Loving a Fearless Duchess: A Historical Regency Romance Book(73)

An older man in pants that Edward guessed hadn’t been washed since the man’s twentieth birthday raised his hand.

“Yes, sir?” Edward asked.

“The dower house. What’s going on in there? There’s a rumour Lord Henry’s ghost lives there and haunts the place.”

Edward nodded. “Well, let’s put those rumours to rest. Henry is alive and does indeed live in the dower house. Unfortunately, he had an accident to his head. He is no longer able to think as you or I do. He is watched day and night, so he is not a danger to others or to himself.

“Would anyone like to talk about ways we could improve the village?”

When the meeting was over, Edward told the villagers to take the extra food home with them. Within minutes there wasn’t a crumb left in the meetinghouse.

The persistent ‘Henry’ questions interspersed with village improvement comments, made the meeting frustrating for Edward.

He felt a hand slap his back. “They’re curious. He was dumped in the dower house with no explanation, and your villagers have had plenty of time to speculate. They deserve the truth, and you gave it. They will roll the village improvement question around in their heads and give you much more at your next meeting.”

Edward turned to Nash. “My next meeting?”

“Of course. You can’t come up here and hold one meeting then walk away, can you?”

Edward breathed deep. “No, I suppose I can’t. Do you think they would want to nominate someone to talk with me regularly?”

Nash nodded. “Do yourself a favour. Get a group of three. Don’t give one man that much power.”

*****

“Come,” Edward said, looking down at papers on his desk as someone walked into his office. He glanced up and saw Minton standing before him.

“Minton, please have a seat,” Edward gestured to a chair facing his desk. “I’m sure you are here with bad news, but first, may I say I am very pleased with the arrangements we have in place.”

Minton nodded. “Thank you, My Lord. Until recently, I would have said this arrangement had been ideal, but, I am concerned. Since you and the Duke of Norfolk visited him, he has been agitated all day, every day. I waited, hoping it would lessen over time, but it has not.

“Cook suggested putting lemongrass in his food. She says it is a calming herb that may help ease his agitation.”

“Go ahead and start the lemongrass. I will talk with the healer to see if there is anything else we can do.

“Tell me, Minton, when agitated what does he say and do?”

Minton took a deep breath, “He talks of you and your sister, Her Grace. He speaks of killing you.”

Edward barked out a laugh. “Does he say how he plans to accomplish this fete? Is he developing a plan?”

Minton winced, “Sadly, My Lord, he has not yet divulged the details of his plan.”

Edward nodded grimly. Will the nightmare of Henry ever end? “Thank you, Minton. I’ll send for the healer.”

*****

Nash and Penelope left Edgewood and Edward. He rose every morning and went to the village or the fields. From major projects to minor fixes, there was much to be done.

He hired six men to work with him to bring every cottage back to a livable condition. Leaky roofs were fixed, fireplaces were cleaned out, and windows and doors put in working order.

The men split wood then stacked it next to every fireplace in every cottage in the village. They dug a new well near enough to be of service, but far enough away from the other well to be accessible to the fields. Ruts along the main road were filled in, and Edward promised to look into getting cobblestones.

He came to enjoy the physical work and gratification of how much progress had been made. The villagers were genuinely kind.

He met with three village elders at lunch on Wednesdays. All villagers were welcome to the lunch but needn’t comment if they chose not to. Most did not. Most came through the meetinghouse, grabbed some food, and then left. He started having Cook make more. The villagers began to rely on the extra food. Edward was fine with that. He got to see most villagers that way.

Since the village improvements were well on their way, Edward wrote to the agriculture specialist in London and asked him if he could join him at Edgewood. He got a letter back from his mother, letting him know to expect her, Penelope, and Lady Mirabelle Osgood along with Sir Jeffrey Lyons, the agricultural expert.

Edward slapped the letter against his forehead. She is kidding, right? She doesn’t really think I have time to deal with a fragile debutante while I am knee deep in important things. She and Penelope will have to deal with Lady Mirabelle Osgood.

A few days later, Edward received another letter, this time from Nash. He was enjoying the quiet of not having Penelope and Cecilia at home. He took his dinner in his office several times this week and left the candle burning into the night while reading in bed. One day, he was in the bath until the water became cold.

Penelope would return, but Nash warned that Cecilia might want to stay on longer. And as for Lady Mirabelle Osgood? Nash confirmed what Edward already knew. She was a ‘tea girl.’ She came to tea so Penelope could help her. Penelope wasn’t trying to fix him up with her, though; she just wanted the girl to become more social. Because she had burns on her hands, she was painfully shy.

Edward dropped his head onto his desk. He would not accept any more correspondence from the outside world. And he would strangle Penelope.