"Yes, she was thrilled by the offer.  Well, at first she didn't as it was a lower wage, but I told about making extra on the Saturdays for the staff paying her to do their laundry as well.  Then if she would also clean the house bathrooms each day, I would cover her part of the rent on the cottage.  That made her jump at it.  She told me you were a great teacher, by the way.  She said you made it easy to learn how to do it." 

He smiled at her suggestions.  "You get with the gardener and you add or change anything you think needs done.  I just ask them to make it look nice and let Miss Cora plan out what she needed for the vegetable garden.  She already adores you and the twins, so just let her know what you are thinking and between you, her, and the gardener, it will be just as you think it needs.  I am sure you, Mrs. Pearson, and Miss Cora are going to make me need to buy new clothing as I will be all fat from all the new foods I'll be eating."

He chuckled at her comment about it needing a feminine touch.  "Well, yeah, I didn't really care when I came.  I just told the decorator to put in things to make it work smoothly for me.  In the nursery, I told her to make it special for Heidi and make sure there were pictures of both of her mothers and all three sets of her grandparents.  It was the only room that I really spent some time thinking about it.  The office stuff I did bring over.  The rest is all new.  I sold or gave away all the rest we had in London.  So, you make it look like a home, for us."  he smiled at her.

Karen peered at Lorn as the carriage moved along. She smiled at him and said, "I have been meanin' ta get fabric for new frocks and such... But I am loathe to touch the money left from the sale of me house. I do need new frocks." Indeed, she'd been tightening her corset a little extra just to fit into her old clothes, most of which were dyed black due to mourning. But she was loathe to touch the money leftover from the sale of her house once it was finished. Karen was so busy talking to Lorn that she forgot about her cares for the moment.

She came to life, "Well, I was hopin' fer a big vegetable garden but I also wanted to plant more herbs than just mint. Ye see, I was a nurse and me studies were in homeopathic remedies..." She looped her arm around his and sighed in a good way. "I have lots of quilts, and I knit. D'ye mind if I throw blankets about fer the colors? And I think yellow is a lovely color for the walls, it would catch the sunlight just right and make it look golden..."

He nodded.  "After the stables, we will go to the bank and set you up an account.  I will make sure some gets put in each month and it is for you to use as you which.  And if it isn't enough just let me know and I'll add to it.  Think 5 pounds a month is enough?"  He asked, knowing it was more than some staff got paid a month, but she would be his wife and he wanted to have all she needed for things she might want to buy. 

"When we pick a seamstress for you, I will have her bill my account and you get all outfits you want and what the children need too.  I just had the nanny take care of that too.  I have no idea what Heidi might need."  He chuckled.  "The boy, I will help with that when he gets old enough to join me in the stables.  He'll need some sturdy clothes for that."  He smiled.

"My ma has always had a large vegetable garden.  I was usually busy with Pa, but I loved having the fresh vegetables on the table."  He was thrilled that she was getting into this whole managing the house idea.  "Quilts will be nice."  He thought about yellow and nodded glancing at her.  "You are my sunshine, so make the house shine with your smile."  He grinned.

They were getting closer to the edge of the city and the stable was just inside the city line.  "We are almost there."

That was far more than she had ever gotten as a nurse or laundress combined. Her eyes widened and she stared at him in wonder, "Are ye sure that isn't too much? I don't want people ta think I married ye fer yer money." Though, she thought, she would need to play the part of lady now, in a way. That was something she had always wanted. "But it would be lovely ta wear color again, aye?" She would reluctantly take the offering. "And do I put the other money away fer the children? All of them?" She would not be leaving any child out.

By the time they were almost there, she was at ease again and not thinking about what might happen.

He gave her a fond look.  "Sunshine, have you not figured it out yet, you are about to be a very rich young woman.   You not knowing it, shows me just how true you are loving me not for my money."  He chuckled.  "What is mine is yours.  I will be sending a telegraph to my lawyer in London to change my will while we are in town as well.  You and the children are set for life, should everything continue to go well.  I have my own breeding stable there at home as well as a training/show arena, I am invested in my father's business back in Texas, and I own one of the Whitby carriage/stable businesses." 

He paused then remembered, "Oh, and being my parents only child, I inherit all that they own.  Though I hope that won't be for a long time.  Heidi will inherit from her birth mother's grandparents and  I put all that we got from when Cress died, into a trust for Heidi once she is 25 of age."

He didn't say it to brag, but to make sure she knew that 5 pounds each month was not too much for him to set up.  "I need to set up a trust for the twins as well." He mused as he thought about it.  He wanted them to have their own money even if he and Karen stayed living past the kids turned 25.

