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Back The Marriage List
Chapters (45)
  1. FIRST WALTZ
  2. Also by
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Dedication
  6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  7. CHAPTER ONE
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. CHAPTER THREE
  10. CHAPTER FOUR
  11. CHAPTER FIVE
  12. CHAPTER SIX
  13. CHAPTER SEVEN
  14. CHAPTER EIGHT
  15. CHAPTER NINE
  16. CHAPTER TEN
  17. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  18. CHAPTER TWELVE
  19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  23. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  24. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  25. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. EPILOGUE
  45. AUTHOR’S NOTES

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Eleanor woke the next day excited, but apprehensive as well. She was over thirty minutes early when she got to Matt’s office, and she started to pace.

“Eleanor, sit.” Matt motioned to the second chair behind his desk, which had been placed there for her.

She glanced at the clock. The man she was interviewing for the position of mine manager was due to arrive any time. “I am nervous.”

“I don’t know why you should be.” Her brother by marriage stared at her. “You have been responsible for hiring servants and letting them go for well over two years now.”

She stopped pacing but started playing with the fringe on her shawl. “Yes, but not alone.”

He raised a brow. “Have we ever disagreed with your decisions?”

“No.” No, they had not. “It does not feel the same. The mine is such a different sort of thing.”

Matt leaned back against his chair. “May I remind you that you will soon be the mistress of several estates and two market towns?”

That had not seemed as daunting as this. Eleanor took a breath, went behind the desk, and sank into the chair. “You are right. I have no good reason to be nervous.” Yet she was. “I have arranged for tea to arrive when Mr. Russon and Edman are shown in.”

Matt nodded. “I think that is a good decision.”

“I am hoping it will put Mr. Russon at ease. I suppose he might never have visited the metropolis before.”

A light tapping sounded on the door, and Matt slid his chair back as she moved her chair to the desk. They had decided that although he should be present, she must be seen to be in control. “Come.”

Edman, Matt’s steward from one of his secondary estates, who had agreed to work as her steward, entered first and bowed. He was followed by a man of about medium height, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. The man was younger than she had thought he would be. Mr. Russon could not have reached the age of forty. He bowed as well.

“Lady Eleanor, may I introduce Mr. Russon. Russon, Lady Eleanor Carpenter. She is the new owner of the mine.”

“Mr. Russon, I am pleased to meet you.” She pointed to the chair directly in front of the desk. “Please have a seat.”

Mr. Russon bowed again. “Thank you, me lady.”

Thorton brought the tea tray and set it down. “Gentlemen, how do you take your tea?”

“One sugar and milk, please,” Edman said.

“The same, please.” Mr. Russon appeared a bit unsettled but not that nervous. Eleanor was glad of that.