Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 117740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
“I’ve told you not to call me that when we’re alone.” I sighed, putting my glasses back on so I could read what he’d given me. “You really weren’t kidding about why she was arrested.”
“Why would I lie about that?” Luke shrugged and dropped into the chair on the other side of the desk, cricking his neck after sitting down. “I’m telling you, Oli, this woman is two colours short of a rainbow. She’s going to be a nightmare to work with.”
I snorted, scanning the sheets as I flicked through them. “I expected as much. Honestly, I didn’t think anyone would take my decision lying down, but I didn’t expect they’d be so passionate.”
“It’s just a community garden. This place is hardly short on green space. Why are they kicking up such a fuss?”
“Mm. Who knows? How is the search going for a replacement plot for the allotments?”
“About as well as your closure notice went down,” he replied. “I’m not sure there is land available with the right permissions, even within the estate.”
“Well, we just have to show we made a decent effort to relocate. I couldn’t care less if we actually do. I doubt this tiny committee has the funds or insurance to take me to court over a reasonable effort.”
“You say that, but Rose was quite insistent that she’d send you a legal letter about your breaching the contract.”
“Well, of course. The contract requires them to have insurance with legal cover, but even that will only cover so much—even the formal association won’t help much. Sending a letter of warning is far cheaper than seeking to sue and prove I did make a reasonable effort.” I shrugged. “There’s no definition of ‘reasonable’ written anywhere, so they’d be facing a lengthy, expensive battle, and the allotments will close down anyway. I doubt any of the plot holders are secret millionaires, so I’m not too worried about it.”
“I suppose you’re right. And, financially speaking, it’d be better if we don’t find a new place. It’s not as though their merry band of gardeners are going to stump up more money for the plot fees, is it? We’d have to raise them considerably to make any relocation worth it.”
“It’s unlikely that they would.” I put the information on Rose down in front of me and rubbed the back of my neck. “I looked over the agreements. Grandpa didn’t raise the fees above inflation rates for over twelve years, and I doubt he’d have raised them at all if it weren’t for the fact their water rates are included in the plot fees. He only raised them in line with the water company’s charges.”
“It really is a money pit,” Luke agreed, opening his laptop on his knees. “If I didn’t know the value of the land, I’d be surprised that Tierney Construction is willing to pay so much.”
“Mm, it’s Ascot Homes now.”
“Right, they were sold. The owner of Tierney Construction was murdered, wasn’t he?”
“Yes. His wife—well, widow, I suppose—is in the middle of the contract right now. It’s why our deal is being delayed. It’s all a part of that merger.” I rolled my shoulder and tilted my head to stretch my neck. “I wish they’d get on with it so I wouldn’t have to deal with this.”
“You’ll certainly feel that way after you meet Rose Matthews properly.”
There wasn’t a chance I could tell him that I already knew Rose Matthews far more intimately that he could ever imagine.
“When am I supposed to be meeting her?”
“That’s up to you. According to her, you’re in breach of the contract. If you don’t meet her within forty-eight hours, she’s going to start legal action.”
I stilled. “What the fuck did you say to her, Luke?”
“Nothing!” He held up his hands. “Just that you could meet her next week. You are quite busy, after all.”
“So, let me get this right.” I leant forwards on my desk, pressing my fingertips together. “You read Rose Matthews’ rap sheet, found out she has a cell with her name on it for ‘time out’ sessions because of her wild behaviour, and we know she was able to keep my grandfather in check. What part of all of that made you think pissing her off was a good idea?”
Luke coughed into his hand. “All due respect, Oli, you pissed her off first by closing the allotments.”
“Don’t piss her off further, then,” I replied. “It’s going to make my life a nightmare if she’s continuously getting angrier about it. I have no intention of changing my mind, but that doesn’t mean I want to make things more difficult for myself.”
“I think you made things extremely difficult for yourself when you took over this title.”
I ran my hand through my hair. “You say it as though I bought the dukedom rather than inheriting it by nature of my birth.”