“Speaking of which,” Emily said as she rose from her place at the table. “I must practice. If you will excuseme…”
“Well, I am going too, but to wash my hair.” Ruth insisted. “You work far too hard, Emily. And I intend to have a real life, thank you very much.” She stood up and left the dining room beforeEmily.
Papa caught Emily’s gaze and whispered as she passed. “Idowish your sisters were as dedicated as youare.”
Emily patted her father’s shoulder. “There must be allowances for all of our differences,Papa.”
After Emily left, Teresa looked up from her book. “Is there any more toast? I do love thismarmalade.”
Chapter 2
Mark Linfield, the young Duke of Edgerton, sat at his father’s bedside and reached over and took the old man’s hand. His father had been asleep but, at his son’s touch, he opened hiseyes.
“Son?
“How are you doing this morning,Father?”
His father winced. “About the same. What time is Doctor Benson coming? Did hesay?”
“He usually comes aboutten.”
Jacob, Mark’s father, closed his eyesagain.
“Father, I wanted a word with you about the Cape Colonytrade.”
Opening his eyes, Jacob said, “Mark, I am sorry not to be of better use to you, but I just cannot deal with those issues anymore. That is why I passed the dukedom on to you. Please, leave me inpeace.”
“As you wish, Father,” Mark replied, and he stood toleave.
“Maybe your grandmother might have some thoughts about the Cape Colony business. She always seemed to have a head for business, but she is a bit of a dotter these days. But have a chat withher.”
“I will—thankyou.”
As Mark turned to leave, his father stopped him by waving his hand. “And have the doctor sent up as soon as hearrives.”
“Iwill.”
* * *
It was unusual for a living duke to pass on the dukedom to his son while he was still alive, but Jacob Linfield was no ordinary duke. He had been aggressive in business in his active years, and he had amassed a vast family fortune in trade while, at the same time, being an eager supporter of the arts—especially music. But when his health rapidly declined, he turned his entire estate and title over to his sonMark.
Linfield House and Park were situated just outside of London in Essex, near the small market town of Chipping Ongar. It was a convenient location because it had ready access to London where Mark could conveniently manage the estate’s businessinterests.
One approached Linfield house from the right side—the drive leading through a lush green lawn and past two welcoming monuments to the right front corner where a single-story entrance led into the two-story French chateau-style house. Mansard and conical shaped roofs covered turrets and towers along the front and sides of this yellow sandstone building, surrounded by expansive lawns with beautifully placed, statelytrees.
Short, round topiary bushes crossed along the front of the house on the far side of the drive, edging the lawn that led down toward a natural lake with an irregular shore with many small coves, surrounded by a natural woodedarea.
Mark walked leisurely along the grand gallery toward a wing of the house known as the Duchess wing, because his grandmother, Hester, the Duchess of Edgerton, resided there. Mark’s mother had died giving birth to his sister Alice, leaving Hester as the reigningDuchess.
The grand gallery of Lindfield House was particularly attractive. A wide skylight ran the length of the gallery illuminating one of the finest art collections in private hands in all of Great Britain. Aside from the fine portraits of previous generations of the Linfield family, there was an extensive collection of English and European landscapes, religious paintings, military campaigns, and seabattles.
Mark had the same striking features that ran in the Linfield family. At thirty he was tall, aristocratically handsome with finely chiseled features, and had a graceful way of moving. He wore his blond hair loosely, but not long enough to reach his shoulders. He had never done manual labor, and his hands were long, thin, and beautifully proportioned. He would have been a natural pianist if he had ever been trained, but, alas, he was needed, even as a youngster, to learn the familybusiness.
Mark arrived at the Duchess’s door and he knocked. The door was opened by Baggs, Hester’smaid.
“Is Her Grace available?” Markasked.
“Yes, please come in,” the maid said, standing aside and allowing Mark toenter.
