“Oh dear,” Harriet said as she heard the front door slam shut.

Mother and Sophia entered almost immediately. “What happened?” Sophia asked breathlessly.

Harriet sighed. “Captain Frakenham was doing a lovely imitation of a rooster.” She sent him a cutting look. “What was that all about? You’d already done what you needed to do, which was cast doubt on his allegations. Getting him angry will only make him more determined to prove you wrong.”

Chase crossed his arms and leaned one shoulder to the mantel, his mouth still hard. “He was rude to you. I couldn’t allow that to continue.”

Harriet made an exasperated noise. “Piffle! I vow, but you do not understand. We need his good graces to keep the bank from foreclosing.”

Mother sighed. “Harriet is right. Silverstone has told several people in town that he believes Gower might be the man to take his place on the board one day.”

“Harri?” Stephen and Derrick stood in the doorway, Ophelia peering around them. “What happened?”

Sophia took a quick, excited step forward. “Oh, it was marvelous! Mr. St. John came to our rescue and played the part of Captain Frakenham with such enthusiasm!” She clasped her hands together and beamed at Chase. “The bankers were completely fooled.”

“For now,” Harriet said. “But Gower will be back.”

Stephen scowled. “I hate that man. What are we to do now?”

Everyone looked at Harriet. She met their gazes without expression. Chase found that he wanted to go to her, to put his arm about her shoulders. She looked so young, and far too small to have such burdens placed on her slender shoulders.

But while he was trying to find a way to say that, to say something that would take the focus off Harriet, she lifted her chin.

A look of stark determination settled on her face as she faced her family. “Tomorrow, we begin the shearing.”

Chapter 22

If one of your supposed friends decided to rudely impose his will over yours, it would be considered an act of despotic familiarity. But when your family decides to do it, it is considered an act of kindness, brought on by a superior understanding of your poor nature and the fact that they possess a greater intellect than any you could claim. It’s quite enough to make one wish one was an orphan.

Mr. Brandon St. John to Mr. Devon St. John, on leaving Treymount House after the emergency family meeting

The next morning broke cool and breezy and it was with a true sense of purpose that the Ward family, their two hired hands, and Chase gathered at the barn. Harriet ran the operation like a general and soon everyone was sent on his appointed duties. Sophia and Ophelia went to man the gates at each end of the sheep pens. Mother went to oversee a nice luncheon, to be served under the oak tree once noon arrived.

Harriet decided Stephen and one of the hired men would help her with one lot of sheep while Derrick and Chase would be responsible for shearing the other lot.