Chapter 18
To Allegra’s surprise, Max threw himself into the work of getting Blanchard Hall set to rights.
As soon as he acquired a riding horse, he set off with the estate’s former land agent to visit all the tenant farms and villagers.
He never complained, but she knew from the staff that his reception was often unpleasant, if not downright hostile, and that he would have to work hard to gain back all the trust lost by Mr. Cobbins’s years of mismanagement.
He returned at the end of each day with little to say about his activities, inquired about her progress, and ate prodigious amounts of food.
After a month of trying, Allegra had assembled a sizable staff and put them to work cleaning the house from top to bottom.
She and Max had discovered an inventory of the household amongst the papers Mr. Cobbins had left, and she spent considerable time studying the rooms’ layouts and what each was supposed to contain.
“Are you ready to tackle the furniture yet?” Max asked one afternoon as he ate his way through half a chicken at the kitchen table.
“I’m fairly sure I saw the dining room table in the tithe barn along with about a dozen chairs.
I’ll wager Mrs. Smith and the rest of the staff would be delighted to see us back in the dining room and not cluttering up her kitchen. ”
“Not at all, sir,” Mrs. Smith, who had a definite soft spot for her employer, spoke up. “It’s been a pleasure having you both.”
“I think we’re ready,” Allegra said. “At least for the major rooms. There are a lot of leaks in the roof where the servants’ rooms are located which still need fixing.”
“I’ll not risk going out on the roof,” Max said. “But I’m sure we can find a man with experience to do so.”
“Ask Tom Shore, my lord. He’s the son of the village roofer. He works in the stables,” Mrs. Smith said helpfully.
Not for the first time, Allegra wished she and Max had a little more privacy. Everyone was doing a tremendous job, but it meant they rarely spent any time together without someone else being present.
Once she’d realized Max was serious about wanting to restore the house, she’d resolved to be less critical and let him dictate how the majority of the work should be carried out.
She sensed it wasn’t something he was used to doing, but that he’d discovered an affinity for ordering people around, just like his father.
One thing she knew he wasn’t keeping up with was the accounts, because a pile of bills was accumulating on his desk that he continued to ignore.
When they’d finished eating, Allegra smiled at Max. “Do you have a moment to speak to me in the study?”
“Yes, of course.” Max rose to his feet. “Thank you for yet another excellent meal, Mrs. Smith.”
They went out of the servants’ wing, crossed the main hall, and entered the study.
The spaniel, whose name was Cromwell, wagged his tail when he saw them.
He seemed to have taken the desertion of his owner very well and didn’t seem perturbed by the new residents, including Jester and Pippin, who were curled up beside him.
Allegra shut the door and turned to where Max sat behind the desk. “I think you need to allow me to do the accounts,” she said.
“Why?” He placed a protective hand on the stack of invoices covering the books.
“You aren’t paying the overdue bills.”
“Did it ever occur to you that it isn’t that I won’t pay them, it’s that I can’t?”
“Oh, dear.” Allegra sat down.
“My father only gave me a limited amount of money to spend on this place. I’ve been supplementing the wages with my own private income, but I’m running out of funds.”
“I have money.”
Max made a face. “As if I’d take your pin money.”
“You wouldn’t be taking it, I’d be offering it,” Allegra said. “There isn’t much to spend it on around here anyway, so it’s just mounting up.”
He studied her for quite a long time, and then sighed, showing the exhaustion they were both feeling. “All right.”
Allegra jumped out of her chair, ran around the desk, and hugged him. “Thank you for being reasonable.”
He set his arm around her waist and placed her on his knee. “Hardly that. I’m just desperate.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to tell—”
He placed his finger against her lips. “Do not mention my father.”
She nipped his finger and then kissed it when he yelped.
“Do you remember when we used to go to bed together and not fall straight asleep?” Max murmured against her throat, making her shiver. “I liked those days.”
“So did I,” Allegra agreed.
“Good.” He stood up, holding her in his arms. “Because I believe we deserve an early night.”
The next morning, Allegra took the post that had just been delivered from Brice, their new butler, and sorted it out on the breakfast table.
There were several letters addressed to Mr. Cobbins she’d give to Max, one from his father, and the rest were for her.
