English Trifle (17 page)

“So your grandmother has no title any more?” Sadie asked, remembering the thoughts she’d had about the widow of the fourth earl. Did a woman lose everything if her husband died and she hadn’t provided a son who would ensure she was cared for?

Austin stiffened slightly, but seemed to notice and forced himself to relax. “Grandmother is the Dowager Lady Hane—though the Dowager part is only used when the current Lady Hane is present, otherwise she’s still referred to as Lady Hane. She has rights to the Dowager cottage located in Norwich, though she prefers to stay in London.”

“How does she support herself?” Sadie asked. “I mean, does the new baron have to pay her expenses and things?”

“Yes,” Austin said simply. “She has an allowance.”

“Well, good,” Sadie said, wondering at his reticence in talking about his grandmother. But maybe he just didn’t like to gossip.

“So, then you have no title?” Breanna asked. Sadie could tell from her daughter’s expression that she was trying as hard as Sadie was to follow all the intricacies.

Austin shook his head, not seeming to be at all offended. “I am simply Mr. Melcalfe.”

“But the staff calls you Lord Melcalfe,” Sadie pointed out.

Austin glanced at the butler standing at the door. “Grant does,” he said succinctly. “It’s simply in respect to my position as William’s manager. The other staff have followed suit, but it’s not an official title.”

“Oh,” Breanna said. “I—I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Austin said with surprising sincerity. “There is much to be said for choosing your own future.”

And is this the future he wants? Sadie wondered. To act in behalf of the earl? Even though it rubbed her wrong in many ways, Sadie had to admit Austin had good leadership skills, though it was hard to equate that with the fact that he preferred working for his great-uncle rather than being his own man. But, perhaps that was his dream. Who was she to judge how anyone wanted to spend their life?

“Yes,” Breanna said, her tone low and thoughtful as she looked at her plate. “There is something to be said for following your own dreams.”

Austin, like Sadie, looked from Breanna to Liam as the comment dropped like a rock into the middle of the table.

Liam looked at Breanna with something between disappointment and anger before he let out a breath and stood slowly. “I’m going to sit with my father,” he said in a guarded tone. “Charlotte has been with him for quite some time.” He looked quickly at Breanna again, then shifted to catch Sadie’s eye as well. He looked so tormented that Sadie’s heart went out to him. “Call me if you need anything,” he said before putting his napkin on the table. Grant hurried to open the door for him, then returned to his post. Sadie wondered if the family ever got tired of having staff members standing around all the time. Did they miss their privacy?

“So he’s a bat keeper in California, then?” Austin asked once the door had shut behind Liam.

“He’s a supervising zoologist in Oregon,” Breanna clarified. “He’s very well-respected in his field and has been a great asset to the Washington Park Zoo. He’ll be greatly missed.”

Sadie liked that despite the changes in their relationship, Breanna was still defensive of Liam.

“Missed?” Austin questioned.

Breanna paused and Sadie could practically read her thoughts. Did Austin know Liam was planning to stay in England? If not, Sadie didn’t think they should be the ones to spill the beans.

“When he becomes earl,” Sadie quickly answered. “He’s done a lot for the exhibit; he’ll be hard to replace.”

“Oh, yes, I’ve no doubt he’s invaluable,” Austin said with thinly veiled sarcasm. He took another sip of wine, seeming to relax a little bit. As he swallowed Sadie imagined that his mood could switch back and forth just as easily as the wine was draining from his glass. She wanted to take full advantage of it as long as she could—even if his attitude couldn’t always be trusted.

“Did you and Liam know one another as children?” Sadie asked, hoping to get more information. “You’re close to the same age.”

“He’s a few years older,” Austin confirmed. “But we spent time together when he lived in London—at least before we went to school. I went to Harrow in Middlesex; Liam attended Gordonstoun until he went to the States.”

Sadie nodded, although she would never understand how parents could send their children away for school. There were so many facets of English life—at least among the nobility—that Sadie simply couldn’t make sense of. “So then you knew Liam’s mother?” Sadie asked.

Sadie thought she noticed a slight stiffening in Austin’s shoulders, but couldn’t be sure. He was so hard to read.

