Read Online Amanda Scott - [Dangerous 02] by Dangerous Angels - Free Book Online Page B

since I know of no male nearer than Paris, or perhaps Edinburgh, whom I’d trust to make decisions, and no female nearer than London. Now, do stop fretting, and tell me what I must do. As you must know, I have never had to deal with such a situation before.”
    “Few people are ever called upon to deal with a situation like this one,” he said. “And—forgive me for speaking frankly—you are quite young, Miss Charlotte, to take on such a burden.”
    “Nonsense, sir. I am four-and-twenty, an old maid quite contentedly on the shelf, and I’ve had the benefit of an excellent education. What must I do first?”
    “In point of fact, ma’am, there is very little that you can do except see to the burials and keep the household running smoothly until the new heir arrives. Petrok Caltor will keep the estates in trim, and I will see what we can arrange about sales of sheep and such like events that must be seen to before probate is complete. No one can sell any of the property unnecessarily before then, as I hope you know.”
    “What a good thing I hadn’t planned to sell the house,” Charley said.
    He smiled weakly.
    “What of the house in Plymouth that my parents used from time to time?”
    “As you doubtless know, it has been hired out to a family for the year. We’d be in breach of contract if we tried to evict them.”
    “I was not suggesting that we should. I just wanted to know. Really, Mr. Kenhorn, I would be much obliged if you would not treat me like an idiot.”
    “I hope I am doing no such thing, but the fact is, my dear, that there is no dower house at Tuscombe Park. Until we complete probate and the new heir has decided what to do with you, I’m afraid that you and Lady St. Merryn—and Miss Davies, too, of course—will be obliged to remain under this roof.”
    Since it had not occurred to Charley that she might have to leave Tuscombe Park, especially if her father had been unable to provide her with an independence, she was somewhat taken aback by his concern, but she rallied quickly. “I shan’t require a great deal, sir. As you must know, I do not intend to marry, and have long looked forward to reaching that stage in my life when I shall be considered old enough to set up housekeeping with a reliable female to lend me countenance. Since Papa and Grandpapa have always known that to be my intention, I daresay there will be enough. It is not as if I were expecting a large dowry to see me properly married, after all.”
    Mr. Kenhorn looked very unhappy, and the following day, when the family gathered in the drawing room at the end of the gallery to hear the reading of St. Merryn’s will, Charley discovered why.
    Letty was not present, since the will did not concern her. When Charley, Lady St. Merryn, and Miss Davies had taken seats, Kenhorn said apologetically, “There is a great deal in this document that no longer pertains, I’m afraid, since his late lordship quite understandably expected his son to survive him. In the event, I shan’t bore you to death by reading the whole thing unless you particularly wish me to do so.”
    “On no account whatsoever,” Lady St. Merryn said, languishing on the sofa. “My salts, Ethelinda!”
    Miss Davies, a stout lady with frizzy, graying blond hair, hovered over the older lady, plumping pillows and straightening shawls until Lady St. Merryn was sufficiently bolstered to sustain the ordeal.
    Kenhorn glanced at Charley. “Miss Charlotte?”
    “I shall want to read the whole later, sir, but for now, the salient points will do.”
    He blinked, then turned his attention to the document. Raising a pair of horn-rimmed spectacles to his eyes, he said, “First, there is her ladyship’s jointure. That, of course, was settled at the time of their marriage, and his lordship believed it was adequate. It is not a vast sum—”
    “It is a pittance,” Lady St. Merryn said, sitting up indignantly. “Surely, that is not all he left me, Kenhorn!”
    “I regret to