9. Chapter Nine #2
Eventually, she made her way back to the hall where she discovered Bartle just about to go up the stairs with the earl’s breakfast tray.
“Did you have a nice walk, miss? I’ll tell the earl you took the dogs. He’ll be very grateful.”
“When you come back down, could I talk to you for a minute?” Mabel asked.
“Of course, miss. I won’t be a tick.”
At Mrs. Reynolds’ direction, Mabel fed the dogs and sat at the table where she was dished up eggs, bacon, fried bread, mushrooms, and baked beans all on the same plate with toast in a rack on the side. Despite her concerns Mabel managed to wolf everything down at a similar speed to the dogs.
“Now, how can I assist you, miss?” Bartle said as he returned.
Mabel jumped to her feet and gestured toward the door. “Can we talk outside?”
His eyebrows rose but he followed her down the passageway to the exterior door which was wedged open with an ancient flatiron.
“I accidentally read the note.” Mabel confessed once they were out in the garden.
“Ah.”
“And I was wondering if there was any way I could just pay off that debt without Colin finding out about it.”
His brow creased. “That does seem slightly underhanded, miss.”
“Well, I don’t think it’s fair that Colin is responsible for the profligate spending habits of his ancestors.
He’s got enough to worry about without all that.
” She hurriedly added, “I was thinking that if the earl had a checkbook with some deposit slips, I could have one and send it in with my check.”
Bartle studied her for a long moment. “I would have to consult the earl. I wouldn’t feel right going behind his back.”
“Why? He’s not well. I don’t want to worry him either.”
“Because he trusts me, miss,” Bartle said gently.
Mabel immediately felt ashamed. “I’m sorry. You’re right. It was a stupid idea. I should just ask Colin.”
“I believe young Mr. Freddy has an estate check book for the home farm expenses. Perhaps you might consult with him?”
“That’s a great idea,” Mabel said. “Thank you, Mr. Bartle. You’re a star.”
“Well, thank you too, miss.” He winked at her. “You’ll find Mr. Freddy in the breakfast room.”
Mabel bade a fond farewell to the dogs and ventured into the posh part of the house where she found Freddy sitting in solitary splendor at the table consuming bacon and eggs at an alarming speed.
“Morning, Mabel.” He paused long enough to drink a whole cup of tea. “Are you joining me?”
“I’ve already eaten.” She took the chair opposite him and checked to see that there was no one lurking in the hall. “I want to ask you for a favor.”
“What do you need?”
“Do you have a check book for the estate?”
“Yes, but if you’re planning on robbing me, you’re out of luck. We’re barely breaking even right now.”
“Do you have any spare deposit slips?”
He stopped eating, sat back, and stared at her. “Why do you want to know?”
“Because there’s a small loan that needs paying back before the bank will give Colin a bigger one.”
“So, you want to pay it off?”
“Yes.”
“What does Colin think about that?” Freddy asked.
“He doesn’t know.”
“So basically, you want to go behind his back.”
“Would that be bad? I just want him to get the big loan and not have to worry about his stupid grandfather’s inability to pay bills.”
Freddy set down his fork. “Mabel, with the greatest of respect, if you went behind Colin’s back and paid off that loan, and he found out—which he would—he’d never trust you again.”
“Trust her again with what?”
Colin’s voice sounded from the doorway and Mabel cringed and slowly turned to look at him. How much of their conversation had he heard? She’d never seen him look so furious in her life.
“Are you trying to talk Mabel into some mischief, Freddy?”
“Heck no!” Freddy looked affronted. “I was just trying to talk her out of it! But thanks for the vote of confidence.” He stood up, glared at them both and walked out.
Mabel sighed. “It was all my fault, Colin. Freddy’s right. He was trying to talk me out of doing something stupid.”
“Doing what exactly?”
Gone was her smiling, charming boyfriend and in his place was a full-blown aristocrat looking down his nose at her.
She dug in her pocket and brought out the note. “One of your father’s friends works at your bank and last night he called your father about the loan. Bartle asked me to give you this from your father.”
He held out his hand, took the note and read it.
“Dammit to hell,” Colin muttered
“I didn’t mean to read it, but I did and couldn’t take the knowledge back.” Mabel considered what to say next. “I thought it was unfair that your hopes of getting a loan to save the house would be ruined by some stupid ancestor of yours failing to pay his debts. So, I thought I’d pay it.”
He continued to stare at her. “Go on.”
