Chapter 1 #2
Harold was left with a feeling of pride after the words of praise from his sire. He would redouble his efforts so that when his training was complete, he would be able to assist in the coming fight with the French.
As instructed in the first missive he received from Father, Harold consigned the letter to the fire and made sure only ash remained.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
During the two years after he graduated, Harold hardly saw his father and remained at Winsdale with his mother. In that time, Biggs and Johns were not the only men who had joined in his training, but they were the only two who remained with the Hursts who resided at Winsdale.
A fortnight after Easter in April 1803, the younger Hurst was summoned to London to meet his father at Hurst House on Curzon Street.
He was instructed to bring his mother to London and have Biggs and Johns accompany them.
With Harold, who was now fully trained, Holcomb, and the two huge men, they had more than enough protection if highwaymen attempted to molest them on the five-day journey to London.
As it was, they arrived in London without any mishaps. For Harold, aside from the reason Father had ordered them to London, he was looking forward to seeing Hilldale again.
His friend had taken a grand tour for close to three years and had returned to England a few months ago.
His first months had been spent making sure that his estate, Hilldale in Staffordshire, was running as well as it had been prior to his departure.
Thanks to a very competent steward and his father, Lord Reginald Fitzwilliam, the Earl of Matlock, and uncle, Mr Robert Darcy, master of Pemberley in Derbyshire, making sure all was running smoothly, Hilldale had returned to a minimum of problems.
In his last letter received before the departure from Winsdale, Hilldale had expressed his worry for his younger brother Richard, who, when he graduated in May upcoming, intended to take a commission in the Royal Dragoons.
Richard Fitzwilliam would only allow his father to purchase the rank of second lieutenant—the lowest commissioned rank possible—for him.
Hilldale told of how his younger brother was determined to earn any subsequent promotions by his own merit.
None of the worry expressed by his parents, brother, or other family members had convinced the youngest Fitzwilliam to alter his chosen course.
An idea formed in Harold’s head; he would speak to Father about it once they found time.
The prospect of the coming war with France did nothing to discourage Fitzwilliam’s determination to join the army.
In the same letter, his friend had lamented that his cousin, William Darcy, was becoming quite haughty and full of his own consequence, especially as his graduation approached, and he became more and more hunted by marriage-minded debutantes and their matchmaking parents in the Ton.
Hilldale also told how he felt sorry for his cousin having to fend off not only the aforementioned, but every time he was in the company of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, she would berate him about a phantom engagement between himself and her daughter.
This was, of course, never done in the company of her brother-in-law.
Hilldale mentioned a worry he had about his Uncle Robert.
To him, his uncle’s pallor looked rather grey at times.
When anyone asked him if he was well, his Uncle Robert waved their concerns away.
He had mentioned that William Darcy would soon reach his majority, but his uncle’s daughter, Georgiana, called Gigi, was only seven.
His friend articulated his worry—something shared by his parents and brother—about what would become of his youngest cousin if her father’s apparent illness was serious and ended his life.
Thanks to his Aunt Anne Darcy—his father’s younger sister—passing days after she gave birth to her daughter, it would leave the Darcy siblings as orphans.
Hilldale had said that at least William was fully trained on how to run Pemberley and all the other Darcy properties and holdings.
After reading about all of his friend’s concerns for his family, Harold became even more determined to see if his father could do something to make sure that Richard Fitzwilliam remained in England, especially if the war in Europe, that Father opined about, was inevitable.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Two days later, Harold Hurst accompanied his father to the offices in Somerset House belonging to the Navy Board.
The younger Hurst went before a board of three men and one lady, all members of his father’s team.
So there would be no chance anyone would claim favouritism; Ignatius Hurst, who normally was the primary member of said board, recused himself from the proceedings.
It was a gruelling four hours before the candidate member of the team was released to await the verdict of the members of the panel.
“Calm yourself, Harold,” Hurst counselled.
“I am sure you performed admirably so walking back and forth wearing a path in the rug will not change anything. Come sit.” The older Hurst patted the chair next to him.
“Even if, and I have no reason to believe they will, you are rejected, you have the estate to manage, and the skills you learnt will always be valuable to you. They know how important it is to have one who is able to draw such a faithful likeness of a person he has seem once. Not counting all of your other abilities, that alone will sway them.”
Accepting there was nothing more he could do, Harold sat next to his father.
