| General Fiction posted August 8, 2018 | Chapters: |
...20 21 -22- 23... 
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Chapter in the book
A chapter in the book Briarly Hall
Sir Alfred's fears.
by zanya
| Background Sir Alfred expresses his concerns about the future of Briarly Hall to his longtime equerry, Harry. |
"So Harry, how much money do you think it would fetch, selling a few of the best horseflesh we have here at Briarly"?
Sir Alfred stared straight at equerry Harry, expecting an immediate response.
"Can't say as I know exactly", Harry replied. "Quite a lot of quality horses coming on the market these days. My equerry mate, Edmond, down in London, says they are running out of buyers, so many horses being sold".
"But Harry", Squire continued, "a good horse is an investment".
"Not any more, Squire, farming's changing too", Harry continued." Machines are the new horses. Though the war be over, changes be only beginning".
"Squire", Harry continued." I hear tenant Williams is interested in buying the Gate Lodge".
"Williams"? Alfred retorted, surprised.
"Yes, Williams", Harry continued."Seems his son, Alistair, is well established in Bank of London and is hoping to soon be Chair".
"Really, Harry", Alfred continued, "Williams is such a dark horse. He's been around Briarly since my late father's time. Never know what he's up to".
"With all your foreign travel, Squire, s'pose you don't really have time to sense the change happening at Briarly".
"Harry", Squire continued," would you keep your ear to the ground and find out what Williams may have in mind. A little forward planning wouldn't go amiss".
"Sure, Squire, Sure", Harry replied. "Rents must be down with the recent deaths on the estate", Harry continued.
"Sure are Harry, sure are", Squire replied.
"And what's more, Lady Betsey and I are not getting any younger", Squire continued, "estate matters need to be settled, and since there are no offspring....." Squire trailed off.
"But what of young 'un, Giovanni", Harry continued," surely blue blood runs through his veins, he has Lady Betsey's eyes..must have stolen those from the family tree, eh?"
"That's as may be, Harry", Squire continued, emboldened now by the airing of the matter of inheritance," but blood must be blue, as blue as can be, preferably, Harry".
"Shouldn't be any worries on that score, Squire ", Harry continued, feeling a little uncomfortable straying into the territory of titled blood lines.
Harry never really feared for Briarly's future, thinking it was safe in the fertile loins of Lord Airdale, yet Airdale was mostly an absent heir.
"And what of Lady Mathilde?" Harry continued, "of course English law requires male issue, or is that likely to change?..probably not in our life time Squire", Harry continued.
"Bloody english inheritance law has our hands tied, Harry", Squire continued, banging his fist against the stables' cut stone wall.
"My best efforts, politically, with the members of the Peerage, have come to nought. They refuse to budge, thinking male heirs are ten a penny. Not any more Harry..not any more ..the war has seen to that".
"How about getting the State to buy a few acres of Briarly, to turn into a hospital for the returning veterans?", Harry proffered. "Believe that's what's happening with some of the coastal Manor houses, down south".
"Good Heavens, Harry", Squire continued, " we'd have the stench of death, all day in our nostrils at Briarly..be time to sell up then and move on".
Sir Alfred knew the cost of war was not cheap and government revenue was going to increase, come what may.
How much demand for extra revenue could Briarly bear and how was life at Briarly going to be affected . Sir Alfred was fully aware that the day was fast aapproaching when these matters could no longer be ignored.
Sir Alfred watched, as Harry made his way, with heavy step, towards the approaching horses and their young stable hands.
Sir Alfred stared straight at equerry Harry, expecting an immediate response.
"Can't say as I know exactly", Harry replied. "Quite a lot of quality horses coming on the market these days. My equerry mate, Edmond, down in London, says they are running out of buyers, so many horses being sold".
"But Harry", Squire continued, "a good horse is an investment".
"Not any more, Squire, farming's changing too", Harry continued." Machines are the new horses. Though the war be over, changes be only beginning".
"Squire", Harry continued." I hear tenant Williams is interested in buying the Gate Lodge".
"Williams"? Alfred retorted, surprised.
"Yes, Williams", Harry continued."Seems his son, Alistair, is well established in Bank of London and is hoping to soon be Chair".
"Really, Harry", Alfred continued, "Williams is such a dark horse. He's been around Briarly since my late father's time. Never know what he's up to".
"With all your foreign travel, Squire, s'pose you don't really have time to sense the change happening at Briarly".
"Harry", Squire continued," would you keep your ear to the ground and find out what Williams may have in mind. A little forward planning wouldn't go amiss".
"Sure, Squire, Sure", Harry replied. "Rents must be down with the recent deaths on the estate", Harry continued.
"Sure are Harry, sure are", Squire replied.
"And what's more, Lady Betsey and I are not getting any younger", Squire continued, "estate matters need to be settled, and since there are no offspring....." Squire trailed off.
"But what of young 'un, Giovanni", Harry continued," surely blue blood runs through his veins, he has Lady Betsey's eyes..must have stolen those from the family tree, eh?"
"That's as may be, Harry", Squire continued, emboldened now by the airing of the matter of inheritance," but blood must be blue, as blue as can be, preferably, Harry".
"Shouldn't be any worries on that score, Squire ", Harry continued, feeling a little uncomfortable straying into the territory of titled blood lines.
Harry never really feared for Briarly's future, thinking it was safe in the fertile loins of Lord Airdale, yet Airdale was mostly an absent heir.
"And what of Lady Mathilde?" Harry continued, "of course English law requires male issue, or is that likely to change?..probably not in our life time Squire", Harry continued.
"Bloody english inheritance law has our hands tied, Harry", Squire continued, banging his fist against the stables' cut stone wall.
"My best efforts, politically, with the members of the Peerage, have come to nought. They refuse to budge, thinking male heirs are ten a penny. Not any more Harry..not any more ..the war has seen to that".
"How about getting the State to buy a few acres of Briarly, to turn into a hospital for the returning veterans?", Harry proffered. "Believe that's what's happening with some of the coastal Manor houses, down south".
"Good Heavens, Harry", Squire continued, " we'd have the stench of death, all day in our nostrils at Briarly..be time to sell up then and move on".
Sir Alfred knew the cost of war was not cheap and government revenue was going to increase, come what may.
How much demand for extra revenue could Briarly bear and how was life at Briarly going to be affected . Sir Alfred was fully aware that the day was fast aapproaching when these matters could no longer be ignored.
Sir Alfred watched, as Harry made his way, with heavy step, towards the approaching horses and their young stable hands.
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