Game of Dukes Read online

  ‘Well,’ Mrs Gibson said, looking up from the table where Celeste sat, trying to encourage the kitten to take drops of milk through a muslin cloth, ‘I can see that you two have had a fine old time of it.’

  ‘The best ever, Mrs Gibson,’ Alvin said enthusiastically. ‘There isn’t anything Phin doesn’t know about horses.’

  ‘That would be it.’ Mrs Gibson sent Phin a knowing look tinged with admiration and amusement. ‘Given you something to do, has he? It’s beyond time that someone did. Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.’

  ‘Horses aren’t work, Mrs Gibson. They are the sport of gentlemen and deserve our respect. Phin says as much.’

  ‘Ah, is that so?’ This time there was no mistaking the amused twinkle in the old lady’s eye.

  ‘Phin is going to breed racehorses here at the Abbey and needs someone he can trust to help him. I said I’d be happy to oblige.’

  Celeste looked up from feeding the kitten and smiled. ‘That’s decent of you,’ she said, but Phin suspected that the comment was intended for him rather than Alvin.

  The two horsemen attacked the tea and cake that Mrs Gibson provided, demolishing it in record time. Alvin then took himself off, no doubt ready to regale anyone willing to listen with tales of his equestrian conquests.

  ‘Well, I must say,’ Mrs Gibson said, chortling as she watched him go. ‘You didn’t take long to lick him into shape. I’ve always said, haven’t I, love, that he just needed a bit of strong male guidance.’

  ‘You have indeed, Mrs Gibson,’ Celeste replied, smiling as the kitten enthusiastically attacked the muslin cloth. ‘This one is a survivor,’ she added, stroking its stripy grey coat and cooing at it.

  ‘She rescues every critter that can’t care for itself,’ Mrs Gibson said. ‘Always has. Too soft-hearted for her own good, so she is. And they take to her, too. Even the most hopeless of cases seldom die on her.’

  ‘What do you do with them when you have nursed them back to health?’ Phin asked.

  ‘I find homes for them,’ she replied airily. ‘Lots of farmers hereabouts need cats to control the rodent population in their barns. I can be very persuasive.’

  ‘I don’t doubt it,’ Phin replied, fixing her with a probing look.

  ‘Or, if all else fails, she keeps them on here,’ Mrs Gibson added, rolling her eyes.

  ‘I might keep this one. I have grown inordinately attached to him already. He is the sweetest little thing.’ She returned the kitten to the basket she had placed beside the range and it fell asleep almost immediately.

  ‘I expect Miss Sinclair has told you that we will be engaging more people to help out, Mrs Gibson,’ Phin said.

  ‘Aye, she has an’ all. That will be a relief. My old bones ache something dreadful in the winter time. Anyway, my niece would make a decent scullery maid and I won’t deny that I could do with another pair of hands.’

  ‘Then the position is hers. But you will need a kitchen maid as well. You shouldn’t have to do everything yourself.’

  ‘Lord bless you, sir. I won’t know what to do with myself.’

  ‘I will find someone suitable,’ Celeste assured them both.

  Satisfied that Mrs Gibson would no longer have to work so hard, Phin left the kitchen at Celeste’s side. They made their way to the library and resumed the seats they had occupied earlier in the day.

  ‘I cannot help but be impressed by the manner in which you have bent Alvin to your will,’ Celeste remarked. ‘He was so very hostile towards you this morning that I would not have thought it possible.’

  ‘Horses,’ Phin replied succinctly. ‘I have yet to meet a young man who isn’t fascinated by them.

  ‘And women too.’

  ‘Of course. I should have thought.’ He smiled at her. ‘You enjoy riding?’

  ‘I did, when I had the time to indulge my passion.’ She gave a wistful sigh. ‘My spirited little mare was one of the first economies made. She and I knew every inch of the estate intimately, but still…sacrifices were required, and even if I could have justified keeping her I had no time available to exercise her.’

  ‘Things are different now.’

  ‘At least Alvin is on your side. That must count for something. You will need all the cooperation you can muster if you are to make the estate profitable again.’

