“Ah, Vivian was the bad influence. I might have guessed.”
“Maybe I was the bad influence on her.” Caroline huffed. “I am certainly unhappy with her new goal of finding a husband this year. I have promised to help her pick out someone worthy. I can’t have her married off to some half-wit.”
“No, we can’t have that,” he murmured under his breath.
“I have worked up an appetite. Let’s head back in, shall we?” Caroline turned and walked back toward the house. Jack trailed after her wondering what sort of man would be “interesting” enough for his sister.
The next day Jack rode out with his brother to see the property. Andrew explained the changes he had made since their father’s passing. “Father had been passively taking the advice of his land steward, a fellow even older than he and set in his ways,” Andrew told him. “For years, I had suggested ideas for changing the stock over to sheep and making fine linens. But it was too much trouble for him to take my advice and take action. He would only say, ‘Everything is fine, my boy, things are fine the way they are.’ But they weren’t fine, not even a little.” Andrew’s brow furrowed as he bit out the words.
“After Father died and I got a better look into the books, I realized how much he had mortgaged. Almost all of the unentailed properties owed more than they were producing. The worst of it was Mother had been the one to manage all the salaries and cash flow. How she managed for so many years, I don’t know. I guess whenever she needed more, Father just sold or mortgaged something.” He looked at Jack, his expression bleak. “I blame myself. I should have insisted on being more involved, but you know how he acted. All bluster. ‘I am the Duke. I handle all things myself.’ When I think of the way Lydia spent money…” He shook his head.
Jack stopped his horse and turned to his brother. “I am truly sorry I left you all alone to deal with the mess. I was very selfish to run away and to be so wrapped up in my own anger I ignored my family.”
“Hell, Jack, stop being so damn contrite. How is a man supposed to hold onto his resentments when you’re being so nice?” Andrew smiled ruefully. Then he clicked his heels against his horse’s side, and they began to walk forward again. Jack spurred his horse as well and fell in next to Andrew as they ambled across the field. “Besides, you sent money when I finally set aside my pride and asked. It went a long way toward turning this place around. I know you also sent money to Mother to pay for Caroline’s season last year.”
Jack ran his hand through his hair. “Yes, well, money I could do. It’s the relationships I was afraid to come home and face. But I promise to be here for you now and to be part of this family again.”
Andrew looked at him for a long moment, his expression impassive. Jack straightened his shoulders under the assessing gaze. He meant what he had said. He only hoped his brother would give him a chance to prove it.
“I believe you mean that, Jack.” Andrew’s face relaxed back into an easy smile. “It’s good to have you home.” Jack finally let out a breath as Andrew clapped him on the back. “Race you to the stile.” His brother said. Then he took off at a gallop.
They had raced this stretch countless times as boys. Jack grinned and spurred his horse after his brother, feeling lighter in spirit than he had in years. How he missed the simple camaraderie between them. The sheer fun of racing his horse to catch his older brother bubbled up in his throat. The pure joy caused him to throw his head back and laugh out loud.
A week flew by as preparations for the party became more frantic. Rooms had to be readied, and food ordered. Jack and Andrew tried to stay out of the way as much as possible. They took Grayson and Tyler out on their new ponies, teaching the boys the proper way to care for their mounts. Once the boys had practiced enough in the ring, they took them around the property, showing them the places where they had played and roamed as boys.
Grayson rode his pony like he had been born in the saddle. Tyler lacked the confidence of his brother. He rode a good sturdy pony, but horses can read the mood of the rider and Tyler’s nervousness made his pony skittish.
Jack walked into the stables one afternoon with the intention of taking his horse out for a ride before dinner. He spied Tyler standing on a stool outside his pony’s stall, staring in and watching while it munched on hay.
“Tyler, what are you doing out here in the stables by yourself?” Jack asked. The boy looked up with a guilty expression on his face. “Does your governess know where you are?”
“No, sir. I just wanted to come out and say sorry to Coco. Gray says I’m the reason she is getting so jumpy. But I can’t help it. It’s so lonely riding up on her all by myself. I always used to ride with Mama or Papa.” His eyes downcast, he kicked at the dirt with the toe of one shoe.
Jack hunched down to look Tyler in the eye. “It can be hard getting used to doing things yourself, but I think you can trust Coco. She’s a good girl. I will tell you something all good horsemen know.” Tyler looked at him with interest. “Horses are excellent listeners. You can tell a horse anything, and they always listen. They can never reveal your secrets. Your brother is right. Your horse can tell your mood. If you feel comfortable with her, then she will feel comfortable with you.” Tyler seemed to think on that. “Would you like to come for a ride with me? I was about to take out Shadow. He is strong enough to carry us both.”
“Yes!” Tyler’s face lit up. Jack called over one of the grooms.
“Run up to the house and tell Miss Fischer I will be taking Master Tyler out for a ride, and we will be back in an hour.” He held out his hand to Tyler, “Let’s go saddle Shadow. Has your papa ever shown you the tree that was struck by lightning? The bolt of lightning split it right down the middle.” The two walked companionably up the center aisle hand in hand.
Chapter Twenty
Jack sat behind his brother’s desk, thinking that recently Andrew had been spending less time by himself and more time with the family. Several nights after dinner, instead of repairing to the drawing room to have a brandy, Andrew had instead collected his boys for a walk down to the lake. Their mother also noticed this change in behavior, and some of the worry had receded from her watchful eyes.
As for Jack, he enjoyed being part of his family again. It had been a while since he’d spent time doing not much of anything. But that didn’t mean he could ignore his business entirely. Today he sat in the study going through a rather large pile of correspondence pertaining to Aston Shipping when he heard a loud crash from the hallway.
“Blast!” A feminine voice rang out.
He grinned. Vivian had arrived. He took off his spectacles and put his jacket back on. When he opened the door to the hallway, he spotted Vivian precariously holding a rather large vase while its mate lay shattered on the ground by her feet. She looked up at him sheepishly.
“Sorry. Do you think it was costly?”
Jack stepped closer and took the vase from her hands, setting it back on the side table where it belonged. “I wouldn’t worry. Did you hurt yourself?”
“Just a bump on my hip, I think.” She rubbed her right hip and winced.
She looked lovely and fresh in a pale-yellow dress. The lavender scent she wore reached his nose, enticing him to take a step closer. He attempted to gauge her mood.
“Still mad?” he asked.
