Free The American Earl by Joan Wolf

Flora had recommended. “If you agree, Aunt, I should be pleased if you used the Piccadilly mansion as your base. I understand it’s large and well-located.”
    Lady Barbara’s expression changed. “Indeed. It is the perfect house from which to launch a young girl’s come-out. The ballroom is fabulous.”
    Encouraged by this comment, Evan said, “If I can get Julia to promise to behave herself and cooperate with you, will you include her in Lizzie’s season?”
    Silence.
    Lizzie said, “You have to, Mama. Julia has no mother or father. We have to help her.”
    Lovely and kind , Evan thought approvingly as he looked at Lizzie.
    “All right,” Lady Barbara said. “But I must speak to Julia herself to make certain she understands the standards I will expect her to uphold.”
    “Certainly,” Evan said. “Don’t worry, Aunt Barbara, I‘ll make everything clear to her.”
    During the two-hour drive home in the curricle, Evan thought about nothing except how he was going to present this idea to Julia and convince her to accept it.
     
     

Chapter Ten
     
    After Evan left to pay a duty visit to Aunt Barbara, I saddled up Isabella and went to visit my dear friend, Sir Matthew Clarkson, our local squire. He was in one of the stalls with a pregnant mare, stroking her neck and murmuring to her soothingly.
    “How’s she doing?” I asked.
    He turned to me. “She was a wee bit restless, but I think I’ve settled her down.”
    He gave the mare one last pat then joined me in the aisle. “I hear that the new earl has arrived from America.”
    I laughed. “Gossip in the village always runs like wildfire.”
    “What do you make of him?” Sir Matthew asked, raising his bushy white eyebrows.
    “I’m not sure,” I replied.
    “Come along to the office and we’ll have a chat.”
    We moved down the aisle to the comfortable old office, a small room where Sir Matthew kept a wide assortment of remedies for his horses and hounds’ various ailments. There was a battered old desk in the corner with two chairs that were swathed in dark blue horse rugs. Once we were seated, Sir Matthew asked, “What does the new earl make of the financial disaster he inherited?”
    “Mr. Shields recommended that he take a mortgage out on Stoverton.”  I scowled.  “I hate the thought of it.  It’s like selling Stoverton to a bank.”
    Sir Matthew leaned back in his chair. “It’s his only option, other than selling off the land, lass. And I know you’d hate that even more.”
    “I would,” I said gloomily.  “What I’d like best would be if he’d use his own money to bring Stoverton back to what it once was.  He has millions of dollars, Sir Matthew!  But that’s not going to happen.  He tells me he only makes investments that are going to earn him money.”  I glared.  “The man looks exactly like the first earl, but he’s a cit at heart!”
    Sir Matthew said, “It would be grand if he’d spend his millions on Stoverton, but it’s asking a lot of a stranger from another country.  He feels none of the blood ties to Stoverton that you do.  And a mortgage won’t be so bad.  If he makes regular payments, Stoverton will be free and clear once the mortgage is repaid.  If he’s as rich as you say he is, he should be able to do that easily enough.”
    I thought about that for a minute.  Perhaps Sir Matthew was right.  Perhaps a mortgage wouldn’t be so bad after all.  And if I was managing the property, I would make certain that every penny was put to good use.  I could have Stoverton paying it’s own mortgage in a few years.
    Sir Matthew cleared his throat. “Er … has the earl come up with any suggestions about your future, lass?”
    I sat up straighter.  “As a matter of fact, I have come up with a solution, Sir Matthew.  I suggested to Evan that I could act as his agent here when he went back to America.” 
    I bounced a little on the chair in my enthusiasm.  “It’s the perfect answer to both our