“Sheep?” Richards questioned.
“Have you gentlemen paid attention to the price of wool? Sheep are a sure thing. Coal and iron ore are mere speculation.”
“Tell me, do any of you gentlemen actually care for my niece?”
“As much as one should for a wife, I suppose,” Draker answered.
“There are worse ladies a gentleman could be forced to marry,” Richards responded.
“She has what I need so we will make do,” Thorn acknowledged.
“I see,” Stillwaite said.
There was silence for a moment before Thorn spoke. “We think you should be aware of an agreement already reached.”
“Oh?”
“As it will take great resources to begin mining and purchasing sheep, resources the three of us do not have unless we combine our funds, two of us will invest in the third, the one who Miss Cooper decides upon.”
“You already decided?” Stillwaite clarified.
“Yes,” Draker answered. “A year ago, so I don’t see the need to pay you for something we have already agreed upon.”
“You do if you wish me to grant you her hand. I will be named guardian.”
Matthew stared at Jordan. He knew they were thinking the same thing. It didn’t matter who married Miss Cooper because they would profit equally. Any one of the suitors could have helped Mr. Cooper up the stairs and then pushed him. It mattered not since they would share equally. But, which one had it been. All three were in the vicinity when Mr. Cooper was injured and each one had a reason to hurry the proceedings. If they made an agreement a year ago they were probably growing more impatient by the day.
As much as Matthew tried to work further on his sermon and prepare for Sunday, he barely managed to write a dozen more words. Too often he found himself leaving the desk in Mr. Cooper’s library and making his way to the man’s bedchamber to check on his progress as well as to see how Grace was holding up. She hardly left her father’s side and she tried several times to get broth and tea past the man’s lips, succeeding more often than not in spilling it on Mr. Cooper’s bedclothes, which had now been changed three times. Though her hair was now brushed and neatly tied behind her head and out of the way, and she wore a fresh dress, one without wrinkles, Grace was pale and her face drawn from the worry. Every time Matthew tried to work all he could do was think of her and the terrible strain she was under and was once again drawn to her. He longed to give her comfort, ease her burden but was at a loss at how to proceed.
Night was near and Matthew gave up trying to write the perfect sermon and pushed away from the desk to stand at the window overlooking the back gardens, now shadowed with the setting sun. The patterns and formed mounds of different varieties of plants led Matthew to believe these had once been elegant but were now wild with late blooming flowers and weeds. Grace certainly didn’t have time to see to the chore, not with the many duties that settled upon her shoulders since her father’s injury. It was really too much for one so young to bear, but what choices were there? The Coopers didn’t have the funds for household help. Even though he shouldn’t have pried Matthew had reviewed the family finances this afternoon. Had Miss Cooper not shown he and Jordan the ledger earlier he might not have invaded her privacy. Or, perhaps he would have. Matthew would never know. But, the crux of the matter was the family was barely surviving financially. Perkins was paid a pittance to what valet’s usually earned, yet the man remained by Mr. Cooper’s side. Even now, he was in a chair within the man’s room, waiting to be needed.
Her earnings from the milk, eggs and Sunday school teaching didn’t meet the family needs. Soon she would have no choice but to fall into debt. Until her father’s injuries two years earlier, the family had been wealthy. Such was not the case now.
Perhaps a guardian was the best choice for Miss Cooper and her father, or even marriage. His stomach tightened at the thought of her married to anyone yet he forced himself to consider the possibilities despite his discomfort. If Draker, Thorn or Richards had an affection for Miss Cooper perhaps he would feel differently, but most likely not. She was nothing more than a means to an end. A woman to marry, no different and with less emotion than those in society approached marriage. She would be miserable in such a union , especially if they allowed Stillwaite to send her father to Bedlam. Matthew knew he couldn’t and wouldn’t allow her to marry Draker, Thorn or Richards, but what could he do to prevent a match?
