Page 48 of The Marriage Debt
Robert shot a darkling look at his brother and said, ‘I had something I wished to discuss with you, sir, but it can wait. Should wait.’
Theo sat back in his chair. ‘Robert desires to tell you that he wishes to read for the church, but he perceives that my own domestic…difficulties might create too much of a stir to raise the matter at present.’
‘Damn it, Theo! I am sorry, Katherine. Yes, Father, I would wish to enter the church, but this hardly seems the moment.’
‘I cannot say I am surprised.’ The duke smiled at Katherine who was handing him a cup of coffee. ‘What do you think, my dear?’
Startled to be asked her opinion she said honestly, ‘I believe Lord Robert would go far in the church.’
‘You had better speak to the bishop, Robert.’ The look he sent his younger son held, to Katherine’s hopeful eye, a faint hint of approval. ‘We will talk about it later.’ He swivelled to look at Theo. ‘And what are your plans?’
‘For today? To speak to Wilkinson to establish exactly how my affairs stand and then to ride over to the Dower House with Katherine to discover if it meets with her approval.’
‘You are set on that as a residence then?’
‘With your permission, sir.’
The duke gestured with an elegantly long-fingered hand. ‘It is at your disposal.’
Katherine tried to catch Theo’s eye. Had he forgotten that she had told him she could not ride?
Theo gestured and a footman went to him, received a low voiced instruction and went out. Katherine mused for a moment on the resources which could muster so many footmen, all over the desirable six foot in height, then decided that the thought of so much money made her dizzy.
She found her husband was looking at her and mouthed, ‘Icannot ride.’ He merely smiled and mouthed back, ‘Time you learned.’
Katherine picked thoughtfully at her ham, not at all certain she wanted to be any closer to a horse than the interior of a carriage. They were large and she suspected she would be quite unable to convince one to do anything she wanted. Then she realised she had no riding habit, there were no other ladies in the house to borrow one from, and so she was safe. A small smile curled her lips. His lordship had not considered that little detail.
She poured more coffee, found she had an appetite for her breakfast after all, and decided to slip away afterwards to a sunny window seat in the Long Gallery which had the double advantage of being somewhere she could find her way to, and removing her from her husband’s disturbing proximity so she could try and think what to do when she left Seaton Mandeville.
But when Theo rose he stopped beside her chair. ‘Have you finished?’
‘Yes, thank you, but please do not trouble about me, I will be perfectly all right.’
‘But we must talk to Mr Wilkinson,’ Theo said, still waiting.
Kat bit her lip and regarded him cautiously. Why should he want her to meet Mr Wilkinson, who if she remembered, was the duke’s steward and man of business? She studied his face for signs of the anger she had heard in his voice earlier, but he appeared quite sanguine. One could not, of course, make a fuss with the duke eating his toast within earshot.
She stood up, smiling at the two men who rose courteously, and allowed Theo to usher her out.
‘Why do I need to speak to Mr Wilkinson?’ she hissed as they made their way along yet another corridor, this one panelled in handsome oak wainscoting. There were too many servants about to allow for a proper, blazing, argument, which is what she was longing for.
‘Because he has information you will wish to hear.’ Theo paused before a door and opened it. ‘Wilkinson, good morning. My dear, may I introduce Mr Tobias Wilkinson who has been our steward and much else here for many years. Wilkinson, the new Countess of Seaton.’
The steward was tall, thin, slightly stooping and of indeterminate age. Sixty, Katherine guessed, liking the quiet humour in his eyes and the genuineness of his smile as he shook hands.
‘Many felicitations, my lord. And, Lady Seaton, may I wish you every happiness in your new estate.’
Katherine responded appropriately and sat where Theo showed her, prepared for a boring wait while he discussed business.
‘I have summarised how your affairs stand, my lord.’ Wilkinson passed over two sheets of foolscap and folded his hands together on the table while Theo read.
Theo’s eyebrows rose and his lips pursed in a soundless whistle. ‘You have done well by me these past years, Tobias, I can only thank you for your care and diligence.’
The other man smiled modestly. ‘If I may say so, my lord, achieving a good return on investment is always easier if the principal is not in a position to spend the capital.’
Theo gave a snort of laughter. ‘Not spending it on gambling, women and race horses, I assume you mean? No, do not answer that. We will talk over detail later. Meanwhile, have you been able to deal with that other matter?’
‘Yes, my lord, I have sent details of the loan to our London agent with instructions to pay both the principal and the interest in full.’
