Jenny patted her sister’s hand as she stood at her room ready to go inside. “Not yet, dear Sister. I cannot tell you why, but I just know my life is not yet set on any course I can see. Life can be filled with surprises and I mean to take advantage of all of them.”
Chapter 11
Thomas’s trip back in the carriage from London was fraught with concern. His uncle’s actions, his grandmother’s loss, and his need for rescuing the estate all occupied his mind.
The sun was just setting as the carriage pulled up in front of Pemberton Hall, and he stepped down to Willoughby’s greeting.
“Your Grace, I hope you had a successful and pleasant trip.”
Thomas frowned. “Thank you, Willoughby, but I am afraid it was not.”
“I am sorry to hear that. Might I fetch you something strong to refresh you? Perhaps a generous glass of spirits?”
“Not just now.” He started climbing the steps, and then said with an ironic laugh, “Yes, perhaps I shall. I must face Grandmamma with some unpleasant news, and I could use some fortification.”
“Very good, Your Grace.”
Fortifying himself with a large brandy, Thomas paced the library. He needed to see his grandmother, but he could not escape the need to figure out what to do to rescue the estate. He needed to find a new source of income. His father and grandfather had not actively utilized the lands of Pemberton Estate. There were no tenant farmers, no grazing livestock, no agricultural development of the land—a great deal of it consisted of woodlands. Instead, they had relied on investments for their income. And that is where the current trouble lay.
Thomas believed that with careful management, he would eventually be able to rebuild the investment base. But that would take time, and he needed to find a new source of income soon.
His first thought was to somehow develop the potential of his estate’s lands. How might he find a way to utilize what he already had? It encouraged him to think that there might be a solution at hand. But he would need to give it further thought.
But for now, he must deliver the sad news to his beloved Grandmamma. And, as it was dinner time, he thought it best to have this conversation at dinner rather than in her sitting room.
These days, their dinners were rather subdued. There were no children, guests, or other family members to enliven the meals at Pemberton Hall. The large ducal dining room was too vast, cold, and uninviting for their intimate dinners for two. So, Thomas and his grandmother had gotten into the habit of having dinner in the smaller breakfast room.
“How happy I was to hear that you had returned. It has been lonely dining by myself while you were gone,” Grandmamma said, as she started the soup course. “I hope your trip was agreeable.”
Thomas did not immediately answer as he was dreading delivering the unfortunate news. But he looked up at her briefly before he started eating.
“Did you attend any social functions while you were in London?” she asked.
“No, Grandmamma. I was too preoccupied to make any social visits—except for Uncle Wilcox.”
“Ah… and how is my son?”
Thomas could not put the unpleasant moment off any longer. “I am afraid I must be the bearer of some rather unfortunate news.”
“Oh?” she asked, somewhat startled.
Thomas carefully and soberly laid out the entire story of his discoveries. Grandmamma listened quietly until he was finished. Only then did she resume eating her soup.
Thomas was surprised she did not respond to what he had told her and finally asked, “Grandmamma? Would you like to say something in reply?”
“I am trying to assimilate the immensity of what you have just told me. And I hardly know where to begin,” she said weakly.
“It is terrible, I know. And I have been struggling with how to respond ever since I learned about this.”
“I care not so much for myself,” she said, “But I cannot say how disappointed I am in Wilcox. I guess I should have had an inkling about his troubles when he asked me for money recently. I am afraid I was rather harsh with him and did not extensively enquire as to his needs. I knew it was for some gambling debts, but I had no idea he was so heavily in debt to so many different sources.”
“But he has taken nearly all of your money, Grandmamma. He stole it from you. And I cannot forgive him for that,” Thomas said.
“I understand. But he is my child. If he had explained his situation to me, I might have been able to help.”
“But his needs far exceeded what you could have offered.”
Grandmamma looked at him with the most sorrowful expression. “And as a result, he has also injured you, Thomas. What are you going to do? Are you going to pursue legal action against him?”
