“Well, first she said it was a disgrace that there was no school in the village. The last one closed when old Miss Evans died, see, and the duke never appointed her replacement. Her Grace had the old schoolhouse repainted, and hired two new tutors to teach the children. She said they’d ’ave better prospects if they knew how to read and write.”
Justin nodded. “What else?”
“She found a civil engineer to change the old undershot design on the watermill to a new breastshot type, which proved twice as efficient, and we added a second pair of stones, so now we grind oats as well as corn.”
“An excellent decision.”
“She also suggested we change the crop rotations, to improve grain yields, so now we plant wheat, barley, turnips, and clover in successive years, and there’s no need for the fields to be left fallow.”
Justin nodded. He had as little knowledge of crops and tenants as Tess had when she’d first arrived, but he could read a ledger at a glance. There was no denying her success.
He tapped the topmost account book. “The improvements have almost doubled the estate’s profitability in two years.”
Arden gave a pleased nod. “Aye. They have. And you have happy tenants to show for it. Poaching is almost unheard of, now people have food in their bellies. Add inthe fact that she’s brought back truffle hunting, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t love your duchess. You’re a lucky man to have a woman like that at your side. A lucky man indeed.”
Justin smiled, not wanting to spoil the steward’s romantic misconception about the nature of his agreement with Tess. She was only at his side because of their agreement. They would part when the summer was done.
For the first time that did not feel like the escape he’d envisioned. Not because of her obvious head for business, but because he was beginning to like having her around.
Justin shook his head to dislodge that unacceptable thought. “Thank you, Arden. That will be all.”
The older man stood and dusted off his hat. “Good day, Yer Grace.”
“Are you ready for your surprise?”
Tess couldn’t help smiling as she met Justin in the hallway. She hadn’t seen him all morning, and she was eager for his company.
He pulled on his topcoat. “I am. You said to dress for a walk, so here I am. Where are we going?”
“Truffle hunting. I’ve arranged to meet Mr. Collins, the gamekeeper, who also happens to be one of the county’s best truffle hunters, in the woods behind the dower house.”
They descended the front steps and set off across the formal lawns.
Justin’s stride was longer than hers, but he shortened it to keep pace with her. Tess glanced at the clear blue sky. “We have a lovely day for it.”
They skirted the flower beds and passed through theorchard, and she smiled as the dower house came into view. Built from the same mellow, golden stone as the main hall, it was nowhere near as grand, just a comfortable cottage with a pretty rose arch over the front gate. A thread of smoke floated from the chimney.
“I’d be quite happy living here, if you change your mind and decide to live in the hall,” she said.
Justin tilted his chin at the smoke. “Isn’t someone living here?”
“It’s being let to one of the new schoolteachers at the moment, but she’ll be moving to live with her sister, in the village, in a few months to help with her new baby.”
Justin shook his head. “I don’t plan to live in the hall. I have a perfectly good house in Bristol that serves my needs, and the town house on Curzon Street for when I have business in London.”
Tess’s spirits sank, but she tried not to show it. She doubted she’d ever get to see his house in Bristol. He seemed determined to keep the different parts of his life neatly compartmentalized.
A lively bark interrupted her thoughts as a pale ball of fur hurtled out of the trees and launched itself at her.
“Oliver!”
The puppy paid no heed to the sharp command of his owner, and instead leapt up at Tess, pressing muddy paw prints all over her cloak and skirts.
She bent to pet the exuberant little creature with a laugh. “Well, hello, Oliver! You must be Mr. Collins’s newest recruit.”
The gamekeeper emerged from the trees with another, slightly larger dog trotting obediently at his heels. He shook his head when he saw the puppy’s leaping.
“Apologies, Your Grace! That’s Oliver. He’s here tolearn from Nell, but he’s the worst pup I’ve ever tried to train. Always getting lost, chasing squirrels, and biting twigs.”
