Page 136 of Snowbound Surrender

“Of course, my lord,” he responded.

“Here, allow me to prepare you some tea,” said Molly, as she began bustling around the room, shooing the children out of the kitchen. Hunter looked over at Scarlett, inclining his head toward Molly, suggesting that perhaps she speak with the woman while he discussed matters with her husband, but Scarlett looked away, pretending that she misunderstood his cue, although Hunter knew she was much smarter than that. He sighed. She was a handful, this one.

“Thomas,” he began, taking a seat in a scarred wooden chair which matched the table in front of it. “It has been some time since I have been here myself, as I have left my matters of estate business in the capable hands of Mr. Stone.”

Scarlett snorted from her seat beside him, and he cast a look of disapproval her way. They had to be united in front of their tenants, not questioning one another. He looked back at Thomas, who had covered his mouth with his hand, and Hunter had the distinct impression the man was hiding a smile.

“How fares your work?” he asked, pretending Scarlett wasn’t there beside him. “Have you had any particular issues?”

Thomas cleared his throat, glancing at both Molly and Scarlett in turn, before returning his gaze to Hunter. Scarlett sent a nod the man’s way, and Hunter’s irritation rose anew.

“I cannot say we’ve had an easy time of it lately, my lord,” he said with a bit of hesitation, and Hunter smiled, encouraging him to continue. “You see … the rent is just too high for us to make a go of it. Try as I might, I don’t make enough off sale of the animals to cover the payments as well as feed and clothe my children. If it wasn’t for Lady Oxford … well, I’m not sure that we would be able to continue on here, my lord. She has been generous, but I would feel much better knowing I had less to pay up front. I know that is much to ask, and I shouldn’t like to be presumptuous, but, well, I’m not sure what else to say.”

Thomas dropped his head, and Hunter realized how much it had cost him to humble himself as he had in front of him.

“I see,” he said grimly. “Thank you for your honesty, Thomas. I will be looking into the matter, I can assure you.”

He spoke with the man for a few minutes more about various aspects of pig farming, though Hunter knew far less of it than he cared to admit. Eventually, he stood and shook the man’s hand.

“Thank you for your visit,” Thomas said, and finally the warmth he had bestowed upon Scarlett came over his face as he looked at Hunter.

“And before we forget,” said Scarlett, finally breaking into the conversation, “We have something for you.” She took the basket that Hunter had set it by the door. “Happy Christmas,” she enthused. “We will see you soon!”

The young boy gave her one last hug before they were on their way, back to the sleigh, Scarlett waving goodbye as the family watched from the door. When she turned to face forward, a guarded expression settled over her face, and all Hunter could do was wonder — who was this woman he had married?

CHAPTER 8

The longer theysat there in silence, the more anxious Scarlett became. What was going through his head? Her husband had entered the sleigh, taken the reins in hand, and then sat there immobile, his gaze off into the distance. Was he angry with her? Not that he had any reason to be, she told herself. She was simply allowing him to see the truth.

“It seems you were right,” he said, his voice breaking through the whisper of the slight wind that had begun to brew, his breath casting smoke into the cold air. “I have been a terribly remiss lord.”

He paused for a moment, opening his mouth a couple of times until he finally continued speaking. “If I had asked Thomas how much rent is, he would have realized this as well, and yet I must know before I meet with Stone. How much are their rents?”

When she told him, he whistled. It was more than double what he would have expected. No wonder his tenants were having difficulties.

“How did I let this happen?” he asked, hanging his head somewhat, and Scarlett felt inexplicable sympathy come over her.

Stop it,this is his own doing. And isn’t this what you wanted — for him to see the error of his ways? He should have paid much more attention.But the look of remorse covering his face spoke to the fact that he had placed his absolute trust in the wrong person, and she could not keep her heart from going out to him.

“Sometimes the people we think we can rely on the most end up causing us the greatest distress,” she said, and he looked up at her with disappointment etched in his blue-green eyes — disappointment in himself.

“I have become caught up in my work in London,” he said, looking back out into the snow-covered distance. “In doing so, I have forgotten my responsibility here. But it is more than work. My decisions affect every aspect of these people’s lives. No wonder you think so poorly of me.”

She bit her lip. He was right, in a way, but what he didn’t know was that it wasn’t that she disdained of him so. No, there were aspects about him that she actually admired — his dedication, his ability to keep from becoming so inflexible that he couldn’t see the error in his ways. He was simply absent-minded about aspects of his life that he needed to pay more attention to. Perhaps it was a failing, but not one that was born of any necessary evil or ill intention.

No, what kept her from him was the fact that she could see herself becomingtooclose to him, and that would never do. For she knew what she spoke of when she told him that people could be a disappointment. Her own father had been so time and again. He loved her, she knew, but that hadn’t been enough. While he provided for her and was there when she asked him for anything, as a true father, he hadn’t been there for her when she needed him, nor there for her mother at any time at all.

As much as she had to protect herself, however, she should be more conscious of not allowing Hunter to feel too poorly for himself.

“This is nothing that you cannot fix,” she said gently, leaning forward so that she could look into his eyes. “You have the power to change this, to make things better here. Besides that,” she couldn’t help the grin from crossing her face. “I was here to make things right.”

He looked at her then, his face but inches from hers, and her heart began to quicken, beating fast enough for her blood to begin to race through her body, warming all which had become so cold in the freezing air.

“Hunter,” she said, her voice a whisper. “Hunter, I?—”

The horse whinnied then, breaking the moment, and she sat back suddenly. “I think we best get a move on,” she said, clearing her throat, “we must see to the other tenants. Do you know what time it is?”

He shook his head, saying nothing as he sent the horses on their way.