“Ah, keepin’ it in’t family,” one said, and they left in a noisy gaggle, laughing at what passed for wit amongst them.
It was too good an opportunity to miss.
“Have you ever thought of getting married, Ulric? A wife to take care of you — would you not like that?”
“Wife?” he said blankly.
“Every man wants to get married, surely,” she said. “You must have thought about it. You could live at Myercroft then, with your horses, instead of at Holly Cottage.”
No need to mention that he could live at Myercroft any time he wanted, with or without a wife. It was his house, after all.
“Like to live at Myercroft,” he said.
She said no more, perfectly satisfied. Another day or two, and she would proceed to the next step.
***
It was almost a week before Tess had an opportunity to speak to Mrs Harfield alone, for that lady was always dealing with some domestic crisis or other, and Tess was generally trailed by two or three of the children. But eventually, they were both out in the kitchen garden picking beans, and for once unattended by servants or offspring.
Tess lost no time in raising the subject. “Ulric seems very settled now — very easy to manage.”
“Oh, he has never been adifficultboy, not really. Not so long as he has his horses.”
“I wonder if you have taken thought for his marriage?”
“Marriage! Ulric can never marry, that much is certain. If he had any interest in women… but he never has.”
“But he is very eligible, with Myercroft, and such a handsome man. There must be those who—”
“Of course. Plenty of women look at him and wonder, but he has never shown any sign of forming an attachment.”
“As to an attachment, I dare say not, but that need not preclude his marriage, need it?”
Mrs Harfield stopped picking and turned to stare at Tess. “My dear, Ulric is hardly fit husband material for any woman.”
“Not in the usual way, no… not a marriage of equals, certainly. But with the right woman, one who would not fuss over him, but would allow him to go on just as comfortably as he does now… well, with therightwife, he could have the trust wound up and reclaim Myercroft. And the right wife could ensure that he would have his family about him, just as he likes it.”
Mrs Harfield was quick to see the possibilities. “The right wife? You? But you hardly need Myercroft. Your father left you well provided for.”
“Indeed. But you know my situation, ma’am. To claim my inheritance, I must have a husband. For Ulric to reclaim Myercroft and its full income, he needs a wife. It seems to me that we could do each other a good turn.”
“A marriage of convenience?”
“Of course. Once you and Ulric have Myercroft and I have my own money, well… there will be no need for us to spend much time together. Ulric will go on just as before, except that you will all be at Myercroft instead of Holly Cottage, and think how agreeable that will be.”
She could see that Mrs Harfield was indeed thinking of it, her eyes alight with excitement. But then she frowned. “The trustees will forbid it.”
“They have no power to forbid it. Ulric is of age, after all, and I shall be so in just a few months. A short betrothal, then we marry. Or it may even be that there will be no need to marry at all, for the betrothal might be enough to do the trick. Who are Ulric’s trustees, by the way?”
“A couple of the Frith uncles, very elderly gentlemen now.Theywill be no trouble. But the third is Lord Tarvin, who took on the duty after his uncle died, and he is not an amenable man, not at all. If anyone is to give us trouble, it will be him.”
“Nonsense!” Tess said robustly. “He cannot refuse to wind up the trust once Ulric is married — can he?”
“True, for Ulric was only a babe when his father drew up his will, and we did not know then how he would be when he grew up. Henry thought he would grow out of his… well, hisoddness.So the terms of the trust are the usual ones. It may be wound up once he is of age, if Ulric himself requests it, or at any age if he marries. Of course, once we understood his affliction better, we never thought the trust would need to be wound up at all. He will never ask for it himself, so it is all set up in the most advantageous way — an allowance for Ulric’s keep, his horses paid for and Myercroft leased to a very dependable family. And no one ever expected him to marry, but with awife… yes, that would change everything. But Edward will fight it tooth and nail. He is fiercely protective of Ulric.”
“And so are we,” Tess said cheerfully. “Who should know better than his mother what is best for Ulric? Yes, we can deal with Lord Tarvin, I fancy.”
***
