A father’s very understandable anxiety resonated beneath the words.
“As to that,” Gregory smoothly said, “I’ve a suggestion to make.” He turned to Caitlin and held out a hand, and when she surrendered hers, he closed his fingers gently over hers and met her eyes. “Tell me what you think of this—Benbeoch is yours, after all.”
She shook her head and swiveled to face him. “It will soon be yours as much as mine.” She arched her brows. “Indeed, some would no doubt say more yours than mine.” She suppressed the urge to glance at Patrick.
His expression growing serious, Gregory held her gaze. “You know that’s not the way I think.”
She nodded. “So tell us your idea.”
Gregory looked at Patrick. “Obviously, this is predicated on Caitlin and I marrying, but assuming we do, then given the way the Hall operates, we’ll need to spend the bulk of the year here. At the most, we might manage a month or two in Scotland, at the height of summer when there’s less happening here.” He glanced at Caitlin. “Do you agree?”
She thought, then nodded. “Realistically, we’ll both be needed here through much of the year.” Here, where both of them had found their true place.
Gregory looked back at Patrick. “What I propose is that, as part of the marriage settlements, your sons, including Morgan, will each receive a fifteen percent share of the Benbeoch estate, with the residual forty percent remaining with Caitlin, myself, and our descendants.” He glanced at Rory, Hamish, and Daniel, who all looked stunned. “If you three remain here, building your businesses and lives at Bellamy Hall, then I would imagine that we—the three of you and Caitlin and myself—would make an arrangement with your brother Morgan under which he would continue to manage the combined estate.”
Rory was clearly envisioning the situation in his mind. He blew out a breath, then glanced at Hamish. “Hamish and I could liaise with Morgan about improving the sheep and the cattle at Benbeoch. I’ve already got some ideas just from what I’ve seen thus far down here.”
Hamish was nodding. “And we could visit more often—several times a year.”
Daniel had stars in his eyes. “I’d be happy to help Morgan with the paperwork I’ve been taking care of to date. I can do much of that from here just as easily as there, and the other painters and I would want to visit a few times a year to paint as well.”
Gregory was watching Patrick, as was Caitlin. Her uncle was blinking and blinking again as he absorbed what Gregory’s idea would mean.
Smoothly, Gregory summarized, “Such a proposal should, I believe, set your mind at rest, sir. While giving Rory, Hamish, and Daniel the freedom to pursue their passions, it will also ensure that, if for whatever reason they fail, they have land and an income to fall back on. To go home to. In addition, the arrangement will allow Morgan to become established as an estate manager, which occupation I gather he enjoys, with his own parcel of land and income, and will also leave the reins of the Benbeoch Manor estate in the hands of the one most capable of managing them.”
Caitlin allowed her approval—and her admiration—to color her expression. “That’s abrilliantnotion. It resolves everything.”
Almost accusingly, Patrick looked Gregory in the eye. “You’ve been thinking of this for some time.”
Gregory inclined his head. “For a few days. I could see the potential issues and felt sure we could find some way to address everyone’s reservations.”
Patrick continued to frown, then glanced at his sons.
All three looked eager, indeed, keen to have him agree.
When he only frowned harder, Gregory prompted, “Well, sir? Will such a proposal, executed via the marriage settlements, be agreeable to you?”
Patrick regarded him for several seconds, then humphed. “Given you’re apparently to be my nephew-by-marriage, I suppose it behooves me to agree.”
Caitlin uttered a sound of suppressed delight that bordered on a squeal. She leapt up and swooped on her uncle, bussing him on the cheek. “You won’t regret it, Uncle Patrick. That, I can safely swear.”
Patrick blushed and all but scowled at her. “No need for histrionics, my girl.” He paused, considering her, then said, “Just as long as you’re happy…”
She beamed and looked at Gregory. “I am happy—truly, truly happy!”
Not only for herself but for them all.
Gregory and Caitlin were the last to climb the stairs. They were both still smiling; he didn’t think he’d stopped since Patrick had agreed to his proposal for the marriage settlements.
Their proposal.
He glanced at Caitlin. Her hand lay snugly in his as they ascended the stairs. The others had gone ahead and were already striding to their rooms. Before they reached the landing, they heard the doors, one after another, close.
“Four.” Gregory glanced at his love and smiled. “We’re alone.”
She sighed happily, her lips still delectably curved. “Indeed.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. “This is one of the times in our day that I treasure.”
They stepped off the stairs and into the gallery. They’d developed the habit of ending their evenings there, alone, in the comfortable shadows.
