Page 27 of Entertaining the Earl (Vows in Vauxhall Gardens #2)
C olin left thoughts of marriage—and Miss Susannah Lyttleton—to marinate in his mind while he tried to focus on the issues surrounding the estate that needed to be sorted.
First was a meeting with the new, younger estate manager.
The man arrived early, only a day after Colin had requested the meeting, and he was polite and keen, even if he seemed extremely young.
“How has the estate been?” Colin asked once they had exchanged introductions and sat down in the study, a fresh pot of tea brought in for them.
“The estate has been well-managed in your absence, my lord. Mr. Wicks knew everyone and everything, and we were all very sad to have lost him.”
Colin nodded somberly. “It is indeed a great loss,” he said, reaching for his cup of tea. “It was a great comfort to know that the estate was in such good hands, even with me so far away.”
“Indeed, my lord.”
“But now that I am home, I need to remedy a few things. I know you have not been in the position very long, but I should like for you to tell me everything you can about the estate: what is working well, what isn’t, what is profitable, and what could be improved.”
They spent the next two hours poring over the accounts, with Mr. Steadman explaining the crops that would soon be harvested and what they planned to plant the following year.
By the end of the meeting, Colin was pleased to have a far better understanding of how things were run and where they might increase yields or improve the conditions of the workers to make the estate more successful.
“I do not currently plan to stay here long-term,” he said to Mr. Steadman.
It was the first time he had said it out loud, though he had been thinking it since before he’d returned to England.
He understood that he needed to act as the earl and oversee everything done in his name—but there was no reason he needed to do so from this house.
He could find somewhere that would make him happier, where he could start his life in England without the ghosts of the past.
And perhaps with a wife…perhaps with Susannah.
Knowing he could not focus on work while thinking of her, he pushed her to the back of his mind and continued addressing Mr. Steadman. “Are you happy in the position? Do you think you could keep things running smoothly if I were not present?”
The young man nodded eagerly. “Oh yes, my lord. I love this job, and I’m confident I can keep everything running just the way you would like.”
Colin smiled. “Excellent. Well, I think that’s all for now. I have some ideas for changes I’d like to make, and I’m waiting on a letter from my lawyer about some other assets that may need my attention.”
When Mr. Steadman had left, Colin looked back through the accounts one more time to ensure he truly had a handle on them.
He was pleased to see that the estate was still profitable, though there were certainly areas for improvement.
Funding his father’s many mistresses had not bankrupted the Bourne estates, and Colin was taking steps to ensure that the estate would continue to support future earls, their families, and all the tenants who relied on it for work and a home.
Things with the estate were certainly not as problematic as his aunt had led him to believe.
Yes, the complicated housing arrangements his father had left unresolved needed sorting, and Colin was the only one with the authority to do so.
But other than that, things seemed to be running fairly smoothly.
There was no immediate danger to the finances.
And although the estate manager was young, he was clearly very enthusiastic and capable.
Colin had respected old Mr. Wicks, but the man had certainly been his father’s employee, not his.
They had communicated occasionally through letters, and while Mr. Wicks had always done as he was bid, Colin had the sense he did not do so with the same confidence he had when it was Colin’s father giving the orders.
So perhaps a new, young face was the right choice for a man Colin would likely be working with for a long time to come.
The sun was shining, though the air was chilly, so Colin decided to get out of the old house for a walk after such a busy morning of staring at figures. He strolled gently, with no destination in mind, and ended up by the fountain in the far east corner of the garden.
He smiled to himself. He remembered when his mother had commissioned the fountain and her joy at the water bubbling out of the fish’s mouth in the center.
She had taken such joy in little things that it was all the more terribly sad she had found so little happiness in her marriage, in her daily life.
Could he make Susannah happy? The question filled his mind. He was attracted to her, and he missed her, and he thought she would make him happy. But was he the right man for her?
He pondered this as he took supper alone, and as he lay in bed, staring up into the darkness, unable to sleep.
She loved to read, and he was content for her to spend her days lost in a book.
She did not particularly enjoy society, but he was quite happy to spend their time traveling, or somewhere in the countryside.
Would she enjoy travel? He knew she didn’t enjoy society events and he himself only attended society functions because it was expected of him, not because he had some great love for them.
She responded passionately when she kissed him, and he was confident they would be compatible in the bedchamber.
In fact, he found himself imaging her naked in his bed, her shiny brown hair loose and streaming across the pillows, her cheeks—and perhaps the rest of her, too—flushing red as he showed her the pleasures they could share.
Yes, he thought he could make her happy—and he grew more and more confident with every passing minute that she was the right women to be his countess.
Who cared if she was shy, or if she wasn’t the traditional choice?
And who cared if his aunt didn’t find her beautiful, or even a good choice for a countess—in her estimation.
He was the one who would be marrying, and as far as he was concerned, Susannah was the best choice, for him.
After all, he had no wish to be a traditional earl.
And he had no wish to continue without her by his side.