| General Fiction posted August 25, 2018 | Chapters: |
...23 24 -25- 26... 
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Chapter in the book
A chapter in the book Briarly Hall
Search for blue blood
by zanya
| Background Sir Alfred sets out to find out if Giovanni is Lord Airdale's son and rightful heir to Briarly Hall. |
The carriage rounded the corner. Briarly Hall faded from view. Sir Alfred called out to coachman, Harry.
"Harry, we must disembark at the offices of Cootes & Son, Solicitors, as soon as we arrive in London. Matter's urgent. Try not to take too long to get there."
Harry, recognising Alfred's gruff, urgent tone, set the horses at a gallop, and replied, "Ay, Squire, wintry tracks test the horses' hooves. Carriage needs a good oiling, soon, to lubricate the axle."
Squire Alfred opened his leather bag, took out a sheaf of papers, spread them on the small table, between the carriage seats.
"Damn Primogeniture," he muttered, "ravages of war rattle it to its foundations."
Harry called out, " Sir, chimes of Big Ben. Soon we shall reach the outskirts of London."
Sir Alfred gathered up his papers, placing them back in his leather bag.
"Harry," Sir Alfred called out," I have important business with my legal representative, which may take a couple of hours. I have not advised him in advance of my visit. I trust I shall find him in situ. "
"At your service, Squire," Harry replied.
Harry halted the horses outside the offices of Cootes & Son.
Sir Alfred disembarked. He pulled the cord of the metal bell on the grey wooden door.
Soon the door was opened by Miss Edmonton.
"Good afternoon, Sir Alfred," Miss Edmonton said in a tiny voice. " Is Solicitor Cootes expecting you?"
Glancing at the list she held in her left hand, she searched in vain for Sir Alfred's name.
Alfred was surprised how much Miss Edmonton had aged since their last encounter. Her thin shoulders now drooped. Her voluminous, grey hair was still impeccably styled in a large bun held in place by silver clasps.
"No, Miss Edmonton," Sir Alfred replied , "Solicitor Cootes is not expecting me. I have matters of some import to discuss. I would appreciate if you could arrange an appointment before close of business today."
" At your service, Sir Alfred," Miss Edmonton replied, turning to ascend the marble staircase.
" Sir Alfred," she continued," you may be seated in the room next to the office. I shall request Ernestine, to serve Earl Grey tea and scones."
"I would appreciate, Miss Edmonston, an appointment as soon as is possible," Sir Alfred added impatiently.
"At your service, Sir Alfred," Miss Edmonton replied.
Within minutes, Miss Edmonton returned, to advise Sir Alfred, that Lord Cootes was available to see him.
Sir Alfred entered Lord Coote's office.
"Sir Alfred," Lord Cootes began, " how good to see you. Why you have not been in these parts for a number of years. I trust all is well at Briarly. These are testing times for middle England in the aftermath of war."
Sir Alfred relaxed a little, reassured his situation may not be as unusual as he, at first, thought.
"So then, Alfred, how is life at Briarly? Your children are well into adulthood. Have they so far, produced issue? Is Briarly's future secure?"
"Cootes," Alfred began. " How times have changed since we were young men, eh! By early middle age, in our thirties, we had already produced heirs, with a few wild oats strewn along the way."
The two men guffawed loudly. Cootes rose from his red leather seat, and reached for the Cognac bottle on his desk.
"You could do with a shot following your early morning journey from Norfolk?" Cootes remarked, as he poured the tawny liquid.
The two men clinked their glasses and swallowed a draught.
Cootes continued, " what fun it was, Alfred, sowing our wild oats, while hoping for crop failure. By today's standards our wild oats were a mere flimsy scattering. Alfred, wild oats aside, you have come here today to discuss more urgent matters," Cootes said.
"Yes," Alfred replied," Briarly is facing some stark realities . My son, Lord Airdale, has not been in touch for many a long year. Some time ago, a young Italian noblewoman, named Lady Laetaxia, arrived at Briarly, with a child, Giovanni..."
"Ah, ha", Cootes interrupted," Lord Airdale's wild oats now bearing fruit."
"Yes", Alfred replied, "so it would appear.The boy is now five years old. He is such a joy..."Alfred hesitated.
Cootes looked directly at Alfred,"Alfred you are smitten with this grandson, are you not? Have to admit, I was a little like that too, when our grandchild was born. More of that later."
"The problem is, Cootes," Alfred continued, "doting grandparents are all very well, but what of lineage and bloodline? How blue is blue blood these days? How blue is Giovanni's blood?"
"M-m-m ," Cootes continued," maybe not quite so blue as we might wish. You are not alone. Middle England is now beset with inheritance issues. War has added to the turmoil. And Primogeniture regulations do nothing to ease the difficulties."
"What can be done, Cootes,?" Alfred inquired plaintively.
"It may be a long road, Alfred," Cootes continued, "to trace Giovanni's lineage. Then proving it, is another matter entirely. Paternity is a hard nut to crack. Damn difficult to prove. Apart from family resemblance, local knowledge, hearsay, In time, no doubt, science may make some discovery of interest in the area. Not in our lifetime, Alfred, alas. Perhaps not even in Giovanni's?"
Cootes stood up and retrieved a file from the upper shelf.
"Here is your father's Will and Testament," he said. "This is where we have to start. Do you wish me to open the file and advance the process, Alfred,?" Cootes enquired.
"At once," Alfred replied.
" Very well," Cootes replied. "
Alfred rose to leave.
" Cootes," Alfred continued, " You have much influence with the Peerage, can anything be done to change the legal process of Primogeniture?"
