Fenella J. Miller Read Online Free Page B

foreign country, all she had to do was contact the family lawyers in Colchester and they would provide her with what she needed. When she had asked him to explain exactly what he meant, he had smiled and kissed her on the brow. She recalled his words exactly.
           ‘My darling girl I have invested half your dowry in a scheme that you might disapprove of. However, it will be a lucrative one; if ever you are in desperate need put your principles aside and be grateful the funds are there.’
           She had pressed him to explain, but he had refused. ‘I pray that you will never need to access these monies; then they will stay until you are in a position to be able to give them to charity. Forget about this now and enjoy the moment; you have all your life ahead of you. It does my old heart good to see you so happy.’
           Three weeks later her father had left and she had never seen him again. Until this moment she had forgotten all about his cryptic comments. Eliza had no idea how much money there might be in this mysterious fund, or what he had invested in that he believed she would not like, but at the moment any money would be a godsend.
           ‘Edmund, it’s just possible that there are funds in my name that this scoundrel cannot touch. I have no idea how much it might be, but Papa said if ever I needed them there would be enough to keep me comfortable.’
           Edmund sat up rubbing his eyes. ‘Why have you never mentioned this before, Liza?
    Where is this money? How can it be in your name, you were younger than I am now when Papa drowned.’
           ‘It doesn’t matter how , Edmund, but how much. Wash your face and pull yourself together. On no account must we give the slightest intimation to mother and grandmother that a disaster is about to strike. Is that clear?’
           Edmund stood up, his colour returning. ‘I understand exactly. We must protect them until we’re certain how matters stand.’ Unexpectedly he smiled, looking more like the younger brother she adored.
    ‘What shall I tell them downstairs? How shall I explain my arriving in such a pelter?’
           ‘That’s easy, Edmund. We shall tell them a little of the truth. Tell them that you have lost a good deal of money and have no funds left to spend gallivanting around town. We must say that you are on a repairing lease until the next quarter. Make sure that Denver supports your story when he arrives.’
           The young man nodded, obviously convinced that things would be all right. Eliza did not have the heart to tell him that her father had never expected the money to buy back the estate; it had been intended to support her, and any children she might have produced from her union. She was certain there would not be enough money to pay off her brother’s debts, but she was not about to tell him that. Time enough when she knew exactly how much there was. She would contact the lawyers first thing in the morning.
    * * * *
    Eliza decided Edmund should ride to Colchester with her summons, believing her brother would be better occupied doing this than kicking his heels around the house imagining the worst. Her mother and grandmother had accepted the partially true explanation of Edmund’s unexpected return with remarkable equanimity.
    * * * *
    ‘A young man must sew his wild oats before he settles down, my dear, it is better he does so now, before he has the responsibility of the estate to worry about.’
           Eliza had somehow summoned up a smile to answer. ‘You’re right of course, Mama, and it will be lovely having him with us until he has come about.’
           They were sowing barley in the top field today and she had promised to oversee the job herself. Her man-of-business was busy interviewing new tenants for Cuckoo Farm and was unable to attend to the matter himself. Eliza dressed as she always did when working in fields - a pair of specially made