Page 9 of Loyally, Luke
“Mr.MacKerrow, I presume.” The man went directly to Pete and offered his hand. “You resemble your grandfather.”
Pete’s grin stretched. “I appreciate that, Mr.Holton.”
“And Mr. Edgewood?” He took Luke’s hand and sent an assessing eye down the length of Luke, a flicker of something lighting his expression. It made Luke stand up a little straighter. “I have been the vicepresident of Cambric Hall’s board of directors for the past five years and work as a liaison between the board and organizations engaging with Cambric Hall.”
Mr.Holton turned to Mrs.Kershaw. “Thank you, Mrs.Kershaw. I know you are very busy so I will apprise you of our discussion later, if you should wish to return to your duties.”
“Yes, sir.” She gave a small dip of her chin and left the room.
The room must have kept the same characteristics it held in the early 1900s. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases on one wall, dark wood crown molding, a large window with matching wood frame on one wall, and the scent of... books. Luke almost grinned. Izzy would love this place.
“Thank you for joining me,” Mr.Holton began. “I’m certain you have questions about why we were seeking a lesser-known person to review our project here at the orphanage instead of using one of the larger businesses, so let me brief you with our reasoning.” He folded his hands in front of him. “Three weeks ago, a construction company came to give an assessment of one portion of Cambric Hall. The floor was dipping, you see, which raised concern about structural soundness. However, Ms.St.Clare, the president of the board and supervisor of this Royal Trust project, felt concern over the findings, which led the two of us to question my father, who is retired from construction work. My family is one of the top supporters of this orphanage, as my mother was one of the children here.”
“It’s good to have a heart investment as well as a wallet investment in a place like this, I’d say.”
“Indeed.” Holton offered Luke an appreciative nod. “We know the value of Cambric Hall to the children it houses. When my father was in business, he was well-known throughout Skymar, and he still has a vast network of connections. I presented the case of the construction company’s findings to him and he referred me to Mr. Lewis Gray, a lifelong friend of his. Once Mr. Gray knew the extent of the situation,he suggested we seek the counsel of someone less... influenced by the business demands in Skymar, but who also had an honest heart and keen eye.” His gaze landed on Luke. “Mr. Gray recommended you, Mr. Edgewood.”
Luke raised a brow. This entire situation seemed grander than the original cabin renovations that brought him to Skymar in the first place. Was Luke up to the task of a castle? “That was kind of Mr.Gray.”
“Kindness has little to do with it,” Mr.Holton responded with a shrug. “We need discretion and someone who isn’t under the influence of those who could either mistreat the trust of the board or spread a great deal of harmful or misleading gossip.”
Gossip? Over an orphanage? What kind of kids did they keep here? Celebrity kids?
Mr.Holton seemed to catch Luke’s confusion because he continued, “There are, of course, delicate circumstances that bring children to our door, but there is another reason. The village of Crieff reserves the responsibility and honor of being a haven for the royals of Skymar.”
The royals? Royals lived in Crieff? Or near it?
Now Luke knew he was in the wrong place.
“The most beloved country estate of the royals is only ten miles from here, hidden away in the mountains. They’ve had a longstanding relationship with the citizens of Crieff, which is a cherished agreement. The villagers ensure the royals’ privacy when they are here, allowing the family freedom to mingle among the townspeople without concern for safety or being overrun.”
“Scots,” Pete whispered, his lips crooked.
“I hope and trust you will make a thorough and accurate assessment of the damaged area,” Mr.Holton continued. “If your findings prove preferential to the previous assessment, and you feel the project is something you can complete within your stay here, you will be given sufficient workmen and compensation. There is only one rule for which we require your agreement.”
Luke raised a brow.
“Secrecy. Until the project is completed, we ask you to share nothing related to your work outside of those intimately connected to it. Do you feel you can agree to those terms?”
Pete rushed forward with his agreement, but Luke took in the request. Keeping secrets wasn’t a problem for him, but why such secrecy about a repair job? Was it the fact that the Royal Trust had something to do with the orphanage? Luke had no idea how royals worked, but from his hit-and-miss views of England’s royal family news, he imagined safety and privacy were at the top of the list of valued commodities.
And protecting vulnerable kids should be right up there too.
“So first things first, I make an assessment of the project and we go from there?”
“Yes.” Mr.Holton’s posture relaxed, which made Luke feel a little more comfortable too. “We will discuss your findings and then make a decision accordingly.”
“All right.” Sounded simple enough. One step at a time. No commitment just yet. “When would you like me and Pete to take a look?”
Mr.Holton released a genuine smile. “Tomorrow morning, if you are able?”
Luke looked over at Pete, who shrugged his answer.
“Tomorrow morning sounds fine.”
“And Ms.St.Clare will be in attendance, so you can direct further questions about the project to her.”
“And this Ms.St.Clare is to be our overseer for the project, should we take the job?” Pete took the question out of Luke’s head.
