by Lynn Morris
“I know, she’s said much the same thing to me when I’ve questioned her,” Valeria said sadly. “But…I hate to say it…I wish that she would have thought more clearly about my worldly goods.”
“Of course you would feel that way now,” Lady Hylton said, “but you must know that Regina was doing what she felt was best for you. You understand, Valeria, that Regina is so—so unworldly, particularly when it comes to money, that she simply cannot make canny decisions. You heard her today; she thought that the three of you were going to have to live on five hundred pounds a year interest.”
“I know, and I can hardly bear to see her struggle so,” Valeria said passionately. “She’s just—just not capable of understanding financial complexities. So now here we are, with my mother utterly at a loss, and I cannot help her, since I have no legal standing. After all, I’m only the earl’s stepdaughter!”
“No, you are wrong,” Alastair said quietly. “You are the Earl of Maledon’s sister.”
Although of course Valeria knew this in her head, the truth of it had not really sunk in. She stared back and forth between her godmother and Lord Hylton.
Lady Hylton said, “And that, my dear, brings us to the crux of what we wish to propose to your mother. We think that a trusteeship should be formed to manage St. John’s estate. We think that it would be in St. John’s and your mother’s best interest to do this.”
“But who would be the trustee?” Valeria asked.
“I think that it should be a joint trusteeship,” Lady Hylton said. “You, and my son.”
“What! But—but surely—we could never impose—that is—I’m certain I could manage—there’s no need for Lord Hylton to assume such a wearisome obligation!” Valeria finally blurted out. She stared at him, appalled, and he, as always, appeared to be entirely neutral. His apparent indifference made her feel even more opposed to asking him for anything. In a calmer tone she said, “I know nothing about trusts, but surely, if I am made co-administrator with my mother, there would be no need for you to take on such a thankless task, sir. You couldn’t possibly have a vested interest in this, and it seems to me that it would be rather odd for a complete stranger to assume such a responsibility.”
Lady Hylton said carefully, “First of all, it would make no sense to appoint your mother as a trustee; she is already St. John’s legal guardian. Besides, the point is to relieve your mother of the burden of managing Bellegarde, and any other interests such as the investments that Maledon has made. And I realize that this is hard for you to accept, Valeria, but this is a man’s world. No eighteen-year-old girl will ever be accepted, on her own, as the sole administrator of a wealthy estate. You would face innumerable and insurmountable problems. You will need to be cotrustee with a man, and that is the sad and sour truth of it. Alastair is the logical choice, and he has agreed to do it. In fact, he volunteered.”
“But—it’s such a monstrous imposition! I can’t believe that my mother would agree to it,” Valeria argued. “She would feel as I do, that Lord Hylton would be vastly inconvenienced to be saddled with such a responsibility.”
“No, she won’t,” Lady Hylton said coolly. “Because she knows, you see, that Alastair does have a certain measure of responsibility for her, and St. John, and even you.”
Valeria cried, “What do you mean? I don’t understand! He owes me—us—nothing!”
Lady Hylton said dryly, “But he does. You see, Valeria, my sons are the nearest kindred to the earls of Maledon. Their kinship, though distant, is descended through the male line.”
Finally Valeria understood. Alastair, Lord Hylton, would have been the heir of Bellegarde if her stepfather had not had a son. If something happened to St. John—God forbid! resounded in her turbulent mind—Lord Hylton would inherit.
She was so shocked that for long moments she couldn’t breathe. And then all she felt was dismay.
Chapter Twelve
ON THIS NIGHT, AFTER THE CHAOTIC past days, Valeria told Trueman they would have dinner in the dining room instead of the breakfast room. After dinner they went to the drawing room for coffee. Since St. John had dined with them, Lord Hylton and Lord Lydgate had decided not to remain in the dining room for port and cigars. “I miss the ladies’ company anyway,” Lydgate told St. John. “And to tell you an awful secret, I hate cigars. Not very dashing of me, I know, but there it is.”
