| General Fiction posted July 29, 2018 | Chapters: |
...18 19 -20- 21... 
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Chapter in the book
A chapter in the book Briarly Hall
The Gate Lodge
by zanya
| Background Squire Alfred returned, unexpectedly, from abroad, to inform his wife, Lady Betsey of Briarly Hall's financial difficulties and the possibility of not being able to continue to raise Giovanni. |
Squire Alfred sat forlorn at his oak desk in the study, his face, a deep pallor. The pendulum of the large wooden wall clock swung back and forth.
"Dearest Alfred", Lady Betsey called to him, as she entered the study, "How wonderful to share my good news with you".
"Good news, Lady Betsey, I am certainly not, presently, the bearer of good tidings, quite the contrary, my dear".
Lady Betsey gently placed her hand over his, in a gesture of spousal affection.
" I have some joyful news, Alfred", Betsey continued.
"Our beloved, only daughter, Lady Mathilde, is to be united in matrimony with Marquis Gregoire in a few days time, in London".
Squire sat bolt upright, blurting out," Perhaps Marquis can come to Briarly's rescue..how much is the Marquis worth ..perhaps I can enquire from my old banking friend, Lord Alderly..why the solution may be not so difficult to find after all.."
Lady Betsey stood by the window, looking bewildered. She had never seen her husband, so agitated.
Squire came out from behind the desk and began to pace the wooden floor, his leather boots making a heavy thud.
Silence descended between the couple.
Soon Alfred came to a halt .
Lady Betsey's voice rose in anger.
"Do you not, first of all, wish your daughter well, as she is about to embark on life, with her new husband?
Briarly Hall, Alfred, don't forget, is our responsibility , not that of a newly married couple, even if one of them is our beloved Mathilde".
Alfred stood gazing through the study window.
"That's as may be, Betsey," he replied, " but Briarly is now in financial difficulty. The deaths of two of our elderly but most profitable tenants, last year, has resulted in a significant drop in income. We will have to auction their vacant gate lodge, plus acreage. The estate is no longer able to carry heavy financial burdens. Furthermore, we may not be able to continue to raise Giovanni at Briarly, unless of course proof of bloodline is forthcoming ".
Lady Betsey listened as Squire Alfred expressed his deepest concerns about Briarly, his family seat for generations.
"How long have you known this news, Alfred"? Betsey asked.
"A few days, since my unscheduled meeting with Harold at the bank. That is why I cut my travel time short to return and discuss this serious matter with you".
"Why not sell the gate lodge with the acreage, Alfred? Many Manor Houses have to sell in these post war times. Will finding a buyer prove difficult ?
Lady Betsey saw her opportunity.
" Alfred, as I'm sure your're aware, Dowager Spencer, our neighbour, is encountering difficulty with succession rights, having no offspring or siblings".
" What," Alfred retorted , "neither offspring nor siblings ..why then the estate must be auctioned..sold.."
Lady Betsey hesitated for a moment, then responded," Dowager is considering bequeathing to a local heir..male heir of a friend".
"What the devil..Betsey..why on earth would Dowager throw away her estate to a stranger "?
Lady Betsey decided to hold onto her secret for now.
Squire Alfred fidgeted nervously with the inkpot on his desk.
"Damn it, Betsey, where is our son, Lord Airdale, doesn't a man of middle years have a sense of responsibility ? What is to become ultimately of Giovanni ? Who will care for him if we..you and I .....should depart this life"?
Lady Betsey took Alfred's hands in her own, in a gesture of consolation.
" Damn it Betsey, I intend to find Airdale and insure he faces up to his adult responsibilities".
" But how?"Betsey asked.
" You say Lady Laetexia said she was returning to Milan, that day five years ago when she left Giovanni at Briarly. Does Airdale know he has a son and heir ? Does he care? Perhaps he is already dead, due to his profligate lifestyle. We must face reality, Betsey. I intend to find Airdale, even if it takes me years. Giovanni is entitled to know his father, if Airdale is indeed his father. Betsey I shall have to absent myself from Lady Mathilde's nuptials. Duty calls. I must resume my travels".
