The End of Volume 1 #2
Once I made the discovery and the depths of my father’s evil cruelty were proved beyond doubt, I was too embarrassed to reach out to Thomas.
I knew full well that he had taken our mother’s maiden name before she married and was known as Tom Bennet.
After all my father had visited on him and my little sister, I decided to leave them be in peace.
Now to the crux of the matter for writing this letter.
For whatever reason, over the years, we Rhys-Davies have had small families.
It is conceivable that at some point in the future there will be no heir, which is also only true if my brother’s direct descendants have all died out, and as you are reading this letter, it is you.
Before you tear up this letter and refuse the title of Marquess of Birchington if a Duke still lives consider this, I do not ask—and charge my descendant to honour this—for you to change your name from Bennet to Rhys-Davies!
In my mind, it will be poetic justice for the Bedford dukedom to be carried forward by one of my brother’s descendants.
My father’s pride, I believe, stopped him making his disowning of my brother irrevocable, which means that his improper pride has directly led to you reading this letter.
On behalf of all who have ever born with the family name Rhys-Davies, I offer my sincerest apologies for the cruelty perpetrated by my father.
Lord Sedgwick Rhys-Davies IV
Duke of Bedford
No one in the room spoke allowing the new marquess and marchioness to assimilate the words on the page and, as they did, Thomas Bennet racked his brain.
He had extensively studied his family history; he now understood why there was no direct line between the last Earl of Meryton and Tom Bennet.
He had always assumed that it was some sort of error, but after reading the letter he at last understood.
He could not have found a connection which never existed.
“Why now, your Grace?” Bennet asked.
“First, I echo my ancestor’s words and apologise for the actions of the third duke.” The elder duke offered, and Bennet held up his hand.
“You are not responsible, your Grace,” Bennet wanted his point of view understood on that score. “I do not hold you any more responsible for the despicable actions of that man than I would any random man on the street.”
“You are magnanimous. As I am technically an uncle, or at least a cousin, may we dispense with the your graces. I ask you to call me Uncle Sed, or, failing that, Lord Sed.” He relaxed when both Bennets nodded their agreement.
“Please call me Aunt Rose or Lady Rose,” the Duchess requested.
“As to why now, my Rose and I never had any children gifted to us, and I am not long for this world. I had hoped for more time to get my affairs in order, but that will not be the case. I am told that my heart is weak and will not hold out much longer. My only regret is that I did not open the letter earlier than I did,” the Duke explained.
“If I read this correctly, I am a marquess, and, with your passing, soon a duke?” Bennet asked nervously.
“There is one more matter, my Lord,” the man who the Bennets had seen and had been silent said.
“I am Lord Oscar Timken, assistant to the Lord Chamberlain. I serve at the pleasure of the Regent. The Regent has reconstituted the Earldom of Meryton in you, Lord Birchington. The secondary title, Viscount Netherfield, is bestowed on your son Mark. As your older son will become the Marquess when you ascend to the dukedom, your younger son will become the Earl of Meryton at that time.”
“Thomas, it seems that we cannot hide from the Ton any longer!” Priscilla stated, still very much in shock at the revelations of the Bennet’s unknown connections.
“So it seems, my love. Your Gra—Lord Sed, you were born to this, you were trained and had years to learn your duties and obligations. It seems that I have a short time to do the same. How…” The Duke held up his hand.
“What you say about the time I had to prepare is the truth, Thomas... may I call you Thomas?” He smiled in appreciation when Bennet nodded his approval.
“That being said, you will not be on your own. I will teach you what I am able to until I am called home to God. My Rose,” he indicated his wife, “is committed to help you in any way she can. You have your mother and father-in-law, your brothers and sisters-in-law, and their families who will all be able, and I suspect, will also be more than willing to help and advise you as needed. If that were not enough, with your oldest being courted by Lord Hilldale, I have a feeling that the Matlocks will be available to assist as well,” the Duke pointed out.
“What Lord Sed says is nothing but the truth, Thomas. We will not be wanting for people willing to be of service, but it is also true that you are one of the most capable and intelligent men I have ever met, so once you accept this is our new reality, you will learn with all haste,” Priscilla assured her husband.
Bennet looked at Sir Randolph “I assume that Lord Sed used the same services I do in order to discover so much about us!” Bennet smiled wryly.
“As you say, my Lord,” Sir Randolph confirmed, not fully able to check his smile.
“How do we proceed?” Bennet asked.
Lord Timken stood and excused himself, as his part in the meeting was complete.
“The timetable of the revelations is very much up to you,” Lord Sed stated.
“I do suggest that unless you have a pressing need to return to your estates that you remain in Town so we may spend as much time together as we are able with my health restrictions,” the Duke looked to his wife.
“We have much to go over. The list that the clerk is handing you enumerates my, soon to be your, holdings.”
With a nod from the Duke, a clerk laid some papers in front of the new Marquess.
Bennet and Priscilla read quietly, both of them just managing to catch their gasps before they escaped as they perused the list of the assets of the richest dukedom in the realm.
“A shipping line, ship building yards, seven estates! Good lord, the income from all combined plus the investments is north of two hundred thousand per annum! The profit is not much below that mark. And additional millions in liquid assets? What would one do with all of this in a hundred lifetimes?” Bennet asked rhetorically as he read the list before him with disbelief.