Heir to Rowanlea Read Online Free PDF

and to be able to consider us weak creatures who would be utterly lost without their guidance,” Lady Weare went on musingly. “They are totally inconsistent, of course, for when it comes to running a household we are expected to be capable of making judgements and taking decisions without the slightest reference to them. Indeed, most men would be greatly offended to be consulted on matters such as employing another laundry maid, or ordering a dinner for their guests. Yet when it concerns other questions, of religion, or politics, or even choice of wines, we are held to be incapable of knowing or ever learning anything at all about the matter. Fortunately men are so satisfied with the state of affairs they never think to consider how we are really managing them!”
    “What do you mean?” Charlotte asked, intrigued. “How can one persuade someone into doing something without them being aware of it?”
    “To give you an example, when your father died eight years ago, I decided it would be too extravagant to continue living at Weare House, and keep up the London house too. After all, what point was there in a widow with two young children living in that great barracks of a place? I should do little entertaining, and time enough for James to begin to know his land when he was more able to take care of it. It seemed more sensible to save what I could and try to increase James’ inheritance, as well as providing a larger portion for you. Naturally it would have been different had your father lived, or had James been much older. Also, your Aunt Susan had died a year earlier, leaving Harry and Rosalie to be brought up by servants. It really was the most suitable plan if I lived with Henry and cared for all of you, while finding a tenant for Weare House, and selling the London one.”
    “But that is exactly what you did,” Charlotte said, puzzled.
    “Oh, yes, there are methods of obtaining our own way,” her mother replied with a smile. “Had I suggested that plan to Henry he would have found a dozen objections to the scheme, just because he had not thought of it for himself. So I told him I considered it my duty to continue living in the same state as before, after my year of mourning was over, and be completely independent. I even suggested,” she added with what sounded to Charlotte suspiciously like a giggle, “that I might feel it my duty to provide you and James with another father, and hinted one of your father’s friends, a bachelor Henry had never liked, would be suitable. He condemned me for a foolish woman who would waste her son’s substance, or at least that part of it which was not safely tied up in trust, and not know how to manage when dealing with the servants, and predicted I should be a prey to all the rogues in Sussex and London. The end of it was he told me I would be far better off selling the town house, coming to live with him, and being under his eye so that my foolish notions could be controlled. I thankfully fell in with his clever plan, praising him to the skies for having the wit to devise it. When I said I would feel it wrong to permit strangers to occupy Weare House, he knew of the very man who would be an ideal tenant, so you see, all turned out as I had wished.”
    “I still cannot see why you had to employ such roundaboutation,” Charlotte declared, intrigued. “Surely any rational man would have been prepared to accept your reasons.”
    “A rational man might, but I have found none who fit that description! They like to have their own way, and to believe they have thought of a plan first, so we have to ensure we guide them into thinking of the plan we want! Did you not notice how your uncle, this evening, when I suggested he would manage the business in France better than an agent, promptly changed his mind about going and determined to send someone else?”
    “Yes, he did!” Charlotte exclaimed, much struck. “Was that what you intended?” she asked in awe.
    “Of course. I do