"I want you to wear bright and cheerful clothing.  Always.  You make my day brighter just being here.  I may need to cover my eyes when you wear brighter clothing."  He teased.  "But I want to see you in your most favorite color.  What is that by the way?"  He asked.  Then he continued.  "You put money on spending for you and the children.  They are taken care of.  This is for what you and they need now."

He pulled the carriage into the stable yard giving a wave to Gus, the youngest and newest stable boy.  "Hey there Gus." He responded when the boy came up to take the carriage in to be parked so the horse could be fed and rubbed down. 

"Hello, Mr. Vaughn.  You staying a bit or should I leave the mare hooked up to the carriage?  Hello, Ma'am."  He added politely.

Lorn responded.  "For a few hours so go ahead and unhook her and give her some spoiling, Gus."  He got down from the carriage and raised a hand up to help Karen down.  "Gus this is Mrs. Calloway, the future Mrs. Vaughn."  He introduced them with a very proud grin.  "Karen, this is Gus, he's one of the boys that works here after school."

"Me favorite color is yellow, but I would never wear that color. I would wear blue or, dare I be bold and wear red someday?" She gave a chuckle and shook her head, "Perhaps burgundy but not crimson," although, that color of red would be beautiful on her. She sighed and hugged his arm. "Ye have the sweetest way wit' words, my love," she said and then she got out of the carriage with help.

"Tis good ta meet ye, Gus," she said and offered her hand for a proper handshake.

Then she gave a winning smile to the boy and Lorn alike.

He imagined her in those colors and smiled.  "Each would look good, I think, but I am merely a man, so I would have gone with your favorite."  He winked.  "Best let you do that choosing."  He paused though.  "Hmm red?  Crimson?  I think a formal gown of that color would be perfect for you.  With diamonds at your neck and ears perhaps." 

Gus smiled.  "Nice to meet you, ma'am.  And congratulations to the both of you.  I'll take care of the mare, Mr. Vaughn no worries at all."

Lorn nodded and led the way to the stable.  The yard was mainly empty as the carriages were out working, but there were a couple there just in case someone was scheduled that day or for someone coming to call them.  Inside the stables there were stalls on either side as they walked.  Some full of horses that rented the stall, some were of Vaughn's stock.  Then there were clean stalls ready to be used.  The whole place was clean and organized.  The horses inside were being fed or rubbed down or just relaxing watching as Karen and Lorn walked past.

The office was down the other end of the large hallway they were walking in.  Lorn opened the door and introduced Karen to the manager.  He also gave his congratulations to them in a friendly manner.   Lorn looked to Karen with an apologetic glance.  "Do you mind sitting her while I visit with him about a few things going on here before we go shopping?"  He asked.

Karen smiled again and then followed Lorn. She seemed quite at ease for the moment.

She gave a soft nod. She would probably tell him soon that she was good with sums and math in general, but now was not the time. She would wait then for him to be through with his business.

Lorn indicated a chair for Karen then he sat in front of the desk, as this was more the manager's office than it was his.  The manager updated Lorn on the monthly business and some things that would need to be fixed that were more than small amounts.  However, the stables were making enough to cover it easily, he just liked to let Lorn know before he did anything major like these items.  There were only two carriages that were older and either needed to be repaired or completely replaced.  He had suggested one of them should be repaired and the other one should be replaced.  Lorn nodded as he had been aware they were giving trouble last month's meeting.  Other than that it was normal information that was reported.

Lorn nodded looking at the ledger and suggested a thing or two, but mainly he was okay with what he was seeing and hearing.  He handed back the ledger and leaned back in the chair.  "What have you thought about that idea I spoke of last meeting about having one of the younger grooms study about automobiles?  My father back in Texas says they are really getting popular there and I have seen more of them in London and even several around here in Whitby of late."

The manager nodded.  "I think it is a good idea, though I doubt we will ever stop using horses and carriages, but it is good to be ready for the future.  I have talked to two of the grooms and they are both very interested in it.  I let her know you would pay for the classes.  We will need to hire a couple more grooms that can handle carriages, but I can handle that.  There is always someone looking for a job these days."

Lorn nodded.  "Once they are sure they can drive an automobile safely with passengers, I'll look into buying a couple for them to use here in town like we do the carriages.  We can buy or build a barn to store them in.   You would be managing that as well until you feel it is ready to set it separately from this business."  It was still a plan for the future, but Lorn felt it was needed.

He looked at Karen.  "Have you ever ridden in one of these new automobiles?"

"Nay, never," she said by way of reply. She had been sitting there quietly for a while, listening to what was being said but not sure whether to interject anywhere or not. When he turned to her for her answer, though, she sat up a little straighter and interested. "Are they even safe to drive?"