The Earl Steals a Heart

Mr. Wentworth adjustedhis spectacles and studied the deed Edward had handed him.

“Is the deed legitimate?” Edward prompted, leaning forward with eager interest. He found it difficult to sit still as the elderly man studied the documents with pursed lips.

After several minutes which felt like they might go on forever, Mr. Wentworth nodded and cleared his throat.

“It would appear so, yes.”

The snowy-haired man rose, and Edward could have sworn he heard Mr. Wentworth’s joints creaking with the effort to stand and move after sitting so long in one attitude.

“I shall have to look through the archives, of course, and see what other information I can dig up on this Galleon Chase property for you. Please make yourself comfortable while I look into it, Lord Billington. I shall return from the archives as quickly as I can.”

Mr. Wentworth’s slow, shuffling gait as he made his way to the office door was not encouraging. Edward shifted in the chair which faced the aged man’s desk and choked back the impatient sigh which bubbled up his throat. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he would not be joining his darling Georgiana at Lady Walcot’s Ball if the speed of Mr. Wentworth’s movement, or lack thereof, was anything to judge by.

Minutes ticked by. Edward drummed his fingers on his thighs, his patience stretching ever more thin as he waited for Mr. Wentworth to return.

When the man finally did reappear, it took a Herculean effort for Edward to remain seated.

Mr. Wentworth waved the few pieces of paper and the ledger he’d returned with, his smile triumphant as he eased back down into his chair on the other side of the desk.

Edward couldn’t stand the wait any longer.

“What have you found?”

“I found the record of your grandfather’s purchase of Galleon Chase, which proves that the deed you found is most certainly valid.”

Edward leaned forward, resting his forearms on Mr. Wentworth’s desk.

“Do you know whether the house still stands or not?”

“I cannot say for sure, my Lord, but I did find these along with the record of purchase.”

Mr. Wentworth slid two pieces of paper and an open ledger across the desk, passing them to Edward with a smile and a twinkle in his eye.

Edward barely breathed as he lifted the documents and studied them. The first page was a map of Galleon Chase’s location near Brighton. Next, there was a note that a Mr. Wooding and his wife had been employed as the live-in steward and housekeeper on the property and that they looked after the place in the Calthorpe family’s absence. Finally, there was the open ledger, showing the last quarter’s financial transactions. Edward frowned at it, not quite sure what he was supposed to be looking for among the numbers and notations.

Mr. Wentworth reached across the desk and tapped a specific entry.

“Apparently, Mr. and Mrs. Wooding’s descendants are still caring for Galleon Chase. Your father’s estate still sends them a sum of money every quarter for care and upkeep on Galleon Chase – although I doubt that your father is aware of that – it is just another entry in the estate management ledgers, which he would likely never see.”

Edward released a breath that he didn’t realise he’d been holding.

“Thank you so much for your assistance, Mr. Wentworth. I appreciate you.”

Edward rose, picking up the map and the note about the Wooding family taking care of Galleon Chase, but left the ledger, knowing that Mr. Wentworth would want to return it to the archives immediately.

As Edward left the office and stepped back into the carriage to return to Billington House, a tightness around his heart loosened just a bit. Galleon Chase might not be a complete ruin, after all. His mind raced as he thought of all he must do so that he could leave for Brighton first thing in the morning.

He paused, though, his heart squeezing a little more as he wondered whether Georgiana would go with him to Galleon Chase, or if she would stay behind to help his parents and his mother-in-law chaperone Eugenia, Susan, Eliza, Matilda, and Octavia. He was reluctant to go without her, but he would if he must.