Ambersley (Lords of London) (13 page)

“
Paget, what duties brought you to the stables?”

The older man squared his shoulders. “I was planting vegetables.”

Derek’s lips twitched at the butler’s discomfiture. “Do you have a penchant to be a farmer?”

“
No, sir. Merely to help provide for the household. Will that be all, my lord?”

“
One last thing. I’ve brought my manservant from India with me. I’ll need a suitable position for him on our staff.”

“
It so happens, my lord, the late duke’s valet accepted employment elsewhere long ago.”

“
Excellent.” Derek was relieved to know he wouldn’t have to face some fop who would try to turn him into a courtier. At least Cushing would know better than to try and dress him.

“
Send him to me, and I’ll have Mrs. North arrange a room for him.”

Derek recalled many of the servants were quartered in the least damaged wing of the Hall. “Let’s do it now. Cushing!” he shouted then turned back to the butler. “If there’s a spare room, I’d like to use it as my own.”

Paget’s hooded eyes widened. “My lord, there are plenty of rooms at the Dower House—”

“
Better suited to a duke,” finished Derek as Cushing approached them. “But, I’ll be more dedicated to repairing the Hall if I’m living under its roof.” Derek still read concern on the butler’s face. “Remember I’ve lived much of the last three years in an army tent in India.”

“
This will be high living compared to that, eh Master?” Cushing’s boisterous laugh turned to an embarrassed cough under Paget’s disapproving regard.

~

Upon hearing of Derek’s return, Rosalie told the butler she wanted a word with the duke.

“
I’ll inform His Grace that you’ve requested an audience, my lady.”

This reinterpretation of her directive did not please her, and she barely managed to bite back an angry retort. How irritating that Derek not only had reappeared in their lives, but he had the gall to accept the title. She’d much preferred having full command of Ambersley in the duke’s absence. Honestly, he’d been living in India all these years, couldn’t he have returned sick, wounded—
dying
?

She collected herself when Paget announced the duke would see her in his study.
His
study. Already he was laying claim to rooms. Then Rosalie realized the advantage and smiled. She would play on his eagerness to be rid of her and the children. Smoothing her green silk gown, she entered the study prepared to be an agreeable, perhaps even loving, mother.

“
Welcome home, Derek.”

He kept his back to her as he ran his index finger along a row of books on the shelves. “Thank you.”

“
I’ll ask Mrs. North to prepare a room for you.”

“
No need.” Derek selected a book and turned to her. “Paget has found room for me at the Hall.”

She clasped her hands before her. “How good of him. Will you be comfortable there?”

“
Tolerably.”

“
If you don’t wish to share the house here, I can easily take the children to Grosvenor Square. Curtis is of an age where he could use a little town polish. Even Olivia might enjoy a museum.”

“
Yes, Paget mentioned you were planning to open the London house, but I fear that’s out of the question. There’s precious little money at hand and a mountain of debt. We cannot afford to staff two homes.”

Rosalie flexed her fingers as she tried to remain calm over Derek’s ploy to control her. “Surely Minton can loosen the purse strings now that he’s found you.”

“
They’re not Minton’s to control. Not to bore you with my financial woes, but…” In brief, Derek shared with her the details of their limited funds and that the bulk of the late duke’s fortune could not be touched for years.

Once more, Rosalie saw her hopes dashed. Despite her patience, she now had to wait three more years until her family could have the money they deserved. She resented that Minton hadn’t shared these important details with her before now.

“
So you see, we’ll have to live very simply for awhile.”

“
Why? The money is there.”

“
Minton still has investigators seeking Miss Amber.”

“
Miss Amber,” Rosalie spat. “Have Minton call off his hounds. He’ll never find her.”

“
Though I agree with you, he thinks otherwise. Since it’s legally still her money, I cannot stop him.”

Rosalie took an agitated turn of the room. “I’m heartily sick of that girl. She’s dead—you cannot convince me otherwise. Eventually we’ll be able to settle all the accounts, so why can we not live as we should?”

“
I’d rather not be burdened with more debt. I intend to start repairs on the Hall.”

She bit back a laugh. “With such limited funds, how will you pay for that?”

“
We’ll do the work ourselves. I’m afraid I’ll need to borrow the staff during the day. I hope that won’t inconvenience you.” With that, he sat on a chaise and opened the book. “Oh, I’ve already told Paget you and the children will be remaining at Ambersley throughout the summer.”

“
How dare you!”

He closed the book with a snap. “I dare because it’s my duty to make the decisions now. You see, Mother, I’ve had time to think this through as well. Curtis is too young to handle the responsibilities here.”

“
I can see to them—”

“
Ambersley is already at rack and ruin, so I’ll not leave the finances in your hands. I feel it’s my duty to support the children, but I’ll not be blackmailed into footing outlandish bills. You dare not expose me when you have no proof. For now, we’re at an impasse.”

She hated that he was right. As long as he was the acknowledged duke, she’d be forced to wheedle what she could from him. “Curtis is the true duke, and that’s
his
money. I want it set aside for him.”

“
When I inherit the money, I shall set up funds for both children.”

“
And you’ll grant the title to Curtis? And
leave?
”

“
We can discuss that in three years. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He set the book aside and rose. “I need to talk to the bailiff.”