She’d been entertaining her mother and sister with the saga of Blanchard Hall, and they’d been enjoying it immensely.
Her mother had answered many of Allegra’s housekeeping questions, and Carenza had simply offered her love and support.
She was so immersed in her letter that she didn’t notice Max had come to the table until he began sifting through his pile of correspondence. He picked out the letter from the duke.
“I wonder what he wants,” Max said, and sat down and began to read.
After a while, he set the letter down and looked over at Allegra. “Will you accompany me into the study? I have something I wish to discuss with you.”
Allegra picked up her letters and followed him into the study.
He shut the door very firmly behind him and turned to look at her. “You promised me you wouldn’t inform my father of our current situation.”
“Yes, I did promise you, and I haven’t done so.” Allegra raised her chin.
“Then why is he coming to visit me?”
“Perhaps he simply wishes to see how we are getting on,” Allegra said. “He is your father, after all.”
“My father has never cared what I do as long as I don’t embarrass the family.” Max held up the letter. “He says that rumors of unrest and turmoil at Blanchard Hall have reached him.”
“Rumors?” Allegra asked. “Rest assured that if I had written to him, I would have told him the truth. It seems far more likely that he’s heard some gossip, but where from, I cannot imagine. Have you written to Stephen at any point?”
“Only about superficial matters.”
“Perhaps your bank alerted the duke to the dire state of your accounts,” Allegra suggested.
“That might be true.” Max grimaced.
“Then your accusation about me breaking my promise might be unjustified.” Allegra stared at him. “I thought—” She pressed her lips together. “I need to get on; please excuse me.”
She went toward the door, but he was blocking her path.
“You thought what?”
“That we’d established a modicum of trust between us,” Allegra said. “But it appears I was mistaken.”
He reached out and caught her hand as she tried to go past him. “I’m not used to being able to trust people.”
“Then I suggest that is an issue of yours and not of mine.” Allegra met his gaze. “I promised you I would be a loyal wife, and I don’t appreciate your accusations.”
She eased out of his grip and continued to the door.
“Allegra …”
She went through to the hall and paused, taking a deep breath.
Every time she began thinking they were making progress together, Max reminded her that their marriage was based on very shaky ground indeed.
Why should he trust that her loyalties rested solely with him, when she’d openly admitted that she’d married him to save the reputation of her family?
In truth, the fact that they’d even learned to live together in such harmony in such difficult circumstances was a testament to his commitment to her.
Allegra turned around and went back into the study. Max was staring out of the window, his hands clasped behind his back. He didn’t turn when she approached him.
“I shouldn’t have taken offense,” Allegra said somewhat stiffly.
“Please don’t apologize.” He still wouldn’t look at her. “The fault was mine. I was too quick to lay the blame on you, and you’re correct, that is entirely down to me.”
“Then we’re all right, then?”
He turned around. “Yes, of course.” His smile was polite. “Now, shall I round up a team of strong men and start bringing the furniture in from the barn?”
Of course, the duke arrived at the height of the chaos, when there was furniture in the hall, the corridors, and even stacked outside.
Max was in his shirtsleeves, shouting advice at two of his grooms as they maneuvered a chest of drawers up the staircase toward the main bedrooms. Max was quite surprised to turn around and find his father suddenly at his elbow.
“Your grace!” Max said. “We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow.”
“What in God’s name is going on?” the duke inquired. “Are you clearing the whole house?”
“It’s a long story,” Max said. “Would you care to come into the kitchen for some refreshments while I find Allegra?”
“The kitchen?” His father looked as if he’d suggested they congregate in the sewer.
“Or the study?” Max led the duke toward that room, which was at least in good order. “I’ll ask one of the maids to bring you some tea.” He left his father in the study and ran toward the kitchen.
Mrs. Smith glanced up as he came in. “Mr. Brice said someone had arrived, sir.”
“Yes, it’s the Duke of Barfleur.”
Mrs. Smith pressed a hand to her bosom. “The duke is here? Where on earth is he going to sleep?”
“That’s a very good question. Perhaps you can put your mind to solving it,” Max said. “Have you seen Lady Allegra?”
“She’s in the scullery with the dogs. They got rather muddy on their walk, and she’s giving them a good scrubbing.”