He decided to concentrate on something else.
“Father, I have a favour to ask of you,” he began.
His father indicated he should proceed. “You have heard me mention my friend, Richard Fitzwilliam, younger brother to Hilldale, have you not?”
“Indeed, Son. What of him?” Hurst responded.
“His family is worried because…” Harold told his father about how his friend was determined to join the regulars.
“He is a very strong man, physically and mentally, and would be an asset to your department. From what I know of Fitzwilliam, he has an excellent strategic mind, well suited for the work done here.”
“He does sound like one who would fit here. Do not forget that although we do not have to do so on a battlefield, we do fight. But yes, he would be far safer here than in the army. I will approach him, but unless he agrees … I suppose I could get a royal decree ordering him here. The royals still feel very indebted to me,” Hurst jested.
Then seriously he added, “In fact, there are some boons they say they owe, but after receiving so much, I am not sure I will ever use them. Back to your friend. I will try and convince him, and if he agrees to join us of his own volition, it will be much better.”
Before Harold could reply, he and his father were summoned into the room where the former had undergone his interviews. Much to both Hursts’ pleasure, the younger had been accepted into the King’s service by a unanimous vote.
That night, there was a very private celebration at Hurst House.
Once the food had been delivered to the table, the butler retired and closed the doors.
When they were alone, the three Hursts were joined at the table by Holcomb, Biggs, and Johns.
The newest member of the protective services was toasted.
Leticia Hurst was apprehensive. However, she soothed her nerves when she reminded herself that in all of the years Ignatius had been serving the King, he had never been harmed.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
A few days later Hurst told his son to join him. They were to travel into Cheapside to meet with a man of business in one of his warehouses.
“There are two reasons we are on our way to see Mr Gardiner,” Hurst explained.
“I have investigated him. He is as honest as anyone and has a Midas touch with investments. I intend to have him manage about half of our discretionary funds. At the same time, men like him with extensive connections can be valuable assets in our line of work. For now, this is only a business meeting. You have to be very careful about recruiting someone who will be a good source of information, and it takes time and trust, which has to be built.”
Before his son could reply, the coach came to a halt at the entrance to a warehouse which, according to the sign was Gardiner and Associates.
The two Hursts observed that the large warehouse was well organised and they were led up a flight of wooden stairs which brought them to the offices overlooking the operations below.
When they were shown into the clerk’s office, both Hursts were taken aback by seeing two extremely pretty girls seated at a desk seemingly poring over ledgers.
The girls gave them a glance before returning to their tasks.
“Mr Hurst, welcome,” Gardiner stated as he exited his office to welcome the man with whom he had an appointment.
“Mr Gardiner, I trust my bringing my son is acceptable. He is my heir, and I want him familiar with all aspects of our holdings,” Hurst stated as he offered the man his hand.
Gardiner was in his early thirties, had sandy blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes. There was no mistaking the intelligence in his looks.
“Your son is welcome.” Gardiner saw that both men had been looking at his nieces.
“Janey, Lizzy,” he called. The two girls put the ledger down and joined him.
“These two sprites are my eldest nieces. Miss Jane Bennet, and Miss Elizabeth of Longbourn in Hertfordshire. They are my sister’s and brother-in-law’s two eldest daughters of five.
Janey and Lizzy, Mr Ignatius Hurst of Winsdale and Hurst House and his son… ?”
“My son, Master Harold Hurst,” Hurst completed.
After bows and curtsies, the Hurst men followed Mr Gardiner into his office. Both were amused at the impertinent look the younger Miss Bennet had gifted them.
An hour later, they left after Hurst became Gardiner’s newest investor. When they exited the owner’s office, the two girls were no longer present. They looked at Mr Gardiner quizzically.
“I am sure my wife, Mrs Madeline Gardiner, came to collect them. They both love helping me in the office. Jane, the elder of the two, can look at a column of numbers and spot what is wrong in seconds, and Lizzy has a memory that when she reads something once, she can recall it word for word, even years later,” Gardiner explained.
“How old are they, if you do not mind telling me?” Hurst enquired.
“It is not a secret. Jane was fourteen this January past and Lizzy turned twelve early this month,” Gardiner related. “I thank you both for the confidence to make a sizeable investment with my company.”
“I am the one who should thank you for accepting me.” Hurst shook the tradesman’s hand, as did his son, and after farewells, the two men left.