She balled her hands, and then dropped into the chair behind our father’s old desk.
For a few minutes, I could see him there with his quill in one hand and ledger book in the other.
“Since you don’t want to talk about the obvious, why did you bring me down here?”
Katherine glanced at me. “I’d love for you to get inspired by these walls. I’d love for you to love this place like I love it, like our father loved it. That’s why he sent me away to finishing school to learn accounting.”
“I admire the business. It puts a roof over our heads. It once employed a lot of folks on this side of the Thames. But it’s not what I want to do with my life, Katherine.” And from what I remembered, Katherine being sent away for schooling didn’t add to her happiness.
Her great adventure, which caused Tavis and the duke to fall in love with her, she never talked about. Maybe today was the day.
I moved about the creaking wood floors and went to the other desk on the other side of the room, a smaller desk. One where Katherine had often sat as Papa worked.
“Kitty, this place is you. Being in business was your dream. What happened the summer of your great adventure? When did you meet the Duke of Torrance?”
My sister winced like I’d poked her. “I don’t feel like talking about the past.”
I tapped the desk. “Then I’m going back to the house. I’ll get Lydia to ask him for a loan.”
“He wasn’t a duke yet. I didn’t know that he’d be one. He was plain ole Jahleel Charles, but there has never been anything plain about him.”
Spinning around, I couldn’t believe my ears. “Keep talking, Kitty.”
Her mouth opened wide. Then she snapped her lips closed.
I waited but she started looking at ledger books.
“You tried, Kitty. Try again tomorrow.”
When my fingers clasped the doorlatch, she said, “Don’t go back. He’s bringing Lord Mark Sebastian with him.”
My feet froze. “What?”
“The duke’s note said he would bring Lord Mark with him. I didn’t think you wanted to see the composer. So I brought you here to—”
“To run?”
She looked away, then reared back in the chair, putting her short boots along the desk’s blotter. “Papa would have made things easier for you. He would tell Lord Mark to stick to the plan and not confuse you. Since our father’s not here, I have to step in and help.”
“So instead of teaching me to stand up for myself, you want me to hide. Somehow, that doesn’t sound like you or Papa.”
While we both fumed, the door opened. Mr. Thom returned and ushered in the duke and Mark. “See, they are both here, your lordship, your dukeship.”
Our man-of-all-work made an exaggerated bow, then strutted from the office.
“So this is the famed Wilcox Coal office,” the duke said. He again had the cane with the African-looking carvings. Though he looked fit and healthy, I wondered if he’d been sick. Yet, I’d ask about that another time when my hands weren’t sweaty.
Mark presented himself to me. “Shall we take a walk, Miss Wilcox? I’d like you to show me your favorite spots to walk along this side of the river. That will give Torrance and Lady Hampton a chance to clear the air between them.”
Not wanting to be rude, not ready to admit that I’d missed him, I agreed. “Yes, that will give the duke and my sister a chance to talk about Wilcox Coal and other important things.”
I gave Katherine the evil eye or my pushy one. This was our opportunity to save Wilcox Coal. All she had to do was overcome her pride and ask the duke for a loan.
Mark held out his arm to me and we proceeded out the office, leaving two grimacing individuals to battle.
Chapter 29
GEORGINA—A WAGER FORMYLIFE
