Crossing the threshold, William looked around. The place was not fancy, but it was still lovely with dark wood paneling and plain wallpaper.
“Let me show you to the drawing-room and rejoin you with a cup of tea or two. There is a lot I have to tell you,” Mrs. Wright said as she mounted the stairs. “May I take your coat?”
After handing it to her so she could hang it on a hook and following her upstairs, William came to a midsized but cozy room with a scattering of wingback chairs, a coffee table, fireplace, and a few shelves stocked with books.
He turned a little in shock. It felt inconceivable that all this was his. He had never lived in a place more than a few years or even months, and to know that he had a home still had not settled into his soul.
“Your uncle, Mr. Archibald Smith, was a very learned man,” Mrs. Wright said as she put a tray with cups of tea and a kettle on the coffee table. “But he never married.”
“I—” William stopped. “I don’t understand. How is it that I never knew about him?”
Handing him a cup, Mrs. Wright said, “Mr. Smith was your father’s senior by almost fifteen years. He was your grandfather’s first son before he married your second grandmother, and by the time your father was born, your uncle was off at Oxford and studying. He travelled for many years before coming back to England and taking up a position managing the books for a local winery.”
Sipping the tea, William asked, “Why did he not reach out to me before this?”
Mrs. Wright looked sorry. “He and your father had a horrible rift, and it was never mended. I think he left you the house in apology to your father, even though he was not in the wrong, I believe.”
“What was the rift about?” William asked.
“An inheritance his grandfather gave him,” Mrs. Wright said. “The younger Mr. Smith lost all of it, but before that, the older Mr. Smith had asked him to let him manage the money for him. From then on, they did not speak.”
“Oh,” William said. “I understand now.”
Putting the cup down, William asked, “How big is the staff here?”
“Just me, the butler, my husband, a maid and a footman who manages the carriage and anything outside,” Mrs. Wright said. “Our payment comes from a fund Mr. Smith set up a long time ago, and the recurring interest is our payment.”
“He was good with money.”
“Very good,” Mrs. Wright said. “From what I understand, your inheritance from that fund is two thousand pounds a year.”
Two thousand! My God.
A wild idea sprung to William’s mind, and he mulled it over for a moment. “Would you be able to have the master room ready in three days? I have some business to do in London, and then I will be back. I suppose we can have a sit down with your husband too so we can go over the details of the house in depth?”
“Splendid,” Mrs. Wright smiled widely. “I will have that room ready for you.”
Standing, William hugged her, “I want to know my uncle, so have a lot of stories ready for me.”
She laughed, “There might be too much for you to handle.”
“I doubt it,” William said as he headed to the staircase with one thought in mind.Rachel, I am coming for you.
***
The night before her wedding, Rachel stared at the wedding dress with sickened emptiness. In the next ten hours, she would be Mrs. Julius Bennet, Marchioness of Strathmore.
Turning back to her dressing table mirror, Rachel brushed her hair out as Jane was going to be in in a moment to set her hair in ringlets for the ceremony.
God help me if I am going to make it through?
As she placed the brush down, Jane came rushing into the room. “My Lady, I need you to get dressed right now.”
Jerking in surprise, Rachel asked, “What? What do you mean?”
But Jane was already in motion, grabbing a carpetbag and rushing to her closet. Following her, Rachel asked, “What do you mean? Why do I need to get dressed?”
“Mr. Smith is here, and he is going take you away, far away,” Jane said simply but happily. “He wants to marry you at Gretna and save you from this madness.”
