“Not happy?” His shoulders tightened with a prickle of annoyance. He escorted her along the passage. “Eustace has been happy here for the best part of thirty-five years.”
“Perhaps he feels you want him to leave.”
Guy tightened his jaw. “I’ve made it perfectly plain he is welcome. The hall is large enough for several families to live in and seldom meet.”
“That’s not the point.”
He took her arm and turned her to face him. “Do you think I’m being unreasonable to want the man to explain a few things to me?”
She gave him a quizzical glance. “I should think it would depend on your manner. Are you too forceful?”
Her lack of faith in him affected him far more than he would have thought possible. Perhaps because it was so unfair. “Forceful? I’ve held off on asking any direct questions that might upset him. I’ve assured him he may remain for the rest of his days. What more do you suggest? Shall I offer to rub his back?”
She narrowed her eyes and took the basket from him. “You are talking nonsense. Perhaps all he wants is your friendship.”
Rather difficult when the man is as frosty as the weather, Guy thought. And then there were those unexplained attacks of which he was reluctant to accuse the man, not without proof at least. And perhaps because he doubted Eustace lay behind them. He exuded lassitude rather than menace. “I’m willing to be on good terms, but he must also make the effort. I shall learn what has occurred here even at the risk of upsetting him.”
Having escorted her to the door of the conservatory, he bowed. “And I shall have it straightened out before one of us leaves for London.” He left her and strode away.
If she couldn’t understand his point of view, so be it. But when his outrage drained away, he felt decidedly flat. He made his way to the library and returned to his study of the estate books and articles on modern methods of farming. He had much to learn.
Chapter Nine
Dismayed, Hetty crossedthe tiled floor to her godfather. He sat with a shawl around his shoulders, a book opened on his lap. Guy’s stern manner had surprised her, but Eustace did appear miserable.
He smiled and closed his book. “Horatia. How lovely that you should call on a dull, old fellow like me. What is that you have brought with you?”
She put her basket down on a table. “Some of Cook’s shortbread biscuits, plum jam, and an apple cake.”
“My, you do spoil me.”
She bent to kiss him. Cloves. She was familiar with the smell of laudanum. He patted her hand. “You are the closest thing I’ve ever had to a daughter, Horatia. The kind of daughter to make a man proud.”
Horatia was touched but couldn’t help a rush of unease. Eustace’s eyes looked glazed and his movements sluggish as he summoned a footman.
“Take these to the kitchen,” he instructed the servant. “We’ll have the cake with our tea, shall we?”
She looked around the conservatory as she sat down. The sun highlighted the dirt on the panes of glass and the cobwebs in corners. Once a lush display, the area was almost bare of plants. The orchids crowded their pots, in need of being divided and repotted, and the violets appeared to have rot. She’d noticed the lack of servants. It was not surprising everything was neglected.
“Where is Thomas?”
“The footman? He decided he was better off in London.”
She thought it odd. Thomas had been there for some years. “You know Guy is happy for you to stay here, should you wish to.”
“Yes, he’s said as much to me, but I shall leave for London soon. The season is almost upon us.”
“Will you be well enough?”
“I may as well suffer there as here. I hold out hope that I shall see you in London. Any luck with your father?”
Hetty shook her head. “Papa is taking tea with Mrs. Illingworth again this afternoon. Perhaps he is developing tender feelings for her.”
Eustace’s eyebrows rose. Warmth sparked in his faded gray eyes. “Really? There’s life in the old dog yet.” His face reddened. “I do apologize, Horatia. Not fit talk for a young lady’s ears. This laudanum has me saying the darndest things.”
“Father needs someone to care for him. And someone for him to care for.”
“But he won’t bother while he has you there to do it. Ah, here is the tea.” A footman placed the tea tray on the table.
