Page 24 of The Not So Perfect Duke

“For now,” Damon replied. “I suppose I will have to move into this horrible place. Have you worked out the staffing, who will be kept on, and such?” It was tradition to keep on the staff at the duke’s residence, but Damon was determined to run things his way.

“We are still working on that with Kingsley and MacClery. We have discovered that Queen Anne’s Gate and Chellenham Park do not have the full staffing one would expect for a duke’s residence. So there will not be as many to be dismissed as originally thought,” Mr. Crowle stated.

Damon had noticed the decline in housekeeping here and noticed a few of the expensive artworks were gone. No doubt sold by his late father for ready cash. “I wish to see the staff list before you act on it.”

“Of course. You are selling Clarendon Place then, Your Grace?” Mr. Crowle asked.

“What choice do I have? I want every stick of furniture and wall coverings stripped from this place and sold. There still might be something here of value. All the furnishings at Clarendon Place will be moved here. I will not sleep in the same room as my father, so other rooms must be altered to suit me. This town house is to be fumigated, painted, and scrubbed clean before I move in.”

He paused. “There is a footman at Chellenham Park I wish to keep on for the time being. August Donaldson. See it done. Also, my father’s hired bully, Silas Browning. Keep him on for a few weeks as yet.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Crowle answered as he took notes. “Will you be keeping on Luckett and Hendricks?”

“Do you want to be the steward, Baldwin?” Damon asked.

“Alas, no, Your Grace. Being a personal valet to a duke is as high as my ambitions climb. Presiding over a dukedom’s holdings is more than I care to handle,” Baldwin responded.

“I will venture to find you a competent steward, Your Grace; never fear,” Mr. Crowle replied. “And selling Clarendon Place is a wise decision. The mortgage is nearly paid, so you should have a tidy sum left over.”

“A tidy sum I will have to invest into the dukedom, as in alterations to this place. And Chellenham Park. Eventually,” Damon frowned, annoyed afresh.

13 Queen Anne’s Gate.

He hated this place as it held horrible childhood memories. Well, he would only move in once all alterations were complete. Too bloody bad he couldn’t sell it. Perhaps he could rent it, but the income would be minuscule compared to selling Clarendon Place outright.

God, his head ached. Damon rubbed his temple as he just wanted this to be over. The men must have taken the hint because they started to gather their papers.

“We will investigate this Chellenhome immediately, Your Grace. Perhaps it can be sold as well,” Mr. Crowle stated.

Investigate.

Althea Galway entered his mind. In truth, she never left. That soul-stirring kiss had kept him awake most of the night. Awake and aroused. As he pondered earlier, the kiss ignited those simmering flames into roaring, eternal bonfires.

“I will have The Galway Agency investigate Chellenhome. You two concentrate on the other matters at hand, like finalizing my father’s so-called estate and starting renovations here. I also want to see all expenditures. As far as staffing, a little better than the bare minimum, but not as in years past. Those days are gone.”

Keeping MacClery on was extravagant enough, for who had underbutlers anymore?

“We shall move on your requests immediately, Your Grace,” Crowle stated. He bowed and left the room.

Baldwin lingered. “You still wish for me to oversee your personal finances, Your Grace?”

Valets did more than dressing. They handled social engagements, appointments, and personal financing.

“Absolutely. In fact, you will be working hand-in-glove with Crowle and the new steward. You will also be given a raise and a bonus when all this falderal is complete.”

“Oh, thank you, Your Grace.” Baldwin gave him an exaggerated bow.

Damon’s mouth twitched with amusement. “Let us return home, as there is much to do.”

For he also had a meeting with the bank tomorrow. And as soon as these damned appointments were completed, he would contact Althea.

For he yearned to see her again.

Chapter 8

Althea spent all of yesterday looking up records for St. Nicholas Orphanage in the East End and around the peripheries of London, and no accounts turned up in her search.

Then Althea got the idea to look up churches called St. Nicholas. She found four main ones. Churches that ran orphanages sometimes named them the same as the church itself. They were Roman Catholic and Anglican. Althea decided to investigate two, and have their newest employee, Edwina Callen, investigate the others.