  ‘Alvin should have been sent away to school, then his mother would not find it so easy to influence the man he has become.’

  ‘I have often thought the same thing.’ She shuddered. ‘But then again, those bastions of male supremacy are brutal places and Alvin is a gentle soul. He would not have fared well.’

  ‘Life is brutal, my sweet, and for all their faults, decent schools shape a boy, toughen him up and prepare him to shoulder his responsibilities.’

  ‘Matthew used to say that about Eton,’ she replied, a wistful look in her eye. ‘It was all very well for him, he was strong, popular and heir to a dukedom, so no one was likely to pick on him. Poor Alvin, on the other hand…if he had been subjected to such rigours, I’m not sure he would have survived them.’

  ‘Well, it’s not too late for him. I shall give him a position of responsibility with my horses. One from which he can learn but not do much harm if he makes mistakes. You will see almost immediate changes in him, I guarantee it, and it will make a man out of him.’

  ‘You imagine that Toby and his mother have between them made him weak, I suppose.’

  ‘I don’t like Darwin’s influence over the boy. I don’t like Toby Darwin period.’ He fixed Celeste with a direct look. ‘Does he bother you?’

  She looked away from him. ‘I can take care of myself.’

  Which was no answer at all, but told Phin all he needed to know. Toby Darwin had wandering eyes, and those eyes fell upon the very lovely visage of Celeste Stirling every day. Phin would make it his business to ensure that he did nothing more irksome than look.

  ‘I can depend upon you to engage the necessary household staff?’

  She inclined her head. ‘How many may I take on? You can be sure that once word gets out that you are here and hiring, there will be a queue a mile long.’

  ‘You are acquainted with the locals and know who is likely to give best service?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Well then, how many shall we need?’

  ‘You have offered Mrs Gibson all the help she will need. I would suggest two more housemaids, two footmen and a boy to fetch and carry. And a maid to attend Alice and Emma?’

  ‘Fine. Go ahead and engage them on a permanent basis—all bar the maid for Alice and Emma. I have yet to decide if they are worthy of the expense.’ Celeste bit her lip and made do with a nod. ‘You, on the other hand, have more than earned the right.’

  ‘Me!’ She looked endearingly shocked. ‘Whatever would I do with my own maid?’

  ‘Perhaps that is a discussion also better postponed for a more appropriate moment.’ He sent her a teasing smile. ‘It wouldn’t do for me to get too distracted. We will need several more maids temporarily if we are to open up the drawing room. The drapes will need to come down, the walls must be scrubbed and…well, I am sure you have a better idea of what’s required than I do.’

  She smiled. ‘Leave it to me. It will be lovely to see that room in use again,’ she added dreamily. ‘It was closed up before the old duke died since it became too expensive to heat in the winter. It’s enormous, and in the summer it’s a lovely place to sit. Not that I get much time to sit, but even so, the sun streaming in through those full-length windows and the view of the gardens from them is soothing.’

  ‘The gardens will have to wait.’ He chuckled. ‘But if you like a view of weed-strewn wildernesses…’

  ‘Quite.’

  ‘We were interrupted earlier,’ Phin said, stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankles. ‘I am interested to know how the estate came to fall into such a state of disrepair. You mentioned that my uncle was not in the best of health and had become forgetful, neglectful perhaps of his responsibilities, and that Matthew went to France. Who took care of matters here?’

  ‘His steward, Mr Goddard, was highly efficient but his responsibilities were limited to the land, the tenants, the livestock and the crops. Mama pointed out to the duke several times that attention was needed to the building but he never got around to commissioning the works. He seldom left his rooms for the last few years of his life, you see, and was not aware of the extent of the decline. Anyway, I felt sure that Matthew would take matters in hand when he returned from France. The duke enjoyed a good spell with respect to his health when he had his son back. That is why they all took a rare excursion to the races that day. Mama thought it would do the duke good to have some air, and he so enjoyed the sport.’ She sighed. ‘If only we could have known…’

  ‘I am sorry if this is painful for you,’ Phin said softly.

