Question C

[Jonetta]

Theo died knowing the estate was deeply in debt, the tenant farmers were requiring much needed repairs and there was no dowry for his three sisters. He duped Kathleen into marrying him, making her think he was still wealthy. What do you think he would have done had he lived? How were such things normally handled?

[Anita]

He and the estate would have been in a world of hurt. I'm sure he would have muddled through somehow.

[Robin]

I don't know if we were told how long that Theo had been the Earl. He had to know that he was deeply in debt when he inherited, and it sounded like he did nothing to alleviate the problem. He also didn't warn Kathleen that she would have to watch her spending when they married.

Did Kathleen bring any money into the family with the marriage? Usually the Earl would be looking for a rich wife to keep them afloat. I kind of had a feeling that the Berwicks were not very rich, but maybe I missed something.

[Anita]

I'm sure that Kathleen brought a dowery to the marriage. She thought she would be able to reclaim it after Theo's death. It looks like the estate swallowed it up and didn't make any difference.

[Robin]

Looks like Theo needed a richer wife.

[Anita]

LOL!

[Sharon]

Theo didn't have a clue how to manage an estate. His father didn't either, so he didn't have a mentor to train him in everything involved.

Besides, Theo only wanted money to serve his interests, not his family or the estate's residents.

[Jonetta]

Theo seemed to only lived for the moment. He didn’t have worry or concern for the future. Had he lived, he probably would have done something risky to save the estate, definitely giving up those mineral rights if approached. He seemed pretty self absorbed.

[Karen ♐]

At one point, I thought that Kathleen was wealthy. Not sure but I think when she talked about her horse and I just got the impression that her family was wealthy. I do think that Theo would have had no idea how to save the estate and the tenant farmers.

[Christina T]

I agree Theo had no idea how to run an estate the size of theirs nor do I think he wanted to learn the necessary skills required to do so. In contrast, Devon and West embraced the challenge....West in particular.

[Jonetta]

I wonder if he thought Kathleen had money.

[Christina T]

Just because I'm curious I kind of wish Kathleen and Theo's beginning was explored more but that does pose a risk of the reader developing an attachment to him. I'm not sure we were supposed to like Theo.

[Jonetta]

I was actually ambivalent about him. It would have been okay if there was affection between him and Kathleen.