The Purchased Peer Read online

  “This is John Burland who is seeking work, my lord,” Hector announced.

  “One of Amos Burland’s sons?” his lordship enquired and received a nod as answer.

  “So you have been working on a farm up until now?”

  “Farmer Milford’s, my Lord, but there’s not much work now.”

  “I think that John will be useful as one of our gardeners, as the grounds currently resemble a jungle. Do you know how to use a scythe, John?

  “Yes, my Lord.”

  “Then tomorrow morning report at eight, there is a tool store beside the stables. And you can start cutting back the first yard or so of brambles and thistles from the edge of the main path to the house from the gate until you reach a path heading off to the west. It leads to an orchard which is currently hard to get to. If the debris is piled up in that path and the undergrowth either side is carefully removed, it should be safe to burn it there. If you know of any others seeking work, please bring them along with you.”

  “I may know of a few and there’s my little brother Peter. But he’s too small to wield a scythe; he wants to be a stable boy.”

  “Well there is only one horse in the stables at present, so he can help carrying the debris while you cut it down for now. There are thick leather gloves to protect your hands in the shed as well. The scythes may need sharpening first.”

  “Her ladyship said that a new chief groom would be arriving tomorrow together with your new steward, my Lord and they will be bringing some horses.”

  “Thank you Hector and thank you John, I’ll look forward to meeting some of your friends and your little brother tomorrow and we can start putting the grounds back to how they should be.”

  Hector saw John Burland out, returning to the library.

  “Thank you my lord. I had no idea what to direct him to do. I don’t know anything about gardening or agriculture.”

  “No reason why you should, I know what needs to be done, but have always been short of money to do it. We will need ten agricultural or gardening labourers for a month to straighten the grounds up.”

  “Her ladyship said an estate this size would need only five.”

  “She’s correct. Five men will manage fine once everything is done. But we need another five for a month to get what is left of the harvest in; it will save money in the long run. There’s enough hay in that jungle down there to feed a dozen horses for three months, if it is cut, dried and carried quickly. Otherwise it will all be lost. Then there will be fruit in the orchard worth storing and we need to repair the cottages to the east of the house, so we need to get the reed cut and dried, ready to thatch them. I was trying to do some things myself until a few months’ back, when I just gave up and decided to seek oblivion.”

  “If we can get ten then we’ll employ them, you can argue with the steward her ladyship sends. He will have authority to make those kinds of decisions.”

  “Well I best make some breakfast, Hodges can make coffee, but is an appalling cook.”

  “You, my lord?”

  “I like to eat, so I learnt, Hector. And after breakfast since horses are arriving tomorrow I had better clean out the stables. Hodges can try and get another bedroom straightened up for the steward, the chief groom can use the one Jeffreys slept in. Are there any other arrivals I can expect?”

  “Not sure when, but a butler and chef are supposed to arrive, along with some fresh linen, crockery and silverware.”

  “I am grateful and beggars can’t be choosers, Hector. But I finally have some hope.”

  Breakfast for the three of them was served half an hour later and Hector was impressed that his lordship’s cooking was actually reasonably good.

  But as Hodges was clearing the breakfast things away, the door was rapped on once more.

  Hector opened the door to find four females, neatly, but not fashionably dressed, one of whom was somewhat older than the rest.

  “Where’s his lordship?” The more mature lady asked.

  “Inside, ma’am. Who can I say is calling?”

  “You can say it is Eliza Fretwell, Eliza Dibble that was, he knows me.”

  “If you would come this way, ladies, I think he was just going to get changed, but we might catch him first.”

  Xavier had managed to change his dress for a coarse shirt and some old and worn leather riding breaches. He had also found his most battered pair of boots to wear for his self-appointed work. He was strolling through the corridor as Hector and the ladies reached him.

  “Lizzie Dibble, have you come to put my house to rights?” He said making a rudimentary bow and then pinching her round, apple-shaped cheek.

  “Still as handsome and a shocking flirt as ever, Xavier Falconer. Is it true you’ve married money?”

  “Lots of money, Lizzie. Will you be my house-keeper and get this place as nice as ninepence?”

  “I’ve brought two of my daughters with me and a niece, and I’ll consider setting them to work if you can keep your hands off them.”

  “I never chased the maids, Lizzie you remember that. It was my father who pursued all the girls. I’ve plenty of half brothers and sisters dotted round the county.”

  “I admit you was good to me and gave me no encouragement, but what about Kathy Bickley, she left here with a bun in the oven and that weren’t your father’s doing.”

  “The first night Kathy was employed here; I went to bed to find her in it. She was not a virgin, but she left here four months later and gave birth the next month. I know she has put it around that I am the father, but have you seen the boy?”

  “A five month baby would not survive, my lord. But no I’ve not seen the child.”

  “But you’ve seen my father’s by-blows. How do they look?”

  “They’re all the spit of yourself and the old man. Dark curly hair and brilliant blue eyes with noses so straight you could set a plumb line down them. They don’t stray far from the original tree, my Lord.”

