Page 12 of Finding Hope
Max contemplated not tellingthe Duchess about his house party at all, but since he wanted his sisters and brother to come home, it was a necessary evil. When he presented the idea of a house party to his father, the man seemed to brighten at the idea. He’d always loved to invite his friends to hunt and so Max included some of the Duke’s friends in the invitations.
After discussing the matter with his Grace, Max and his father decided to send the Duchess a letter describing their terms. Max would invite all of his friends—the Whitford ladies included—and the Duchess was not to mention anything about a betrothal, or be unkind to any of his guests, or she would be sent back to London for the duration. The Duke had even mastered his strength to add his own scribble that Max be left to choose his own bride at the end of the letter. It was the best he could hope for, but he knew his mother could make her disapproval known, even if she kept silent.
He was pleased when the acceptances began to return, and he instructed the servants to have the house prepared as quicklyas possible. There was still a week before any of the guests would arrive. He’d heard nothing from his mother, but he had little doubt she would be there.
Cunningham, Carew, and Montford arrived together on the seventh morning after his invitations went out. They found him in the study, amongst dark panelled wood and hunting trophies, rifling through tenant reports.
“What have we here?” Carew asked. “Can it be that hell has frozen?”
“Very funny.” Max stood and shook his friends’ hands. “I am glad you could come,” he said earnestly. His life had certainly changed in a fortnight, from town beau to daily rides around the property, combing through reports, and making monumental decisions about tenants and finances.
“Is it true, then?” Freddy whispered. “The Duke is ill?”
“He said so in his letter, did he not?” Montford chided.
“Unfortunately,” Max confirmed. “The doctor has given him only a few months. He has signed all authority over to me. I will not be leaving Davenmere for some considerable time, so we thought to invite everyone here instead.”
“So this is the last hurrah?” Montford asked sceptically.
“Of sorts. You know how my father is. Everything is a joke or a laugh.”
“I suppose I would not want my last days to be everyone mourning and walking on tiptoe around me either.” Freddy would agree, of course.
“Who else is coming?” Carew asked.
“The usual subjects—except Westwood and his bride, of course. I did send them an invitation in Paris, but I have no expectation of them interrupting their wedded bliss.”
“Speaking of wedded bliss, how proceeds your matrimonial search?” Freddy asked Monty.
“As a matter of fact, I have dipped my toes into other waters, so to speak.”
“Pray tell,” Max said, with a guarded look. “It sounds ominous.”
“Not ominous, but perhaps scandalous. I do not wish to speak prematurely, but should this work out, there will be no need for me to rush to the altar with an heiress.”
“Please tell me you did not cast your lot in with the canal scheme.” Max frowned.
“No, but it is a business prospect in the shipping industry. Westwood and Carew have the horse venture, so I thought, why not do something of my own?”
“Do not expect me to be scandalized. More and more of our kind will find themselves in dire straits soon if they do not replenish the monies they are spending,” Max said.
“I am grateful to hear your open-mindedness,” Montford, the most conservative, traditional of them all, said.
“You thought I would rather see a noose around your neck than you make good investments?” Max shook his head. “I have just been reviewing tenant reports, and whilst they are prosperous, any fool could see that will not be enough for the future. My steward tells me there are rich iron ore deposits on the property that I need to mine.”
“If you need investors—” Montford let the suggestion hang.
“I will keep you in mind.” He turned to Freddy. “As our properties are adjacent, you are likely to have rich deposits on your own land you could consider mining for yourself.”
“I will tell my father,” Freddy said.
“I tell you, it’s daunting to be responsible for the welfare of so many people.”
“I must say I am relieved that you did not call us here for a betrothal announcement. And Viv is much too young,” Freddy said.
“Freddy, you know that that was our mothers’ wish and nothing more.”
“Honestly, that is a relief. No offence to you, Rotham, but when her Grace makes a proclamation, it tends to be the law.”
