Page 50 of A Recipe for Love
Adam bristled. His father definitely hadn’t been a moderniser, but nobody in Lowbridge seemed to mind that.
‘I don’t know if this is the time to mention this really, but…’
Adam felt a hand slip into his. He turned towards his fiancée. ‘Bella, let me introduce John McKenzie.’
She nodded. ‘McKenzie? Oh, do you own the next estate along?’
‘The one and same.’ Adam saw the delight at being recognised in Mr McKenzie’s eyes. ‘Which was just what we were discussing.’
‘Was it?’
‘Well in a sense. I don’t want to talk business now, but I assume your father had talked to you about our plans.’
Adam knew his face was blank. He also knew that if Ravi were here he’d be whispering urgently in his ear about the importance of keeping a poker face in negotiations. Never let the other person know you are swimming out of your depth. Which was exactly why Adam and Ravi were such a good team. Ravi understood this stuff. Adam understood which plants would thrive in shade. ‘Not in any detail,’ he ventured.
‘Well in short I made him an offer to buy.’
‘To buy what?’
‘Lowbridge, of course.’
What? Had his father been considering it?
‘Given his health, it seemed like a good option all around. And, I’m sure I don’t need to tell you about the inheritance tax you’ve got coming up.’
Actually, he sort of did. Adam’s grandmother had definitely mentioned taxes, but it was another of the million things she’d talked at him about and tried to make him concentrate on. It was another column of confusion. ‘Anyway, the offer’s still on the table.’
Adam was still scrabbling to keep up. ‘For the whole estate.’
‘Well I can take or leave the house itself.’ McKenzie shook his head. ‘The repairs and maintenance on my own place are killing me, and that’s a new build compared to this old thing.’ He laughed loudly at his own humour. ‘Not that I’d turn it down. Guests’ll pay a premium to stay in a proper baronial castle. It’s the land I really want though.’
‘All of it?’
‘Aye. That’s what I offered your father for.’
‘And my son made quite clear that Lowbridge was not for sale.’ Veronica’s voice was imperious as she bore down on the group.
‘Lady Lowbridge!’ McKenzie smiled broadly. ‘Always a pleasure.’
Adam’s grandmother didn’t reply.
‘I’m not sure your son was quite that definitive.’
‘Then allow me to be. Lowbridge is not for sale.’
McKenzie stepped away and then leaned back to shake Adam’s hand. ‘Well, the offer’s there if the new laird takes a different view.’
Adam watched Mr McKenzie walk away. Selling Lowbridge. It was, as his grandmother had made absolutely clear, unthinkable, and yet now it had been said out loud it was going to be all he could think about.
‘That chancer after your family silver, Lowbridge?’
Adam turned towards the voice. ‘Macwillis.’ Bella squeezed his hand a notch tighter. ‘Sir Iain, let me introduce my fiancée, Bella Smith.’
‘Bella!’ Macwillis bellowed her name, as Adam knew from experience, he bellowed everything. ‘Knew a Bella once. Not biblically. Married a steam engine enthusiast from Hastings.’
Bella nodded. ‘I don’t know her.’
‘No.’ Macwillis nodded. ‘Don’t suppose you would.’ He turned back to Adam. ‘McKenzie after your place as well?’
