. You have a duty to protect this place, not ruin it.” She yanked the door open and stared at me. “Did you say that Miss Rose Matthews is the allotment committee chairman? Excellent. I know exactly where to find her, then.”

I got up and held out my hand. “What are you—”

“I can’t believe I’ve raised a money-grabbing traitor! The horror of it all! I’ve failed as a mother! How can I live with the shame?” Mum wailed, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead and dramatically rushing out of my office like she was part of a soap opera.

What was going on?

Luke stepped in seconds later and looked between me and the open door. “Is… is your mother okay?”

I collapsed back onto my chair and buried my face in my hands. “She should have stayed in Bali. My life is about to fall apart even more.”

“Ah. She’s siding with the resident lunatic, I see.”

“Luke, buy some salt.”

“Salt?”

“In bulk.”

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