“Then perhaps we should give one,” Dorothy suggested.
Anna took charge, as the eldest sister, and said, “Not without father present. You know we cannot.”
“But when he comes home then?” Dorothy asked hopefully.
“We will ask him then.”
“But when will he return? It seems he has been goneforever!”
Anna sighed as she stood and placed her watercolor brush in a glass of water to soak. “One never knows with Father. He comes and goes as he must for the good of the company.”
Dorothy went to one of the large library windows and gazed wistfully over the rolling hills outside and mused, “I do miss Mother. She would have been so good at directing us to find suitable young men to court us.”
“I miss her too.”
Dorothy wheeled around and said, “I must get these flowers in water or they will wilt away like I feel I am doing these lazy summer afternoons.”
“And which young gentleman would you wish to court you?” Anna asked.
“Why, His Lordship the Earl of Creassey, of course.”
Anna laughed, “But he is like our brother. We have known him and Maria forever.”
“Nonetheless, it ishewho I should choose for my first dance partner—and perhaps my last,” she said and then danced out of the room.
* * *
Arnold Garvey, the Duke of Crauford paced his study as his property manager, Dirk Cooper, stood before him. The Duke waved a sheaf of papers in his hand. “This is totally unacceptable. Each month the total amount of collected rents continues to fall. Why is this? Are we losing tenants or are they not paying?”
“I am sorry to say, Your Grace, that these be hard times for the folks in Marlborough. A lot of the men be out of work due to the work on the canal being completed. Most workers laid off. There be no new jobs at present, and the womenfolk try to take up the slack by taking in gentlefolk’s washing, but there just not be enough to go around.”
“Then throw those who do not pay out! I will not have slackers in my buildings. The income to run this estate comes from rents. No rents—no income and we all suffer.”
“But Your Grace, these folks…”
“I do not care. I have my own troubles. I have mortgaged the estate up to the hilt and I have no wiggle room. I have a lazy, no good son and heir who thinks the world owes him a living and all he does is spend, spend, and spend. Damn the lazy lout.”
Arnold Garvey was as unlike his handsome son, Percy, as possible. Even though Arnold was not that old—not much more than fifty-years-of age—he had hard cold eyes, a roughly lined face, and walked with a limp from a fall off his horse while hunting in his youth. It seemed to sour him for the rest of his life, and he only became meaner and meaner with time.
“Then what would you have me do?” Dirk asked.
“Toss everyone who cannot pay onto the street. I have been thinking of tearing down those slums in any case. There are so many new opportunities these days I might, for example, partner with an industrialist to build a cotton mill on that prime land. Put the land to better use. Cotton is becoming king and it might solve all of my problems.”
“But the workers will need places to live, Your Grace, might you not consider that as well?”
“Hmm. Not a bad point.” Arnold threw the papers on his desk and stared at his manager. “But there will need to be a mill before there can be workers. I am up to Marlborough next week to see what I can arrange. Damn debt is driving me crazy. For now, do as I say. They pay up or out they go.”
“Your Grace,” Dirk said, touching his forehead in a salute. “Until next month then.” He turned and left the study, passing Percy, who was entering, as he left.
“There you are. Where have you been?” the Duke asked.
“Fishing with Harry,” Percy said. He leisurely strolled around his father’s study examining the family portraits.
“What am I to do with you? You do nothing of value for this family. Your mother despairs, I am aghast at your laziness. You are either going to have to get a job or find a wife with money. I cannot continue to support your idle lifestyle.”
Percy turned to his father leisurely and asked, “But what about the estate? Do we not have income from it? Certainly, with all this land and as the Duke of Crauford you must be at the top of the heap, no?”
Arnold threw his hands in the air in exasperation. “How many times do I have to tell you we are in debt? Our income is faltering and we must find new sources of income to survive.”
