Page 32 of A Treacherous Treasure

And yet, he would not be petty about it. He could see Rebecca Heywood’s worth. She was a good woman, as charitable to the poor as she was, and she was a good friend already to his mother and sister. He had no wish to see harm come to her, and he would protect her as best he could.

He let all these thoughts roam through his mind while she played and sang a second time, obviously delighting his mother, Caroline, and even Benjamin, whom he suspected might be forming a bit of an attachment to her. She certainly had his attention. He was young, only seventeen, a few years younger than Rebecca Heywood, but that was nothing. More unequal marriages were made every day. But he’d go back to his studies in a few weeks and forget about her, most likely.

When it was time for her to leave, Thomas escorted her to her carriage and helped her inside. The rest of his family had vanished.

“Thank you for a lovely evening.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Heywood.” He should probably say something about her playing and singing delighting them, as well as her stimulating conversation, but he didn’t want her to think that he was developing an affection for her.

“I shall see you all tomorrow morning?”

“Yes, we shall be there early, Mother said.”

She smiled and nodded, and he shut the carriage door. The driver drove on.

He should have ridden with her, to tell her that Mr. Fogg, the constable, was the culprit who was digging for the treasure. But if he was honest with himself, he was afraid to spend another moment with her, and especially alone.

Truly, he was worse than Benjamin.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would tell her.

~ ~ ~

Rebecca rose as soon as she awakened, getting dressed and preparing herself to greet the Westbrooks. How lovely to have friends who were willing to help her. “Thank you, God,” she whispered.

They arrived almost earlier than she thought possible, and her heart fluttered when she heard Thomas Westbrook’s voice speaking to the servant at the front door.

What was wrong with her? Was she developing atendrefor Thomas Westbrook? That was foolish, for he would never want her, his rival’s widow, when he could have any beautiful, young woman of polite society. But she couldn’t help thinking he was handsome and capable and interesting, could she? Those were merely facts, not feelings.

“We’re not too early, are we?” Mrs. Westbrook said, taking Rebecca’s hands in hers. “I rarely sleep past dawn.”

“Not too early at all. I was waiting for you.” Rebecca’s spirits lifted at the sight of them. To be welcoming her own guests into her own home without fear of angering her mother-in-law was a new but wonderful pleasure.

Rebecca gave Benjamin and Caroline Arthur’s grandfather’s letter and told them the last place she’d seen the family Bible. Next, Thomas and his mother came with her to her desk in the little room she was using to conduct business and keep the accounts.

“I cannot quite understand these books,” she said, showing them some of her mother-in-law’s last entries.

Thomas sat at the desk and started poring over the ledgers, making notations on a separate sheet of paper as he did so. Meanwhile, Mrs. Westbrook explained what she needed to keep a record of and what was unnecessary, the questions she needed to ask the housekeeper and butler on a regular basis, and the things she needed to pay particular attention to, and how often to send the servants to the butcher and the market.

“Your advice is so helpful,” Rebecca said after their long conversation.

“Come and I shall show you something.” Thomas lifted his hand and waved her over.

Thomas had her sit at the desk while he leaned over her shoulder, pointing out some of Mrs. Heywood’s notations and symbols and how there were gaps where she had not been recording some of the more important numbers.

“You can hire a steward to take care of the farm records if you wish, thus having him deal directly with the tenants, while you record all of the household expenses and supplies.”

“That is what I did,” Mrs. Westbrook said, “but now that our steward has gone to live in London, Thomas is dealing with the tenants and the farming records.”

Should Rebecca trust someone else with the business of the farm and the tenants? She still was unsure which of her servants would prove loyal to her and whether or not her mother-in-law would return and somehow try to take back possession of the estate. Rebecca was finding it hard to believe that she would go so quietly and without a fight.

Afterward, Thomas explained to her the questions she needed to ask her grooms and other menservants, as well as what to require from her tenants, informing her of the things that were considered her responsibility and the responsibilities of her tenants.

“This is very helpful. Thank you both. I needed to understand all of this better. But perhaps I should have written it all down.”

“You can make notes now, if you wish.”

Just then, Benjamin and Caroline came rushing into the room.