Page 124 of The Mistress of Ashmore Castle

He smiled too. ‘So where is all this tending?’ he asked.

Kitty bit her lip. They had come to the point – and how would he feel about it? ‘I’d like to ask Mr Blomfield to come and look at our site, and design a garden for us.’

‘Not the wild fellow?’

‘I think someone with architect training would be better, given the slope. And he has made a garden at his own house that’s on the edge of a cliff, and I read that it’s quite natural-looking. But the thing is, Giles, I expect he would charge quite a lot just for coming to look.’

Giles frowned. ‘His fee for looking, I suspect, will be as nothing compared to the expense of actually building a garden on that slope. He saw Kitty’s face fall, and said quickly, ‘But if you want one, you shall have one. Go ahead and write to the fellow.’

‘Really?’ Kitty said, afraid to be pleased too soon. ‘I think it will be very expensive.’

‘I’m sure it will. But, thanks to you, we are not paupers any more.’

‘I should like to do something for Ashmore Castle, to be remembered by,’ Kitty said. ‘Not just to live here and die and leave no trace.’

‘She could be in the history books,’ Alice said enthusiastically. She put on a declamatory voice: ‘“The famous gardens at Ashmore Castle, which attract thousands of visitors every year, were the inspiration of the wife of the sixth Earl of Stainton.”’

‘Oh, Alice, don’t,’ Kitty said, putting her hands to her cheeks.

‘Write to this Blomfield fellow,’ Giles said. ‘I care nothing about gardens, apart from kitchen gardens – I like asparagus and peas and a good peach if I can get them – but I know a lot of people do care, very much. You brought me your fortune to save Ashmore, Kitty. You should spend some of it on something you will love.’

With a genial nod, he walked briskly away, and the dogs, inspired by the movement, heaved themselves up and trotted after him.

That evening, when he was dressing for dinner, Giles found himself staring thoughtfully at Afton as he stood by holding his trousers ready, and finally said, ‘Her ladyship made an interesting suggestion to me the other day.’

‘Indeed, my lord?’

‘Indeed, Afton. I see you standing patiently there, ready to pass me my breeches, and it occurs to me that being valet to a man who cares as little about clothes as I do must leave you with a lot of time on your hands.’ Afton made no answer, merely looked at him enquiringly. ‘There it is, you see,’ Giles observed. ‘That sagacity, that restraint. The analytical mind waiting until it has more information before venturing a remark. You should have been in the diplomatic service.’

‘An impetuous man might conclude that you were trying to get rid of me, my lord,’ Afton said.

‘Perish the thought! If for no other reason, I couldn’t deprive my son of your company.’

‘A passing fancy, my lord. He’ll grow out of it.’

‘An impetuous master might conclude from that remark that you were hoping to be got rid of.’

‘I meant only to reassure, my lord.’

‘Look here, let’s stop fencing. I can’t believe brushing my jackets is enough for an able man like you, and since I should very much dislike to lose you, I would like to ask if you would care to take up the position of butler here. You look surprised,’ he added. ‘Did it never occur to you?’

‘I assumed that you would advertise, or apply to an agency,’ said Afton.

‘But it would be disagreeable to everyone to have a stranger come in, after so many years of old Moss – aptly named, by the way, since he seemed to have generated spontaneously on the old grey stones. One can’t imagine him actually being hired, or anything as prosaic as that. And if we did get in a stranger, who is to know how he would turn out? He might be dreadful, and there’d be months of upheaval and unhappiness. And believe me, Afton, I have too many things on my plate to want to have to worry about unhappy servants as well.’

‘I haven’t had the training, my lord,’ Afton said.

‘But you have served in great houses, you’ve seen it all done, you’re an intelligent man. And I believe Mrs Webster is an excellent housekeeper and would surely give you any help you needed. There is a system in place, after all, and it’s only a matter of keeping it going.’

‘I can see some ways in which the system could be improved,’ Afton commented thoughtfully.

Giles grinned. ‘You see? You’ve already put yourself in the butler’s shoes. I’m perfectly sure you could do the job. The only question is, would you want to?’

‘I think it would be interesting, my lord. And I fully agree that a stranger of unknown peculiarities would be disruptive to everyone – myself included. But would the other servants accept me, knowing I’m not a butler trained?’

‘Oh, you’re a likeable fellow. You’d soon get on top of them. They’d be just as glad to have someone they know.’

‘And who would valet you, my lord?’