Chapter 8 #2
“James, Cecilia, I’d like you to meet our newest neighbor in the area, Franklin Falstaf. He inherited the estate beyond Compton’s last year. Mr. Falstaf, this is Sir James and Lady Branstoke. They live in Kent but have decided to come to the wilds of Devon to visit me.”
“You invited, we came,” James said, reaching out to shake the young man’s hand.
“Yes, they came to see what a mess I am making of the earldom,” he joked.
Cecilia did not like that kind of joke. She cast him a condemning look. He smiled back at her and shrugged. She shook her head but turned to address Mr. Falstaf.
“Do not believe a thing he says about making a mess. From my observation he has done a marvelous job of steering the estate about.”
“I agree,” James said. “Where did you meet up with the Monteith today?”
“At The Rotten Apple,” Gideon threw in before Mr. Falstaf could answer. “He was listening to Davey Abney’s tale of the events of yesterday. A mite more elaborate than I recall,” Gideon said wryly.
Mr. Falstaf laughed, starting to relax. “Mrs. Plummer warned me his telling changed every time she heard it.”
“Enjoying an audience, was he?” James said.
Gideon snorted. “That he was. Laughing and carrying on. I told him it was time he returned to his home and stopped bothering Mrs. Plummer. All of a sudden his head hurt again. I told him it could hurt in his own bed.”
“He protested and said sometimes about a man being due a bit of attention now and then. I told him how his elaboration of the story has drawn people to the mine. It had to stop. That I’ve had to ask Mr. Thornbridge to get men to stay at the mine day and night to protect the mine and protect the idiots who might crawl around and cause another mudslide or hurt themselves as he did.
“He rather meekly acknowledged my concerns and apologized, but I know that’s an apology that will be forgotten the next time someone asks him about the mine.” Gideon shook his head. “I did see him off to his home before I left.”
“We haven’t had too many people here while you were gone,” James said.
“Mr. Entwhistle came by, said Mrs. Hargrave wanted to offer the services of some of her workers for the clean-up if you need it. Then Mrs. Hargrave and her companion came and reinforced the offer. The Vicar, Mr. Wayne, stopped by briefly and shook his head over the mess at the far end, then took himself off. We did chase off a couple more young boys.”
“Thornbridge will be here soon with our first mine guardians. He hasn’t seen the state of things here yet so his coming will give him a better idea of what the problems might be.”
“He’ll take charge and sort it out soon enough,” Cecilia said calmly.
“Do you know Mr. Thornbridge?” Mr. Falstaf asked.
She turned to him. “Yes. He worked for me at one time. My husband is the person who suggested Gideon hire him when I sold Waddley Spice and Tea Company.”
“You owned Waddley’s Spice and Tea?”
“I inherited it on the death of my first husband. Mr. Thornbridge was instrumental in helping me sell the business.”
“Hiring Mr. Thornbridge was one of the best things I’ve done.
He was light on his knowledge of the farm aspects of an estate, but not embarrassed to ask questions of the tenants.
He’s the one who got the mine working again and found the right buyers for the clay.
That is what has saved Pomum,” Gideon said.
“Mr. Thornbridge has been kind to me and happy to share his knowledge with this city lad,” Mr. Falstaf said.
Gideon grinned as if he’d been complimented himself.
“My wife and I were nearly newlyweds when we came here, not sure if we were going to make it or be forced to sell. I didn’t want to sell since it was Uncle Charles who left me the property.
Now we feel it will all be good. And to make it even better, we are expecting our first child at the end of the year.
Someone else to carry on Uncle’s legacy,” he said proudly.
“That’s wonderful news, Mr. Falstaf. I’m so glad to hear he has been of help. Truthfully, helping was raised into him. His father is a vicar you know,” Cecilia said.
“I didn’t know that!” Gideon exclaimed. “That explains it!”
“Explains what?” James asked.
“Him and Miss Jones, Chelsea’s governess. One time she said to me that she and Mr. Thornbridge had a lot in common. I couldn’t figure that out, but never asked. Her step-father is a vicar, too,” Gideon said.
Cecilia did not comment. Instead she turned again to Mr. Falstaf.
“Mr. Falstaf, in light of your wife’s condition, will you and she be able to come to the dinner party night?”
“My wife is looking forward to it since she is now over the sickness she felt at first.”
“Oh, I understand that time,” Cecilia said earnestly.
“Do you have children?” he asked.
Cecilia felt her delight sweep through her at the question. “Yes, a son, Hugh. He is nearly six months old now. I miss him every minute we are away,” she said with a sigh.
James put an arm around her shoulder and drew her close to him.
Mr. Falstaf looked disconcerted. “I’m surprised then that he is not with you.”
Cecilia laughed weakly. “It was in the nature of a test. A test that I guess you could say I failed! I will not travel again without him, you may be sure of that,” she told him.
“Ah,” he said, as if he understood, but Cecilia did not feel he did.
“I should be getting back to my wife. She has likely risen from her nap now and I can tell her about the cider mill, the clay mine, and Mr. Abney’s tales. It will make for a diverting afternoon tea,” he said.
Cecilia laughed. “I’m sure it will. I look forward to seeing you at the dinner and meeting your dear wife.”
“Thank you, Lady Branstoke,” he said, bobbing his head a moment in her direction before turning to give his goodbyes to James and Gideon.
“I think I’m going to go ahead and return to Pomum Court,” Cecilia said softly to James after Mr. Falstaf left.
“Are you feeling all right?” Worry colored his words.
“I’m fine. I just want to write a note to the Aldriches they might share with Mary Ann.”
“Speaking of children has tripped you up.”
She smiled. “A bit. But you do not need me here any longer and I’ve seen all that I believe there is to see. We will talk more later, after I’ve had a chance to think over everything.”
“Be careful driving back.”
“I will, and I’ll watch out for wires strung across the road,” she said with a laugh.
“Please don’t even joke about that. I shudder at the thought of what might have happened to Gideon,” James said.
“All right, I won’t.” She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Gideon!” she called out. “I’m returning to Pomum Court now.”
“Thank you for coming down here. We’ll talk later over what Mr. Thornbridge found at the cider mill.”
She nodded and went to her pony cart. James helped her hitch her horse back to the cart, and Cecilia left the gentlemen to further their investigations.