Serena blinked. “But. . . won’t Mr. Lockheart wish to look at it?”

“Oh no. He was most specific in his instructions. I was to accept any proposal you presented.”

Serena was stunned. The amount she had requested was scandalous—thanks mainly to Miles’s urgings. He’d advised her to come up with a shocking amount, and then double it for good measure. When Serena had demurred he had, for once, been quite serious.

“Don’t undervalue your work, Serena. He is expecting you to uproot yourself and your son and to manage the entire, huge project. Humphry Repton himself does not handle such matters. This is going to take up your life for a long time to come. In fact triple the amount—he is said to be among the five wealthiest men in the entire country.”

So Serena had, against the qualms of her conscience, tripled her original amount. And Lockheart had not even looked at it before approving it. She realized Mr. Partridge was still waiting.

She gave him a somewhat embarrassed smile. “I beg your pardon. I was just a little . . . surprised.”

“Oh, no need to apologize. I quite understand. I had the same reaction myself when I first came to work for him.” Partridge removed a folded rectangle of paper from his coat. “Mr. Lockheart instructed me to issue the first quarter in advance, I have just written out a bank draft for you.”

Serena looked down at the amount on the draft and swallowed. This was now real.

“Mr. Lockheart has also left his coach and the servants of this house at your disposal if you should need assistance with your packing or moving.”

She nodded, dazed. “Thank you, that is very kind.”

“I am also at your disposal, Mrs. Lombard. Please direct any bills or requests to me and I will see they are handled promptly.”

She stood and he made his way to the door to open it.

“Mrs. Hazelton indicated you came by hackney, ma’am. I took the liberty of having Mr. Lockehart’s town carriage brought around to take you home.”

Serena soon found herself ensconced in yet another of Lockheart’s luxurious carriages, clutching a check for more money than she had ever had in her entire life, her head in a whirl.

***

Only Mrs. Brinkley, their housekeeper, was home when Serena arrived. “My lady is out shopping with her newest young girl and Oliver and Madam have gone to the park.”

Serena nodded, disappointed she had nobody to share her news with.

Well, she might as well begin packing.

“I will be out in the carriage house, Mrs. Brinkley.”

Serena changed into older work clothes before making her way to the mews beside the house. As they kept no carriage or horses she used the big empty space as her workshop.

There was no piece in progress just now but she was a messy worker—much to her chagrin—and she had to spend a good deal of time cleaning up the room before she could locate the tools she would take with her to Rushton Park.