“That would be welcome.”
Dominic chuckled. “You sound far more enthusiastic about cards than you do about chess.”
“That I am, my lord,” Williams said with a smile. “I might even best you.”
Dominic grinned. “I wouldn’t be too confident.” He paused when an excellent idea struck him. “It’s better with three people. Perhaps Miss Jenner will join us after dinner? I’ll leave it for you to arrange, Williams.”
“Certainly.” If his suggestion surprised Williams, he gave no hint of it.
She could hardly refuse an order. His grin widening, Dominic nudged Onyx’s flank and let the fractious horse gallop toward a fine copse of elms and a deep hedge in the distance, which marked the boundary of the gardens, the soaring roof of the house rising above them.
*
“Are you pleasedwith the kitchen boy?”
Seated at the kitchen table, Olivia took a sip of tea, while Sam busied himself rolling out dough. Betty, the new scullery maid, bent her fair head over the pots, scrubbing furiously, while the two other kitchen maids cleaned the pantry.
Sam’s rolled-up sleeves revealed a tattoo of a busty mermaid on his muscular forearm. “Henry’s a keen lad, an orphan, and life hasn’t been easy for him.”
“No, so many have sad tales to tell,” she said. “Were you in the navy, Sam?”
He nodded. “Joined up as a lad. That’s where I learned to cook. When I left, I hoped to run my own eatery.” Shook his head. “Didn’t work out that way. Instead, I ended up in Newgate for three years.”
“Newgate!” she cried, horrified. “What happened?”
“I got tricked is what. Landed with stolen goods. He used my business as a cover. I wanted to find the criminal and kill him when I got out, but he’d died before my term was up. It’s left a sour taste in my mouth that has. Revenge is sweet, sayeth the Lord.”
Olivia fell silent. She didn’t want revenge, only justice and a chance at a better life.
Williams came to the kitchen door. “May I have a word, Miss Jenner?”
She rose. “Of course. Come into my office.”
Williams glanced around appreciatively at her clean, well-organized room. “A great improvement.” He eyed the vase of flowers on her desk. “And it smells a good deal better.”
“It badly needed to.” Olivia smiled. Next, she would tackle the steward’s room. Which would give her the opportunity to search for anything pertaining to her father.
“I bear an invitation from his lordship,” Williams said. “He has invited you to make a three for whist after dinner this evening.”
Her heart thumped. She’d seen Redcliffe briefly this morning while she worked. He’d remained fixed in her mind. His perceptive green eyes and his tall, dark, good looks were a constant distraction. She shouldn’t agree, but she would so enjoy an evening spent in their company. She’d played the card game often with her father and had become reasonably proficient at it. They would not be alone. Williams would be there.
“Please tell his lordship, I shall be delighted. I only hope I am up to matching wits with two skillful players.”
Williams smiled. “As two gentlemen with only each other’s company, I believe the pleasure will be all ours.”
After Williams left, Olivia and the housemaid went to the steward’s office, a small gloomy room near the laundry.
While Polly cleaned, Olivia searched through the record books. The estate steward, Mr. Pike, was the son of the former vicar, now deceased. Her father had asked him about the money owing to him, but Pike knew nothing to help. He had a cottage in the village. As steward, he’d collected the rents, attended to the leases, and supervised the tenantry. Lists of feed and seed purchases, plus other items, were neatly detailed at the end of each month. She ran her finger down each page. A tenant farmer wished to lease more land, and after Mr. Graves had passed away, his son took over the lease of their farm.
She found no evidence Pike had consulted the bailiff, which surprised her, as he alone dealt with the hiring and firing of workers. He’d settled two tenant disputes and oversaw the harvest and purchase of livestock. The records began several years ago when the earl must have been in better health and the estate well run. Pike’s neat account keeping ended a few months before the earl died when he would have left the earl’s employ.
After studying the books for over an hour, Olivia rested her head in her hands. Nothing she found supported her conviction that the earl had cheated her father. But she wasn’t about to give up. There were several books of entries in Pike’s crimped cursive to go through.
Polly gathered up her bucket, mop, and brushes. “I’m finished, Miss Jenner.”
Olivia cast an eye around the room, smelling pleasantly of lemon and furniture polish. The floorboards washed, the fireplace swept, the woodwork gleaming, and the windows sparkling. The girl had been quick and thorough. “Good work, Polly. You are now the head maid and will assist me in organizing the other girls.”
Polly grinned. “Thank you, Miss Jenner.”