  “Well I went to see Kathy’s brat. My mother had dark hair and blue eyes as well and Kathy has blue eyes and medium brown hair. Explain to me how if I got a child on her, it has blond hair and green eyes? And his hair hasn’t got even a wave in it. Pretty looking child, but he doesn’t look a bit like me. I refused to acknowledge him. She was pregnant when she got here and I reckon you don’t need to look any further than Robin Waghorn, the blacksmith’s eldest.”

  “But Robin Waghorn was a married man, still is.”

  “Which is why I suspect Kathy tried to put the blame on me. But last I heard they are still sneaking out to see each other. Your daughters and any other maids are safe with me. But please make it clear to them that I will dismiss any maid found in my bed, or coming into my bedroom to display her charms.”

  “I am sorry my Lord, you were a very handsome young man,” Eliza admitted shamefaced.

  “You were a very tempting lass, Eliza, but I couldn’t encourage you and you were not the only one to try. So do you think you can put the house to rights? A chef and butler are apparently coming soon.”

  “Where do you want us to start?”

  “Get the bedrooms and servants quarters clean and if you could note down any repairs you see needed. I think we will be having a carpenter and a mason in to do repairs. I’ll get you some paper and a pencil. Thank you Mrs Fretwell. Luncheon will be just after one in the kitchens, only some lamb stew and bread, but there’ll be enough for you and the girls as well.”

  Eliza led the girls off to inspect what needed to be done and Xavier took Mrs Fretwell’s gig round to the stables and unharnessed her horse. He then set to make the stalls ready for new arrivals. Meanwhile, Hector dealt with three more creditors and four would be servants, all male. One would join John’s jungle team, two had some experience as footmen and would help fetch, carry and clean. They were sent to report to Mrs Fretwell and the final lad joined his lordship in the stables which speeded up their cleaning considerably.

  Lunch stretched out to include those that had
stayed to work, which was largely because his lordship had hoped he had made enough to last two days. But progress was being made and Xavier was cheerful that perhaps his wife would be more pleased to see him, when she returned at the weekend.

  Chapter Four – Plots and Proposals

  Celestina Falconer, now Countess of Kittleton, had much to think about as Jeffreys drove her back to London. She had several new business projects which she had been concentrating on. But her money had been carefully spread, so if one project came up against unpredicted problems, she would not be financially at serious risk. In addition to her businesses, she had been underwriting the building of a new town house for herself and her future family. The building together with most of the decorating was now complete, but she still had to select furnishings and all the accoutrements necessary for a London mansion.

  Celestina loathed making those kinds of decisions, as she was not involved in the fashionable world of society. She feared whatever she might select would be wrong. Her taste was probably too plain and simple, so as a result she was tempted to choose designs that were the opposite of her taste, which might mean that they were too over the top. However outsiders to society who made the mistake of choosing too opulent furnishings were laughed at for their lack of taste. Xavier for all his other faults, would know instinctively what looked right and what would be considered too brash and tawdry. Because Xavier was the genuine article, a nobleman and for all of the title he had given her, she was still just an encroaching mushroom of a cit.

  She had been surprised that in spite of the passing of the years, her first sight of Xavier had made her heart beat faster. Even drunk and dishevelled he was still so beautiful, even if he was a reprobate. Celestina was well aware that even though her money could buy her the husband she had always wanted, it could not buy her the acceptance of society. Nor could she learn naturally to understand what they would consider tasteful. Despite all the other matters she had to think about, her thoughts drifted back to her night spent in Xavier’s bed. She had done her best not to obviously react to his love making. But she had believed that her rudeness to him would put him off and make him sulk away from her touch. In that she had misjudged him, because her coldness and disinterest had only spurred him to greater efforts to please and arouse her.

  It had been really difficult to hold her mind aloof from his actions. She had found her mind drifting back, to that night in the woods, when she had naively given herself to him and fallen in love with the gorgeous young lord. Her memory of his love-making had never faded. Even though ten years had passed, if anything he had become more handsome, the few lines he had gained just added interest to his roguish appearance and although he was now four and thirty years old, his body was still that of a young athlete. How he had managed to achieve that considering the reports she had had of the debauched life he had been living, Celestina did not understand.

  Not could Celestina explain how logically, how she could still be in love with a man who had treated her so badly, whom she had known for only one night. That early morning she had managed to slip back into the house and get to her bed without disturbing her father. She had heard her brother return just before dawn. When he came down to breakfast the following day, he had looked exhausted and had some interesting bruises on one side of his neck which he had attempted to cover by a higher than usual cravat. She had said nothing about her sojourn with Xavier in the woods that night and had tried hard to behave correctly, while she waited for him to reappear and ask her father for her hand. Sunday came but no Xavier, another week passed and he made no appearance. Celestina had desperately tried to make excuses for his continuing absence. Finding reasons for his not arriving, but as the third week went past with no Xavier, she realised he would not be coming.

