“Really?” John said, lighting up.
“That might be worth investigating as a possible solution to your problem?”
“Do you have any idea how to contact these men?”
“I don’t.”
“My banker would probably know.” John turned to Susan. “Thank you. Thank you very much. That is an excellent suggestion. I shall follow up on it immediately.”
“And if you were to save Hollyoak, might the school then go forward as planned?” she asked.
“It would be my great pleasure to do just that. I can’t tell you how happy that would make my workers.”
* * *
John stood in the office of his banker, Harcourt Rutley.
“Cigar?” Harcourt asked, opening his humidor.
“Thank you, no. I abstain from tobacco.”
“Ah… As you wish.”
John had just asked if Harcourt knew about the proposed railway.
Harcourt closed the humidor and took the time to light his cigar before answering.
“Not only have I heard of it, I am an investor in it. It’s going to be a huge boon for Kent. A line from London to Dover will explode the possibilities for travel and trade to France. Can you see that, old man? Not to mention the convenience for transporting all of our local commodities to London as well.”
John nodded. “And it would make it a lot easier for me to transport my wool to market,” John added.
“Then what can I do for you today, old man?”
“I understand the proposed railway route is being developed and the surveyors are buying up land for the right of way.”
“And that is so.”
“Might you be able to direct me to these gentlemen? I’d like to see if they might find Haverford estate an attractive route.”
“My good man, I know for certain they would. The far north section of your land would be right along the proposed route. I would be more than happy to set up a meeting with them for you.”
“Excellent.”
“And, I might suggest, in your negotiations with the railway, you might be able to convince them to put in a railway stop on your property so that you could ship directly from there.”
John smiled broadly. “Harcourt, do you have any idea how quickly a deal could be made? You know I have my note due in just a few weeks. If we closed on the deal I could pay my debt off.”
Harcourt rubbed his chin. “Not so fast there, young man. Business does not move that quickly. It would probably take a number of months before any kind of a deal could close.”
John looked crestfallen. “Oh. That’s a disappointment.”
“But…” Harcourt nodded. “If a deal were agreed upon I am fairly certain the bank could offer you a bridge loan—with the deal as collateral.”
“Now, that is excellent news.” He went over and shook Harcourt’s hand.
* * *
Susan was teaching Elizabeth how to tie knots when John burst into the school room. He raced over and picked Elizabeth up and twirled her around in a circle as she screamed with both fear and delight.
Susan stood back in amazement, having never seen John behave this way before.
Putting Elizabeth back down, he turned to Susan, his face beaming, and said, “We did it. Well, you did it. Well, it’s thanks to you and your suggestion. I’m selling the right of way for the railway, and my bank is loaning me the money to pay off my father-in-law.”
Susan felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. “Oh, John, that is splendid news.”
John went over and took Susan’s hands. “Thank you. Thank you.”
Elizabeth ran over to her father and grabbed his legs. “Do it again. Please?”
John looked down. “What? Do what?” he asked.
“Swing me around again.”
John bent down and picked up Elizabeth again. “You liked that, did you?”
“Yes, do it again.”
John swung her around in more circles with her screaming at the top of her voice, until John became dizzy and he had to put her down.
Susan couldn’t help but laugh. She went over to steady John who was wobbly from the swings.
“Are you all right?” she asked, putting her hand on his arm.
“I will be. No, I am, thanks to you.”
He turned to her and put his arms on her shoulders and pulled her to him, ending with his arms around her in a hug. Suddenly, they stopped, looked up at each other in embarrassment, and then pulled back.
“I’m sorry”, John said. “That was inappropriate.”
“Not at all. I’m happy to see you so light hearted. This news must lift a great weight off your shoulders,” Susan reassured him.
“Yes, it does. And thank you again. I think we need to celebrate this evening and I’m going to tell cook to prepare an extra-special dinner.”
“Can I come to?” Elizabeth belted out, happy to see her father so happy.
John looked to Susan for approval. She nodded.
“I don’t see why not. And we’ll make you the guest of honor, what do you think of that?”
Elizabeth danced. “Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes.”
John turned to go but turned back. “Thank you again, Miss Susan. And soon we can meet to make plans for the school.”
Chapter 14
As soon as the bank loan came through after the agreement for the right of way was signed with the railway, John rode once again to Pembrook to settle the debt with Ezra.
