Joanna shot her a reproachful look. “Rosy, darling, do try to contain your excitement,” she chided gently.
But Rosy paid her no mind, her excitement bubbling over. “But it’s important!” she insisted, thrusting the newspaper forward.
Sally exchanged a knowing smile with Leonard, who sat across from her, their fingers intertwined as they played chess. He was by now used to Rosy’s outbursts. She could feel the warmth of his hand against hers, grounding her in the midst of the commotion.
Her mother sighed and shook her head at Rosy’s antics. “Let me see that, dear,” she said, reaching out to take the newspaper from her.
As her father scanned the headlines, Rosy blurted out the news. “Lord Finch is being sent to Australia!” she exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.
Sally’s heart skipped a beat as she looked up, meeting Leonard’s gaze. Relief flooded through her at the news. The threat that had hung over them for so long was finally being addressed.
Sally nodded, her gratitude shining in her eyes. “Thank goodness,” she murmured, leaning in closer to him.
Kenneth’s voice broke the calm atmosphere of the room, his words drawing everyone’s attention. “It’s a shame Leonard didn’t get rid of the man for good,” he remarked.
Lady Carlisle gasped softly, her hand fluttering to her chest in shock, while Joanna nodded in agreement. “Indeed,” she said solemnly, her eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. “You should have dispatched him when you could, Leonard.”
Kenneth continued. “If I had been there, I would have put an end to him once and for all,” he declared.
Leonard chuckled softly, shaking his head. “It would have been beneficial for all of us if both Kenneth and Walter had arrived sooner,” he remarked, with a hint of wry amusement as he glanced at his father-in-law.
Walter, Sally’s father, cleared his throat, a pained expression crossing his face. “I still feel dreadful that we arrived so late,” he admitted with regret. “If only we hadn’t chosen such an inopportune time to take a stroll outside.”
“I thought I’d suffer apoplexy when I couldn’t find them,” Rosy confessed, her eyes wide with worry.
But Leonard interjected, his tone earnest. “I didn’t take care of the matter all by myself,” he insisted, his gaze turning to Sally. “Sally is the hero here. She spotted the fireplace poker, she distracted Aaron – it was all thanks to her quick thinking.”
“Our Sally has always been witty,” her father said and smiled at her.
“It is a shame Aaron’s sisters now have to pay the price for his actions,” Joanna said then and Sally’s bitterness was palpable as she spoke up in agreement.
“Thanks to Lady Millstone, everyone knows about what Aaron did, and his sisters have to pay the price,” she remarked, unable to hide her resentment. “That woman enjoys ruining young ladies.”
“I know, it isn’t right innocent bystanders have to pay for his crimes,” Leonard agreed. Sally knew Leonard had taken the news about Aaron’s sisters hard, unaware he had any family before then.
“Well, there is some good news on that front,” Sally’s father said. “I heard there has been a fund established for the sisters by an anonymous donor,” He winked at Leonard.
Sally caught his eye and squeezed his hand, aware of who the anonymous donor was. In fact, everyone in the room knew, but she was aware Leonard didn’t want to talk about his latest generous act.
Before anyone could press further, Rosy deftly changed the topic, sparing Leonard from any uncomfortable inquiries. “Well, I think it is nice that there are good people in the world, and now that Sally is involved with not just one but three different charities, the ton might yet improve, and we can vanquish Lady Millstone one of these days.”
“Vanquish?” Joanna laughed. “I do not think she is that sort of a witch.”
Laughter rang through the drawing room and when they had settled once more, it was Kenneth who took charge of the conversation. Sally watched as Kenneth broached the subject of business. “Speaking of vanquished,” he began, his eyes flickering with interest, “now that we are rid of Aaron, how is the business going?”
Leonard's response was measured yet optimistic. “We've hit a few bumps along the road,” he admitted with a hint of regret, “and we've lost a few merchants we were working with. But I believe we can righten the ship again.” His smile was hopeful, but Sally could sense the weight of responsibility that rested on his shoulders. “I could use a partner,” he added, his gaze drifting towards Sally's father. “Or maybe two.”
Sally's heart swelled with pride as Leonard included her father in the conversation. She admired his willingness to seek support and collaboration, even in the face of adversity.
Kenneth hesitated for a moment, his brow furrowing in thought. “I'm not one for traveling by boat,” he confessed, his tone tinged with uncertainty.
But Leonard was quick to offer a solution. “Aaron was right about one thing,” he said with a hint of irony, “we don't necessarily need to go to the vineyards ourselves. We could hire someone to oversee operations.” His eyes sparkled as he looked back at Kenneth. “If both of you're interested, we could run the business together,” he proposed with conviction.
Sally held her breath as she waited for her father's response. She knew that his support could make all the difference in their efforts to rebuild the business.
To her relief, Lord Carlisle's voice rang out with enthusiasm. “I'm always interested in a good investment,” he declared, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Especially one that I know is sound.”
Joanna's eyes lit up with excitement as she added her own thoughts to the conversation. “This could be a wonderful way to bring the family together,” she remarked with warmth and encouragement.
