She never wanted a titled husband. She never wanted to leave New York.”
“You’ll get over her,” Lady Eleanor said. She didn’t reach out to touch him. That was not a gesture that often passed between them. She did, however, allow a bit of warmth to creep into her voice, a tinge of sympathy. “But I’m sorry, Rosefield. I believe I understand. I liked her very well myself.”
He straightened, facing her. “Did you? You haven’t told me that.”
“She’s a clever girl, and not afraid of hard work. She’s reasonably attractive, and though her stepmother is rather obviously nouveau riche, Annis is not. She has—I would say she has substance. And dignity.” Lady Eleanor spread her hands. “I suppose it makes no difference, if she won’t have you. My own feelings are of no consequence.”
James smiled down at her. “Mother. Your feelings are absolutely of consequence, even though you pretend you don’t have them.”
Her lips twitched, as if she might smile back, but she evidently suppressed the urge. “What are we going to do, Rosefield?”
“Well.” He cleared his throat and made himself hold her gaze. “You won’t like it, but I’ve made decisions. Selling the High Point parcel will catch us up with the bank, although it won’t reduce the principal. I would like you to sell some of the old jewelry you don’t wear. I won’t order you to do that, though. I’ll leave it up to you. I’m afraid, however, we have to sell the London house.” He didn’t allow his doubts to show in his face or in his voice. The title was his, after all. It was time he behaved like it.
She didn’t pull herself up and glare as if she were the queen and he were an unruly subject. She had done that often enough, but this time she didn’t scold or repeat her stance that families who began to sell things off were doomed. She only gave a small, resigned sigh and said, “Yes, of course, Rosefield. I’ve set out a diamond brooch and those hideous rubies, and I’ll take them up to Marsden in the city. Of course if we must sell the London house, then we must. It will all be just as you wish.”
He had prepared for an argument, and he was a bit disconcerted by her acquiescence. He said, a bit too eagerly, “I can go with you to Marsden’s.”
“Not necessary.” Lady Eleanor reached for the bellpull. “I’ll go tomorrow. No point in delaying.”
“I’ll set the sale in motion. Hemmings has been asking for years to buy that land.”
“I hate giving in to that old reprobate,” Lady Eleanor said, but without heat. “He’ll leer at me every time he sees me, as if he knows all our business.”
“Do try not to let him bother you, Mother. Rosefield Hall is two centuries older than that hovel of his, and Seabeck…”
“I know,” she said. Her offhand manner didn’t fool him. The pretense that she didn’t care was her protection. “Even without the High Point parcel, Seabeck is twice the size of his estate.”
“And twice as productive.”
“Is it? Excellent. Well done, Rosefield.”
She was gone a moment later, sweeping out of the room with her customary regal bearing, leaving her son blinking at the unaccustomed praise.
James went to his study to write to Hemmings after luncheon, but when he stood beside the window, watching the foals kick up their heels in the autumn sunshine, he felt an irresistible urge to be out of doors. One more day would make no difference, he told himself. A good gallop with Seastar might help to drive the taste of failure from his mouth.
The brisk, bright air agreed with the horse, too, it seemed. As James mounted, Seastar sidestepped and swished his tail in his eagerness. James held him in until he was sure his muscles were warm enough, which was no small feat. When he thought it was safe, he let Seastar canter, then gallop.
James hadn’t intended to ride to High Point, but Seastar’s liveliness commanded all his attention, and he hardly realized they were on that road until they were halfway there. He wasn’t sure which of them had made the choice, but he gave in to it. He let Seastar gallop out his coltish energy, then slowed him to a steady trot as they wound along the cliffs.
He hadn’t ridden in this direction since the day he had proposed marriage to Annis Allington. As the three ancient boulders of High Point came into view, he felt a