“Men often are, Winifred, but I find that ladies are not, and you must admit that Sophie is unusual.”
She shuddered. “You don’t have to tell me that, Tom. It wouldn’t do for him to hear of her plan to follow the drum; or her previous escapades.”
“Forget it, Winifred. I think that Sophie will surprise us.”
She gave him a quizzical look. “What do you mean?”
“I watched how she cast an appraising glance over the contents of each room that we entered.”
“How vulgar,” she said. “I must speak with her about it.”
“No, Winifred,” said Tom, “I’ve seen many people do that when they think they are unnoticed. Ladies are especially critical, and Sophie has been accustomed to staying in an extremely wealthy household. I think she was mentally comparing the value, but to Edward Teale she expressed her admiration, which pleased him.”
Tom had noticed the adroit way that Sophie conducted herself. He wouldn’t be surprised to see Teale giving her everything she asked for. Whereas Charlie was without guile, he knew that Sophie could turn most situations to her advantage.
“You’re very observant, Tom.”
In his position he was supposed to notice things.
“I need to satisfy myself that they have a chance of being compatible, Winifred; otherwise I will not allow her to marry him.”
“You wouldn’t want her to marry Joshua, would you?”
“No, he’s far too young for the responsibility. That’s why he’s at Holkham, to be away from the temptations that women might offer.”
To Tom’s relief, Sophie quickly recognised the benefits of marriage, and responded favourably when Edward Teale made his wishes known.
She returned from her second visit to his London home, full of enthusiasm about the luxurious furnishings, and the promise of having her own glossy black phaeton and pair of perfectly matched chestnut horses. That was the deciding factor.
“It’s just like my friend Annie’s house,” she said in an excited voice, “only better, because it will be my home, and Charlie can live with us.”
Hearing the sound of satisfaction, Tom felt happier. Sophie never took the slightest interest in house furnishings at Linmore, but it seemed that the idea of being mistress of such a lavish establishment held great appeal for her. The prospect of having a wealthy husband overcame any other desires, and from her perspective, his advancing age was no impediment to the match.
Tom left the purchase of bride’s clothes to his sister, and duly paid the accounts when they arrived. He also funded the engagement ball at Cavendish Square, which Winifred considered necessary for a member of the Norbery family. It was modest by her usual standards, but no one could say she did not do things properly.
Caught up in the excitement of the event, Sophie was happy to marry her banker, by special licence, little more than a month after they met. Due to the bridegroom’s working commitments, neither deemed a bridal trip necessary.
Punctilious in her duties, Mrs Pontesbury ensured an entry appeared in the London Society Gazette, recording the marriage between Miss Sophie Cobarne, of Linmore Hall in Shropshire; and Mr Edward Teale, a banker in the City. After which, the report stated the couple would divide their time between Mr Teale’s London home, and his country estate.
CHAPTER 30
When Tom left London, it was with the intention of travelling to Holkham to see Joshua, before returning home to Linmore. In his pocket was a copy of the London Society Gazette, containing a report of Sophie’s wedding; a second one having been sent to Lucius Cobarne in Ireland, together with a letter of explanation.
I took the liberty of purchasing a commission of Second-Lieutenant for Charlie in his father’s former regiment. As he is unaware of the state of your brother’s financial situation, I implied that monies were left in a trust, which you have managed. He may well write to express his gratitude. Similarly, for Sophie, I provided a dowry for her marriage, the details of which are in the magazine.
What else could he say? It was nobody’s business that he took out a mortgage of ten thousand pounds, using Linmore as security, with five thousand for each invested in government funds. Edward Teale had agreed to manage them.
It was not exactly how he intended his guardianship to end, but he had fulfilled the legal obligations he promised to the best of his ability. All that remained was for him to maintain contact with the Teale household, to assure himself that Sophie had the support she needed.
Tom had great hopes of his investment in Joshua at Holkham. Linmore money would pay for improvements to the estate, and if the war continued as seemed likely, farming profits would increase and the mortgage could be repaid within a few years. There was no reason for him ever to know.
The last month had been a trial, but they had brushed through it without too many problems. Quite unexpectedly, Sophie had shed a few tears when saying farewell.
