Marrying Miss Martha Read Online Free PDF

sidepaid, of course, because Belinda had some very extravagant ideas and I declined to spend my money on them. Besides, my father left her a very comfortable sum and I saw no reason why she shouldn’t use that to pay for her wedding.” He grinned. “It took a couple of quarrels to persuade her she couldn’t twist me round her little finger as she did him, but in the end she accepted that I wasn’t going to waste my money on one day’s fuss.” His smile faded. “Anyway, I couldn’t have afforded such a large outlay just now, as you know.”
    “I do and I think you’re right to get new machinery for your mill. It’ll soon pay for itself. Tell me more about the wedding, though, because Libby will want to know all the details. What did the bride wear?”
    Ben frowned. “Something frilly and blue with the widest sleeves I ever saw and a hat so large I kept expecting it to slide off her head. The whole thing was a much bigger affair than I’d expected and to tell the truth, I felt out of place among county society.” He pulled a wry face and they both smiled, for even in Tapton there were sharp lines drawn between families in trade and the county gentry, who lived on nearby estates.
    “Georgie was so sulky at the wedding I felt downright ashamed of her and so I told her. She would hardly open her mouth to her new stepfather and scowled the whole time, so it’s not just me she’s angry with, it seems to be the whole world. Oh, and you can tell Libby my sister was wearing something frilly, too, pink and white.” He sighed and lapsed into contemplation of his various problems.
    “Are the new machines completed?”
    “Nearly. Then we have to get them here safely. There’s been rioting over in Netherdene and I’ve heard that some of the operatives in Tapton are upset, too. I’ve tried to make my own employees understand that these are new spinning machines not power looms.”
    “I’ve spread the word among my workers, too.”
    “But that still leaves Noll Brindley’s workers, who seem determined to see the machines as threatening their jobs.”
    “I’ve heard Brindley’s behind all that, stirring them up.”
    “Who else could it be? He’s been behind a few bits of trouble since I took over and we both know why: he wants my mill. Well, even if I wanted to sell, I’d not offer it to him. But I don’t want to sell. I want to make it thrive again as it did in the old days.” Before his father had met Belinda and lost interest in his business. “I can never thank you enough for your help this past year or two, Jonas.”
    His friend waved one hand dismissively. “It was my pleasure. After all, we didn’t want Owd Noll getting his hands on another Tapton mill, did we? The way he treats his workers is a disgrace.”
    Ben nodded agreement. They had both seen the gaunt, starveling children who worked at Brindley’s. After a moment or two he dismissed that unpleasant picture and smiled at his friend. “Well, that’s enough about me and my problems. What did you want to see me about?”
    “I may have found someone to teach the children and keep an eye on your Georgie.”
    “That’d be a huge relief!”
    “I met this fellow in Leicestershire, Edward Merridene, he’s called. A fussy fool in some ways, but a shrewd enough businessman. It seems he has two female cousins whose father has just died and left them short of money. They’re looking to set up a school. And the terms you and I agreed upon seemed acceptable to him.”
    He grinned. “Merridene was at great pains to tell me he’d offered them a home but they’d refused—which I thought spoke in their favour—but if they’re anything like him, they won’t do. Anyway, he’s bringing them up to meet us and they’ll be arriving the day after tomorrow.”
    “They’ll probably take one look at Georgie’s sullen expression and run for their lives,” Ben said glumly.
    “Nay, lad, never despair. You’ll find some way to manage her. My Libby