“How’s that?”
“Ran into your lovely wife on my own morning walk.”
“Took Lavinia out, did you, Caro?”
“I did.”
“Yes, my two good girls, both following the advice I don’t take myself. I’ll have to see if I can force myself to get up early tomorrow to join you.”
Breakfast over, Caroline went back to the steward’s office.
“Thank you for waiting for me.” She could not say his name. Theessat the end of Chambers.
He stood. “You wanted to see the ledger, my lady?”
She nodded.
“It’s here.” He gestured to a book sitting on the desk. “Do you want to sit at my desk?”
“I want to t-t-take it away.”
“I need it, my lady.”
“I’ll bring it b-back in the afternoon.” She could tell the man didn’t trust her. He didn’t reach for the ledger to hand it to her so she leaned over and picked it up.
She went to the morning room and sat at the secretary. This room had not yet been cleaned to her satisfaction, but it could be the last one managed since it was her room. Someday, when they had a bit of money to spare, maybe she could make it over to be like her mother’s morning room in London.
She began her examination. Albion Chambers wrote in a clear hand, so that was a blessing. And the accounts looked current with the last entry just dated yesterday, the cost of some nails and lumber. She assumed it was for the repair of the stile she had seen broken the other day.
She flipped now to the beginning of the ledger.
Outgoings were far too large. She would have to institute some harsh economies.
And the rents were small. Very small. Much smaller than the ones paid by the tenants in Sudbury. Were the rented fields here tiny? She had not been under that impression yesterday when they had gone out to meet the tenants. She would need to see a list of the size of the parcels. Was the land poorer and therefore the farmers? She knew her soft-hearted husband would not want the rents to be a hardship to his tenants. She sighed.
She had been so absorbed in totting up numbers in her head that she was startled by a hand on her shoulder.
“Darling.” She turned and looked up into a pair of hazel eyes.
“What are you doing? Are you reading? I’m glad to see you sitting for a change.”
“Looking at the rents.”
“Oh, yes.” Now it was her husband who sighed. “I’ve been through the books myself you know. Even Will had a look last year. But you are so good to take this on, on top of everything else.”
“Phineas, these rents are very low.”
“Are they?” Her husband went into his tailcoat and pulled out his spectacles and put them on. As ever, she felt herself aroused by the spectacles.
And her husband knew it. A sly grin.
“You like these, eh, Caro?”
He winked and turned his attention to the ledger, leaning over her, pressing into her shoulder. “The rents have been close to this for awhile, I think. Are you sure they’re low?”
“No.”
Phineas took off his spectacles. “I’m going out to the stables for a bit. Exercise my horse. I’ll take Will.”