“As much as any boy knows the mother of a playmate,” Austin said. “I remember she talked strangely.” He half-smiled at the memory, then seemed to drop it as soon as he realized what he was doing. “And she wouldn’t dress for dinner—I’m not sure why I remember that but it stands out in my mind, her wearing jeans to a dinner where everyone else was dressed up.”

“She didn’t like it here very much, did she?” Breanna asked. “In England, I mean, not necessarily Southgate.” She pushed the last of her beans up against the remaining potatoes and then mashed them all with the back of her fork, not looking at Austin at all.

Austin, on the other hand, watched her closely. “I don’t believe they ever lived at Southgate,” he said. “William took over his father’s seat in the House of Lords and they lived in London. As to whether she liked it in England or not, I’m not sure I can say. I believe she didn’t understand the kind of future she’d chosen when she married William.” He picked up his glass again and swirled the dark liquid around in the glass.

“How did she and William meet, anyway?” Sadie asked. Liam had never been very forthcoming about his parents’ relationship, and Breanna had said the divorce was very difficult for him, so Sadie hadn’t pressed Liam for the story. Austin, though, seemed perfectly willing to talk about it.

“Well, as I’ve heard it, William’s father was devoted to the earldom, which naturally spurred William to distance himself from it. William, like most heirs, was reared almost as if he were the earl already—educated, tutored, raised up in the expectations of his role. William took it all with a grain of salt. He defied his father and went to Yale instead of Oxford. William had a generous allowance, so after his schooling, he traveled a good deal, coming back to England once or twice a year, and having no desire to help run the earldom which his father had immersed himself in after the countess died. William loved America and eventually met Liam’s mother there, married her without telling his family, and had a son. It was quite the scandal, according to my grandmother.”

“When did the earl die?”

Austin’s head snapped up. “What?”

“The earl,” Sadie reiterated—maybe he’d had more wine than she thought. “William and your grandmother’s father—when did he die?” Maybe she was sounding indelicate. “I mean, when did William become earl?”

Austin nodded his understanding and relaxed again. “I think Liam was four or five years old when they moved back to London.”

“The earl had had a stroke, right?” Sadie asked.

Austin nodded and swirled the wine in his glass. “William returned and assumed the role of earl. A few months later, his father died and William became the ninth Earl of Garnett.”

“It seems like that would have been hard for William,” Breanna suggested. “To leave the life he had and suddenly be an earl.”

“I’m sure it was difficult, but he’s fulfilled his role quite well for having taken so many tangent courses before then.” He took a long drink of his wine.

“I’ve wondered,” Sadie asked carefully, “could he have refused it?”

“Refused the title?” Austin asked, somewhat surprised at her question but trying not to show it.

Sadie nodded. “Yes, I mean he traveled the world, married an American—it seems like he wasn’t all that interested, even if he did accept it when the time came for him to do so. But does an heir have to take the title?”

“I suppose not,” Austin said, his tone thoughtful. “The Peerage Act was passed through Parliament in the 60s and made it possible for people to renounce their title if they wanted to. But as far as I know the only people who have denounced it are those who, for political reasons, did not want the title which would keep them out of certain political offices. Renouncing did not affect their heirs and the title simply waited for the next generation to reclaim it. However, there is still the matter of holdings, land, estates, business interests, investments, and non-profit organizations that come with most titles. Even if a title is disclaimed, someone needs to take responsibility for the holdings and, although there is always the option of appointing trustees to do the work, I haven’t yet heard of anyone, regardless of how much they don’t want a title, not being happy to take over the money.” He smiled. “So I suppose the answer to your question is, yes, William could have disclaimed his title. But why would he? Despite his wandering soul, William was an Englishman. He’d been raised to his station, and when it called for him, he fulfilled his duty.”

Breanna had listened intently, but now she laid her fork on her plate. “I think I’ll go up to bed,” she said, giving a fake smile to Sadie and Austin as she pushed away from the table. Grant moved to the door to show her out. Sadie wondered if Breanna’s last hope—that Liam could simply say “no” if he chose to—had been shot down.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Sadie said, already turning back to Austin. As much as she wanted to offer comfort and sympathy to her daughter, Austin’s honesty was surprising and she meant to take full advantage of it while she could. He might not get drunk tomorrow and afford her such a good opportunity again. However, he pushed away from the table as well, teetering just a little bit as he gained his feet.

