at managing since he died.”
“Running an estate is not easy,” he said, standing next to her. “I haven’t met your steward but I’m sure my man, Mr. Thompkins, knows him.”
The open smile on her face when she lifted her gaze stopped his words.
“I’m afraid you are looking at the only steward Clythebrook Estates has.”
“You, my lady?”
She laughed. “Yes. Although, in actuality, it’s Josephine who sees to everything.”
“Miss Foley?”
“Yes. She took over the daily running of the estate even before my husband died nearly ten years ago.”
“Before? But that means she was scarcely—”
“She was seventeen when Walter died.”
Lady Clythebrook turned so she faced him, then breathed a deep sigh. “Josephine grew up in the orphanage, you know, and was always Walter’s favorite. Walter’s grandfather had built Sacred Heart nearly a century ago and Walter was expected to care for it as his father had before him. Every time he visited, he took something special for his little tag-along, as he always called her. When he returned, he would have some little gift tucked in his pocket that she’d given him. Sometimes a swatch of embroidery she’d stitched herself. Other times, a doll she’d made from hollyhock flowers.”
Lady Clythebrook leaned more heavily against her cane and looked up at the portrait on the wall. “From the day she came to live with us, she rarely left his side. She rode with him wherever he went and sat in a chair at his side while he worked on the books, sometimes late into the night. She was such an avid learner it was only natural that she absorb everything there was to know about running the estate.
“When Walter became ill, Josephine assumed even more of the responsibility. She was seventeen when he died and she took over. She visited the tenants the same as Walter had, and made sure none of them went without.”
“But?” Ross asked, knowing there was more.
“It’s been difficult. Clythebrook Estate is not a profitable piece of land and there were many ways Walter found to make ends meet that are not available to a woman.”
“Such as?”
Lady Clythebrook smiled. “Walter made a point of spending time in London periodically. Not that he enjoyed going there. He was much more content here in the country running his estate and overseeing the land. But he said it was the only way he could find out what ventures to invest in and which ones to avoid. He didn’t always make a great deal of money, but enough added income to get us by until the fall harvest. It seems as if the money doesn’t go as far as it did before. And it isn’t that Josephine doesn’t spend endless hours trying to make it stretch.”
Ross fought an emotion he wasn’t sure he understood, suddenly realizing he was eager to learn everything he could about Josephine Foley. It also occurred to him that Lady Clythebrook was sharing the details of Miss Foley’s life as well as her involvement in running the estate for a purpose. Ross turned to face the older woman as he waited for her to continue.
She smiled, her bright eyes twinkling. “Ah, you see through me, don’t you?”
“Let’s just say I think it’s possible you told me all this for a reason other than to satisfy my natural curiosity.”
“Yes, well…”
Lady Clythebrook turned to face him. “Josephine tells me you’ve been to the orphanage to inquire after Mrs. Gardner’s child and that she refused to tell you the child’s whereabouts.”
Ross lifted his eyebrows.
“I can see you are a man who does not give up easily once you’ve set your path. I could tell that the first time we met. But I want you to understand there is a reason why Josephine is equally as firm in her resolve. The children are very dear to her and she sees herself more as a guardian and protector than someone to simply see to their physical needs. They have no one else, you see.”
“And that explains why she won’t tell me where she’s taken
“Running an estate is not easy,” he said, standing next to her. “I haven’t met your steward but I’m sure my man, Mr. Thompkins, knows him.”
The open smile on her face when she lifted her gaze stopped his words.
“I’m afraid you are looking at the only steward Clythebrook Estates has.”
“You, my lady?”
She laughed. “Yes. Although, in actuality, it’s Josephine who sees to everything.”
“Miss Foley?”
“Yes. She took over the daily running of the estate even before my husband died nearly ten years ago.”
“Before? But that means she was scarcely—”
“She was seventeen when Walter died.”
Lady Clythebrook turned so she faced him, then breathed a deep sigh. “Josephine grew up in the orphanage, you know, and was always Walter’s favorite. Walter’s grandfather had built Sacred Heart nearly a century ago and Walter was expected to care for it as his father had before him. Every time he visited, he took something special for his little tag-along, as he always called her. When he returned, he would have some little gift tucked in his pocket that she’d given him. Sometimes a swatch of embroidery she’d stitched herself. Other times, a doll she’d made from hollyhock flowers.”
Lady Clythebrook leaned more heavily against her cane and looked up at the portrait on the wall. “From the day she came to live with us, she rarely left his side. She rode with him wherever he went and sat in a chair at his side while he worked on the books, sometimes late into the night. She was such an avid learner it was only natural that she absorb everything there was to know about running the estate.
“When Walter became ill, Josephine assumed even more of the responsibility. She was seventeen when he died and she took over. She visited the tenants the same as Walter had, and made sure none of them went without.”
“But?” Ross asked, knowing there was more.
“It’s been difficult. Clythebrook Estate is not a profitable piece of land and there were many ways Walter found to make ends meet that are not available to a woman.”
“Such as?”
Lady Clythebrook smiled. “Walter made a point of spending time in London periodically. Not that he enjoyed going there. He was much more content here in the country running his estate and overseeing the land. But he said it was the only way he could find out what ventures to invest in and which ones to avoid. He didn’t always make a great deal of money, but enough added income to get us by until the fall harvest. It seems as if the money doesn’t go as far as it did before. And it isn’t that Josephine doesn’t spend endless hours trying to make it stretch.”
Ross fought an emotion he wasn’t sure he understood, suddenly realizing he was eager to learn everything he could about Josephine Foley. It also occurred to him that Lady Clythebrook was sharing the details of Miss Foley’s life as well as her involvement in running the estate for a purpose. Ross turned to face the older woman as he waited for her to continue.
She smiled, her bright eyes twinkling. “Ah, you see through me, don’t you?”
“Let’s just say I think it’s possible you told me all this for a reason other than to satisfy my natural curiosity.”
“Yes, well…”
Lady Clythebrook turned to face him. “Josephine tells me you’ve been to the orphanage to inquire after Mrs. Gardner’s child and that she refused to tell you the child’s whereabouts.”
Ross lifted his eyebrows.
“I can see you are a man who does not give up easily once you’ve set your path. I could tell that the first time we met. But I want you to understand there is a reason why Josephine is equally as firm in her resolve. The children are very dear to her and she sees herself more as a guardian and protector than someone to simply see to their physical needs. They have no one else, you see.”
“And that explains why she won’t tell me where she’s taken
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