A Hearth in Candlewood by Delia Parr

Author:Delia Parr
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2006-07-31T22:00:00+00:00

18

EARLY THE NEXT MORNING before breakfast, Emma was at her desk when Mr. Sewell appeared in the doorway between the library and her office. ‘‘I’ve arranged for a carriage to pick my family up at ten o’clock for an outing, but we’ll be back for dinner, of course. I rose earlier than usual today to spend some time talking with Reverend Glenn again. Apparently, he overslept and is still dressing, so it appears I have a few extra moments. While I’m waiting, if it’s not inconvenient, now might be the only time for us to talk privately.’’

‘‘Of course. Please come in. I hadn’t heard your plans for today,’’ she offered and set aside the letter she had been writing.

Chuckling, he crossed the room and wedged himself into the chair facing her desk. ‘‘In truth, since this is our last full day here, I do believe if I hadn’t planned an outing so I could spend some time with my family, they would have gone shopping again, and I might have had to hire a separate freight barge to haul all their purchases home.’’

She smiled. ‘‘Your wife and daughters seemed pleased with all the new shops. I hope your ventures here in Candlewood have been as successful,’’ she prompted, anxious to learn how he had fared.

He nodded. ‘‘To a point, I believe they have, although the group of investors I represent will make the final judgment. My travels over the past few days have been most enlightening, and I daresay I would not have made nearly as much progress without your help.’’

‘‘I don’t know that I’ve been all that helpful,’’ she admitted. She did not consider the little information she had given him this year to be much more than common knowledge.

‘‘As uncommon as others may find it, considering your sex, your knowledge of the area and business sense have always been as solid as I could hope to find,’’ he countered. ‘‘No one in Candlewood had the foresight to see the potential in Hill House, but you did.’’

‘‘My grandmother and mother, bless their souls, would be as pleased that you’re so generous with your kind words as I am,’’ she replied, although she doubted he would have the same opinion of her if he knew about the legal troubles surrounding her ownership of Hill House.

He drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair for a few moments, as if choosing his words carefully. ‘‘You may not, however, be as informed or as aware as you should be about other . . . shall we say, developments.’’

Her heart skipped a beat in anticipation of hearing his viewpoints on the future of Candlewood and the surrounding area. Mr. Sewell had been very careful not to divulge the exact details surrounding his interests in the area last year, and she did not expect him to talk to her about anything in other than general terms now. Perhaps now more than ever before she needed the benefit of his considerable experience and knowledge,

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