  She cried herself to sleep for a week, knowing that, for all his sweet words and promises, Xavier had no intention of marrying her. And now she was soiled goods and could not even take an older husband, who might accept her lack of dowry. Three weeks turned into a month and her father took to his bed, unwell. There were others sick bedridden in the village and then there was the first death, an older man who had been employed as a thatcher. Others soon followed, but Celestina barely noticed, as she was so busy nursing her father, she thought he was beginning to rally, but then her brother took sick too. Her father’s death precipitated her own collapse and while she was still being nursed, her brother followed her father to his final rest.

  Celestina had apparently been unconscious for weeks and when she finally woke, she was weak as a kitten. The kindly face nursing her called for another and as Celestina whispered asking where she was. She saw a face she knew, her uncle, her mother’s brother, Jeremiah Blighton looming over her. He told her everything would be all right, before she fell back asleep. It was another month before she really understood that her father and brother were now long cold and buried. There had been over forty deaths in the village and the doctor who was treating her, believed she had been suffering from cholera and was lucky to have survived.

  It had been a slow recuperation and she no longer had the time or energy to grieve for Xavier’s perfidy. When finally she was allowed to move from her bedroom, she found she was the guest of honour in her uncle’s South London house. The mansion was close to the docks and his businesses so not in a polite area of town, but it was the most luxurious building Celestina had ever lived in. She accepted her uncle’s wish to adopt her, taking his name. He was the only family she had left that she knew of and she wanted to please him. In turn Jeremiah made it clear that he wanted her to learn everything about his businesses, because when he died, it would all be left to her.

  The grief stricken Celestina had wanted nothing more than to be with her Uncle, and she never even considered, that it would be considered strange for her to head up her uncle’s businesses. Aided in learning all she needed to know by her uncle’s friend and aide Hector, Celestina had shown every aptitude for managing his businesses. In fact her ideas had increased their profits faster than those made by her uncle. He had been so proud of her, but two years ago, he had a stroke and he had eventually dwindled away to his rest. There had been some obstruction from the bankers, lawyers and other business owners about her continuing to run Blighton holdings after his death, but they had lessened as they realised how competent Celestina Blighton was.

  Then the word about the size of her fortune had gone out and she had many offers of marriage, from men of all classes. She had considered a few, but none of them really wished to know Celestina Blighton, they wished to marry her money and the fact that she was fairly attractive was a bonus. Only a few of her determined suitors had stuck in her mind as having been possible contenders. The first had been Edward Glossop, who had proposed marriage to her while consuming cake after Jeremiah’s funeral, before even the will had been read.

  “Miss Blighton, you may not know who I am, but my father is William Glossop, and he owns Glossop Iron Foundries. He is the biggest iron mill owner in Britain. As his heir, it would be logical to combine our fortunes and for you to marry me. What say you to that idea?” he had asked.

  She had been a little bemused by the unromantic nature of his proposal. Edwards was a fairly good looking young man with ruddy cheeks and orange hair that clashed with his florid skin colour. He seemed well dressed, educated and correctly brought up, even if his accent had a slight Northern burr. He did not seem to have any aspirations to society or opinions of his own. Celestina suspected that he would obey his father in everything.

  “I am honoured by your proposal, Mr Glossop, even though it is very sudden. I fear this is not the time to discuss such a matter while my uncle is barely in the ground. Perhaps we could discuss the matter when I am out of mourning?” She had replied trying to be diplomatic. He had tried again regularly at intervals thereafter, but further contact had not made her decide to marry him. He had not taken her rejections that well, but then nor had any of the others, only Hector Browne had discouraged the
ir persistence.

  Next had been Lord Alexander Eadie, second son of the Earl of Wesson. He was attractive in an oily way and skilled at charming banter and flattery. Celestina had almost believed his honeyed words. However when she started to consider his proposal seriously, she found that Lord Alexander was more interested in control of her fortune than of having her as a wife. Hector had strongly disliked the unctuous Lord Alexander and had threatened his person if he continued his pursuit. Celestina understood that Lord Alexander’s proposal to Lady Gertrude Mears had been accepted and that he would marry the Mears heiress later in the year. Hector was of the opinion that Celestina had a lucky escape to avoid marriage to one of society’s most accredited fortune hunters.

  Third had been Sir Arthur Devereaux, baronet. At least Sir Arthur seemed to be in no serious need of her fortune, being a very wealthy man himself. He appeared charming and was not bad looking. He was tall and slim with a masculine form that looked well in the newer fashions. He appeared to be an affable buffoon, but there was an intelligent glint to his eyes which suggested to Celestina, that there was more to him than one realised at first glance. However Celestina had found she did not like him enough to consider a marriage bond with him.

  Finally there had been Graham McKendricks, eldest son of Baron McKendricks, who was laird of his clan. Celestina had actually considered Graham as a possibility. Although he was not a wealthy man, the family lands and title would make it a good match, especially as the tall Graham was a ruggedly handsome man. However every one of them had suggested the selling of her businesses or installing male managers in her place as soon as they married. They generously offered to make sure she never needed to work again, without ever asking her opinion as to what she wanted to do. And they all believed they were entitled to take control of her fortune, because she was only female. She had not wanted to hand over the control of either her businesses or her fortune to someone else, purely because he was her husband.