The Reluctant Marchioness

Chapter 2

"I knew how to be a friend, a lover, a partner. I knew how to make someone feel cherished and seen and listened to -- everything I had myself always so desperately wanted and been afraid I might never have because I was so used to being overlooked." Alexis Hall, Waiting for the Flood 

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Chapter Two

Once they'd all been seated, Rose forgot all about her thoughts on Derek feeling obligated to escort her into the dining room. Emmett sat down at the head of the table with Bess and Marie beside him. Rose took her seat between Bess and Charlotte with Nate beside her sister. Maggie sat beside her father while their guests sat opposite them, Derek beside Marie and Stephen beside his son.

The meal was delicious, as was anything that Mrs Weston prepared. The conversation started off quite casually. The guests described their journey across the Atlantic Ocean and their relief to step onto dry land once more. They also spoke about how they'd already organised for men to begin work on Pendleton Park at the beginning of the following week, with hopes that the hotel would be ready to open within three months.

Rose finally understood Emmett's description of Derek as 'business savvy' when he began to speak about land management, though.

"So often, you landlords allow your tenants to live on hundreds, if not thousands of acres of good farming land, and you only have rental income coming from onetenant. My theory is that if you quarter these portions of land and instead have four tenants working it at the least, you will produce more crops and livestock, and it will generate four times the rental income for you." Derek spoke so passionately and intelligently. He was not forceful, but in the way he spoke, with such conviction, one could tell that he knew of what he was speaking. "I've found that you British aristocrats often shy away from modernisation in favour of tradition. Believe you me, sir, I know what I am talking about."

How he spoke marvelled Rose. She'd never before encountered such a revolutionary, one who wasn't afraid to move forward.

"How would you go about approaching a farmer, who has had the land in his family for generations, and telling him that you are to take away three quarters of his livelihood?" Emmett pondered. He was not being condescending, but was purely asking the question out of curiosity.

"That is the thing about modernisation," Derek replied. "You've got to make hard decisions. But when you think about it logically, if a man farms a thousand acres of land, reducing it down to two hundred and fifty is still a substantial amount of land to control. You would then lessen the rent. I'd wager the man would gladly take the offer. Less work, and less rent."

"Isn't he brilliant?" Stephen boasted with a wide smile on his kind face. "He gets his mind from his mother."

"So you cannot boast a brain then?" Marie said distastefully as she sipped her wine.

"Marie!" hissed Bess, who sat opposite to her.

Stephen didn't look as though he took offense though. "Not one the size of my son's, ma'am," he replied cheerfully. "Much like you, I suppose, in regards to your boy." The jab was a dangerous one, and he was brave to want to trifle with Marie.

Marie didn't respond though; she just arched an eyebrow slyly with a touché expression on her face. "Do not address me so informally, Mr Montgomery," was all she said in reply.

Derek chuckled. "Your Grace, you must excuse my father. Ever since my mother passed he's had a horrible habit of speaking his mind without thinking of the consequences, or his audience. She used to be able to rein in his poor behaviour."