“Very good, your ladyship.” The butler exchanged a glance with the steward, then withdrew, closing the door.
“Please.” Olivia gestured to a chair and the steward sat, clutching the book to his chest, as if he feared she might appropriate it. “First, let me I assure you that I’ve no wish to meddle in the affairs of the estate, or any decisions that my husband has made.”
He seemed to relax.
“I have a number of arrangements I wish you to make,” she continued, “but before I instruct you, I would ask for your discretion.”
“You have it, Lady Devereaux.”
“I take it you’re aware that I have an annuity in my name?”
He colored and nodded.
“I wish to capitalize a portion of that annuity and would like you to act as my agent.”
“B-but your husband…”
“My husband is not here, Mr. Carlton, and I do not want him to know of the arrangement until I deem it appropriate.”
“Forgive me, Lady Devereaux, but I cannot act against the interests of his lordship.”
He glanced toward the door, and Olivia tempered the anger simmering in her heart.
“I take it you’ve been talking to Reynolds, who no doubt has told you that as a woman and anatural childI have no right to make any requests of you and must restrict myself to matters concerning the household, such as how much bacon Mrs. Groves is permitted to order?”
Carlton’s eyes widened, and the ledger slipped from his grasp.
“F-forgive me, Lady Devereaux, I knew nothing of your…” He gestured toward her, a blush spreading across his cheeks and even staining the tips of his ears pink.
“I’m surprised to hear that,” she said, bitterly. “I’d have thought the gossip would have spread halfway across the county by now. If not the circumstance of my birth, what did Reynolds tell you?”
“To comply with your requests, your ladyship, and treat you with respect.”
“Oh, I-I thought…”
“You thought that because of your sex and birth I would not consider your wishes?”
“Isn’t that what you’re saying?”
He smiled and shook his head. “Of course not. I’ve often considered women to be the more capable sex—Mrs. Brougham, for example…” He paused, a smile on his lips.
“But?” Olivia prompted him.
“But I cannot act contrary to the best interests of Lord Devereaux. Which includes keeping secrets from him.”
“You think I wish to act against my husband’s interests?” Olivia said. “Would you not at least hear what I have to say? After all, it’s my annuity. My brother settled it upon me when I married Lord Devereaux.”
“The estate has little in the way of capital, Lady Devereaux.”
“I am aware of that, Mr. Carlton. My husband has used the available capital for the benefit of the tenants. But tell me…has he spent any of it to his own personal benefit?”
The steward retrieved the ledger from the floor and placed it on his lap. “Lord Devereaux is not the type of man to indulge in frivolities for the sake of his own pleasure.”
“Which is why I wish to indulge in them on his behalf.”
“I beg pardon?”
“I would like to do something about the gardens—have them remodeled into something a little more…”
