Grenville 02 - Lord John's Dilemma by G.G. Vandagriff

Nottinghamshire, you know it to be grand. I should like for you to pay me an extended visit, so that you may see what will one day be yours. In my present grief, I am anxious to see your face again.
    Your loving Uncle,
    Cosgrove
    Thomas dead. John could not take it in. His cousin had been the best of good fellows—fine company, happy, and forthright. At one point, they had even served together. But John had not even been aware that he had been wounded in this last battle.
    And now Thomas’s inheritance was to be left to him. Though he had never expected it, he was to be a man of property. A completely different life than he had imagined as a second son. He was to become part of the gentry establishment whether he liked it or not.
    The Nottinghamshire property was not far from the Grenville estate. He had visited there as a boy. It was vast. According to Alex, their uncle had made a pair with their father, like him always preferring Town. Was the man in debt as his father had been? Would he need to do as Alex had done and marry money in order to rescue the tenants, the land, and the house?
    These questions weighted the bequest with uncertainties. Perhaps Alex would know. He found his brother in his library, attending to his correspondence.
    “Our cousin Thomas has died,” he said heavily. “Wounds from Waterloo.”
    Alex looked up, his brow lowered. “That is grave news indeed. I am sorry to hear it.” He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “Is that a letter from Uncle Cosgrove?”
    “Yes. Add to the shock of Thomas’s death the fact that I am now Uncle’s heir.”
    His brother’s face was still with surprise, and then creased into a big smile. He came to his feet and offered John a hearty handshake and back slap. “It is a sorry way to come into such an inheritance, but congratulations, John! You will now have your own estate, and not far from this one, either.”
    “Thank you. I am staggered, needless to say. But have you any idea of its condition? Will it be as badly left as this one was?”
    “That I cannot tell you. Uncle Cosgrove and Father were quite the pair. As you know, they preferred Town and spent little time in the country.”
    “He has invited me to visit him. The poor man is quite overcome by Thomas’s passing.”
    “Then you must go, of course.”
    “Yes. After my trip to London.” John began pacing the room. “This casts a new light on everything. Providing the estate is in decent shape, I will have my own income and will not be dependent upon you.”
    “I could not be happier for you, though now I shall have to find an estate agent.”
    John tried to express the confusion that he felt. “I do not know exactly why I am not in complete alt. Possibly because I was looking forward to raising my children alongside Jack and Henry and the twins. Sharing with them the happiness you have found in family life.”
    “We shall be near enough.”
    “And I wonder how Miss Lindsay would feel about an estate in Nottinghamshire,” he said, flinging himself into a chair.
    “Don’t forget, Lord Lindsay is counting on you to inherit his property through her. Instead of being a property-poor second son, you would have two estates,” said Alex. “Felicity will be so glad for you. Anabella, too.”
    “If Uncle’s estate is in bad repair, I shall have to come up with the money to overhaul it somehow.”
    “You are purposely looking at the possible deficits of the situation, John. Miss Lindsay comes with a large dowry, as well as the property,” his brother said.
    John reflected to himself that he had never intended to marry for money. The attraction of Miss Lindsay had always been the proximity to Alex’s family. Despite her plans to go to London for the Little Season, he was quite certain both she and her parents were expecting an offer from him. With some surprise, he realized that he was less eager to make that offer now that he might be living in