“I knew I couldn’t just walk up to the bank and that I needed access to your account. I asked Bartle and Freddy if they had any deposit slips.”
“Ah.”
“Both of them said I should just tell you what I wanted to do.”
“They were correct.” He folded the note into a precise square and placed it in his pocket, avoiding her gaze.
Mabel took a deep breath. “Then can I pay it?”
He slowly looked up at her. “You really expect me to answer that?”
“Why not?”
“Because not only is it inappropriate, but you weren’t willing to be honest with me, and that kills me.”
“You’d rather not get your loan than take anything from me?” Mabel asked.
“Yes, dammit!”
She swallowed hard. “Then maybe I should leave.”
“What?” He blinked at her. “Come again?”
“Or maybe you just don’t want my input on anything to do with your life and your house.”
“Hang on a minute, Mabel, you’re moving the goalposts. This has absolutely nothing to do with us—”
“But it does! I can’t help you if you keep shutting me out.”
“And I can’t take money from—”
“A stranger?” Mabel finished his sentence for him. “See? That’s it in a nutshell.” She stood up, shoved in her chair, and marched past him toward the door. “Fine, I won’t pay your stupid loan. Happy now?”
She kept moving until she was out in the fresh air and heading toward the dower house where her steps finally slowed, and she burst into tears. For some reason his refusal to accept her help cut deep. She might as well leave. He obviously hated her and there was no going back from that.
“Mabel…”
A large freshly ironed white handkerchief appeared in front of her. She grabbed it, dabbed at her cheeks and defiantly blew her nose. “Thank you,” she muttered.
She set off again, and after entering the house, she stomped up the stairs.
Packing. That’s what she needed to be doing. And then she should book a flight home. Pretending she hadn’t noticed that Colin had followed her upstairs, she opened one of the massive wardrobes and found her backpack.
“I don’t want you to go,” Colin said quietly.
Mabel didn’t reply as she pulled out the top drawer of the tallboy where she’d placed her underwear and T-shirts.
“Mabel…”
She tried to ignore him, but it was hard.
“I’m… not used to trusting anyone,” he said.
Mabel dumped her things on the bed and returned to empty out the second drawer as Colin continued speaking.
“My brother Eric borrowed a lot of money, and he never ever paid us back. One of the reasons our family finances are so precarious now is that Eric persuaded Father to dabble in the stock market and he lost a lot of his capital. I don’t want to be the kind of man who borrows money and reneges on his promises. ”
Mabel tried hard to find her common sense. “So, you don’t want to be an Eric. I get that. But I’m offering you the money as a gift with no strings attached.”
“And I can’t accept that either. Where would that leave us if I screwed up completely and ended up losing the estate and your money?”
“It’s not money I’d miss. I wouldn’t be offering it if it was.
” Mabel tried to be frank. “I just want to give you the chance to try. I’m sorry I went about it the wrong way.
” She bit her lip. “I guess I’ve become so used to writing checks for other people that I assumed you’d be okay with it, which wasn’t fair. ”
He stared at her. “People expect you to write them checks?”
She shrugged. “Some people. But that’s on me, not you.”
He sat on the side of the bed and shoved his hand through his dark hair. “Your faith in me confounds me.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m just not used to being seen as the good guy by anyone. I’m not used to people trusting me to do the right thing. Let alone by someone I… care about. A lot.”
“Now, that one’s on you. I can’t make you see yourself as I see you. I can only tell you how I feel. I’m not trying to trick you, Colin. I’m genuinely trying to help someone I care about. Maybe it’s my fault that I’ve ended up equating giving money to receiving love.”
“If that’s how your family treats you then they suck almost as badly as mine.” Colin held her gaze. “You are way more than someone’s personal banker.”
“Thank you.” She swallowed hard. “I guess I needed that reality check.”
“Okay.” He studied her for a long moment. “How about a loan with interest?”
A sense of relief blossomed in her chest. “Sure, if that makes you happy.”
“What would make me happy is if you stopped packing and came over here to write me a bloody big check.”
Mabel pretended to gasp and pressed her hand to her bosom. “Viscount Levenham, how dare you?”
He rose from the bed, a pair of her favorite lace panties hooked over his index finger, and came to stand beside her. “My lady?”
“We’re good?” she asked uncertainly.
“We are.” He leaned in and kissed her. “Now come to bed so that we can celebrate our new arrangement.”
“I thought you wanted me to write you a check,” Mabel reminded him even as her heart gave a big joyful leap.
“You can do that naked.”