Page 29 of A Scandalous Proposition
‘Adam, I was expecting to see you at dinner last night.’
‘I had another engagement.’ He made no apology for his absence and offered no further explanation.
‘I dare say you were reacquainting yourself with our neighbours.’
Adam concentrated on his coddled eggs and neither confirmed nor denied her assertion.
‘James has told you about my soiree this evening, I collect.’
He inclined his head.
‘And you’ll make yourself available? After all, you are the guest of honour.’
‘I wouldn’t miss it.’
‘Good.’ She smiled flirtatiously at him. ‘It will be such fun, being all together again. It has been too long since we entertained at the Court.’
Adam made no response to this crass statement. She filled the ensuing silence by telling him whom she had invited for the evening’s entertainment, mentioning that there would very likely be impromptu dancing afterwards. Not once did she refer to James or speculate upon his ability to endure the event. Adam escaped as soon as he politely could and took himself off to the estate office.
Fowler stood up and bowed low. ‘I am delighted to see you back with us, m’lord.’
‘Thank you, Fowler.’ Adam threw himself into the chair opposite the steward’s desk. ‘Now, tell me what’s been going on in my absence.’
Fowler cleared his throat. ‘Can I speak plain, m’lord?’
‘I would expect nothing less of you.’
‘Very well then, it’s her grace that’s causing problems. She will insist upon interfering but she doesn’t know the first thing about estate business. We’re in danger of becoming a laughingstock as a consequence of her orders.’ He coughed discreetly. ‘Beg pardon, m’lord, but I only speak the truth.’
‘I dare say, but I need to know precisely what trouble she’s caused if I am to put it right. Speak up, man, and don’t hold anything back.’
‘Where to begin?’ Fowler scratched his whiskery chin and drew a deep breath. ‘One of our main difficulties is that she doesn’t care for the moveable hurdles.’
Adam’s brows shot skyward. ‘The sheep hurdles? Why ever not?’
‘It seems when we move the sheep into the southern pasture she can see them from her window and claims they spoil the view.’
‘What the?’
‘I’ve attempted to explain that we let them roam free during the day to fertilize the pasture before rounding them up into the hurdles for the night. But her grace doesn’t see the need for it and thinks we ought to get rid of the sheep altogether.’
‘The devil she does!’
‘We need the sheep and cattle to rotate on the pasture so as to grow the best corn.’
Adam suspected that Philippa was well aware of that fact, so was at a loss to understand why she had deliberately sabotage their arrangements. ‘I will take the matter up with the duke.’
Fowler exhaled a whistling breath. ‘That’ll be a relief.’
‘What else has the new duchess seen fit to interfere with?’
Adam left Fowler an hour later. He was still in high spirits and greeted his brother with something approaching genuine affection. James declared that Fowler was an idiot and had misinterpreted Philippa’s meaning. He then gave Adam leave to rectify the situation in respect of the sheep. On other matters he dug his heels in, insisting his wife be allowed to have her way. Adam knew he was doing so partly to needle him and so he didn’t argue the point. There were ways ’round these incidentals, and he and Fowler would find them without Philippa or James being any the wiser.
But those arrangements could wait. Presently he had another, more pressing, call to make.
*
Once again Florentina paced in front of Christine’s fire. ‘I just don’t understand it.’
