Page 16 of A Summer Romance
Once he left the Bennett house, Theo looked up at the sky and smiled.It was cloudy and threatened rain, but as far as he was concerned, the sun was beaming down upon him.His day couldn’t get much better.The bank had given him leave to save Barton Manor and turn it into the sort of place he always believed it could be.He had held Breana Starling in his arms.And she had looked at him in such a way as to make him think she would welcome his attentions.
But before he began to pay court to her, he knew that he must tell her the truth about that kiss in the library.She needed to know it wasn’t Francis who had kissed her, but he was worried about the inappropriateness of the moment, of being swayed by his own weakness, and whether she would think him as bad as his brother.He should have told her before, but he hadn’t wanted to spoil the rapport that was growing between them.
Theo told himself he would have plenty of time to choose the right moment to tell her once they were back in Barton Lacey.There, he would have all the time in the world.
Chapter nine
NINE
Theo wiped the sweat from his brow and caught his breath.He had blisters on his hands and his back ached.Had he really thought he would have time to dally with Breana when he got home?What a fool he’d been.In the six weeks since he had returned to Barton Manor, he had never worked so hard in his life.
He was no slug, but he was not used to physical work, other than riding his horse or some boxing when he was at school, and that was hardly work.Now he was repairing cottages with the men from the village he had employed, climbing ladders and hammering boards and setting tiles on roofs.And if he wasn’t busy with that, he was out doing what he was doing now, digging trenches to drain the water from the boggy fields so they could once again be productive.
He couldn’t afford to pay for others to do all of the work needed.To save money, he had to do as much as possible himself—though he needed some instruction, of course.He might be good with sums and adding up figures, but this was all very new to him.Will Starling had been an enormous help, happy to share his experiences and offer advice.Theo had soaked it all up.
Francis’s upcoming marriage to Miss Ingram had been brought forward.Theo had heard no more arguments from his brother.And after spending a day helping paint one of the new cottages in readiness for a tenant, Francis had set off to London to use his wiles on his wife-to-be.He must have been successful, because the wedding was to take place in a week’s time.
Making plans for Francis and his new wife gave Mrs.Norris plenty to do.Miss Ingram’s mother was an invalid, and needed Mrs.Norris’s help, and she seemed quite cheery about it.At first, Theo’s father had been glum about all the changes going on around him.To him, it was a reminder of his own shortcomings and his failure to heed his son’s warnings.But recently he had begun to come around, and had even taken an interest in the livestock Theo had purchased to start his herds.
“Well!”he had said, standing at the newly repaired fence that looked out over the fields.“It looks like it did in my grandsire’s time.He was a farming man, you know.It must be in your blood, son.”
Theo took that as high praise.
His mother, while appreciative of his efforts, did not like to think of what she considered the high social cost.“Such a shame you have to work with your hands,” she had sighed, when she glanced up from sorting wedding invitations.
Theo had held up his hands, currently scarred and bloody, and she had shuddered.
“You will wearglovesat the wedding, I hope?”
Theo sighed and said he would.
At night he fell into bed completely exhausted, only to be up at dawn again the next morning.But the tide was beginning to turn, and with every step forward it was clear that his efforts were sending them in the right direction.Hecouldturn Barton Manor into the working farm it had once been.
His younger brothers were still at school, but he wasn’t sure for how much longer.His uncle had kindly taken over the payment of the school fees, so they could stay for now.Theo wondered iftheyexpected to be gentlemen when they returned home and smiled to himself, as he imagined the looks on their faces if he handed them a shovel each and explained to them the reality of their futures.Although, fun as that would be, he suspected neither of them would end up working on the farm.His uncle was already planning to offer one of them a job, replacing Theo as his secretary.
Breana had returned to Starling Hall a fortnight since, but he had not seen her, other than briefly, and not to talk to.Not properly.She had smiled at him when he came to seek her brother’s advice, carrying in a tray with tea and cake upon it, and paused to ask after his family.But Will had been impatient, and keen to get back to the business they were engaged in.
Molly and Will’s wedding was only two weeks away, and Theo had received an invitation.His parents had also been invited, but Francis had wisely declined after Theo had a word with him.The last thing they needed was his brother making eyes at Breana over the wedding cake.Besides, Theo had decided the wedding would be the place to speak to Breana properly and confess about the kiss.
And then, the day before the wedding, he received a note.
Dear Theo,
Please meet me by the pear tree in the old orchard at Barton Manor at two o’clock.
Your friend,
Breana Starling.
He sat smiling at the letter for some time, the paper crinkling in his hands.He didn’t know what she wanted to meet him about, but the very idea that she had taken the trouble to set them a tryst gave him a warm, happy feeling.Even just to see her lovely face would be enough.Although, it would also be the appropriate time to mention the kiss, and that may not make him, or her, very happy.
He was ready well before two o’clock and took a leisurely stroll down toward the orchard.He looked over his lands with pride in what he’d accomplished so far, but recognised how much work there still was to do.At Starling Hall there were fruit trees and vegetable gardens, all providing food for the people who lived there.He wanted to do the same, and in time, he would.
Theo was already well ahead of the bank’s predicted timetable, and he hadn’t run out of steam yet.In fact, with every task he completed, his enthusiasm grew for the next challenge.It would not be easy, and he would not always feel this positive, but today he was in a good place and was determined to enjoy it.
And if Breana chose to enjoy it with him, he would be very happy indeed.
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