Matthew could marry her himself, but was that right, or any different than what the other gentlemen proposed? He would save her from them, and insist that Mr. Cooper remain home where he could get the best of care. But he was just as certain Stillwaite would not allow such a match because Matthew had no intention of allowing the man to profit from circumstances. Then again, he could pay almost any price the man demanded, but was he willing to? In normal circumstances, yes, but it galled him that the man wished to profit from the misfortune of his brother.
Matthew shook his head and turned away from the window. There was no point in worrying about who Grace would or would not marry. Brachton was not about to give Stillwaite that power until they had gotten to the bottom of who tried to kill Mr. Cooper. He had hoped someone would say something today that would cast suspicion on themselves but nobody indicated they were involved, not even Stillwaite. But, there was nobody else who could have possibly been responsible unless there was some madman roaming the country, locking cooks in cellars and tossing old men downstairs for no apparent reason.
He glanced over at the settee. That is where he would spend the night. He was tired enough to sleep for a week, but not on something so narrow and short but he didn’t dare make use of an empty bedchamber above stairs. Mrs. Montgomery had caused enough damage after this morning and Matthew really should not spend another night in the house. But, he couldn’t leave Grace and her father unprotected either. Tomorrow he would need to make arrangements for staff to work in the house. He would pay for it himself and not only would Grace not be alone, but she would have a chaperone to sit with her if the gentlemen called again, someone to cook meals and a few large footmen to protect the family. It was too late to make such arrangements now and Matthew wished he would have thought of it sooner. Hopefully nobody would know that he spent the night, again.
Grace’s head dropped to her chest and she jerked her head back up. Every muscle in her body ached from sitting in this chair, but she loathed to leave her father’s side. Three times he had awakened and looked at her. There was a sadness in his eyes and she wished he could tell her what he was feeling or thinking. Better yet, who had pushed him down the stairs? In time he would.
“You should go to bed, Miss,” Perkins suggested from his chair across the room. “I will awaken you if you are needed.”
“What of you? You haven’t left Father’s side.”
He offered a weak smile. “My bed is not far, as you know.” He gestured to the small room off of her father’s that Perkins had made into a sleeping chamber for himself after father was injured. “If I get too tired I will lie down but leave the door open.”
That was clear across the room. Would Perkins hear her father if he needed anything?
“I am a very light sleeper,” he assured her as if reading her thoughts.
She did need to sleep. Perhaps a night in her bed, in a nightgown, would leave her refreshed in the morning. With a last squeeze of her father’s hand, Grace bent and kissed his forehead. “Sleep well, Papa.”
With heavy steps she left the room and made her way down the hall and paused at the library. Vicar Trent was asleep, a blanket across his body. One leg fell to the side of the settee and another off of the end. He could not be comfortable, but he seemed to sleep deep enough. She turned the light down on the lamp and made her way upstairs to her own room. There she shrugged out of her dress and into a nightgown before slipping between the cool sheets. Grace hadn’t bothered to light a lamp because there was enough brightness from the full moon that shone into her room. With a sigh she closed her eyes and tied to fall asleep.
The minutes ticked and she heard the clock chime down the hall. It was too quiet. The house was never noisy, especially at night but now the silence was even louder than usual.
She rolled on her side to find a more comfortable position and blew out a breath. Once again she tried to find her slumber, but each creak and squeak was so loud in the silence. She listened for a few moments but none of the sounds were out of the ordinary.
Why wasn’t she falling asleep? Her eyes ached and burned so much she didn’t want them open, but her mind would not calm. Grace would never get to sleep this way. Each time she came close to drifting away, the slightest noise awakened her. She was simply on edge from the events of the past two days and needed to block out all noise.
Grace reached across the bed and grabbed a second pillow and placed it on the side of her head and bent her arm to press the pillow against her ear to drown out the night sounds. Finally, blessed silence.
The squeak of the hinges on her door was muffled by the pillow but Grace heard them just the same and her eyes flew open. Who was in her room? The only people in the house, besides her father were Vicar Trent and Perkins and why would they close the door.