Romancing the Heiress(4)
Author: Darcy Burke

 

“I hope so,” she said with a wistful expression as she looked about the gardens. “It looks the same, but not. The trees are taller, of course.”

 

That she couldn’t see that the quantity of plants had decreased due to last year’s horrendous weather, which many hadn’t survived, made him want to sigh with relief. And she hadn’t yet seen the hedgerows that needed trimming or the overgrown lawns. He just had to pray people didn’t notice because he simply couldn’t afford to keep everything up. Maintaining a botanical garden of this size was absolutely bankruptcy inducing. Particularly when one’s father had also bled the coffers dry with bad investments and then gambled away what was left in an effort to make up the losses.

 

“Have you added any new follies?” she asked. “I imagine at least one, perhaps two.”

 

Adding follies had been something his grandfather had done every few years. He’d liked to unveil something new and interesting to impress the townspeople and entice the visitors to the festival. Having new follies enticed people to return. There’d only been one folly installed in the ten years since his grandfather’s death, and that was because it had already been paid for and the construction started.

 

“No new follies, I’m afraid. I haven’t been able to decide on a location or a design,” he fibbed. “Perhaps you might offer your opinion.”

 

Her lips lifted in a sudden smile as her entire expression brightened. “I’d be delighted.” Then her features darkened. “I was sorry to hear of your father’s death. What a shock that must have been.”

 

She’d also written to him then, if he remembered correctly, but he hadn’t responded to anyone. He could blame his poor correspondence skills, but the truth was that he’d been too overwhelmed by the sudden loss. To say it had been a shock was an understatement. Despite his father’s vast mistakes and ineptitude at running the estate, Phin had loved him. When he’d been found stabbed to death in Winchester, Phin had been devastated. Everyone believed the elder Radford had been the victim of a footpad, but Phin knew what had really happened.

 

His father had gone to Winchester to pay back some money he owed, except he hadn’t brought enough. If Phin had known that beforehand, he never would have let his father go. But he hadn’t learned the truth until days later, when he’d found a note his father had left for him. It had fallen onto the floor from the desk in the study.

 

Five years was all it had taken for his father to plunge Radford Grange and the botanical gardens into certain peril. Phin was desperate to maintain both, not for himself, but for all of Marrywell. The gardens were essential to the town because of the festival. They were a main reason people not only came but returned even after they’d made a match. Memories were made here, and if the gardens fell into ruin, the town and its denizens would suffer.

 

Phin pulled himself from the upsetting thoughts that nearly constantly plagued him. “It was terrible, I confess. But that was five years ago, and I’ve recovered.” From the shock, but the effect of his father’s misdeeds carried on. Add the devastating weather last year, and actual, full recovery seemed impossible.

 

“How is the rest of your family?” Leah asked. “Your sisters? Your grandmother?”

 

His older sisters had wed years ago, and neither lived in or near Marrywell. “Caro and Lou are well, as are their families. Gran moved to Radford Grange two years ago now.” He referred to his mother’s mother, the only grandmother of his that Leah had ever met.

 

“Did she? How lovely. Wasn’t she in Oxfordshire with her sister?”

 

“Yes, and when my great-aunt passed, I invited Gran to come live here.” Another expense, albeit a small one. And one he would gladly pay, whatever the cost.

 

Leah smiled up at him, her blue-gray eyes crinkling at the edges. “Of course you did. You are still the kindest gentleman I’ve ever known.”

 

“I can’t believe that’s true with all the gentlemen you’ve surely met in London.”

 

“Don’t confuse my role for that of a debutante or an admired member of Society,” she said with a faint laugh. “Any gentlemen I’ve met were friends of Lady Norcott.”

 

“None of them were kind?”

 

“Of course they were. I said you were still the kindest.”

 

They were interrupted by a loud, feminine voice. “There you are, Miss Webster!”

 

A trio of ladies walked toward them along the path. Two were older, perhaps in their late forties or early fifties, and the other was young and quite pretty. Her stylish bonnet perfectly framed her heart-shaped face, and she glided, her pale pink skirts swirling about her ankles, with a fluid grace.

 

From the corner of his eye, Phin saw Leah pivot on the path so that she faced the approaching women. He also noticed that she stiffened. They must be her employers.

 

“You decided to join me,” Leah said, her tone taking on a flatness that hadn’t been present when she’d spoken to him. Indeed, if he’d heard her speak without seeing her, he wouldn’t have thought the voice belonged to her. “How pleasant. Aren’t the gardens lovely? As it happens, this gentleman oversees the care of the botanical gardens. They were a part of his family’s estate until his grandfather donated them for the use of Marrywell. Allow me to present Mr. Phineas Radford, son of one of Marrywell’s founding families.” Her voice had softened again when she’d introduced him.

 

The trio of ladies curtseyed, and Phin gave them his courtliest bow. At least, he hoped it was. He wasn’t very accomplished at such things. Marrywell was a long way from London and court.

 

“Good afternoon,” he said. “I’m most pleased to make your acquaintance.”

 

Leah went on, “Phin, this is Mrs. Selkirk.” She gestured to the woman on the right. “Miss Genevieve Selkirk in the middle, and finally, Mrs. Dunhill. She is Mrs. Selkirk’s friend.”

 

That meant Leah was companion to the young woman in the center. Miss Selkirk blinked, her long, ink-dark lashes fluttering against her pale cheeks before rising and revealing her deep blue eyes. The color matched that of the lake in the gardens on a cloudless summer day.

 

“It is our pleasure as well,” Mrs. Selkirk said. “I do hope Miss Webster mentioned us.”

 

“But of course,” Phin said, glancing toward Leah. “She’s been quite missed here.”

 

“Do tell us about the festival, Mr. Radford,” Mrs. Selkirk continued as if she hadn’t heard what Phin had said. “My lovely daughter is hoping to make a match—if one presents itself. She must be careful, you see, for she has a sizeable dowry, and we must be wary of fortune hunters. That is why we thought we might find someone more…earnest and genuine outside London.”