Page 127 of Snowbound Surrender

“If you do not want to even stay for Christmas, then why did you come?” she eventually asked.

“My steward tells me there are matters that I must attend to. Urgent matters, actually. I should likely find him post-haste.”

“Mr. Stone?” She allowed disdain to drip from her words. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“To help? With what?” he asked as he stood, looking down at her with confusion.

“With the estate. I have done all I can to try to improve things while you were gone. In fact, I should like to speak with you about a few matters of importance.”

“Oh?” He looked down at her, still bemused, but finally a small smile crossed his lips. “I am glad you are enjoying running the household, Scarlett, truly I am. It has been some time since anyone has called Wintervale home for more than a month at a time. I’m sure the staff appreciates having you here. Well, I will be off now. We will talk again later on this evening.”

And then he was walking out the door, leaving Scarlett to stare at his back. She hadn’t meant running the household, not at all. Mrs. Shepherd did a well enough job of that, and Scarlettleft her to it. Apparently, it hadn’t occurred to Hunter that his wife might have a thought to the estate itself. He certainly had neglected it, and Stone was completely incompetent, so someone had to do it. Well, he would find out her thoughts soon enough.

“She what?”

Hunter rose from the chair behind his wide mahogany desk, rounding it to stare at his steward. The man looked up at him with a satisfied expression, his smile marred by his untidy teeth. He seemed pleased with Hunter’s reaction, which irked him all the more.

“Yes, my lord, she’s been giving away the money! And for nothing. Just handing it to people, like ‘here ya go,’ with them doing nothing for it! I told her time and again not to, but she told me, she’s the countess, and I’m the steward, so what am I to do? That’s why I sent for you, my lord, so you could hopefully talk some sense into her.”

Hunter paused for a moment, staring down at his knuckles grinding into his desk, before walking around it and beginning to pace. This was why he had a capable steward — so he didn’t have to worry about these matters at home. He was preoccupied, trying to affect change throughout the country. There were children working harder than grown men in mills, men and women in prisons and asylums being treated worse than animals. He should be working to pass bills that would impact the lives of many. But no, instead he now had to see to his wife, who decided to quench the boredom of remaining herein the country by involving herself in things she knew nothing about.

“How do you know this?” he asked with some resignation, accepting what Stone was telling him.

“There’s been money missing for a couple of months now, my lord. I tried to ascertain where it had gone but found nothing amiss. There was but one account it was coming from — the one your wife is able to access. At first, I thought she was spending it on frivolous things, like dresses and the like, but then I heard a rumor round the village of people who were better off than they were before. I confronted her about it, and she didn’t even bother to hide it!”

Well, at the very least, his wife was honest, that was for certain.

“I think this could lead to some very nasty surprises, my lord,” Stone continued, his voice practically dripping with hatred. “Imagine some folks having more than others. They’ll say the earl and his wife are playing favorites. Soon enough she’ll be wanting them all to pay lower rates — ha!”

Hunter sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He had never had the patience for this sort of thing. He didn’t want to be here counting figures and dissolving tensions. He much preferred a good, upfront argument between gentlemen, as he pushed for needed change. But, here he was. His father had given him this land with the understanding that he would take care of it, and that he must do. Even if it meant pushing his wife even further away.

“I suppose I best go speak with her,” he said, dismissing his steward, who nodded at him, a smug smile on his face as he departed.

Hunter’s study was, conveniently he supposed, near his wife’s bedroom and sitting area. It was still mid-morning, and he was sure he would find her there. What she did with her time,he wasn’t sure, but likely the typical embroidery, or perhaps she was waiting for a neighbor to call. That was what most ladies did, anyway.

He didn’t realize how much of a surprise he was in for.

CHAPTER 4

His wife was nowhereto be found. Not in her own chambers, in any of the drawing rooms, or even the kitchen or servant areas. Hunter searched every part of the house.

“Ah, Mrs. Shepherd!” he called, seeing the housekeeper bustle from one room to the next.

She paused her ample frame to look at him. “Yes, my lord?”

“Have you seen my wife?”

“No, my lord,” she said, but then added, “Have you looked out over the grounds?”

“Outdoors?” he asked, wondering if the housekeeper was confused.

“Yes, my lord,” she said with a nod. “Her ladyship, she likes to ride, enjoys being out in the grotto, even in winter, or riding through the trees just beyond the gardens. You can often find her there. In fact, if you take the stairs and look through one of the upper windows, you might catch a glimpse of her. That’s where I always look for her first.”

Hunter stared after the middle-aged woman in some amusement before shrugging and doing as she said. He looked out the window to the east and south, and sure enough, there she was, striding toward the stable. He couldn’t make out herfeatures from here, but certainly no one else with long, unruly chestnut hair billowing in the wind, a cloak stretched out behind her, would be headed toward the stables on this winter day.

She was certainly leading him on a chase. He ran down the stairs, fetching his own cloak before continuing out the front entrance and across the yard, following her footprints in the snow. Where had she been coming from? What was she doing out here?

He entered the barn just as she was mounting her horse.