Chapter 20
KAI
Igaze up at the blue sky. High up, white clouds drift lazily by.
It’s the first real warm day of spring and we’ve rowed out to the island on the lake for a picnic.
I’m lying on a blanket and I stretch languidly, not wanting to move just yet.
I reach for Jason’s hand, interlacing my fingers with his.
“Hey, beauty.” Jason rolls over onto one elbow and looks down at me. I love how he calls me that and I smile up at him.
“If you’d told me a few months ago that this would be my life, I’d have thought you were mad.”
“I didn’t know you a few months ago,” he says, even though he knows exactly what I mean.
The change from failing to get acting jobs and wondering how I could afford my rent or next meal to owning this vast estate and a title hasn’t been easy, but the best thing of it all has easily been meeting Jason.
“That’s my favourite part of this fairy story, meeting you.
” I watch his slightly bashful smile at my words.
I love that sensitive side of him and that he isn’t arrogant.
I think that’s made the transition from him being a member of the staff to sharing my bed go so smoothly.
They’re all like family and are happy for us both.
He still works for me, though. He says he still needs something to do and the estate is too much for Jordan to look after on his own.
“All of this would feel empty without you by my side. I’d just be a mad recluse rattling around a big old house. ”
“I would never call you mad,” he says, leaning down and brushing my lips with his. “You can invite friends.”
“If I had friends, they’d be here already.
I have Tate, but he’s in LA.” My last text from him was that he’d got a part in another film and had no plans to come back to the UK any time soon, and last week we cancelled the rent on our flat as I don’t need it either.
The sale of the paintings went well two weeks ago.
The Rubens sold for a high enough price to make the total I needed to pay for the tax, and left enough in the bank for me to be comfortable for a short while.
The bill was paid last week. The hall is safe and all mine, and tonight there’s a dinner to celebrate for us all.
It wasn’t my idea; Martha wanted to host it.
I secretly think she loves cooking for lots of people.
“So it’ll be just you and me rattling around in it, then.” He grins.
“I can live with that,” I say, pulling him down for a brief kiss. “But also, I’ve been giving thought to the amazing idea my gorgeous, sexy, genius of a boyfriend came up with.”
“Boyfriend?”
“You don’t like being called that?” I frown. Have I said something wrong?
“I love it. I’m just not used to it.” He smiles and kisses me, so deeply I forget what I’m about to say. We eventually part, breathless and with bruised lips.
“We should go,” Jason says, sitting up and beginning to pack away the picnic, putting the boxes and plates back into the basket that Martha prepared for us earlier.
I rise and fold up the blanket we’d been lying on, then I walk over to the small folly on the island, remembering that my uncle also used to hold some of his parties here.
It has a Roman feel to it—a pitched roof held up by ionic columns, and stone benches adorned with details of scrolls and vine leaves.
It would make a great set, and I add it to my list of ideas.
Jason rows us back to the boathouse, and once the boat is secured we walk hand in hand back up the hill to the hall.
“I still think we need peacocks,” I say. “I would love to see them strutting about, and I always think the sound they make is synonymous with country houses.”
“As they’ll be part of the gardens, will I have to look after them? If so, I'll have to ask for a raise.” He smirks.
“Oh, I think I’ll change your title. Boyfriend and Keeper of the Peacocks.” His laughter wraps around me and I join in. Then I see Jones rushing towards us and we both stop suddenly. He reaches us, slightly out of breath and with a worried look on his face. This can’t be good news.
“There you are. Mr Nagle and another gentleman are here. I tried to get rid of them but Mr Nagle said he’d wait. They’ve been here half an hour.”
“Damn! Did you offer them any refreshments?”
“No,” Jones says in that way he has, managing to convey a whole sentence with the tone of his voice. In short, that he didn’t consider them worthy of refreshments and that by not bending to social convention he was sending them that message. I nod my approval.
“Okay, let’s go get rid of them.”