“Please don’t abandon me, Uncle Tom,” she whispered when, quite out of character, she gave him a hug of farewell.
“No, Sophie,” he said, “I won’t. If you need to consult me… about anything, send a message to Aunt Winifred. She will ensure it finds me.”
It was the only hint of any anxiety Sophie might feel, and was quickly gone.
“I will send news of your marriage to your uncle in Ireland,” he said.
She gave a little crow of delight, hastily subdued, and said with a rueful grin, “He’ll never believe it of me. Thank you, Uncle Tom, for everything…”
If, as Tom suspected, Sophie had wanted to remain at Linmore, he thought that the relative proximity of Ravensbury Manor, might have helped sway her judgement.
Having satisfied himself that all was well, he turned his mind to how Joshua was faring. He’d travelled to Holkham before at the time of the sheep-shearings, but not for several years. Now Joshua could explain what was going on.
Afterwards, he would make his way home to Linmore. He couldn’t wait to tell Jane the news that Sophie was safely married and in a few weeks, Charlie would commence his officer training.
In Jane’s last letter, she had mentioned Ed Salter’s continuing progress to recovery, and a problem that she wished to discuss with him about Millie. This puzzled him, for he had ensured the girl was amply rewarded for her honesty in speaking in Joshua’s defence, so what else had occurred?
If Sophie was ecstatic about the turn of events, Charlie was appalled when he heard news of her impending nuptials. He looked at her in disbelief.
“You can’t marry him, Sophie. He is far too old. The Norberys have no right to make you do this.”
“Don’t be silly, Charlie,” she said. “Nobody is forcing me to do anything, least of all Uncle Tom. He was kind to me from the beginning, and I will not have a word said against him. I am doing this, in part, to make up to you what you have lost. Mr Teale has agreed you can make your home with us.”
“It’s not necessary for you to go to these lengths, Sophie,” he said, running an agitated hand through his hair. “I would have been leaving Linmore anyway. It’s what you want that matters.”
Sophie gave a wry grin. “Believe me, Charlie,” she said. “This suits me very well. I’ve never had money, and he has more than enough for all of us. He’s old, and might not live long, so we’ll make of it what we can. In any case, I have other friends.”
“But you told me that you had money before we came to London.”
“Oh, Charlie,” she said with a gurgle of laughter. “That was the allowance Uncle Tom gave me when I was at school. Living with Annie, her parents paid for everything. I saved every penny, but it was chicken-feed compared to the amount of pin-money Mr Teale will give me every quarter.”
In Sophie’s eyes that made it right but as Charlie could offer no alternative, he had to accept it. “It’s Joshua Norbery’s fault. He’s reduced you to selling yourself to the highest bidder…”
She turned on him fiercely. “Don’t even mention his name,” she said
in a gruff voice. “Try to forget what happened at Linmore, and let me do the same.”
“I can’t forgive him for what he did.”
She was equally determined. “If I can, then you must. I don’t want you to bear a grudge. It’s over now. Linmore is behind us.”
“I promised Pa I’d take care of you. This makes me feel I’ve failed.”
Sophie took his hand, and nursed it to her cheek.
“No, Charlie,” she said. “You always looked after me, and now it is my turn. Please, say you will accept it – to please me.”
Charlie could not refuse her entreaty. He was not entirely happy, but at least she had a home, and he must trust that Edward Teale would treat her well.
At Sophie’s wedding, he felt a sense of loss, but not only for his sister. It was probably the last time he would be part of the Norbery family. On the day, only Uncle Tom came from Linmore. Aunt Jane sent her love, and a letter asking him to keep in touch, but it was not the same. He would have dearly loved to see her again. She was the only person to whom he could have admitted his anger had gone, and now he felt sadness.
It was hard to believe the silver-haired banker was his brother-in-law, when the man must be thirty years older. Still, Sophie seemed excited about the style of the London town house, and Charlie was impressed with the man’s generosity in showering his wife with the finest clothes and jewellery. All she had to do in return was present her husband with an heir.
