Page 17

T he next morning, Perry breakfasted early and went to his study, glad his mother had not been at the meal. He supposed she would dine in her rooms in order to avoid seeing him.

He remained in the room until he saw his carriage returning from Alderton. He had sent it to the village to meet the mail coach Mr. Chapman would arrive on, and the solicitor exited the vehicle. Two minutes later, a knock sounded on his door, and Foster announced that Mr. Chapman had arrived.

“Show him to the room Mrs. Foster prepared,” he instructed. “Allow him time to freshen up and then bring him back to me. Also, have Cook send some sandwiches and cider to us. Perhaps some fruit, as well.”

“Yes, my lord,” the butler said, leaving Perry to his thoughts again.

He had scoured the study, looking for any kind of financial records, finding none. His hope was that he had enough wealth to ensure that he never shared a roof with his mother again.

A quarter-hour later, Mr. Chapman arrived just as a footman brought a tray with tea and sandwiches.

“Leave it here,” he said, indicating his desk, rising and shaking hands with the solicitor. “Have a seat, Mr. Chapman. I thought you could use a bit of refreshment after your trip from town.”

“That is most thoughtful of you, Lord Martindale.” Chapman placed a satchel on the floor next to him and sat in the chair opposite Perry.

He handed Chapman a plate and while the solicitor filled it, Perry poured cider for them both. He placed two sandwiches and a pear on his plate and leaned back in his chair, sipping his cider.

“I am grateful for you making the trip down to meet with me in person.”

“Not a problem, my lord,” Chapman assured him. “Beauville is only a couple of hours from town. Now, if you had asked me to come up to York or out to Cornwall, I might have balked a bit.”

“We can look at specifics once we have finished eating. For now, give me an overview of my holdings and their status.”

“I thought you would like a more detailed account, and so I met with your banker, my lord. At some point when you are in town, you should call upon him, but he prepared a thorough report for your review.” Chapman bit into his sandwich and chewed thoughtfully.

“I can tell you that your father’s debts have been paid.

To his tailor. His wine merchant. That sort of thing.

I made certain after his death that all accounts with merchants were paid in full and then closed. ”

“And his gambling debts?” Perry asked, trying to mask his worry.

The solicitor’s brows shot up. “You are aware of them?”

“Only that they must exist. My father spent a great deal of time in town, and he let slip that much of that was at various gaming hells.”

Chapman nodded thoughtfully. “You will pleased to know that all gambling debts have also been satisfied, my lord. There was a time, not too many years ago, when Lord Martindale had lost quite a bit at the tables. On horses and boxing matches. He curbed his habits for a while and when he returned to gaming, he actually had a long winning streak. Because of that, my lord, you are in good standing.”

Chapman began speaking in broad terms regarding the estate’s holdings and investments, and Perry was more than pleased to hear that it would not be necessary for him to seek a bride with a large dowry. In fact, he was so well off that a dowry would not even necessarily be a consideration.

They finished eating and got down to the business at hand. The solicitor pulled a large stack of documents from his satchel, going over each in detail with Perry. He began to gain a firm grasp regarding his financial situation, pleased with the information his solicitor was providing.

Hours later, the stack had dwindled to only a few sheets, and Chapman said, “The last matter to discuss, my lord, is the marriage settlements arranged for your parents’ union. You had specifically requested to see a copy of those in order to meet your obligations to Lady Martindale.”

He had almost forgotten about his mother as they had gone through so many records.

“Yes, I could not find a copy of them here at Beauville. In fact, I found no records at all.”

Mr. Chapman grew thoughtful, and Perry believed the solicitor would carefully choose his next words.

“Your father, the previous Lord Martindale, did not care for matters of business. He left all documents either with my office or his banker.” Almost apologetically, Chapman added, “The earl also had little interest in Beauville. In fact, I was the one who recommended Mr. Rankin to him when he found himself in need of a new steward.”

“I have met daily with Rankin since my return from the army. He has kept meticulous records of all estate affairs. I owe you my gratitude for that recommendation. Without Mr. Rankin, I shudder to think about the state Beauville would be in.”