“I should get on,” Jason says but I hold on tighter to his hand.
“I’d like you with me for this.” I don’t know what Mr Nagle could want, but something feels off, so I’d feel better with Jason by my side.
After the tax money had been transferred and we received confirmation that the will had been completed, I instructed Roberta to make sure we had all the remaining paperwork that Mr Nagle held and wrote a letter saying his services were no longer required.
This might be about that, but it could’ve been dealt with by letter rather than a personal visit.
Jones opens the door to the west drawing room and I enter, Jason and Jones following behind.
Mr Nagle is sitting in the same chair as when he gave me news of the hall, and the other guy is on one end of the sofa next to it.
He doesn’t rise. Jones has been teaching me etiquette, and in formal situations, especially if you haven’t been introduced, you should rise when a titled person enters the room.
Whilst I don’t care for that usually, he doesn’t know that and I feel his disrespect speaks volumes.
Or maybe he’s picked up on the fact we’ve left them here for over half an hour with no refreshments.
I take a seat in the chair opposite, and Jason takes up a position behind me while Jones makes himself busy across the room.
“This is an unexpected visit, Mr Nagle. I believe all our business has been concluded by Miss Jones.”
His eyes flick from me to Jason and back again with a frown.
“Er, yes, but this is for a different matter. I’d like to introduce Mr Sherwood.
” I sense Jason stiffen behind me at the name and hear a low rumble, almost like a growl.
He must be the owner of the company that was desperate to buy the hall.
This is about to get interesting. I take care to keep my face impassive.
“Mr Sherwood,” I say, nodding to him and acknowledging his presence.
“Lord Buckley,” he says. At least he managed to get that part right. Mr Nagle sits forward in his chair.
“Can we talk in private?” He looks pointedly at Jones and then at Jason.
“There is nothing that cannot be said in front of my staff,” I say as clearly and as lordly as I can. He sighs with an air that’s supposed to make me think I’m the one who’s going to be embarrassed. I decide to take control of this. “What is it that you and Mr Sherwood want?”
“You didn’t accept my offer of buying the hall, even though it was well above market price. I’d like to tell you that the offer is still on the table. It would make you a very wealthy man.”
“Why do you want it so much?” I already know the answer. I’d asked Roberta to look into it, and if he was to turn it into housing and possibly a retail park he could make four times the amount he’s offering me.
“Don’t you think we have a duty to create housing for the many people who need it, not tie up land in archaic old houses for just a few?
” He’s trying to be socially minded, and I don’t deny more housing is needed, but there are other ways of accommodating that.
The environmental impact of losing great swathes of ancient parkland can be devastating.
“While making you a vast sum of money,” I say, showing him that I know his game.
“We’d all profit. Like I say, my offer to you is above market value,” he says, changing tactics to “we’re all alike and could be rich.” It’s disgusting and I fight the urge to pull a face.
“The hall is not for sale.” I lean back in my chair, trying to look relaxed, but I’m waiting. They didn’t really think they could come here and I’d say yes easily.
“A hall like this takes a lot of money to maintain. Can you afford that?” Mr Nagle asks.
“I have plans. I think we’ll manage,” I reply vaguely. I don’t want to talk to him about what they are. He doesn’t deserve that.
“I know what went on here, with your uncle and the company he used to keep,” Mr Sherwood sneers, his contempt for who my uncle was showing in his voice. “I have names. I’ll go to the press. I’ll make it so they believe you’ve leaked the names. Can you afford the scandal?”
Ah, so it’s blackmail, then. I rather think it would make the hall infamous, though it might be tricky for those still alive or their families.
This is awful and my mind starts to spin.
Then I feel a warm, strong hand on my back.
Jason. His touch grounds me and I breathe deeply, my head clearing so I can think.
I look at Mr Nagle. The names would have come from him and I wonder what he has to gain from this.
He glares back at me, his eyes full of spite, and I understand it all.
