“You’ve no choice now. You’ll have to sack him … and the police should be involved. It’s fraud.”
They were in the library. Ruth sat at Charles’ desk, examining the paperwork Delia had triumphantly handed to her. Delia was leaning against the mantelpiece beneath the painting of her grandmother. They both wore a determined expression. One had loved Canleigh passionately; the other still did and would do anything in her power to have some kind of control over its future.
Ruth was aghast at how she had allowed Louis to get away with all he had. She had known there was something not quite right but hadn’t had the courage to find out … and Delia was right. He had to be dismissed and that would create a vacancy and Delia wanted to fill it. Ruth found her jaw was tightening and she was clenching her teeth. “Don’t allow Delia to return to Canleigh,” said Charles in her head. “She’s evil. Promise me.”
“You’ll need to get another estate manager,” Delia went on with a smug look of satisfaction on her face. “And you know you don’t have far to look either.”
Ruth looked up at her, not having a clue how to answer. She felt numb with indecision. It would be a relief to hand over the responsibility to someone who would do her utmost to look after the estate properly but she couldn’t get Charles’ words out of her head. If Delia were allowed to take over the reins, she would have an awful lot of power and if things went wrong, it would be terribly difficult to dislodge her. Oh, God. What was she going to say?
“Remember, I’m qualified to do a good job, Ruth … and I know the estate inside and out. Father and Richard were crazy to pass up the opportunity to give me the responsibility … and look what’s happened. It’s far better to have a member of the family in charge. Sack Louis and appoint me, Ruth. You won’t regret it. I promise.”
There were those words again. ‘I promise’. She had promised Charles … on his deathbed. She had already allowed Delia to live on the estate, admittedly not in the actual Hall, but even so, that was the promise broken. Was she about to make it even worse? Was he up there somewhere, listening to this conversation? Would he be furious with her if Delia was appointed? His favourite gold fountain pen lay in its box on top of the desk. Ruth took it out and twirled it in her fingers, willing him to give her a sign that she would be doing the right thing if she agreed to Delia’s suggestion. Nothing happened. Delia was still standing looking at her questioningly and there was no sudden signal from above to help with Ruth’s dilemma. She was alone and had to say something.
“I appreciate what you’re saying, Delia. I really do … but I have to think about all of this. I’ve not dispensed with anyone’s services before … and as for hiring someone else … just give me a few days to get my head around it all.”
Delia stood up straight, knowing Ruth would agree. It was only a matter of time. “Okay. I won’t push it now but you know where I am … but don’t leave it too long, Ruth. The Murgatroyd woman will tell him that I’ve been ferreting around and have brought these files up to you. As soon as he knows he’s been rumbled he will be off and you might never again see all that money he’s taken.”
* * *
Delia left the Hall with a wry smile, digging deep into her memory for all the ideas she had thought up for the future of the estate all those years ago, impatient to return to the Dower House to start making notes. It wouldn’t be long before Ruth would definitely agree to her becoming estate manager and she had to be ready. Then she was half way to what she wanted and that left only Philip … and although she knew patience was the best policy as far as he was concerned, she wondered whether it might be a better idea to push things along a little. She fantasised about him all the time but she needed more. She wanted reality. Night after night she lay in bed, aware that he was only a few short miles from her, alone in his bed. Was he craving her presence and like her, re-living their nights of passion together? She tossed and turned, the warmth of the summer nights and recalling the heat of their entwined bodies keeping her awake until the birds commenced their early morning cacophony of song. She worked herself up into such a pitch that she had to have him … soon, knowing that without a shadow of a doubt given the right opportunity, like the estate, it would all fall into place. She was finally about to have everything she wanted. She was so excited!
The chance for Delia to advance progress with Philip came quicker than expected. Ruth rang just after breakfast two days later. Delia’s heart had leapt, expecting Ruth to ask her to step into Louis shoes but the request didn’t come, even though Louis had been dismissed and the police had visited Ruth. The Murgatroyd woman was still in situ and Ruth was spending time down in the estate office with the
