Free A Debt From the Past by Beryl Matthews

outburst, but this situation has been thrust upon me, and when I consider what damage he could do in a year, it throws me into a panic.’
    ‘I understand. We are all living on tenterhooks, wondering what he is going to do. If only we knew more about him.’
    ‘He is certainly a mystery. I would ascertain his age to be around thirty, and yet it is as if he never existed until my godfather died.’
    ‘That is true, but –’ the estate manager gave a conspiratorial smile – ‘there are plenty of us trying to unearth the truth, and he cannot keep his past hidden for ever.’
    ‘I agree. However, I cannot help but fret.’
    ‘Don’t you worry yourself too much, Miss Langton. If he starts to act with disregard for the welfare of the estate, then we shall find a way to trim his sails.’
    She laughed. ‘That will not be easy, I fear, for he does appear to be in complete command of his ship.’
    ‘For the moment, yes, but he must have a weak spot below the water line, and we shall find it eventually.’ Greenway walked out of the room with a determined expression on his face.
    The needle stabbed into Beth, and she muttered under her breath, placing the punctured finger in her mouth. The man sitting opposite her did not appear to have noticed her exclamation of pain; he was still engrossed in his reading.
    She studied him through lowered lashes and sighed. The hostility between them was unnerving, and it was all her fault: she should never have spoken to him so accusingly yesterday. She was being unwise to allow her anger to show too much. Mr Edgemont had not returned for dinner, so they were alone – apart from Helen, of course, who was always with her, much to her relief.
    ‘Lord Sharland.’ She spoke quietly, but he looked up immediately. ‘I wish to apologize for my outburst. I have spoken to Greenway about your suggestion of making that field over to pigs, and he thinks the idea has merit.’
    He put the book aside. ‘I have discussed it with him; we are in complete agreement.’
    ‘When will you go ahead with the scheme?’ It was no good her fighting against it if her estate manager was also in favour of the plan.
    ‘There is a little work to be done before purchasing the animals. They must have huts to protect them from the elements, but that should take no more than three days.’
    ‘You have not wasted any time,’ she told him, not able to hide the distaste she felt.
    ‘Greenway tells me you have a fierce dislike of the beasts.’
    ‘Indeed I have! When I was a small child, I came face to face with a sow. She chased me, and when I dropped my doll in terror, the disgusting animal ate it.’ She struggled to keep a serious expression but was not very successful. ‘I have never forgiven the breed.’
    A deep, rumbling laugh came from his lordship. ‘Do not be concerned, Elizabeth; they will be well away from the house and you need never see them.’
    His tone was friendly, and he appeared more relaxed than she had seen him thus far. Emboldened by this, she decided to complete her apology. ‘I was very rude to you yesterday; I do beg your forgiveness. I have an unruly tongue at times,’ she admitted.
    ‘I have already forgotten the incident.’ He gave another brief smile and picked up his book again.
    She took a deep breath and made pretence of returning to her sewing, but in truth she loathed the task and resented this forced inactivity. Running the estate had kept her busy from dawn to dusk, and she had loved every minute.
    Tears of self-pity clouded her eyes, and she blinked them away. It was not the slightest good her riling against the situation; she needed to keep her composure and not enrage his lordship. If she did not keep her wits about her, then disaster could creep in without her noticing it, and she must not allow that to happen. But it was so very difficult, and, to be truthful, she was frightened. She had believed that her father and godfather had all matters concerning the estate and