  ‘No.’ She sighed deeply and sat a little straighter. ‘It needs to be discussed. Matthew did take immediate steps to put the repairs in hand when he came back from France, but before they could start…well, you know what happened.’

  ‘Who was left in overall charge once the duke and Matthew were gone?’ Phin asked, suspecting that he knew the answer to his own question.

  ‘Mr Frazer arrived from London to read the duke’s will, and to tell us that all the money was gone.’

  Phin scowled. ‘He took care of the duke’s business affairs and acted as his attorney?’

  ‘Yes, and had done so for years. The duke trusted his judgement absolutely.’

  Phin adjusted his position, leaned his elbow on the arm of his chair and rested the fingers of one hand against the side of his mouth. ‘None of you were aware of the financial situation before Frazer’s visit?’

  ‘It came as a complete shock. I found letters amongst the duke’s personal papers warning him of the situation after Mr Frazer’s visit, but I don’t think the duke had done anything about them. He was confident that Matthew would resolve matters in France, you see, which in turn would restore the income from the vineyards that had dried up during the war.’

  Phin gave a grim nod at this proof that his uncle’s brain had indeed become addled. ‘What happened then?’

  ‘Well, the works that Matthew had commissioned had to be stopped. They hadn’t really got started. If they had, we should have been unable to pay for them. Toby wanted to take control, had all sorts of money-making ideas, but the old duke’s will was most specific. Mr Frazer was to control what money remained in the duchy’s coffers and approve any major expenditure before it took place, until you got here to assume your responsibilities.’

  Phin flexed a brow. ‘He must have assumed that Matthew would survive him and take over those responsibilities. It shows great foresight on the part of an old man with an addled brain that he made provision for that situation not arising.’

  Celeste blinked up at him. ‘I had not stopped to consider that point, but most likely Mr Frazer suggested the clause. Attorneys do so like to anticipate every situation.’

  ‘My uncle and I were estranged. He would not have liked to think of me controlling the Abbey.’

  ‘Your father and the old duke were the ones who were estranged, but the duke bore you no ill-will.’

  Phin sat forward. ‘You heard him mention me by name?’

  ‘Many times. He had people keep track of your activities before his mind became too feeble to retain the particulars and was proud of your achievements. He spoke several times to my mother of the possibility of a reconciliation, once he knew that your father was dead. Matthew was keen for it to take place, but…’ She spread her hands and sent him an enticing smile. ‘At least he can rest in peace now that you are here. A safe pair of hands to rescue the duchy from the point of ruin.’

  Phin grimaced. ‘I wish I shared your faith in my abilities.’

  ‘You made a very good start earlier. No one who saw the manner in which you handled your hostile relations could doubt your fortitude. Nor, I suspect, will any of them attempt to gull you, not now that they are aware what they are up against.’

  ‘I wish I knew what my uncle and father argued so violent about that it caused a permanent rift,’ Phin remarked after a short pause. ‘They were once so very close.’

  ‘I have often wondered that, too, but the old duke refused to talk of it.’ She wrinkled her brow. ‘It was almost as though he felt partly responsible but didn’t know how to make matters right again. A guilty conscience, if you like. Perhaps Alice knows.’

  ‘If she does, I cannot depend upon her to tell me the truth. I suspect my aunt has her own agenda and only does or says things that will enhance her wellbeing, with scant regard for the truth.’

  Celeste flexed a brow. ‘How very astute of you.’

  Phin shook off thoughts of a past that he was powerless to change. The here and now were of more immediate concern to him.

  ‘Toby lost interest then, and it fell to me to keep the house running.’

  ‘It was good of you to stay. It cannot have been easy for you, and I sense that not many members of my family appreciated your efforts.’

  She shrugged. ‘They didn’t especially want me here but couldn’t afford to employ anyone else. I had to let the maids go, since we couldn’t afford to pay them.’ A ghost of a smile touched her lips. ‘Especially not the elegant ladies who waited upon Alice and Emma.’

  ‘Oh dear,’ Phin replied, fighting a smile of his own.

