coldly.
“I really do not think there was another way,” Savile said. “My uncle should never have put poor George in such a position to begin with, of course. But a gambler is a gambler, and by the time Uncle Jack had finished, the entire estate was mortgaged to the hilt.”
I did not want to hear this story. I did not want to hear anything that might cast George in a sympathetic light.
I said, “Will anyone else be there besides the grieving widow and her father?”
Savile agreeably followed this change of topic. “My cousin, Roger Melville, will be present. Roger is the new Lord Devane.”
I thought that it would not be easy for Lady Devane to be in the company of her husband’s successor.
All those daughters and no son, I thought piously, thinking of George and Harriet’s family. For all the money that Mr. Cole had paid for Devane Hall, he would not be able to retain it after all. His daughter had not provided George with a male heir.
“My elder sister will undoubtedly be present as well,” Savile went on. “Not because she expects anything from the will, but because she is incurably nosy.” His voice sounded half amused, half exasperated.
“What is your sister’s name?” I asked.
“Regina.”
“I meant, by what title should I address her?”
“Oh. She is married to a commoner, so her name is still Lady Regina. I doubt that her husband will come with her. He is Gervase Austen—you know, the fellow who discovered that new comet everyone was talking about last year. Gervase is far more interested in the stars than he is in people.”
I had heard of neither Mr. Austen nor his comet. I smiled faintly to indicate my interest and wisely said nothing.
“My cousin John Melville will be there as well,” the earl went on. “John lives at Savile and is kind enough to act as my steward. I really don’t know how I should go on without him.”
“And who is the attorney who has charge of the will?” I inquired.
“Old Middleman of Middleman and Ambrose. He resides in London, of course, and that was another reason to have the will read at Savile Castle. We are much more convenient to London than is Devane Hall.”
I said carefully, “Do any or all of these people know that George has left money to Nicky?”
We were so close that I could actually feel him stiffen. “No,” he said in a clipped voice. “I have not confided that delightful news to anyone but you.”
I had insulted him.
“I wasn’t sure,” I said. “If what George told you is true, then they will all know it soon enough.”
“I am the executor of George’s will, not the town crier.”
He was really insulted.
“I beg your pardon, my lord,” I said softly. I truly had not meant to offend him.
He gave me a swift, eagle’s glare and said nothing.
I turned my head to look out the window. The sun had turned the snowy landscape into a sparkling scene of crystal splendor. The world was eerily quiet; even the horses’ hooves were muffled as they fell on the packed snow of the roadway.
I drew in my breath with an audible catch.
“It is beautiful indeed,” Savile said quietly. Evidently he had gotten over his ill humor.
I said with a forced laugh, “And when it melts we shall be knee deep in mud!”
Silence descended on the coach.
“How long before we arrive?” I asked at last in a muffled voice.
“It depends upon the road,” came the reply. “From what we have experienced thus far, I should say another five hours.”
Five hours! I could not possibly remain cooped up with him there in that coach for five more hours, I thought.
“I get sick if I ride too long inside a coach,” I said with inspired invention. “Do you think it would be possible for me to ride up on the box with Grove for a while?”
I could feel him looking at my profile, which I tried to keep expressionless.
“It will be cold up on the box,” he said.
The cold on the box was infinitely preferable to the heat I was beginning to feel
“I really do not think there was another way,” Savile said. “My uncle should never have put poor George in such a position to begin with, of course. But a gambler is a gambler, and by the time Uncle Jack had finished, the entire estate was mortgaged to the hilt.”
I did not want to hear this story. I did not want to hear anything that might cast George in a sympathetic light.
I said, “Will anyone else be there besides the grieving widow and her father?”
Savile agreeably followed this change of topic. “My cousin, Roger Melville, will be present. Roger is the new Lord Devane.”
I thought that it would not be easy for Lady Devane to be in the company of her husband’s successor.
All those daughters and no son, I thought piously, thinking of George and Harriet’s family. For all the money that Mr. Cole had paid for Devane Hall, he would not be able to retain it after all. His daughter had not provided George with a male heir.
“My elder sister will undoubtedly be present as well,” Savile went on. “Not because she expects anything from the will, but because she is incurably nosy.” His voice sounded half amused, half exasperated.
“What is your sister’s name?” I asked.
“Regina.”
“I meant, by what title should I address her?”
“Oh. She is married to a commoner, so her name is still Lady Regina. I doubt that her husband will come with her. He is Gervase Austen—you know, the fellow who discovered that new comet everyone was talking about last year. Gervase is far more interested in the stars than he is in people.”
I had heard of neither Mr. Austen nor his comet. I smiled faintly to indicate my interest and wisely said nothing.
“My cousin John Melville will be there as well,” the earl went on. “John lives at Savile and is kind enough to act as my steward. I really don’t know how I should go on without him.”
“And who is the attorney who has charge of the will?” I inquired.
“Old Middleman of Middleman and Ambrose. He resides in London, of course, and that was another reason to have the will read at Savile Castle. We are much more convenient to London than is Devane Hall.”
I said carefully, “Do any or all of these people know that George has left money to Nicky?”
We were so close that I could actually feel him stiffen. “No,” he said in a clipped voice. “I have not confided that delightful news to anyone but you.”
I had insulted him.
“I wasn’t sure,” I said. “If what George told you is true, then they will all know it soon enough.”
“I am the executor of George’s will, not the town crier.”
He was really insulted.
“I beg your pardon, my lord,” I said softly. I truly had not meant to offend him.
He gave me a swift, eagle’s glare and said nothing.
I turned my head to look out the window. The sun had turned the snowy landscape into a sparkling scene of crystal splendor. The world was eerily quiet; even the horses’ hooves were muffled as they fell on the packed snow of the roadway.
I drew in my breath with an audible catch.
“It is beautiful indeed,” Savile said quietly. Evidently he had gotten over his ill humor.
I said with a forced laugh, “And when it melts we shall be knee deep in mud!”
Silence descended on the coach.
“How long before we arrive?” I asked at last in a muffled voice.
“It depends upon the road,” came the reply. “From what we have experienced thus far, I should say another five hours.”
Five hours! I could not possibly remain cooped up with him there in that coach for five more hours, I thought.
“I get sick if I ride too long inside a coach,” I said with inspired invention. “Do you think it would be possible for me to ride up on the box with Grove for a while?”
I could feel him looking at my profile, which I tried to keep expressionless.
“It will be cold up on the box,” he said.
The cold on the box was infinitely preferable to the heat I was beginning to feel
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