She allowed him to walk past her, but if he thought she would allow him to order her life, she would ensure he learned otherwise. Derek Vaughan had become the devil, and for now, she consigned him to hell.

~

Johnny expected the new duke’s arrival to make everyone at Ambersley happy. Instead, Lady Vaughan became more demanding and Curtis more short-tempered. Olivia cried more, though she never could say what was wrong. The duke always seemed preoccupied and spent much of his time with Mr. Broadmoor, the bailiff.

Remembering how tense the staff had been when Lady Vaughan first arrived, Johnny wasn’t as surprised by the worries she heard them express. Mr. Pritchard retold the story of the duke’s murderous mother and how she was hanged, but Johnny wasn’t clear why that made the duke a bad person. Most troubling to her was the sadness and worry she saw reflected in Tom and Martha’s eyes, as if they feared the duke would do something awful to them. She’d hear them whispering deep into the night, but the one time she’d dared ask, Martha had wiped away a tear and said with her matter-of-fact tone that naught was amiss.

Johnny nodded at the lie and did her best not to upset anyone.

As the initial turmoil of the duke’s arrival eased, Johnny was allowed to join the swarm of activity at Ambersley Hall. Tom had told her how the staff had been pressed into service to clean out the Hall and start repairs. To contribute to the cause was an honor.

Her first task was to scrub the soot from the main staircase so the duke could decide whether the treads could be sanded and preserved. At the top of the stairs, the duke rasped burn marks from the banister. Stokes and Mr. Pritchard worked behind him, sanding the wood that had been cleaned and dried. Throughout the main floor, other small parties were similarly employed.

Tom set a bucket of clean water at the bottom of the stairs, and she trailed his gaze as he watched the duke work. “Can’t make heads nor tails of him,” Tom muttered. “Doesn’t seem to know his own importance.” He was still shaking his head as he carried away her dirty water.

Johnny hid her smile as she bowed her head and returned to work.

Late in the morning, Paget carefully stepped past her as he climbed the stairs to bring the duke a salver piled high with letters.

The duke paused, the rasp still in his hand. “What’s this?”

“
The mail, my lord,” Paget responded. “I suspect you have received a number of congratulations on your inheritance.” As the duke didn’t seem inclined to take the salver, Paget retrieved the top letter and held it out. “This one bears the Royal seal, my lord.”

Johnny watched the duke wipe his hand along his breeches before taking the envelope and turning it over. He broke open the seal and his eyes scanned back and forth across the paper. Then he sat down on the stairs with a thump. “I’ve been invited to dine with Prince George the next time I’m in London.”

Paget nodded gravely. “The Crown has always held the Duke of Ambersley in the highest regard.”

To everyone’s shock, the duke burst out laughing.

Johnny tugged on his sleeve. “Is the Prince funny?”

“
No, I am,” Derek replied as he sought his thin-shouldered secretary. “Mr. Pritchard, remind me to send his Royal Highness a thank you for his kind invitation.”

“
When will you be leaving for London, my lord, if I might ask?” Paget asked.

“
Oh, not for some time. There’s far too much work to do around here. Gentlemen, let’s get back to it.” He returned the missive to Paget. “I’ll read those later. Oh, and if you could drum up some cold ale for everyone, it would be much appreciated.”

Paget nodded and strode down the stairs. In the kitchen, he relayed what he’d just seen to Tom. “My first impression of His Grace may have been a trifle hasty.” He added darkly, “Lady Vaughan would have had her bags packed within the hour of receiving such a note.”

Tom had to agree. Listening to Johnny’s tales of the new duke, he could tell she thought he was a paragon. Still, he reserved his own judgment.

But the next afternoon, Tom whistled a joyous tune as Johnny raced ahead of him into the cottage.

“
Look, Martha, look!” Johnny jumped up and down and pointed to him.

Tom held out a silken purse that was heavy with coin.

Martha stared at it. “Whatever in the world—?”

“
Four years’ wages,” Tom said simply and watched Martha’s eyes overflow. “Mr. Minton brought the money from London, and every one of the staff got paid. His Grace said he wanted to do right by us, and that’s why we’re doing the repairs on the Hall ourselves.” His eyes rested on Johnny’s shining face. She’d made the duke a hero, he knew. Had the time come to tell her the truth and restore her to her family? A picture of Lady Vaughan came to his mind, and he realized His Grace would never be responsible for raising a little girl—that charge would fall to Lady Vaughan.

Besides, would Johnny even remember—or accept—that she was Miss Amber? With a heavy heart, Tom resolved to hold their secret fast.

~

Restoring life to Ambersley Hall brought meaning to Derek’s days. He welcomed the hard work and the growing camaraderie with the staff. It helped him bear the stilted, mostly silent meals he shared with Rosalie and her children. He would have liked to befriend his siblings, but Rosalie guarded them as though he might poison them in her absence.

His evenings were filled with quiet hours. He used his time reading, or occasionally, like tonight, calculating the sums it would take to repay all his debts. In lighter moments, he could appreciate the irony of inheriting a prestigious title and no means to provide for himself, much less those around him. But this evening, seized with disappointment, he went to the stables for solace.

As he strolled through the honeysuckle-scented evening, he reminded himself why he was masquerading as a duke. Repairing the Hall had become a Herculean task, one he was determined to see completed. Providing for Curtis and Olivia’s future, that was far more important than any personal wishes Derek had.