  ‘And so here you find us, living from hand to mouth, waiting for you to rescue us all from the point of ruin.’

  His smile was soft and inviting. ‘I shall see what I can do.’

  ‘What will you do first, having reengaged sufficient servants, of course?’

  ‘I have sent an express to Frazer, asking him to come down here immediately and bring the books with him. I need to understand what went on, but have a suspicion that someone took advantage of my uncle’s addled wits.’ He paused, fixing Celeste with an intense look. ‘Don’t you find it conveniently coincidental that our relations met with a fatal accident just weeks after my cousin returned from France, intent upon putting the Abbey back into good order?’

  *

  Celeste shook herself back to awareness. Her attention tended to wander frequently, she was fast discovering, when in the duke’s company. She told herself that it was relief making her giddy because sole responsibility for the Abbey’s inhabitants no longer rested upon her shoulders. That was partly the case, but it was far from the complete truth. The duke’s imposing authority, the destructive and distracting force of his stark masculinity, was as impressive as it was daunting. His stance, even when relaxing in his uncle’s favourite chair, somehow managed to convey intelligence, unleashed strength and quite disturbing poise. She was reacting to him, quite instinctively she realised, as a woman was supposed to respond in the presence of a man who stimulated her senses. If he felt an answering interest in her, it didn’t seem to trouble him in the least, the irritating man, yet she was distracted by swirling emotions that had no place in her dealings with the new Duke of Suffolk.

  But he had finally said something that guaranteed him her complete attention, with no inappropriate aspirations popping up to divert her.

  ‘You think there is something suspicious about the timing of the accident?’ she asked, widening her eyes.

  ‘I cannot help thinking that someone took advantage of my uncle’s confused state of mind and didn’t want Matthew, whose mind most definitely would not have been befuddled, to stumble upon the deception.’

  Celeste nodded emphatically, setting errant curls dancing around her face. She pushed them impatiently aside. ‘I have had the same doubts. I mean, an accident of that nature on a fine day on a stretch of road that Matthew knew so well. It seemed highly suspicious to me, but I had no one to share those suspicions with. In any case, the local magistrate checked everything most thoroughly. After all, a duke and his heir had perished. However, he assured us all that it had been a tragic accident.’

  ‘What is the name of the magistrate?’

  Celeste looked surprised by the question. ‘You intend to discuss the matter with him?’

  ‘Merely to satisfy myself that all necessary inspections of the carriage and the horses’ harnesses were made.’

  Celeste nodded. ‘Sir Richard Boyle. He took a great deal of interest and was most thorough. I had no reason to doubt his findings, merely the cause of the accident.’

  ‘If you doubted that it was an accident, whom did you suppose was responsible for it? Who had anything to gain by ridding the world of my uncle and cousin?’

  ‘Your uncle had a quick temper when he was a younger man, perhaps resulting in the dispute with your father.’ Celeste spread her hands. ‘I was not here then so I cannot say, but Mrs Gibson tells stories of how quick he was to anger, unwilling to suffer fools gladly. He could be heard shouting all over the Abbey when anyone overset him.’ Celeste leaned forward, struggling to express her thoughts in a coherent manner. ‘What I mean to imply is that he was far from perfect. Although he mellowed in his later years, he must have accumulated enemies along the way.’

  ‘With such a compelling score to settle that they risked committing a triple murder years later, when there was nothing to gain from it?’ the duke asked, his expression sceptical.

  ‘Well, when you put it like that…’

  ‘The only person who gains, I suppose, is me, although it doesn’t feel that way. I had no expectation of inheriting the title and responsibility for this place, and I don’t especially relish the challenge. However,’ he added, rubbing his chin in a contemplative manner, ‘if someone within these crumbling walls or beyond them was somehow milking the duchy’s coffers and Matthew’s return brought their dishonesty to light, it throws an entirely different light on the situation.’

  ‘Yes, I see what you mean. But who could it possibly have been? They could not have done it without Mr Frazer’s complicity, and your uncle trusted him completely.’