He drained the last of his cider and then added, “I plan to be a much different earl than my father, Mr. Chapman. While I am grateful for all you have done for my family and will continue to retain your services in matters of business, I intend to be actively involved. Both in the running of Beauville and in regard to my business investments.”

The solicitor nodded in approval. “I think that the wisest course, Lord Martindale. You seem the responsible sort, having been an army officer. I am grateful that you will continue to use my services. My son also works alongside me. The day will come when I am ready to retire, and I hope you will remain his client after that event occurs.”

“Is that coming soon?” he asked.

Chapman chuckled. “Not if I can help it. I enjoy my work, my lord, and hope to continue on for many years. I merely wished to reassure you that if something happens to me, my son is more than ready to step up to any challenge.”

“I most likely will not come to town before next Season, but I will make an appointment to stop by your office when I do. I would enjoy meeting the younger Mr. Chapman and getting to know him.”

“I appreciate hearing that. Now, let us review the marriage contracts.”

Chapman handed Perry a copy, and he had one for himself, as well.

For the next several minutes, they looked over them, disregarding provisions for future children beyond the heir apparent.

He had no need to review what had been promised to siblings he had never had.

As he had suspected, it was the intention that his mother be allowed to reside in the dower house upon the death of her husband.

A fairly generous allowance was also included in the settlements, but he doubted it would be enough to pay the rent on another property for his mother to live in while in London.

“I know these were drawn up before my parents’ marriage. Were they ever updated at any point?” he asked.

“That would be quite unusual, my lord. The answer to your question is no. They were written and stand as is.”

He took a deep breath and slowly released it. “The reason I ask is that over the years, my mother has spent little to no time at Beauville.”

Chapman gave him a sympathetic look. “I am aware of that, my lord.”

“If my mother were to be told she would reside in the dower house from this point forward, she would be most unhappy.” He paused. “And she would make me most unhappy.”

The solicitor’s eyes lit with understanding.

“Yes, I know Lady Martindale is fond of town and rarely visits the country. Naturally, it is up to you if you agree to have her reside in town. You are required, by law, to honor the settlements. You also have the ability to alter them if you choose to be more generous.”

“Would she have to reside in my townhouse?”

Chapman’s eyes widened. “Certainly not, my lord. All you owe her is shelter in the dower house and the allowance designated by the marriage settlements. Anything beyond that is up to your discretion.”

He took a deep breath and slowly released it. “I would prefer having my townhouse to myself, especially once I wed. My mother is, shall we say, set in her ways. I would not want her to try and continue to run the household at the expense of my wife. I seek an alternative.”

“You can tell from what you have seen that you are a wealthy man, Lord Martindale. If you choose to allow your mother to live in town instead of the dower house, it is your choice as to where she resides. If you believe she would make life uncomfortable—even impossible—for you and your future countess, my suggestion is to rent a house for her. Or you could even purchase one as an investment and merely allow Lady Martindale to reside in it until her death.”

Perry decided that was what he would do. He couldn’t see himself coexisting in the same house with her. She really was a stranger to him, and he would not have her intimidating his wife or ignoring his children.

He realized that he had been taken by the idea Lady Aldridge had mentioned, that of bringing children to town instead of leaving them for months at a time in the country. He wanted a close relationship with his children, without interference of his mother and her bloody opinions.

“Yes, that is exactly what I shall do, Mr. Chapman. May I leave this to your care? Talk with a leasing agent and see what might be available. It can be a house to rent or one to purchase.”

“Do you have a specific area in mind, my lord?”

“Since it is a likely investment, let us say Mayfair to start. If you find something appropriate, buy it.”

“Without you seeing it?”

“Yes. I trust your judgment.”

“What of its size?”

“Something small, I would think. It is not as if an entire family will live within the property. If you would also look for a staff for it, I would appreciate that, as well. A cook and housekeeper. One or two maids and a footman. That should be more than adequate.”

“What of a mews? A coachman and groom?”