A Duke in Danger by Barbara Cartland Read Free Book Online Page B

agricultural distress, had left his farm rents uncollected and was not visiting London so that he might have more cash to pay his retainers. He had hardly listened to what had been said at that moment because he was more immediately concerned with so much that was happening in Europe.
    Now he supposed that it had been foolish of him not to have made enquiries if at the Castle, like in other places in England, there were difficulties on the farms as well as the problem of unemployment.
    He had read in the newspapers about unrest in the country, and politicians arriving in Paris from England had confirmed it, since wages had been forced down as thousands of ex-soldiers and sailors were released from the services.
    There had also been no compensation or pensions for those who had fought so valiantly.
    The Duke had put the information at the back of his mind, to be considered later when he returned home, but now he realised that it was an urgent personal problem which he had to face.
    Yet, it still seemed incredible that Walton should talk of there being no money, when he knew how much there was available.
    “Surely,” he said aloud, “the Duke must have been aware of the difficulties, or whoever managed the Estate could have explained it to him.”
    “There was no-one, Your Grace.”
    “Why was there no-one?” the Duke asked sharply.
    “His Grace quarrelled with Mr. Fellows, who had been in charge for thirty years, just before His Lordship was killed.”
    “And he was not replaced?” the Duke asked.
    “No, Your Grace.”
    “So who has been managing the Estate?”
    “Lady Alvina, and it’s been very hard for her, very hard indeed, Your Grace. She had no money to pay the pensioners.”
    “I can hardly believe it,” the Duke muttered beneath his breath.
    Then, as if he felt that this was something that he should discuss with his cousin, not with a servant, he said:
    “Who is here in the house at the moment?”
    “There’s just m’wife and m’self, M’Lord, and Mrs. Johnson, who I daresay you remember, who’s been the Cook for over forty years, and Emma, who’s getting on for eighty and can’t do much.”
    “Is that all?” the Duke enquired.
    “Everyone else was either dismissed on His Grace’s orders, or left.”
    “It cannot be true.”
    The Duke was silent for a moment, then he said: “Thank you for what you have told me, Walton. I think I must discuss this further with Lady Alvina. Will you ask her if she will join me?”
    There was some hesitation before Walton said:
    “I don’t think Lady Alvina’s in the Castle, Your Grace.”
    The Duke sat upright.
    “What do you mean she is not in the Castle? Where could she have gone?”
    Again there was a pause before Walton said:
    “I thinks Her Ladyship were somewhat distressed, and I sees her leave, Your Grace.”
    “I do not understand. Where can she have gone?” Again there was an uncomfortable silence before the Duke said:
    “I am afraid I must have upset her, which is something I should not have done. Please tell me where I can find her.”
    He spoke in the persuasive manner which invariably enabled him to get his own way when more authoritative methods failed.
    However, Walton shuffled his feet.
    “I don’t think, Your Grace, that Her Ladyship’ll want you to find her at the moment.”
    “I can understand that,” the Duke said quietly, “but you are well aware, Walton, having known us since we were children, that Lady Alvina is the one person who can help me to put right what is wrong and clear up what is obviously a mess.”
    He thought he saw the old man’s eyes lighten a little, and then he said:
    “Well, it’s like this, Your Grace. If I tells you where Her Ladyship is, I’ll be giving away a secret which His late Grace didn’t know because he wouldn’t have approved.”
    It flashed through the Duke’s mind again that perhaps Alvina had some man in whom she was interested, but he merely replied quietly:
    “I think you will