Chapter 6 #3
The two men found the butler and told him to have all the staff and servants congregate in the main entrance hall, which had enough space to accommodate all of them.
It did not take long before all those employed at the house were present.
When the group was informed that they would never see Mr and Mrs de Bourgh again, as they had been arrested, it was hard to see any sorrow at their parting, not even from the two personal servants.
Matlock then explained that the estate belonged to his son, and until said son was of age, he would be the trustee.
He told the assembled servants and staff that he would return with his wife and children in a few days.
Lady Matlock would supervise the redecoration of the manor, and then it would be closed.
A core group would be employed, and the rest would be presented with characters and an additional quarter’s pay to see them through until they found new employment.
Matlock did not say that only those his wife and sister deemed not in the mould the former mistress wanted would be kept.
When the butler and housekeeper dismissed the servants, there was some grumbling among them, but they were fully aware that Lord Matlock had had no need to offer them any additional wages as he had.
“What of the steward?” Holderness asked.
“De Bourgh was not a good man, but he did care about the estate and never allowed his wife to interfere with its running. I wager that we will find a satisfied tenantry and a competent steward. I will have to make sure I judge him to be honest due to the fact Rosings Park will not be occupied for some years,” Matlock replied.
I suggest between the two of us, we call here at least twice a year to look over everything,” Holderness proposed.
His brother-in-law’s suggestion was gratefully accepted by Matlock.
The two earls found the steward, one Peter Kingston, in his office attached to the stables.
Both men agreed that he was as Matlock had guessed, a man well matched to his role.
Only time would tell if he was as honest as they hoped he was, but as they made sure he understood they would be auditing everything every few months, only a stupid man would try to embezzle in that situation, and Kingston was anything but a simpleton.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The two earls were shown into the back parlour where the Collins family was taking tea. Mr and Mrs Collins stood and bowed and curtsied to the peers, but in a perfectly normal way. Matlock introduced himself and his brother-in-law, and Collins did the same for his wife, son, and himself.
“May I pour tea for you, my Lords?” Ophelia Collins offered.
“Thank you, Mrs Collins; that will be appreciated,” Matlock responded as he took a seat next to Holderness.
Ophelia asked the preferences of each earl and poured their tea accordingly.
Once tea was completed and the tray carried away by the maid of all work, Collins requested that the nursemaid take William out to play. “I did not miss a contingent of royal guardsmen accompanying you when you arrived, my Lords,” he remarked once the parlour door had been closed.
“That is correct, we did arrive with soldiers,” Matlock confirmed. “May I speak plainly in front of your wife, Mr Collins?”
“Indeed, you may, Lord Matlock. There are no secrets between my Ophelia and me,” Collins responded. “If you agree, her remaining will save me the trouble of repeating everything later.”
Matlock, with some assistance from Holderness, explained what had occurred earlier up to what the disposition of the estate would be.
“You may call me callous, my Lords, but Mr and Mrs de Bourgh deserve no less than they are about to receive after having plotted against an innocent babe. What kind of monster tries to have a babe murdered?” Ophelia proclaimed.
“As I agree with you, I cannot censure you for your sentiments, Mrs Collins,” Matlock responded as Holderness nodded his agreement.
“What hubris to speak of their misdeeds the way they did.” Collins shook his head. “It makes my testimony superfluous, about which I cannot be sorry. It means I will not have to be away from my wife and son.”
“What you say is true, Mr Collins, but if not for you, we would not have been here to hear them incriminate themselves so completely,” Matlock said.
“You understand that regardless of all the changes in ownership, nothing changes for you, do you not, Mr Collins? If you need something out of the ordinary, you only have to write to me. And as we said, either Holderness or I will be here for some weeks every four to six months.”
“For my part, I am happy that Miss de Bourgh… well no, that is Miss Fitzwilliam now, will have a happy home with parents who will love her and not treat her like a china doll,” Ophelia opined.
After agreeing wholeheartedly with Mrs Collins, the two callers took their leave and made the quick walk back to the manor house.
They found the Matlock coach ready, the trunks loaded and Anne and Miss Jenkinson within.
After a final word to the butler and housekeeper, the two earls boarded, and they were off on their way to London and their wives and sons.