They went in, and Lady Hylton looked around as she settled on a Jacobean settee, beautifully carved but hard and uncomfortable. “Regina, you really must refurbish this room. It’s so gloomy and Gothic. You have such an eye for elegant appointments, you could make it warm and welcoming.”
Regina still was wan, with delicate blue shadows under her eyes. But Valeria had seen that she had eaten much better at dinner than she had in the past days. Regina looked around the room and sighed. “Yes, I suppose now…but in truth I’m so worried about the—the condition of the estate that I can hardly think of such things.”
Lady Hylton said, “That’s precisely what we want to talk to you about, my dear, if you feel quite up to it.”
“I am feeling better, thank you. I’m glad that you persuaded me to retire this afternoon, I had a most restful nap.”
“Very good,” Lady Hylton said with satisfaction. “While you were resting, Alastair, Valeria, and I talked about you behind your back, and about St. John’s money.” She gave him a wry smile, and he grinned. “Let me tell you—both of you—what we would like to propose.” She went on in a businesslike manner to explain about the joint trusteeship. St. John looked puzzled, but Regina’s face brightened somewhat.
“You understand, Regina, that this arrangement would be purely for your convenience, and when you are feeling better, you can dissolve it if you wish,” Lady Hylton finished.
Regina studied Valeria. “Is this something you really want to do, darling? It is a very great responsibility.”
“I’ve considered it all afternoon, Mamma, and I realize that it is. But I feel certain that I can do it, and so yes, it is what I wish to do,” she replied.
Then Regina considered Alastair. “And you, Lord Hylton? It seems to me that this would be a heavy burden to you.”
“Yes, ma’am, I know that it seems such to you. But to me it doesn’t seem so. This estate is well established, and from what I’ve seen, your estate agent practically runs it himself. Obviously you’re perfectly capable yourself of running the household. The main area in which I think I may be of service is with your solicitor, and with Maledon’s business in the City,” Alastair said. “And I would be more than happy to deal with that as long as you feel you need me.”
“Thank you, sir,” Regina said gratefully. Then she added with some hesitation, “But how is this to be accomplished? Should we apply to Mr. Broadbill to draw up the articles?”
“No, we should not,” Lady Hylton said emphatically. “I’m sure his pinfeathers will be ruffled when he realizes that he’ll be obliged to deal with Alastair and Valeria instead of you. It would likely take him months and months of tabulating to draw up such a document.”
“He was singularly unhelpful, wasn’t he?” Regina said.
“Bravo, madam!” Lady Lydgate said with her impish smile. “I think that must the most severe sentence you’ve ever uttered in your life!”
“I can attest to that,” Valeria said. “But what is to be done with Broadbill and Bent? Discharge them?”
“Surely that would be too harsh,” Regina said with some distress. “They’ve been Maledon solicitors for three generations.”
“I agree with you, madam,” Alastair said. “At this time we have no reasonable cause to discharge them, or him. The fact that he spouted legalese without saying anything at all of substance was tiresome, but not really negligent or fraudulent. However, I do have a suggestion. If you will write a letter, Lady Maledon, giving me full powers to act in your name, I’ll go to London tomorrow and see my solicitor, Julius Stanhope, and have him draw up the articles of trusteeship. I�
�ll also go to Barclays and get the information on Maledon’s account. And if you agree, I’ll talk to Stanhope and see if there is some sort of convention by which we can retain him to share the solicitorship. I can assure you that Stanhope won’t need much time to give us a full and complete accounting.”
“That would be such a relief to me, Lord Hylton,” Regina said.
Valeria was feeling utterly useless and cast aside. There he is, completely in charge of my mother already, she thought with exasperation. The thought occurred to her that she herself couldn’t possibly do what he could do. She knew no other solicitors, and the vision of her sailing into Barclays Bank with a letter from her mummy, demanding to know everything about Maledon’s account, was absurd. But the realization only increased her resentment. It truly was a man’s world.