“England is playing West Germany tonight,” he said briskly. “I’d like to catch the second half. Have an enjoyable evening.”

~ ~ ~

Sadie scowled as he left the room, leaving Sadie alone with Grant. But perhaps that was yet another opportunity. “Grant,” she asked after taking the last couple of bites of her dinner.

“Yes, madam,” he said in his nasally butler-voice. Sadie wondered if they were taught that tone in butler school—right after how to stand for an hour without slouching while people ate.

“Mrs. Land was cooking a chocolate torte—do we still get it for dessert?” She worried she was being rude, and yet Austin had been ruder and it hadn’t seemed to affect any of the staff.

“I’ll go see,” he said. He left the room and Sadie looked around the expansive dining room. If she knew more about design she was sure she’d be impressed and know what to call the carved ceiling design and color palate of light green and blue. As it was she found it very pretty, for lack of a better word, but cold.

Grant returned and set a plate of chocolate torte in front of her. She smiled up at him even though the torte was tipped on its side. Apparently, without Mrs. Land around to ensure proper presentation, no one else thought about it. She wondered if he’d had to cut and serve it himself.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely before picking up her fork. “Breanna, Liam, and Austin will be mad they left so soon.”

She cut her first bite and chewed it slowly. For having been frozen a few hours earlier, it was alright, but it wasn’t wonderful. In fact she wasn’t sure she’d eat it if she hadn’t requested it, necessitating that Grant go all the way downstairs to get it for her. Grant remained at the door and after a few bites, she decided to try to strike up a conversation with the man. With Mrs. Land gone she needed another resource for information. She hoped he might be a bit more open to it than he’d been earlier. Maybe she was getting tired, but it seemed worth a shot. She’d be careful not to ask anything specific about John Henry or Mrs. Land so as not to earn his ire.

“So, Grant,” she began, turning slightly in her chair so she could make eye contact, though he avoided it and stared intently at the wall across the room from where he stood. “How long have you worked here?”

He seemed to argue with himself before answering, finally saying. “I have worked for Lord Martin nearly fifteen years.”

“Oh, wow,” Sadie said, raising her eyebrows. “That’s a long time. He must be a good boss, er, employer.”

“Yes, madam,” he said.

“And how long has the other staff worked here?”

He didn’t answer for several seconds, during which time Sadie watched him expectantly. “Madam, it is improper for me to have such a conversation with you in regard to staff members.” He made eye contact then, but only briefly. He didn’t look happy.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to be rude or do anything improper,” Sadie said, smiling sweetly and hoping perhaps it would break through his crusty exterior. “I was just making conversation. I guess I don’t know the rules very well.”

Grant paused for several seconds before he finally spoke—giving Sadie the impression that he’d used that pause to consider whether or not to speak at all. “If I may say so, madam, the only rule you need to be aware of is that the staff and the family, along with their guests, are not friends with one another. The staff is here to serve, and the family provides that opportunity. The guests are simply partakers of the hospitality offered by both. When a staff member steps outside of those boundaries, allowing a guest of the household to assist in the preparations of a meal, for instance, they face the prospect of being removed from their position entirely, which then affects the livelihood not only of themselves, but also of anyone they are supporting. The family also suffers as they are forced to find a replacement for the staff member who has shown that, regardless of their dedication to the work they do, they do not respect the boundaries. Therefore, it is in the best interest of all parties for the family and the guests to function within the parameters of their circumstance and allow the staff members to do the same.”

Well, Sadie felt sufficiently browbeaten and was without words on how to respond to the lashing she’d just been given with a most proper British tongue. “I-I’m very sorry,” Sadie said, feeling repentant. “I didn’t mean to get Mrs. Land in trouble.” She looked up at Grant who remained stoic by the door, though she sensed a measure of satisfaction in his countenance. “Was Mrs. Land fired on account of me?”