Free A Kiss from the Heart by Barbara Cartland Page B

Hall.
    On returning from his visit to the Whitby’s, he was immediately surrounded by people asking him things.
    When he went upstairs to look in on Alec, he asked him if it was always so.
    â€œOh, yes,” replied his brother, propped up in bed. “It is never ending. The estates are so large and there is always some tenant farmer with a problem. Those farms do not run themselves!”
    The Earl sighed.
    â€œI am sorry I was so unfortunate as to break my leg and you have had to step into the breach,” continued Alec. “I was more than happy to organise the place, you know.”
    â€œPapa thought he was invincible,” murmured the Earl. “He left us all ill-prepared for his demise.”
    â€œThat is true,” agreed Alec. “And you more so than I. At least I used to help on the farms during my school holidays. Do you remember how scandalised Mama was when I came home after my first day’s toil?”
    The Earl laughed.
    â€œNow I must allow you to rest. I visited Sir George this morning and he has a good inkling who might be at the bottom of all this pilfering.”
    â€œThen do not be too proud, Robert. Take his help.”
    Alec squeezed his brother’s arm and fell back on the pillow. The Earl could see he was tired and so he left.
    In the study he hurriedly wrote a note to Sir George accepting his kind offer of assistance and asking if he would be good enough to come to the Hall the next morning.
    Then he flicked through the pages of the ledger in front of him. He had already been through it several times that morning and pencilled question marks against certain names and transactions.
    â€˜I must put a stop to this,’ he decided. ‘For Mama’s sake!’
    *
    Sir George did not waste any time. First thing after breakfast the next day, he had his horse saddled and, taking his pistol from the gun cabinet in the back hall, he made his way to Ledbury Hall.
    The Earl had just finished breakfast when Stringer announced that Sir George was waiting to see him.
    â€œSend him in!”
    His mother looked startled.
    She was suddenly aware that her son had come downstairs a very different man to the one who had gone to bed last night.
    â€œAh, good morning, Lady Templeton!”
    Sir George’s deep voice almost rattled the cutlery on the dining table as he strode forcefully in to the room.
    â€œMama, will you please excuse us?” asked the Earl, dabbing his mouth on a napkin and rising from the table. “There are some pressing matters we wish to bring to a speedy conclusion.”
    â€œWhy, of course, my dear.”
    As he closed the study door the Earl reached for the ledgers and flung them open.
    â€œCome and look at this, Sir George. I have been up since first thing going through them. And I think you’ll agree, if you look at my annotations that there have been some curious goings-on.”
    Sir George picked up the ledger and ran his eyes down the column of entries.
    â€œYes,” he said after a while. “It is as I expected. I see you have noticed just how many men the gamekeeper claims to have working for him as casuals.”
    â€œAnd given the amount of men, the quantity of game that reaches the Hall seems terribly low to me. Even allowing that he will have kept some for his own use.”
    â€œAnd look at this as well. The ammunition bill! It is enough to kill several herds of elephant, let alone a few hares! Have you had the gun cupboards checked yet?”
    â€œNo, I confess – ”
    â€œThen, let’s go and inspect them now! I do believe that you will find that they are a little bare!”
    The two men strode purposefully to the back of the house and along to the gallery where the guns were kept.
    â€œWhere are the keys?” enquired Sir George. “No matter, they are unlocked.”
    He pulled open the oak door of the first cupboard, to be greeted by rows of empty casings. Without speaking he went