11. Chapter Eleven #3
“Yes, we’re looking over the old stable block attached to the house to see if it might be suitable to adapt into a tearoom.” Even as he spoke, he wondered if anyone had asked the earl about reopening the house to the public.
“Mrs. Reynolds mentioned that you plan to do house tours again.”
Ah, that was where the earl was getting his information from. Colin should’ve known that his father’s staff would never be able to leave him in the dark for long.
“We used to do them, but that all stopped after your mother died. You’ll need to ensure there are public toilets as well. The house plumbing won’t support such an increase in capacity.”
“That’s true. I think there is plumbing and drainage in the stable yard, but I suspect it will need replacing to get it to modern safety standards. We’ve got to start somewhere, and this seems like a doable project well within our current budget.”
“I agree.” The earl helped himself to another cup of tea. “Well, you’d better get on with it, my boy.”
“Yes, Father.” Colin rose to his feet. “Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me before I go?”
The earl looked up. “If you are looking for sellable items, may I suggest you clean out the countess’s suite of rooms?
I don’t believe they have been touched since my third wife left in such a hurry that she forgot to say goodbye to her own children.
” A hint of acerbity had returned to his father’s voice.
“Everything in there belongs to me, and I’d be glad to get rid of it. ”
“I’ll put it on my list.” Colin nodded.
“Bartle has the keys if you need them.”
“Thank you.”
Colin stepped over several dogs and headed for the door.
He remembered trying to get into his mother’s rooms after she’d died and finding the doors locked.
He’d sneaked up the servants’ stairs, and got in that way, but Marjorie had removed all evidence of his mother’s existence.
He’d assumed she’d thrown everything out, but maybe that wasn’t the case.
The thought of going through her things didn’t appeal to him in the slightest, but it had to be done.
He went downstairs and then outside into the cobbled yard by the stables. The space was squared off by stone-and-brick buildings on three sides and a wide opening onto the drive on the other. Beyond the empty stables stood the carriage house and the coachman’s house.
Freddy and Mabel were standing in the center of the yard, pointing at things and waving their arms around, so Colin went to join them.
“How’s Father?” Freddy asked.
“Sitting up and drinking tea.” Colin smiled at Mabel who went on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “What’s the consensus on this space?”
“We think it would work really well,” Mabel said. “Freddy’s drawn a plan.”
“Father said to remind us to include public toilets,”
“He’s right.” Freddy pointed to one of the rows of stalls. “There’s plumbing connected to the house at that corner, which might make it easier to connect to the drains if we put the toilets there.”
Colin looked at the plan. “That’s definitely the right place, but I suspect we’re going to need to have new sewer lines and power put in anyway.”
“Yup.” Freddy nodded.
“Is anyone living in the coach house?” Colin asked.
“Not since Great Uncle Samuel died,” Freddy replied.
“I was thinking you could make it available as a holiday rental if you didn’t need it for the café,” Mabel tugged his sleeve. “Freddy said there are quite a few empty properties on the estate that could be used like that.”
“It’s a great idea,” Colin agreed. “Let’s focus on the tea and pee side of things right now. Once we start making millions from Mrs. Reynolds’ scones, we can start renovating some properties.”
“With her scones?” Freddy asked.
“Haha. Yes. She has a very light hand.” Colin grinned at his brother. “And if she heard you saying that, we both know you’d be running for the hills.”
“True.” Freddy started toward the large doors that led to the carriage house. “This would work well for the café. It’s quite big inside and there’s not a lot we’d have to get rid of to make it a usable space…”
Colin took Mabel’s hand and followed his brother.
It was nice to be on the same side for a change.
Freddy’s sudden enthusiasm for the project had touched him quite profoundly.
Had ignoring the past and reaching out to include Freddy in his plans for the estate made Freddy feel part of his birthright?
Colin knew how it felt to be alienated from everything he was supposed to embrace.
There was a horrendous creak as Freddy wrestled with one of the huge doors.
Mabel and Colin helped him, and it took their combined strength to open a wide enough gap to slip inside.
The single electric bulb that illuminated the space still worked and the smell of oil was an indicator of how the carriage house had been converted for the later earl’s motor cars.
It was dry inside and the roof was intact, which was promising.
Colin looked up at the ceiling. “Now all we need is an expert or two to tell us how to get this into working order…”
“And luckily I know just the right people,” Mabel said, linking her arm through his. “Two of them will be here this afternoon.”