Mr Nagle, the solicitor, trusted but not that much.
Always on the outside, never part of the inner circle.
Never invited to any of the parties here, though I can see how desperate he was to be included.
As executor of my uncle’s will, he never received anything from it apart from his usual fees.
This is spite and greed. I also see a hint of uncertainty. I think they’re calling my bluff.
“This is very serious, you’re right. A scandal would be bad,” I say and lean forward as if I’m nervous.
I hate the gleam I see in both their eyes as they think they’ve got me corned.
“Of course, I will need some assurances that this will not be made public if I do sell, that my uncle’s secrets would be completely safe. ”
“Of course,” Mr Sherwood says eagerly, and I’m not sure I could despise anyone more.
“Good, that’s a relief.” I make a show of releasing a breath and then sit back again. “But first I need some verification that you do actually have anything to blackmail me with, because let’s be clear, this is blackmail.”
“B-but,” Mr Sherwood blusters, looking between myself and Mr Nagle, who is looking at me with pure spite. He’s very wisely keeping quiet and leaving Mr Sherwood to dig his own hole.
“A name, just one, and I might believe you.”
“Err, um. Lord Fansthorpe?” Mr Sherwood plucks the name of one of our gentry out of the air. I look over to Jones who shakes his head, confirming that he was never a member of the parties.
“You have nothing; without any names it’s rumours only. Now, if you’ll excuse me gentleman, I’m very busy. I have a hall to run.” I stand, effectively dismissing them.
“You can’t do this. You have to sell,” Mr Nagle spits out, and I wonder if, apart from the spite, he needs the money from the kickback he was going to get from Mr Sherwood.
“How much was it worth to you?” I ask and see his nostrils flare. I was right.
“Mr Jones will show you both out, and if I hear that either of you have set foot on my property again, I’ll have you done for trespassing.
” I don’t wait for their reactions and leave the room.
I start to shake as the reality of what just happened starts to affect me.
I head to the kitchen on wobbly legs, needing to be in the heart of the house, the heart of the family.
And also needing coffee. Jason and Jones appear after a few minutes.
“Have they gone?” I ask as soon as they enter.
“Yes, they have,” Jones confirms.
“You were amazing in there,” Jason says, crossing the room, and I step into his embrace, letting his strength envelop me until I no longer feel like jelly.
“I thought for a moment they really had something. If they did, it would have been a different matter.”
“We would have stood by you, sir. They would have had to get through us first,” Jones says, and I can’t believe how lucky I am to have such wonderful people around me.
I feel exactly the same several hours later when we’re all gathered for the celebratory dinner Martha’s prepared.
I look round the table in the grand dining room—Jason sitting opposite me, Martha, Jones and Roberta on one side, Simone and Courtney on the other with Jordan, and Kim who I also invited as she’s family too.
I feel so incredibly lucky and happy to know them all.
I need to tell them so, and I stand, ready to make a speech. Slowly they stop talking and turn to look at me.
“You all knew my uncle like I never did, but I’m grateful he assembled such an amazing group of people.
I feel lucky to know you and have you here with me.
I don’t have any family of my own, but I’m pleased that you’ve welcomed me openly and made me part of yours.
Without you I would never have been able to stop the hall being sold or contemplate its future.
” I pause for a moment as they cheer, and I swallow back the emotion that threatens to overwhelm me before I’m ready to talk again.
“I have a plan for the hall, to make it sustainable. It’s not my idea but one Jason suggested, and I think it’s excellent.
I’m offering an exclusive service that I think my uncle might have approved of.
I hope you’ll all join me in this venture as I feel this is just the beginning of the next era for Cavendish Hall. To the future.”
I raise my glass and there’s a chorus of agreement as everyone drinks to the toast. As I put my glass down and retake my seat, I catch Jason’s eye.
Another stage of my life that I feel I’m at the start of.
My love. He gives me a secret smile. It’s a promise that we’re going to enjoy it together. I can’t wait.