A faint smile appeared on Betsey's lips as she made her way to her boudoir. Grandson Giovanni, matrimonial union for Lady Mathilde. She hastened to find the hat with the peacock's feather.
"Dearest Alfred", Lady Betsey called to him, as she entered the study, "How wonderful to share my good news with you".
"Good news, Lady Betsey, I am certainly not, presently, the bearer of good tidings, quite the contrary, my dear".
Lady Betsey gently placed her hand over his, in a gesture of spousal affection.
" I have some joyful news, Alfred", Betsey continued.
"Our beloved, only daughter, Lady Mathilde, is to be united in matrimony with Marquis Gregoire in a few days time, in London".
Squire sat bolt upright, blurting out," Perhaps Marquis can come to Briarly's rescue..how much is the Marquis worth ..perhaps I can enquire from my old banking friend, Lord Alderly..why the solution may be not so difficult to find after all.."
Lady Betsey stood by the window, looking bewildered. She had never seen her husband, so agitated.
Squire came out from behind the desk and began to pace the wooden floor, his leather boots making a heavy thud.
Silence descended between the couple.
Soon Alfred came to a halt .
Lady Betsey's voice rose in anger.
"Do you not, first of all, wish your daughter well, as she is about to embark on life, with her new husband?
Briarly Hall, Alfred, don't forget, is our responsibility , not that of a newly married couple, even if one of them is our beloved Mathilde".
Alfred stood gazing through the study window.
"That's as may be, Betsey," he replied, " but Briarly is now in financial difficulty. The deaths of two of our elderly but most profitable tenants, last year, has resulted in a significant drop in income. We will have to auction their vacant gate lodge, plus acreage. The estate is no longer able to carry heavy financial burdens. Furthermore, we may not be able to continue to raise Giovanni at Briarly, unless of course proof of bloodline is forthcoming ".
Lady Betsey listened as Squire Alfred expressed his deepest concerns about Briarly, his family seat for generations.
"How long have you known this news, Alfred"? Betsey asked.
"A few days, since my unscheduled meeting with Harold at the bank. That is why I cut my travel time short to return and discuss this serious matter with you".
"Why not sell the gate lodge with the acreage, Alfred? Many Manor Houses have to sell in these post war times. Will finding a buyer prove difficult ?
Lady Betsey saw her opportunity.
" Alfred, as I'm sure your're aware, Dowager Spencer, our neighbour, is encountering difficulty with succession rights, having no offspring or siblings".
" What," Alfred retorted , "neither offspring nor siblings ..why then the estate must be auctioned..sold.."
Lady Betsey hesitated for a moment, then responded," Dowager is considering bequeathing to a local heir..male heir of a friend".
"What the devil..Betsey..why on earth would Dowager throw away her estate to a stranger "?
Lady Betsey decided to hold onto her secret for now.
Squire Alfred fidgeted nervously with the inkpot on his desk.
"Damn it, Betsey, where is our son, Lord Airdale, doesn't a man of middle years have a sense of responsibility ? What is to become ultimately of Giovanni ? Who will care for him if we..you and I .....should depart this life"?
Lady Betsey took Alfred's hands in her own, in a gesture of consolation.
" Damn it Betsey, I intend to find Airdale and insure he faces up to his adult responsibilities".
" But how?"Betsey asked.
" You say Lady Laetexia said she was returning to Milan, that day five years ago when she left Giovanni at Briarly. Does Airdale know he has a son and heir ? Does he care? Perhaps he is already dead, due to his profligate lifestyle. We must face reality, Betsey. I intend to find Airdale, even if it takes me years. Giovanni is entitled to know his father, if Airdale is indeed his father. Betsey I shall have to absent myself from Lady Mathilde's nuptials. Duty calls. I must resume my travels".
A faint smile appeared on Betsey's lips as she made her way to her boudoir. Grandson Giovanni, matrimonial union for Lady Mathilde. She hastened to find the hat with the peacock's feather.
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