"Wheels of old England's bureacracy grind slowly, Alfred," Cootes replied, as he accompanied Alfred to the main door. However, I shall begin proceedings immediately."
Coachman Harry opened the carriage door for Sir Alfred as twilight descended on London.
"Harry, we must disembark at the offices of Cootes & Son, Solicitors, as soon as we arrive in London. Matter's urgent. Try not to take too long to get there."
Harry, recognising Alfred's gruff, urgent tone, set the horses at a gallop, and replied, "Ay, Squire, wintry tracks test the horses' hooves. Carriage needs a good oiling, soon, to lubricate the axle."
Squire Alfred opened his leather bag, took out a sheaf of papers, spread them on the small table, between the carriage seats.
"Damn Primogeniture," he muttered, "ravages of war rattle it to its foundations."
Harry called out, " Sir, chimes of Big Ben. Soon we shall reach the outskirts of London."
Sir Alfred gathered up his papers, placing them back in his leather bag.
"Harry," Sir Alfred called out," I have important business with my legal representative, which may take a couple of hours. I have not advised him in advance of my visit. I trust I shall find him in situ. "
"At your service, Squire," Harry replied.
Harry halted the horses outside the offices of Cootes & Son.
Sir Alfred disembarked. He pulled the cord of the metal bell on the grey wooden door.
Soon the door was opened by Miss Edmonton.
"Good afternoon, Sir Alfred," Miss Edmonton said in a tiny voice. " Is Solicitor Cootes expecting you?"
Glancing at the list she held in her left hand, she searched in vain for Sir Alfred's name.
Alfred was surprised how much Miss Edmonton had aged since their last encounter. Her thin shoulders now drooped. Her voluminous, grey hair was still impeccably styled in a large bun held in place by silver clasps.
"No, Miss Edmonton," Sir Alfred replied , "Solicitor Cootes is not expecting me. I have matters of some import to discuss. I would appreciate if you could arrange an appointment before close of business today."
" At your service, Sir Alfred," Miss Edmonton replied, turning to ascend the marble staircase.
" Sir Alfred," she continued," you may be seated in the room next to the office. I shall request Ernestine, to serve Earl Grey tea and scones."
"I would appreciate, Miss Edmonston, an appointment as soon as is possible," Sir Alfred added impatiently.
"At your service, Sir Alfred," Miss Edmonton replied.
Within minutes, Miss Edmonton returned, to advise Sir Alfred, that Lord Cootes was available to see him.
Sir Alfred entered Lord Coote's office.
"Sir Alfred," Lord Cootes began, " how good to see you. Why you have not been in these parts for a number of years. I trust all is well at Briarly. These are testing times for middle England in the aftermath of war."
Sir Alfred relaxed a little, reassured his situation may not be as unusual as he, at first, thought.
"So then, Alfred, how is life at Briarly? Your children are well into adulthood. Have they so far, produced issue? Is Briarly's future secure?"
"Cootes," Alfred began. " How times have changed since we were young men, eh! By early middle age, in our thirties, we had already produced heirs, with a few wild oats strewn along the way."
The two men guffawed loudly. Cootes rose from his red leather seat, and reached for the Cognac bottle on his desk.
"You could do with a shot following your early morning journey from Norfolk?" Cootes remarked, as he poured the tawny liquid.
The two men clinked their glasses and swallowed a draught.
Cootes continued, " what fun it was, Alfred, sowing our wild oats, while hoping for crop failure. By today's standards our wild oats were a mere flimsy scattering. Alfred, wild oats aside, you have come here today to discuss more urgent matters," Cootes said.
"Yes," Alfred replied," Briarly is facing some stark realities . My son, Lord Airdale, has not been in touch for many a long year. Some time ago, a young Italian noblewoman, named Lady Laetaxia, arrived at Briarly, with a child, Giovanni..."
"Ah, ha", Cootes interrupted," Lord Airdale's wild oats now bearing fruit."
"Yes", Alfred replied, "so it would appear.The boy is now five years old. He is such a joy..."Alfred hesitated.
Cootes looked directly at Alfred,"Alfred you are smitten with this grandson, are you not? Have to admit, I was a little like that too, when our grandchild was born. More of that later."
"The problem is, Cootes," Alfred continued, "doting grandparents are all very well, but what of lineage and bloodline? How blue is blue blood these days? How blue is Giovanni's blood?"
"M-m-m ," Cootes continued," maybe not quite so blue as we might wish. You are not alone. Middle England is now beset with inheritance issues. War has added to the turmoil. And Primogeniture regulations do nothing to ease the difficulties."
"What can be done, Cootes,?" Alfred inquired plaintively.
"It may be a long road, Alfred," Cootes continued, "to trace Giovanni's lineage. Then proving it, is another matter entirely. Paternity is a hard nut to crack. Damn difficult to prove. Apart from family resemblance, local knowledge, hearsay, In time, no doubt, science may make some discovery of interest in the area. Not in our lifetime, Alfred, alas. Perhaps not even in Giovanni's?"
Cootes stood up and retrieved a file from the upper shelf.
"Here is your father's Will and Testament," he said. "This is where we have to start. Do you wish me to open the file and advance the process, Alfred,?" Cootes enquired.
"At once," Alfred replied.
" Very well," Cootes replied. "
Alfred rose to leave.
" Cootes," Alfred continued, " You have much influence with the Peerage, can anything be done to change the legal process of Primogeniture?"
"Wheels of old England's bureacracy grind slowly, Alfred," Cootes replied, as he accompanied Alfred to the main door. However, I shall begin proceedings immediately."
Coachman Harry opened the carriage door for Sir Alfred as twilight descended on London.
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