Page 30 of Foes, Friends and Lovers
One part of his mind dwelled on what accepting that actually meant.
When Caitlin came to the end of the year and, finally, closed the second ledger, he stirred and, his gaze on her face, stated, “You were the one who was using the study when I arrived.”
He’d recognized her small, precise handwriting on the sheets he’d found when he’d first investigated the room.
Somewhat warily, she met his eyes. “Yes.”
When she said nothing more, he inclined his head. “Given that you do the accounts, it’s appropriate that you continue to use the study.” He saw the surprise she tried to hide. “I’ll work from the library.”
He pushed back the chair and rose.
She got to her feet more slowly. “Are you sure? I have to confess it would be easier.”
He met her gaze. “Not to mention everyone on the estate and no doubt from farther afield expects to find you here.”
She struggled to find something to say to that, eventually settling for “As owner, you using the desk in the library does seem more fitting.” She smiled at him, plainly pleased to have her domain returned to her. “Thank you, Mr. Cynster.”
He grunted and headed for the door. With his hand on the knob, he halted and looked back. “My given name is Gregory. I would prefer you use that.”
She blinked, and when he pointedly waited, she rather more quietly replied, “I suppose if you call me Caitlin…”
He smiled and didn’t care if his inner wolf showed. “Indeed.” With a nod, he opened the door and walked out, leaving her, once more, queen in her domain.
That evening, once dinner and the ritual of the tea trolley had been completed and the others had retired to their beds, Gregory walked into the library, now his personal fiefdom. After pouring himself a generous brandy, he settled in one of the armchairs before the fire to digest what he’d learned thus far.
He sipped and let the myriad details and insights he’d gleaned during his first twenty-four hours at Bellamy Hall replay in his mind. After a time, he shifted his focus to what he now accepted he needed to do, namely, to formulate a fresh vision of his future—of his role as owner of Bellamy Hall—a vision that included Caitlin, the business leaders, and ultimately encompassed all productive activities on the estate.
There was still a lot he needed to learn, and expanding his knowledge would have to come first. Until he understood the basis for all he’d seen in the accounts that afternoon, he would have to play matters by ear.
Taking up the reins of Bellamy Hall was proving to be a very different challenge—a much bigger challenge—than he or, indeed, anyone in the family had envisaged.
Of course, Timms and, no doubt, Minnie before her would have known exactly how much adjusting of expectations he would face.
While the family had known of Minnie’s habit of taking others under her wing and, subsequently, encouraging them to pursue their dreams, no one had appreciated to what extent that concept, followed over many years, had changed the very nature of the estate.
Glassblowing, fine furniture, iron sculptures, carriages. Those were not the normal output from country estates.
“On the other hand…” He’d seen how the income from those endeavors balanced out and supported the estate’s prosperity through what were normally leaner months.
“And if there is a downturn in agricultural prices—like the mess of the corn prices decades ago—this estate will not founder.” In fact, given the hugely varied businesses, financially, the estate wouldn’t even be stretched.
He needed to adjust his thinking, and a part of that was admitting that such an apparently eclectic, not to say crazy, conglomeration of businesses was by no means a bad thing.
In the long run, it could be a significant advantage.
He also needed to accept that much of the estate’s current success rode on Caitlin Fergusson’s exceedingly feminine shoulders. She was ridiculously young to fill such a role—to be the anchor and lynchpin for so many businesses run by others far older and more experienced than she—but she had a knack for working with others. He’d already seen ample evidence of that.
Whatever his ultimate goal with respect to the estate turned out to be, he wouldn’t achieve it without her.
Without her active help and support.
“Hmm.” He took a long swallow of the brandy.
Working alongside Caitlin… He was going to have to figure out how to do that without allowing his attraction to her—or the impact he had on her—to trip him up.
He was far too experienced not to know he affected her, but he had no clue as to how she viewed that. Hopefully, she would gradually get over it—grow accustomed to him—just as he hoped his attraction to her would, over time, fade.
His inner wolf jibbed at that—as if the suggestion he should dismiss that attraction and not pursue it was deeply offensive—but he sternly lectured his wolfish side that that was simply the way things had to be.