Regina, now more alert and lively than she had been since the moment Alastair had told her of Maledon’s death, warmly asked St. John, “Do you understand what we’re talking about, St. John?”
He said tentatively, “So Veri and Alastair are going to help us with Bellegarde, and take care of my money and things?”
“That’s exactly right,” Regina said. “They’re going to make sure that everything is in good order until you’re old enough to take care of it yourself.”
He nodded and sat up straighter. “Do I have much money, really?”
Regina glanced at Alastair; it was odd, but he truly had more idea of her husband’s financial condition than did she. Alastair answered, “Yes, you do have quite a bit of money, St. John.”
St. John considered this. “Am I rich?”
“Most people would say so.”
“Am I richer than you?” St. John asked curiously.
“No, you are not. I have to tell you that I am richer than you, my lord,” Alastair replied with amusement. “But I will also tell you that Lord Lydgate is richer than I, and we happen to know several men who are richer than he. There is always someone richer, or more handsome, or more clever, than you are.”
“That is so true,” Regina agreed. “We’ve been exceedingly blessed by Our Lord in so many ways, St. John, not just with riches. In particular, I find that having such good friends is a considerable blessing. I appreciate you all so very much. Lord Hylton, if you will assist me, I’ll be glad to write that letter.”
“As always, I am at your service, madam,” he said gallantly.
Lord Lydgate said, “Lady Maledon, Elyse and I too are utterly at your disposal. Is it your wish that we remain here at Bellegarde? The thought has occurred that it might be more comfortable for you if the house weren’t full of people.”
Regina said, “Sir, I’m grateful for your consideration, but if you and Elyse would stay for a while it would please me very much. I enjoy your company, and I know that Valeria and St. John do too. In fact, I believe that you were so kind as to take St. John out in the phaeton today, is that right?”
St. John’s eyes glowed. “Oh, Mamma, it was glorious! Lord Lydgate says that my father’s phaeton is a real high flyer!” He realized then what he had said, and his face fell. “I’m sorry, Mamma,” he murmured.
Regina said firmly, “St. John, there is no need to apologize. It’s going to take all of us some time to adjust. But I tell you now, I’m going to do my utmost to make sure that you, and Valeria, and I get back to our normal lives as soon as possible. We can mourn, St. John, without sitting around in dark gloom and sorrow, afraid to mention your father’s name.”
He looked up and gave her a blissful smile. “Thank you, Mamma.”
With mock sternness Regina said, “So I must remind you that it is now your phaeton, St. John, though the thought of it utterly terrifies me, the way that thing teeters back and forth, and tilts up around corners as if it’s about to turn a somersault, horse, carriage, people, and all. It’s been my observation that men will drive them entirely too fast.”
St. John argued, “But Mamma, Niall says that Lord Lydgate is a great whip, and when I grow up I want to be a great whip too! You must drive too fast to be a great whip!”
Lord Lydgate was looking very sheepish, and he blurted out, “Er—I didn’t say that, ma’am, Niall said it. Apologies, and all that.”
“Yes, well, do try not to kill yourself, or anyone else,” Regina said. “To tell the honest truth, I’m more worried about my daughter than I am my son. I’m sure that Valeria is going to want to learn to drive that infernal machine herself.”
“Of course, Mamma! It’s an invaluable opportunity, to have such a great whip for an instructor, so that I too can learn to drive it much too fast,” Valeria said mischievously.
Regina said, “Lady Hylton, I appeal to you to try to talk some common sense into your goddaughter.”
“I’m sorry, Regina, but I didn’t succeed with my own daughter, she runs about in her own phaeton too,” Lady Hylton said placidly. “In fact, I must admit that she’s as good a whip as Lydgate.”
“Coo-eee,” St. John breathed.
Elyse said, “Valeria, I’ll teach you to drive, it’s really such fun, and I know that you will learn so easily.”
Valeria said excitedly, “Would you? May I, Mamma?”