It was with great satisfaction that John handed the bank draft to Ezra in his study.
“Huh,” was all Ezra said.
John couldn’t tell if he was pleased or not that his debt was repaid until he realized that Hollyoak was probably worth more than the debt, and now Ezra would be missing out on the windfall profit from the sale of the house.
“Two weeks early. How’d you do it, John?” Ezra asked as he accepted the payment. “I never expected you to pull it off? Did your bank finally relent and give you the loan?”
“In a manner of speaking,” John said giving no added detail.
Ezra studied him.
“You must be happy to get the mill repaired,” John said.
Ezra nodded. “Will you be staying for a spell?”
“I’ll overnight, but no longer. I have sheering come up and now I can begin work on the school. Hollyoak will finally be used as intended.”
“I seem to remember its original intention was to be for my Annabel,” Ezra said a little dryly.
“But that was not to be. However, it will still be put to good use.”
Just then Hester came into the study.
“Oh, John, I thought I heard a horse ride up. It’s good to see you.”
“And you, Hester.”
“And how is my adorable granddaughter? I so long to see her again. She must be… how old now?”
“Just five, and growing. She has a new nanny tutor who is doing wonders for her growth and education.”
“Oh, I am happy to hear that.” She turned to Ezra. “We must make a trip to Haverford soon. I do so long to see her, my dear.”
Ezra nodded.
Hester reached out and tapped John on the arm. “Do you play whist?” she asked. “I can find a fourth and we can amuse ourselves this evening. You are staying over, aren’t you?”
“I shall. It’s too tiring on the horse to make the trip both ways in one day.”
Hester took a little hop and clapped. “Oh, wonderful. It’s such fun to have a guest. We rarely do, you know. We are so isolated here amongst all these trees. La, I shall make sure we have something extra delightful for supper, shall I?”
She turned and bounced out of the room.
“You need to go out more,” John said with a slight smile.
* * *
As John passed Susan in the entryway lobby one morning she stopped him. “John, do you have a moment?”
He stopped and turned to her. “I do.”
“I’m happy to report that Elizabe
th is growing by leaps and bounds. Not only physically but intellectually as well. But we have been cooped up in the school room for weeks on end. I think it would be greatly beneficial if she could play outside more. I have several ideas and I’d like your response.”
“Of course. What are you thinking?” He asked and directed her to the library. “Please sit and let me have your thoughts.
“Well, first I was wondering about a pony for her. She seems to evidence a fondness for animals and if she began riding now, as she grew, it would provide her both exercise and an enjoyment she could carry into adulthood.”
“That sounds like an excellent idea. And you have others?”
“And what about a tree house? As a young girl, my brother and I spent hours playing at the top of a tree in our very own house.”
“Might she be a little too young for that? And she doesn’t have siblings so it might be a solitary endeavor.”
“A good point and one I also wish to make. I think we need to find some neighboring children for her to play with. What about some of the workers’ children?”
John frowned. “I’m not sure about that. That may not be suitable.”
“Is it because they are workers’ children?”
John nodded. “It might blur the lines?”
“What lines?”
“Social lines. I’m not sure it’s quite right for children of a different class to be playing with a Duke’s daughter.”
“I see,” she said with a trace of disapproval.
“I’m sorry. You may not see things in the same way as I do.”
“Perhaps not,” she said, lowering her head and saying nothing more.
“There are some close neighbors I could approach,” John said trying to take this discussion in a more desirable direction.
Susan nodded. “Then if you will supply me with their names I can make arrangements for the children to get together.”
“I will.” John was feeling uncomfortable. He realized he’d offended Susan.
“And as for the playhouse, I thought if the two of you began planning it now, as she got older the two of you could build it together, and I believe the both of you would benefit greatly from that.
“And I would also like your permission to take her on some walks with me in the mornings. Not the extended walks I take for myself but, again, just to introduce her to exercise and the joys of nature.”
John added, “All of those are excellent ideas, Miss Susan. And it occurred to me as you spoke that a tree swing might also be enjoyable for her.”
“Oh, most certainly, John. I am so happy you agree.”
John smiled and nodded. And once again he found himself greatly enjoying looking at the beautiful woman before him. It had been a long time—far too long, in fact, since he had sincerely appreciated such a lovely lady.
