“Might you be free to chat with us about what we plantodo?”
“I would be delightedtohear.”
“If you don’t mind, I would like you to come outside with us to the garden so we can show you exactly what we haveinmind.”
“Let us get our wraps, and we shall meet you in the kitchen. Is that agreeable?” Ellenasked.
“Certainly.”
Lydia was ready first, and she went outside to check on her new fruit trees. They all seemed to be doing splendidly and she was pleased to see the worker was still wateringadequately.
Edwin and Ellen came out shortly afterward and, seeing her in the garden, came over to where she was poking a stick at the new kitchenscrapspile.
“Is it doing what you wished?” Edwin asked as theyapproached.
“It is starting to. It takes time to decompose enough to be useful for thegarden.
Ellen wrapped her shawl tightly around her shoulders as there was a chill breeze coming up the slope ofthehill.
“Edwin tells me you two have great plans for Honeyfield,” Ellen said. “Showme.”
Edwin and Lydia enthusiastically laid out their vision for high-end produce to Ellen. They walked over to where the expanded garden would be and where they planned to build the greenhousecomplex.
Ellen listened carefully but did not say much while they were explaining. When they were done, Ellen turned to them and asked, “And how are you to do all of this with nomoney?”
“Ah, yes, the key point,” Edwin said, laughing. “And that is where you become involved. I propose to sell the London house. I will pay you half of the proceeds as part of your inheritance and use the rest to fund ourproject.”
“And will half of the proceeds be sufficient to fund the entire project?” Ellenasked.
Edwin answered, “Mostly. We will need to either take a bank loan for the balance or add on to the greenhouse in increments as profits begin toaccrue.”
“I see.” Ellen seemed thoughtful, and it was difficult to read what she wasthinking.
“And what if I did not want to take my inheritance just yet?” sheasked.
“You do not wish us to sell the Londonhouse?”
“That is not what I was thinking. What if, instead of taking my share of the money, I used that money to invest in the business? I could become a shareholder or a partner, or however, you choose to structure thebusiness.”
Lydia gasped. “That wouldinterestyou?”
Ellen smiled. “Oh, yes, absolutely. I think it is a splendid idea, and I would much rather use my money as an investment rather than fritter it away on gowns or idle amusements. Absolutely countmein.”
* * *
The wedding wasto be held at Saint Andrews with the reception atHoneyfield.
A lot of the staff from the London house had come down to help prepare for the wedding, including Mrs. Samuels. She had been offered, and had accepted, the position of Head Housekeeper at Honeyfield, but she suffered no nonsense from any of the already established Honeyfieldstaff.
She had been put in charge of organizing the wedding reception, and the entire household was now a hive ofactivity.
The wedding breakfast consisted of just the brides and grooms and their parents. Samuels and Reynolds personally served eachguest.
Lydia was seated next to theDuchess.
“You may call me Mamma now if you like,” the Duchess said, leaning in and touching Lydia’s hand. “Since we both are to be Duchesses, it seems pointless for the two of us to go around calling each other by our titles. Don’t youthink?”
Lydia smiled. “Thank you. And you may call me Lydia. And I, like Edwin, will request everyone call me Lydia. It is so much more open and friendly, don’t youthink?”
