Page 31 of Marrying a Reluctant Lady
They sat and ate their boiled eggs in silence.
The clock struck the hour, and Owen stared in surprise. Was it already nine o’ clock? He’d agreed to meet with Barrow then. He pushed back his chair.
“Excuse me, please, Ophelia,” he said, clearing his throat...still, after a week, he felt so odd saying her name. “I must attend a meeting with the steward. I will return as soon as possible. Shall I inform Miss Cranford that you’ll be viewing the estate?”
“Yes. Let’s meet at half-past ten.”
“Good.”
Owen pushed back his chair and hurried to the door, feeling as though he was catching fire with awkwardness. He had to get out of there. He went to his room and shut the door, then ran a hand through his thick dark hair and walked steadily upstairs to the study. He had to get the list from Barrow before he could ride into London.
“Ah. My lord,” Barrow greeted him as he walked slowly in. He had a book under his arm; Owen thought it was the household account ledger. “I have something to report here.”
“Well, you can tell me after you’ve sat down and spoken with me about the creditors first.” Owen kept his voice hard,recalling what Mr. Crane had said. He’d warned that Barrow was mistreating his position with the staff, and it seemed he’d forgotten his manners with Owen, too. He wasn’t the teacher and Owen a pupil, and he needed, badly, to remember that. He pushed the thought away, wondering idly what had made him change his perspective with Barrow. Barrow sat down at the desk.
“Now, I want to know,” Owen began saying, “if the creditors on this list have all been informed about the change in regard to who is paying them.”
“Yes, my lord,” Barrow replied. He sounded uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the notion that someone else was now dealing with the debt that bothered him. Barrow wasn’t exactly a person who trusted easily.
“Good.” He swallowed hard. Lord Walden had not made it clear whether that debt was being paid from Ophelia’s dowry. He made a mental note that if it was, he would prefer anything left over to be saved for Ophelia herself. He didn’t want to use money that was rightfully her own. He knew that was unconventional, but it was how he felt about it.
“Yes, my lord.” Barrow murmured the words.
The silence stretched for a moment and Owen considered asking Barrow if they would be able to start repairing the manor within a month or so.
“My lord,” Barrow began. He didn’t give Owen a chance to speak and discuss his plans. “I have noticed extravagant spendings in the household budget.”
“What?” Owen demanded. He held out a hand. Barrow wordlessly passed Owen the book. Owen took it and let his eye roam down the columns there.
“This isn’t extravagant, Mr. Barrow,” he said briskly. “This is a normal month.”
“That was last month,” Barrow murmured.
“Oh.”
Owen looked down at the columns that represented the current month. He nodded slowly. Yes, there were certainly some large totals there—the collier had come in demanding a lot of money, as had the farmer who sold them fresh vegetables.
“It’s springtime,” he reminded Barrow firmly. “The weather is cold, and the vegetables are always more expensive.”
Barrow raised a brow. “All the same,” he said slowly. “I think you ought to keep an eye on that woman in the kitchens.”
“I will discuss matters with Mrs. Crane myself,” he told him stiffly. “And I am sure she will see reason—she is a good housekeeper and knows her duty.” He glared at the man and Barrow slowly lowered his gaze.
“Yes, my lord.”
“Good. Now, unless there are other matters, I will see to the other financial questions without assistance.”
“Very good, my lord.” Barrow pushed back his chair and Owen could have laughed to hear the indignant way he scraped it over the rug and walked stiffly to the door. He had let Barrow frighten him too long.
He stood and went to the door, checking the time on his pocket-watch. It was ten o’ clock. He had to hurry and meet with the creditors before lunchtime.
He hurried to the stable and rode out swiftly.
The trip to London was surprising, in that half of the creditors had been informed about the new arrangement, while the other half had either not been told, or were concealing the truth from Owen. He informed them all briskly and was surprised, too, that most of them were not as wildly angry as Barrow had led him to believe. While they wished for their payments, most of them were used to gentlemen and nobles running up vast debts and were willing to wait.
“That is very strange,” Owen murmured as he rode backhome.
The thought drifted from his mind as he was addressed urgently by Mr. Crane on the steps.