“Miss Susan, you have my permission to do as you like with Elizabeth, and I shall make arrangements for a pony, a swing, and, if you remind me, I’ll find some time to begin treehouse discussions with my daughter. How does that sound?”
“Most excellent,” Susan said as she rose to leave.
John held up his hand to stop her. “Miss Susan, forgive me for my earlier comments on the workers’ children. I don’t mean to sound as if I find them inferior; it’s just that I need to keep a separation from my work life and my private life. Can you understand that?”
Susan seemed to consider that. “Yes, Your Grace, I can.”
Uh oh, John thought, she’s used ‘Your Grace’ again. She’s definitely not happy with me.
But she was so damningly appealing he could not be angry with her for even one minute.
* * *
Elizabeth had taken to walking in the morning with Susan like a bee to a flower. But there was much more stooping to examine something new, or picking a small bouquet of flowers, than actual walking. It was not unlike taking a puppy for a walk that needed to stop and smell everything, tugging at the lead every five seconds.
One morning Elizabeth discovered a mushroom, and like so many children decided to taste it. Unfortunately, Susan’s attention was diverted by seeing John approaching with his dogs.
“Good morning, John,” Susan called out as he neared. The sun was shining in her face and she put up her hand to her eyes.
“Susan, lovely morning, is it not?”
“Yes, lovely.”
John arrived and the dogs, seeing Elizabeth ran over to her, circling and sniffing. One of the dogs barked and looked over at John. He looked over at the dog and froze and blanched.
“What?” Susan cried out and turned to where John was looking.
Elizabeth was sitting on the ground eating what both she and John instantly recognized as a poisonous mushroom.
John raced over, knocked the fungus from her hand, as she looked up startled and began to cry. He kneeled down and stuck his finger down her throat and she began gagging and then threw up what she’d just eaten.
John looked up at Susan who had come over.
“Hopefully she won’t have ingested any of this, but take her to her room, put her to bed, and watch her. I’m going to ride for the doctor. Make her drink lots of water and let her vomit if she can.”
John picked Elizabeth up and he began running toward the house with the dogs at his heels. Susan ran after and as they neared the house, John handed Elizabeth over to Susan and he ran to the stable.
Susan ran into the house and told a kitchen maid, “Please find Aunt Clarissa and have her come to the child’s room immediately.”
“Yes, Miss,” the maid said, scampering off to alert Aunt.
Elizabeth was still crying as Susan put her on the child’s bed.
“It’s going to be all right,” Susan assured Elizabeth.
“Was I bad?” Elizabeth asked.
“No, honey, not bad, but you may have made your tummy a little sick. Your father’s gone to get the doctor and he’ll make you all better.”
Aunt Clarissa burst into the room.
“What happened?” she asked coming over to the bedside.
“Bad mushrooms. I’m afraid it’s entirely my fault. I wasn’t watching. John’s gone to fetch for the doctor.”
“Has she vomited,” Clarissa asked.
“Yes.”
“And do you have any idea how long she had it in her stomach?”
“Not long at all. I had only just looked away as John was approaching.”
Clarissa felt the girl’s forehead for fever. “She seems to be running a light temperature. Hopefully, you caught it quickly enough. Let’s get her drinking water.”
Clarissa went to the bedside table and poured a glass of water from a pitcher. She gave Elizabeth the glass.
“Here, my dear, drink as much as you can.”
Elizabeth took the glass in both hands and began drinking the water.
“I feel terrible, Clarissa. I should have been watching her more closely.”
“Susan, these things happen. She’s young and doesn’t know the danger.”
After emptying the glass Elizabeth said, “I don’t feel very well. My tummy hurts.”
“Lie back, honey,” Clarissa said.
Elizabeth lay back and Clarissa began to massage her abdomen.
“Does that feel any better?”
“A little.”
“How can I help?” Susan asked, obviously shaken by the experience.
“Let’s just sit with her. Maybe you could read to her until the doctor arrives.”
“That’s a good idea,” Susan said, finding one of Elizabeth’s favorite books and bringing it over, and sitting on the side of the bed to begin reading to her.
Soon, Elizabeth began to drift off to sleep.
“Is it all right if she sleeps?” Susan asked.
Clarissa felt Elizabeth’s forehead again. “She’s not getting any hotter. I think it might do her good.” She turned to leave. “I’ll be in my room if you need me.”
Diaries of a Heartbroken Duchess: A Historical Regency Romance Collection Page 14