Page 53 of Return to Satterthwaite Court

“I trust it won’t be an issue with your cook. I wouldn’t like Hannah to be embarrassed.”

Kate’s heart melted a little more. Just when she thought it wasn’t possible to like him any better, she discovered he wasn’t only heroic, noble, rich, and handsome, but he was a caring brother, too.

“Leave it with me,” she said.

“Thank you. I will.” He paused. “You had something you wished to say to me?”

She exhaled a breath. “Only that I’ve been beside myself with curiosity since we parted. You must tell me what’s being done about Satterthwaite Court.”

“I wrote to my family’s solicitor on the matter inquiring about Mr. Catmull’s claim on the property.”

“And? How did he reply?”

“I haven’t heard back from him yet. However, if all is as it should be, I’ve instructed him to make the man an offer.”

“You’ll buy the house, then?”

“If there’s no underlying issue, yes.”

“And that will be that?” Kate was incredulous. “What about the grievous wrong done to your mother?”

“What about it?”

“Aren’t you the least bit interested in discovering what it was?”

Charles let his hand fall from Ember’s neck. “I went to Tiverton, didn’t I?”

“That was just the beginning, surely. You haven’t yet found out who’s behind the letter. And you’ve made no strides in uncovering the injustice it alluded to.”

“I expect they were merely referencing the loss of my mother’s childhood home. It was an injustice, by all accounts, though not of the legal variety.”

“If that was the case, why mention a grievous wrong at all? Why talk of writing to you at risk to their own safety? No one has ever been in danger from uttering an acknowledged truth.”

“It doesn’t follow that there’s a secret to uncover.”

“You haven’t tried very hard to discern one.” Kate studied his face. “Or have you?” A fleeting glimmer of resolve in his eyes alerted her to his true intentions. She brightened with triumph. “I knew it! You are trying to uncover the secret, aren’t you?”

“I’m making efforts,” he admitted.

“What sort of efforts?”

“Discreet ones. My family’s history with the family of the villain who inherited the house is complicated.”

“Edgar Townsend.”

Charles nodded. “He was a ruthless man who would have sold my mother to the highest bidder to further his own aims. When she married my father instead, Townsend’s fortunes plummeted. I suspect that’s why the entail was broken. He must have been in desperate need of money.”

“So, he sold Satterthwaite Court,” Kate mused. “Pity your parents didn’t know of it at the time. They could have purchased it themselves.” She chewed her lip. “Will you question Mr. Townsend?”

“Townsend is dead.”

“Oh.” That was inconvenient. “What about your mother and father? Surely they must know something—”

“I won’t have my parents distressed by troublesome recollections from the past,” he said firmly.

“Well then?” she prompted him. “What next?”

He hesitated a moment. And then: “Townsend’s daughters, Elizabeth and Abigail, are still living. If there was any wrongdoing on their father’s part in relation to Satterthwaite Court, there’s a chance they’ll know of it.”