Just then, Mr. Trench appeared.
“I was just looking over the plans for the one tenant house along the western property line and er…” He instantly stopped talking as he surveyed the room. “My apologies, I didn’t realize that you had company.”
“It’s quite all right,” Rhys said standing up. “Mr. Trench, may I introduce Lord Dawson and Miss Kitty Babcock.”
“How do you… do?” Mr. Trench stalled, his eyes on Louisa’s sister.
He blinked, then swallowed, entranced by the shy, smiling Kitty.
“Very well,” Lord Dawson said, while Kitty only nodded, her eyes downcast as if trying not to gaze at the professional man.
“Mr. Trench is our architect. He’s helped me fix the roof here at Fenwick Park and is also renovating the tenant houses.”
Lord Dawson nodded, and a long, awkward silence followed. Louisa noticed that Mr. Trench hadn’t taken his eyes off Kitty when Rhys cleared his throat.
“Well, I’m sure you both are hungry, having traveled all night from London.”
“Yes, come. Let’s have some breakfast. Mr. Trench, I’m sure you haven’t eaten yet.”
“Thank you, but I actually wanted to get a bit of a head start today and ate earlier. If you’ll excuse me,” he said with a bow, before glancing at Rhys. “I’ll meet you at the tenant house later this morning?”
“Of course,” Rhys said as Mr. Trench quickly left the room. “Shall we then?”
Louisa stood, grateful to have something else to focus on and perhaps have some time alone with her sister. “Kitty? I’ll need your help.”
“Help?” Lord Dawson repeated, appearing confused.
“Yes. We don’t have any staff yet and we—”
“Mrs. Crawford can handle it,” Rhys said suddenly.
Louisa turned to her husband and saw a shuttered expression on his face. There was something curious in his dark eyes, as if he were willing her not to argue. Then it dawned on her. Though they had been quite happy living together in the weeks since coming to Fenwick Park, Louisa knew that their arrangement was less than suitable. Without servants, she,Rhys, and the Crawfords had been working an entire estate by themselves, and it would be unthinkable to ask their guests to help prepare a meal, regardless of whether they were prepared to host or not.
But there was something else in her husband’s dark gaze that pinched at her heart.
Nodded silently at her husband, Louisa took Kitty’s arm, and they made their way into the dining room. Louisa was surprised to see that the table had been set. A bouquet of sweet peas and pale pink roses had been arranged in the center of the table in a crystal vase. Just then, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford entered through the servants’ door, carrying two large silver trays.
“I hope you won’t mind a buffet style breakfast,” Rhys spoke as they took their seats. “We hadn’t anticipated guests.”
“Of course,” Lord Dawson said, though his one brow was raised in what could only be construed as judgment. “Tell me, lieutenant, how did you come to own Fenwick Park?”
Louisa and Kitty made their way to the buffet table on the side of the room while Rhys explained how Fenwick Park had been gifted to him from the Crown after the war. Grateful to have a quiet moment with her sister, Louisa offered Kitty a plate before taking one for herself. As Kitty loaded her plate with the humble meal of toast, jams, and sausages, Louisa spoke.
“How sudden this has all happened for you, Kitty,” Louisa whispered, peering over her shoulder to make sure they weren’t being eavesdropped on. “Uncle Malcom truly supported this? An elopement to Gretna Green?”
“Oh yes,” Kitty said swiftly, her tone an octave higher.
“Kitty…”
“Louisa, please,” Kitty retorted in hushed voice.
Louisa gazed at her sister, noting her flushed cheeks. She wouldn’t look up and it suddenly dawned on Louisa that her sister was lying.Oh no.
“Oh, Kitty… Tell me you haven’t run away?” She didn’t answer. “Kitty, how could you?”
“Do not try and dissuade me when you up and married a stranger.” Kitty plopped a sausage on her plate. “And don’t try and tell me you were corresponding beforehand. You would have told me if you were sending letters to someone, so don’t try and convince me otherwise.”
Louisa bit her lips. It was true that she had married a stranger, but her situation had been completely different. Rhys knew that she didn’t have any money and married her regardless. To be frank, Louisa was still stunned by her marriage to Rhys.
