Page 74 of Foes, Friends and Lovers
Ecton turned to him. “Thank you for your time, Cynster. Despite your refusal, I believe I’ll leave my offer on the table and allow you to think further on it.” He paused, then added, “Of course, I can’t leave it hanging forever, but no doubt, I’ll see you around over coming days.”
With that, Ecton nodded somewhat curtly.
Reminding himself that the pompous man was, nevertheless, a neighbor and, thus, it behooved him to maintain good relations, Gregory returned a graceful nod and watched as Ecton descended the steps to where Parker held a pair of showy blacks harnessed to a flashy curricle. Gregory hid a grin; neither horses nor carriage were top of the trees, and Parker’s haughtily dismissive attitude was easy to read, even from a distance.
Ecton remained oblivious. He took the reins, climbed up, gave his horses the office, and drove the beasts far too fast down the drive.
Gregory watched him go. He felt certain that, no matter how unwelcome, Ecton would be back with an increased offer.
Either that or…?
The comment from his inner voice, that part of him that listened more to his instincts than his rational brain, left him uneasy.
Or what? Why think that?
What had he seen that he hadn’t truly registered?
He didn’t know, but he definitely had a bad feeling about Ecton.
Replaying the exchange with Ecton in his mind, he walked slowly back to the library. He sank into the armchair he’d occupied earlier and stared, unseeing, across the room.
Previously, despite his uneasiness, he would have shrugged and left Ecton to do his worst, secure in the knowledge that, whatever Ecton’s worst proved to be, he would be able to deflect or block it.
Now, however, he had other people to think of.
People he viewed as his to protect, particularly from the likes of Ecton.
Accepting that and also, given what he’d gleaned of the man, that Ecton would push harder to get Gregory to sell the estate, he weighed up possible defenses, then rose and headed for the study.
When he walked in, Caitlin looked up from the ledger in which she was patiently writing. Several dark curls had escaped to dangle and bounce, caressing the milky satin of her throat, and she’d forgotten a pencil she’d tucked behind one ear.
As he walked forward and dropped into the chair facing her across the desk, she arched her brows.
He smiled faintly and told her of Ecton’s visit.
“He wanted to buy the estate?” She frowned. “Why?”
“That was my thought as well. He said he wished to add to his own estate, which is smaller, but why he would want to do that when every second word he lets fall underscores how much he abhors country living, I can’t fathom.”
“Hmm. From your description—and from all I’ve heard—he sounds a slippery character.”
“You haven’t met him?”
She shook her head. “I believe he’s rarely at Ecton Hall.” She focused on him. “So you refused his offer?”
“Indeed. Yet despite doing so and insisting I was in earnest, I strongly suspect he’ll be back. However, I, too, did not form a favorable view of Ecton’s character.” He met her eyes. “I’ve decided it would be wise to let the business owners know of his offer and my refusal and, further, to assure them that I have absolutely no intention of selling the estate to Ecton or anyone else. I have no confidence whatsoever that he won’t engage in some mischief—I suspect it would be wise to do what we can to spike his guns. I also want to learn what I can about him, and some of the longer-term owners might know more.”
She nodded briskly. “All excellent ideas.” She laid aside her pen, shut the ledger, and set it aside. “We have a grapevine of sorts that allows anyone at the house to summon all the business owners in the event we need an urgent meeting.”
“That’s precisely what we need.”
She pushed to her feet. “I’ll tell Cromwell, and he’ll spread the word. We usually meet in the conservatory. We’ve moved some of the chairs from the music room in there so there’s seats for everyone.”
The Hall’s grapevine, or whatever the mechanism of the summons was, proved surprisingly effective.
An hour later, even those from the farms farther afield had arrived and gathered in the conservatory. Melrose, Tristan, and Hugo had tidied away their easels and helped set out the chairs.
With Caitlin beside him, Gregory stood at one end of the long room and, when everyone was settled, faced the company and told them of Ecton’s offer and his refusal.
