“Ah,” George said, understanding dawning. “So, what do you plan to do now?”
“Sell up,” Theo said, “I’m not sure what I’d get for it, to be honest, but even if it’s only enough to fund another trip to the Continent, I’ll be content." He shrugged. “I understand you can live quite cheaply in Italy.”
George didn’t comment on that. “Did you review the accounts the first time you visited?”
Theo felt his neck heat. “I asked to,” he said, “but I wasn’t really sure what to make of what Norris showed me, though they looked neatly kept and were up to date.”
“Norris?”
“He deals with the tenants and ledgers, that sort of thing.”
“Ah—your steward?”
Theo shook his head. “No, he only deals with collecting rents. He works for a few landowners in the area so he doesn’t have much time for anything else—which is fine since I can't afford to pay him any more than I do.” He shrugged. “It’s not ideal, but it’s a damned sight cheaper than the alternative, and he does, at least, keep the rents coming in. And really, my two tenants take care of all the land management.”
Just then, the barmaid arrived at their table. She set down fresh tankards and scooped up the empty ones, pocketing the coin George offered her. “Thank you kindly, sir,” she murmured, her low voice thrumming with flirtatious promise. As she swayed away, she cast him an inviting look over her shoulder, and George grinned back, seeming well pleased.
Theo hoped the flash of irritation that flared in him wasn’t obvious. Forcing himself to smile, he said lightly, “Enjoying yourself, George? I didn’t think flirting with females was your sort of thing.”
George’s head swung towards him, his expression chagrined. Endearingly, the tips of his ears had pinkened. “I didn’t mean to flirt. I was just enjoying her calling me sir instead of my lord. It can be very tedious, being my-lordshipped all day long.” Leaning closer, he added confidingly, “It’s been very refreshing to be a plain mister on this trip.”
Theo laughed at that. “Well, it must be said, no one would guess you’re a duke-in-waiting. You look quite disreputable just now.”
George waggled his eyebrows. “I could be a highwayman,” he said teasingly. “Or perhaps a Bow Street Runner.” He broke off then. “Actually, joking aside, if you really do want my thoughts on what needs to be done at Blackfriars, it would probably be easier if you introduced me as Mr. Asquith instead of Lord Sherrington.”
“Why would that be easier?”
George shrugged. “People are more forthcoming with me when they don’t know who I am. It’ll be easier when I’m examining the ledgers and looking around your tenants’ farms.”
Theo sighed. “You may be right.”
“I am right,” George replied. “So let’s do that. I’ll continue enjoying my anonymity, and you’ll get the benefit of my being able to properly ascertain the condition of your estate in a circumspect manner.”
Theo shrugged and smiled. “Very well. If that’s what you’d prefer.” Despite his easy demeanour, though, he felt nervous about what was to come. Tomorrow, George was going to see his house in all its dilapidated glory. It was a thought that hadn’t bothered Theo one bit when he’d first invited George to join him on this trip, so why, a week later, did it strike him as embarrassing?
George was oblivious to his disquiet. “This will be fun,” he said leaning back in his chair, his eyes warm as he lifted his tankard to his mouth and drank.
Which meant that all Theo could do was shove his worries firmly to the back of his mind and say teasingly, “Now, now, Mr. Asquith. Remember, you’ll be there to work.”
George’s amused chuckle made his chest tighten all over again.
20
GEORGE
It was late when they arrived at Blackfriars, turning their mounts off the road and on to the narrow track that led to the main house. In the distance, the sun was setting undramatically, slowly sinking through a faint watercolour wash of rose and lemon, and the air was quiet and still. It was a few days off the longest day of the year.
George’s thighs were stiff and sore from the day’s ride, his eyes gritty with tiredness. They had pushed hard again, rising early and only taking the shortest of rests when they changed horses. Theo had set a punishing pace this whole last week—the one day’s break they’d had from riding had been devoted to climbing a mountain for God’s sake—but George hadn’t minded. Despite the ache in his thigh muscles and buttocks and the bone-deep weariness that had him almost swaying in the saddle as they finally approached their destination, he felt oddly elated. Theo had pushed him to his limits, true, but he had done so with patience and endless encouragement. This week had been the first time in a long time that George had needed to push himself beyond what he could comfortably do, and it had been oddly exhilarating.
“Here we are,” Theo said, bringing his mare to a halt beside a stout wooden gate. He dismounted with his usual quick elegance, opening the gate while George gazed at the two-storey house on the other side of it. It was built of reddish sandstone with an irregular collection of windows and a shingle roof that looked a little dilapidated at first sight—George made a mental note to have a proper look at the roof in the morning. Only one of the windows looked to be occupied, a faint light trembling weakly inside.
George dismounted then too, leading his own horse through the open gate.
“I’ll let Mrs. Ford know we’ve arrived,” Theo said, passing George his gelding’s reins to hold while he strode up to the front door. A face briefly blurred at the single lit window when Theo rapped at the door. Moments later, the door opened to reveal a stout, middle-aged woman in servant’s garb, a cap on her head that looked to have been hastily pulled on and tied haphazardly below her chin.
“Mr. Caldwell, sir,” she said, a little breathlessly. “I didn’t expect you so late. I was about to turn in, and the boy’s gone home—who will see to your horses?”
“Good evening, Mrs. Ford,” Theo said. “Don’t concern yourself about the horses—we'll deal with them. Though if you could arrange something for us to eat while we stable them, that would be much appreciated.”