“I suppose that if I expect you to manage the estate I must let you do whatever you want,” Regina said dryly, “within limits, of course. But at least I do still have charge of one child. St. John, it’s getting very late, I think you must go to bed.”
In a small voice he said, “But Mamma, must I? I mean, must I get up early and start lessons again?”
Regina considered for a moment. “Today is Wednesday…no, St. John, I think it will be all right if we forego lessons until Monday. But surely you must be tired, and it would seem that you must be bored with all of this adult talk anyway.”
“I’m not tired, at all,” he said stoutly. “Mm…I am a little tired of all this talk about money and things.” A sly look came over his face. “P’raps, Mamma, you might let me stay up, just this once, very late. Lord Lydgate said that the billiard room is top-notch, and that he would teach me how to play.”
Elyse said, “Lydgate! What have you been saying to this child? First tooling around breakneck in the phaeton, and now billiards? I’m amazed that you and Alastair didn’t keep him in the dining room and ply him with brandy and cigars!”
“But I just said I’d teach him billiards sometime,” Reggie pleaded. “Didn’t mean to utterly corrupt him in one day, don’t you know. Apologies and all that, Lady Maledon.”
Regina smiled; and Valeria was so happy to see that her mother’s face had regained some of its usual beatific glow. “Somehow I feel that I must be a poor hostess, as one of my guests keeps apologizing to me. Sir, if you want to teach him how to play billiards, please do. After all, it is his billiard room.”
“Huzzah!” St. John said.
Alastair said, “I’m loath to tell you this, St. John, but Lydgate isn’t nearly as proficient at billiards as he is at driving a phaeton. If he teaches you, you’ll learn very ill.”
With an injured manner Lydgate said, “All well and good, Hylton, no one can beat you. I’m not that bad really, you know.”
“Still, I think I’d do better to teach you, St. John,” Alastair said. “In fact, I’ll give Lydgate some lessons too, while I’m at it. What do you say?”
“Yes, please, sir!” St. John said, jumping out of his chair. He bowed to the ladies. “If you’ll excuse us, ladies,” he said, which amused them greatly. Lydgate and Alastair made their exits.
Regina’s eyes were alight as she watched them go. “And so, ladies, we have been deserted by the men after all. I am feeling so much better, I’m really not ready to retire. What do you say to a game of whist?”
* * *
The next morning Regina insisted that she was well enough to meet with the servants, although she did particularly ask Valeria to stay with her. “I always intended that you should have more of a part in running the house,” she said at breakfast. “And now that you’ve offered to
do just that, I shall hold you to it.”
Mrs. Banyard, Mrs. Lees, and Trueman dutifully reported to Regina and Valeria in the morning room. Mrs. Banyard turned in her menus for the next week, and Regina glanced at them. “I’m certain they’ll be perfectly fine, Mrs. Banyard, as they always are. Also, I’d like to thank you for managing so well for the past few days under such difficult circumstances. It would have been forgivable if all of the meals had been less than perfect, but none of them have been. In fact, I’ve been proud of my table, as always.”
Mrs. Banyard’s round red face shone with pleasure. “Thank you, m’lady.”
“Mrs. Lees, Trueman, I’m also very pleased with the way the household has run so smoothly; it was impossible to see any upset at all. I thank you.”
Valeria was paying strict attention; she could see that her mother knew exactly the right way to show appreciation to the servants while still maintaining her air of authority. Valeria regarded this as a valuable lesson.
Regina continued, “I will advise you all now that our guests will be staying for a while longer. Lord Hylton, as you know, left for London this morning, but he will be returning in a day or so. Lady Hylton has sent for her maid, and she should arrive day after tomorrow. Lord and Lady Lydgate have expressed their satisfaction with Royce and Sophie attending them, so they won’t be sending for their servants. Also, Lord Hylton is so happy with Ned, I fear he may try to steal him from us.”
“I doubt that will happen,” Valeria said lightly. “Ned and Royce are so conceited, they know they’re the most handsome and most perfectly matched pair of footmen in England.”