Page 98 of Cocky August Rake

This morning, both stood wide open.

And as he stepped down, his confusion turned to unease.

Trunks crowded the entrance hall while maids hurried through the passages carrying clothes and linens. Voices sounded from the upper floors—too many, too loud, sharpened by a sense of panic.

No one should’ve been packing.

But then he saw an unexpected gentleman standing in the hall, and his unease flashed to anger.

“Sedgewick.” Reginald looked past him at the trunks lining the hall. “What the devil is happening?”

“Good morning, my lord.” The solicitor appeared almost pleased with himself. “Just clearing out the building. You seemed quite certain of your intentions when we last spoke.”

“My intentions?”

“To sail today.” Sedgewick spread his hands. “And to conclude the sale. When you missed our meeting last night, I saw no reason to delay matters.”

Reginald frowned.

“We haven’t finalized anything yet.”

“No,” Sedgewick admitted. “Not in so many words. But with your ship expected to depart this afternoon…” He glanced toward the hall. “It seemed expedient to begin preparing the premises for the purchasers.”

The meeting.

Blast.

His thoughts had been so focused on Rose that he'd scarcely remembered the appointment. But still. He’d sent word through Sam for Sedgewick to wait.

Reginald drew a measured breath.

“No one is being turned out of this house until every provision I ordered is in place.”

Sedgewick hesitated. “Every provision? Surely some might be postponed. Indefinitely, if necessary.”

At what point had the little man decided that?

“Absolutely not.” Reginald glanced around and swore under his breath. “And every provision means every. God. Damned. Provision.”

The contract could not have been clearer. He had included every promise made to Rose, Mr. Huxley, Boris—all of them—beneath an entire section titled Special Covenants for the Maintenance and Future Provision of the Present Residents and Servants.

The solicitor shifted his case beneath one arm.

“No bother, of course the purchasers will see to that business, but they wished to finalize inventory first. As your lordship was expected to be at sea, I believed⁠—”

“The purchasers are to fulfill the provisions before taking ownership.”

Reginald's words came out quietly, through gritted teeth.

It was in the contract.

“It’s but a minor detail.”

“No,” Reginald said. “It isn’t. You, nor the purchasers, nor anyone acting on their behalf, sets foot inside The Domus again until every single one of the stipulations have been met.” Reginald held the solicitor's gaze.

He then stepped closer. “Your haste has inconvenienced every person in this house. It will not happen again. Get out. Now.”

“Yes... my lord.”