‘Staunton?’ Anna drew her brows together. Nothing about this conversation was going the way she’d expected. ‘That’s the estate he might inherit?’
‘Yes. In Derbyshire, a good two days away by coach.’
‘But surely it’s his choice whether or not he wishes to visit?’
‘Pshaw.’ The Baroness rolled her eyes. ‘It’s an earldom, Miss Fortini, not something he can just walk into. If the baby turns out to be a girl, then he will be thrown, quite literally, to the wolves. He needs to learn about the estate and his duties and responsibilities beforehand and without interference. The only reason he hasn’t been overwhelmed with sycophants and even more matchmakers already is that they’re waiting to see what happens.’ She made a disgusted face. ‘I cannot bear the idea of my grandson with some fortune-hunting debutante, but if this baby’s a girl, they’ll all pounce together. He’ll probably end up marrying one just to get rid of the rest. In short, he needs to stop wasting his time here, pull himself together and get ready.’
‘I suppose so.’ Anna regarded the Baroness with trepidation. It made sense from a practical perspective, but why tell her?
‘Naturally I’ve given him my opinion on all of this, but he refuses to disturb Clarissa, Percival’s widow. It’s some notion of gentlemanly propriety, I suppose, and if he finds out about his grandfather then he definitely won’t go, but it won’t do. And she doesn’t help, the foolish woman. She ought to write and invite him directly, but since she won’t, he needs to be convinced to go himself.’
‘I understand, my lady, but what does it have to do with me?’
Lady Jarrow gave her a look that implied a great deal, but for once she said nothing.
‘If you think that I have some power to persuade him, then I’m afraid—’
‘I do.’ The Baroness forestalled her protest. ‘I saw the way that you were looking at each other just now. You may have more influence than you think.’
‘I don’t know what you mean.’ Anna lifted her chin. ‘I haven’t even seen Captain Delaney for the past three weeks. Whatever you think you saw, I’m afraid you’re mistaken.’
‘If you say so.’ The Baroness pursed her lips unconvincingly. ‘By the way, I had a communication from your grandmother this morning.’
‘What?’ Anna drew in a sharp intake of breath. It was becoming hard to keep up with all the changes in subject. ‘You mean the Dowager Duchess?’
‘Yes. Ottoline and I were great friends once upon a time. She wrote to tell me that she’d be very glad to see her daughter again. And to meet her granddaughter.’
‘Me?’ Anna’s mouth fell open. ‘Wait, have you told my mother this?’
‘No, I thought she had enough to deal with this evening, but I intend to tell her later.’
‘Oh.’ Anna drew her brows together, her thoughts whirling. Samuel had warned her that it might happen, but it had only been three weeks. How could gossip have travelled so fast? Unless... A new suspicion stole across her mind. ‘It all seems to have happened very quickly, my lady. I mean, for news about my mother to reach my grandmother and then for her to contact you and extend such an offer... Which one of you exactly began the correspondence?’
The Baroness made a clucking sound. ‘Details, my dear. What matters is that there is one. I’m quite certain that Ottoline would have heard about it and contacted me eventually, but when you get to my age, waiting is so tedious. I wrote to inform her of my contact with your mother after the first time you came for tea and she replied at once. She’s most eager to see her again.’
‘So she’s coming here?’
‘No. At her age such a journey would be inadvisable. I told her that you’d visit.’
‘You told her what?’ Anna burst out, resisting the urge to put her hands on her hips. ‘That’s out of the question. I have a shop to run.’
‘Nonsense. My girls know what they’re doing there now.’
Anna shook her head, annoyed with herself for having been so blind to the Baroness’s machinations. ‘That’s why you sent them to me every morning? So that they could learn to take over?’
‘I thought it might come in useful at some point.’
‘I still can’t go running off to...where does she live?’
‘With your youngest uncle at his estate in the southern part of Yorkshire.’
‘I am not going to stay with my grandmother in Yorkshire!’
‘I never said that you should. No, these things probably ought to be done in stages.’
‘Then where do you expect us to...?’ Anna stopped mid-sentence as the answer occurred to her. ‘Wait, the southern part of Yorkshire?’
‘Very close to the border with Derbyshire, yes.’ Lady Jarrow nodded placidly. ‘Now the details have still to be arranged, but naturally I can’t let you and your mother travel alone and Samuel has nothing else to do at present.’