Free Laura Matthews by A Very Proper Widow

themselves for the most part, looked on the estate manager as beneath their notice. The fact that he was as well-born as any of them did not, to their minds, make up for his having lowered himself to the status of an employee. Edward especially, she had noted, was insufferable to him, rather than taking a hint from Burford’s sensible course of action. Ordinarily, Vanessa would have gone to speak with him, but there was the earl to accommodate today as well, and she cast a speaking glance at Louisa, who, rather surprisingly, drifted over to where Burford stood alone.
    Relieved, Vanessa approached Alvescot. “Did you spend the entire morning in the estate office, Lord Alvescot, or have you had an opportunity to ride about the estate?”
    “There wasn’t time for an inspection if we were going to join the rest of you for luncheon, Mrs. Damery. We would merely have had to cut short to be back here in time.”
    Determined not to be intimidated by his veiled criticism, she nodded. “True. Well, no doubt you’ll have ample opportunity this afternoon to see anything you wish. Has Paul explained his innovations to you?”
    Alvescot remained impassive, saying dryly, “Most of them, I daresay. If he’s to be believed, the estate was in deplorable condition when he took over. I wouldn’t have thought a place could deteriorate so badly in a year.’’
    “We’re not talking about a year.” Vanessa kept her tone as level as possible, not allowing him to bait her. “You should be as aware as anyone, Lord Alvescot, that Frederick hadn’t spent much time on the estate for five years before his death. His estate manager was older and had grown lazy. I pensioned him off almost two years ago, though he hadn’t actually reached an age where it should have been necessary.”
    His hazel eyes studied her enigmatically. “That must have been difficult for you.”
    “It was,” she admitted, not meeting his gaze. “He’d been here for a long time, much longer than I. But it had to be done.”
    “Yes. Sensibility has no part in the running of an estate. I’m glad you recognize that, Mrs. Damery.”
    There was an underlying warning in his words and she glanced up at him sharply. “You’re still convinced that Paul is a sentimental choice?” she asked, incredulous. “Haven’t you been paying attention to him? Every project is thoroughly thought out, every expense documented. How can you be so skeptical?”
    “It’s not difficult, Mrs. Damery. I’ve seen all the tricks for hiding illegitimate expenses among the real ones, all the finagling that goes into padding worthwhile projects with unnecessary extras, all the possibilities for bribes in the placing of orders and contracts.”
    “Paul isn’t like that.”
    Alvescot shrugged. “You may be right.” His voice held no conviction and Vanessa could feel a cold frustration building in her when he continued. “But you have to consider the possibilities, Mrs. Damery. He’s a young man without resources of his own, attempting to build up his estate. You told me so yourself. It would be so easy to divert a little money to it here and there, you know. An account book cannot prove to me that the seed which was purchased was actually sown at Cutsdean. It could just as easily have been planted elsewhere.”
    “And how could he possibly prove to you that it wasn’t? You’re quite wrong, Lord Alvescot. I’ve known Paul for five years, and he’s an exceptionally honorable man.”
    “I’d like to respect your judgment, Mrs. Damery, and to accept it without question.” His gaze moved over the assembled members of her household, coolly taking in a smirking Edward and a stiff, self-righteous Captain Lawrence before he returned his gaze to her. “But I can’t. I have a duty as co-trustee to take an unprejudiced look at the situation.”
    “But you are prejudiced,” she insisted, “against Paul Burford.”
    “I wouldn’t say that. My curiosity is aroused by the large expenses