The Girl is Not For Christmas - Emma V Leech Page 0,91
do take a lot of tending, but Ross comes every night to cover the frames with blankets and put straw bales around the walls in case of frost.”
King gaped at her, so astonished by her resourcefulness he was lost for words.
“Pineapples,” he said in wonder, shaking his head. “You’re growing pineapples. Good heavens. I would never have guessed that was what you were up to. Not in a million years.”
Livvy laughed, clapping her hands together and looking thoroughly smug. He wanted to kiss her.
“When?” he said once he had his wits about him again. “How?”
Livvy leaned back against the wall of the barn, looking fondly down at the pineapple plants.
“A few years ago, Charlie and Ceci came back from a grand party and they brought the top off a pineapple. Charlie asked if he could take it to show the children, and his friend agreed. Well, our old gardener, Mr Trethewey, retired years ago, but I often visit him and so I took the top to show him too. He was so excited,” she said, grinning now. “He showed me how to peel off the outer spikes and put the top into water. After a few weeks, it had begun forming roots. Oh, King, it was so marvellous. Like magic!”
She laughed, and King moved closer to her, drawn like a magnet, like a man too long in the cold seeking the warmth of a cosy hearth.
“Then what?” he asked, hypnotised by the light in her eyes, the flush in her cheeks from the pleasure of sharing her story with him.
“Well, Mr Trethewey had a friend that worked in the Duke of Hartington’s hothouses, and so he wrote to his friend and asked how one might go about growing a pineapple. We assumed he might not wish to tell us, gardeners often keep their secrets close you see, but the fellow had been Mr Trethewey’s apprentice as a young man and remembered him fondly, so he sent clear instructions and said to contact him again if ever we needed to.”
“And so you roped in your old friend Ross to help you?” King said, wondering at this astonishing woman who had seen an opportunity and grasped at it, made it happen.
Livvy nodded. “I didn’t dare tell Charlie. He’s so enthusiastic about schemes to get rich, I was worried he’d start spending on the strength of it or get his hopes up too high. We had our first fruit off the original plant the year before last, but the summer was poor, and it was small and green. We got a little for it, enough to keep going, but the plant produced lots of baby plants. Last year we had one, magnificent pineapple. We sold it for two guineas,” she said, her pride apparent. “I believe we could have achieved a far greater price if we had the contacts, but as I couldn’t tell Charlie or sell it myself, Ross had to, and…. Well, we were pleased enough. And look now.”
King looked back at the plants, and at the three healthy looking pineapples.
“I know it’s not a fortune, not in the grand scheme of things, but it’s been such a blessing for Ross with another baby on the way, and these plants will produce yet more plants after they’ve fruited. Ross will build another frame next to this one to house them.”
“Walsh,” King said at once, a flicker of hope stirring in his chest.
“What?”
“Walsh is the fellow you need.” King gave a huff of laughter. “Lord knows I don’t understand it myself, but being my valet has a certain… cachet. Everyone knows him and he knows everyone. Indeed, his bosom pal is valet to the Duke of Sandon. You want contacts with the ear of the rich and powerful, Walsh is your man. He’ll get you the best price. I swear the fellow could sell dirt, given strong enough motivation.”
“Oh,” Livvy said, staring at him in wonder. “Oh, thank you, King. Oh, that’s… that’s wonderful!”
King shook his head.
“The very least I can do for everything you’ve given me, Livvy. Though in truth, I am not lifting a finger. It is Walsh who will be of service to you. I am of neither use nor ornament, as ever,” he said with a bitter laugh.
“Don’t say that!” she said, her anger startling him. “Don’t say it and don’t ever think it. King… my goodness. Don’t you have any idea of the kind of man you are?”