and turned to address Hugh. “That is what your father the Baron is telling you, milord.”
“Why, Owen!” exclaimed Garnet Kenrick with a laugh, “How perfect a way to putting an end to my blather! I could have gone on for hours! I’m in your debt!”
The valet raised his eyebrows and smiled with half-serious emphasis. “A shilling a month more in my wages would make me happy, your lordship.”
The Baron replied without hesitation. “You shall have two, Owen.”
For a reason he could not then fathom, Hugh learned more about men, from this short exchange between his father and the valet, than he did from his father’s epistle.
* * *
When they returned from the tour, they found that the Earl had gone to London. “Urgent business that needed his special attention,” explained the Baroness to her husband. “He would not say what it might be, although another of Hillier’s men arrived with a message. He said he may have a surprise for you when he returns.”
The Baron grinned. “Danvers will be ours for a while.”
The Kenricks had a placid week during the absence of the Earl. They did not acknowledge the peace, but it was real to them all the same. When the Earl returned, he was beaming after his own fashion. He immediately called his brother into his own study and poured them both glasses of port. “We want a guaranteed purchaser of our serge,” he explained. “That would be Fenwick, in Exeter. Fenwick wants a share of the contracts to supply the army with clothing. That would be Wraxall, in Army Supply. Wraxall has the close ear of the Duke. I have been to see Wraxall—and the Duke, who granted me a short audience, thanks to Wraxall. I have convinced him ofthe quality and dependability of Fenwick, who would never be granted an audience, as he is a mere commercial commoner. The Duke will grant him a large contract, once he has seen our sheep and our serge.” The Earl drained his glass of port, and helped himself to another. He fell back into his chair and seemed to gloat.
The Baron stood with his untasted port. “He is coming
here
?”
“In three months. In January, to be precise. Not exclusively to visit Danvers. He will be making a tour of the south coast to evaluate defenses in the larger port towns. He will be accompanied by a modest entourage. He will stop here for a night or two. We must prepare for this occasion.”
“A royal visit…,” murmured the Baron.
“I know what you’re thinking, dear brother. I can picture you despairing over the chaos in your neatly kept ledger books. You should see the look on your face! How costly an affair! The entertainment, the food, all the incidental expenses of putting up a
large
, important man and his train. But—think of the benefits, think of the gains! A contract to supply the army with its jackets, breeches, and blankets! The contract would be two-fold: one with Fenwick, and one with Danvers. Fenwick is part-owner of a dying establishment in London.”
“I know,” said the Baron, sitting down on the edge of an armchair as though it was too delicate to take his weight.
“Yes, you know.” The Earl grunted once. “But it was an opportunity
you
neglected.”
The Baron put his glass aside on the table. “How did Hillier come upon this opportunity?”
“He has friends in the ministry, and he heard about it. He introduced himself to Wraxall.”
The Baron thought for a moment before he spoke again. “Is there to be another war?”
The Earl shrugged his shoulders. “Not that I know of,” he replied. “Neither does Wraxall, nor the Duke. It’s a matter of laying up supplies.”
“How is the Duke?” asked the Baron abstractly.
“In the best of spirits, despite the albatross of unpopularity nesting on his shoulders.”
“Did he thank you for the birthday gifts you sent him?”
“I did not think it opportune to jog his memory of them. It seems he chose to see me in the middle of an impromptu meeting of the Jockey Club at his
“Why, Owen!” exclaimed Garnet Kenrick with a laugh, “How perfect a way to putting an end to my blather! I could have gone on for hours! I’m in your debt!”
The valet raised his eyebrows and smiled with half-serious emphasis. “A shilling a month more in my wages would make me happy, your lordship.”
The Baron replied without hesitation. “You shall have two, Owen.”
For a reason he could not then fathom, Hugh learned more about men, from this short exchange between his father and the valet, than he did from his father’s epistle.
* * *
When they returned from the tour, they found that the Earl had gone to London. “Urgent business that needed his special attention,” explained the Baroness to her husband. “He would not say what it might be, although another of Hillier’s men arrived with a message. He said he may have a surprise for you when he returns.”
The Baron grinned. “Danvers will be ours for a while.”
The Kenricks had a placid week during the absence of the Earl. They did not acknowledge the peace, but it was real to them all the same. When the Earl returned, he was beaming after his own fashion. He immediately called his brother into his own study and poured them both glasses of port. “We want a guaranteed purchaser of our serge,” he explained. “That would be Fenwick, in Exeter. Fenwick wants a share of the contracts to supply the army with clothing. That would be Wraxall, in Army Supply. Wraxall has the close ear of the Duke. I have been to see Wraxall—and the Duke, who granted me a short audience, thanks to Wraxall. I have convinced him ofthe quality and dependability of Fenwick, who would never be granted an audience, as he is a mere commercial commoner. The Duke will grant him a large contract, once he has seen our sheep and our serge.” The Earl drained his glass of port, and helped himself to another. He fell back into his chair and seemed to gloat.
The Baron stood with his untasted port. “He is coming
here
?”
“In three months. In January, to be precise. Not exclusively to visit Danvers. He will be making a tour of the south coast to evaluate defenses in the larger port towns. He will be accompanied by a modest entourage. He will stop here for a night or two. We must prepare for this occasion.”
“A royal visit…,” murmured the Baron.
“I know what you’re thinking, dear brother. I can picture you despairing over the chaos in your neatly kept ledger books. You should see the look on your face! How costly an affair! The entertainment, the food, all the incidental expenses of putting up a
large
, important man and his train. But—think of the benefits, think of the gains! A contract to supply the army with its jackets, breeches, and blankets! The contract would be two-fold: one with Fenwick, and one with Danvers. Fenwick is part-owner of a dying establishment in London.”
“I know,” said the Baron, sitting down on the edge of an armchair as though it was too delicate to take his weight.
“Yes, you know.” The Earl grunted once. “But it was an opportunity
you
neglected.”
The Baron put his glass aside on the table. “How did Hillier come upon this opportunity?”
“He has friends in the ministry, and he heard about it. He introduced himself to Wraxall.”
The Baron thought for a moment before he spoke again. “Is there to be another war?”
The Earl shrugged his shoulders. “Not that I know of,” he replied. “Neither does Wraxall, nor the Duke. It’s a matter of laying up supplies.”
“How is the Duke?” asked the Baron abstractly.
“In the best of spirits, despite the albatross of unpopularity nesting on his shoulders.”
“Did he thank you for the birthday gifts you sent him?”
“I did not think it opportune to jog his memory of them. It seems he chose to see me in the middle of an impromptu meeting of the Jockey Club at his
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