For the first month, he shared their home and watched Sophie settle into her new role, which she did with remarkable ease. Then he heard news that his regiment, the Eighth Company of Dragoons, was moving to a training camp in the north of England. Until now, he had been a soldier in name only, sold short by his cussed independence, which insisted on a commission as Second Lieutenant, where Uncle Tom wanted, on his uncle’s behalf, to give him the full title. A letter of thanks must be his first action, with an explanation of his intention to earn the extra rank.
In his heart, Charlie felt haunted by his actions in the Linmore stable yard. He always fought fair before, but to his shame, took unfair advantage of his opponent, and things went horribly wrong. Worse still, Squire Norbery saw him do it, which was why he refused a higher ranked commission.
Taking leave of Sophie was hard, and he struggled to shut out the memories of the last time they parted, when he set out on the Grand Tour. This time however, she was dressed in fine silks, and stood beside her husband, looking elegantly defiant. All would be well as long as the man was prepared to understand her foibles.
He set out in the company of other newly commissioned officers; but where many of them travelled in a covered wagon, he rode his horse in all weathers, while the enlisted men marched every step of the way. To justify the decision, he recited the words his father, Major Fergus Cobarne, had spoken on his last visit home before his death.
Remember this, boy: if your men can see you at their side, they will obey you, wherever you order them to go.
He was thankful the rain on his face covered the emotions that would not stay hidden. The sturdy mount from the Linmore stables was proving its worth, as was Rushwick, the former soldier, recommended by Sergeant Percival for the position of his batman-cum-groom. That, no doubt, was Uncle Tom’s gift as well.
If he had been travelling inside the wagon, Charlie would have been prey to his thoughts, and memories of other confined places. Even so, he was not proof against the letter he received from Uncle Tom, telling him about financial investments made on their behalf. He must tell Sophie that, irrespective of her marriage, this was their security for the future.
The weather worsened the further north he travelled. Deluge after deluge echoed his weeping heart as he remembered he had lost contact with everyone for whom he cared. Never had he felt so low.
Sophie always showed him parts of the letters she received from her friend in Bredenbridge. In the latest one, Annie, his dearest love, was distraught. She did not know what to do, because her father had forbidden her to contact him. All he had left was the little cameo picture his golden goddess had given him.
Rather than weep for his loss, Charlie damned Joshua Norbery for destroying his chance of happiness, as well as a precious friendship. It did no good, for he had always known that Annie’s father was a wealthy man with rampant social ambitions.
With Uncle Tom, and the Linmore connections, he might have been acceptable as a possible husband, but without them, his lack of background made him persona non grata to a man of means. Now, he would have to earn his promotion on the battlefield, and pray his dearest love was still free when he returned – or die in the attempt.
CHAPTER 31
After the first couple of weeks at Holkham, Joshua felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. The agent’s schedule was strict and unremitting. Some days he felt so tired that he almost fell asleep over the paperwork.
Estate management took precedence over everything else. On his daily rides with the agent, he saw farmhouses of palatial proportions and animal sheds that would have looked like mansions to country folk in Shropshire. The Great Barn was one such example.
“Mr Coke made rebuilding a priority when he inherited the estate,” said the agent. “By improving the quality of accommodation, he attracted a better class of tenant, willing to pay a good rent to live in such style.”
In his novice state, Joshua felt stupid at not being able to answer the simplest of questions. Many times, he wished himself back at Linmore, but gradually the mistakes grew fewer.
The first time the agent said, “Well done, Mr Norbery, that’s very good,” he felt his eyes water with pleasure.
It was still hard, trying to sort the details in his mind. Eventually, he asked the other students when they met for their evening meal, “How did you manage when you came here first?”
Harry and Jack laughed aloud. “Order and method, old chap,” said Harry. “Order and method.”
Joshua frowned. “Isn’t that one of the House Rules?” he said.
“Indeed it is,” said Harry, “Rule number two on the list, but you must realise that without discipline, all else fails.”
When he was next in the agent’s office, Joshua sneaked a look at the picture behind the desk. They were right about the second rule. Without discipline, order and method, all else fails.
It was one of Mr Blakeney’s favourite sayings.
Good, that was one out of the way. To simplify matters, he decided to write them in his notebook, and allocate one for each day of the working week. Then he read them through.
Monday declared – Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
Tuesday decreed – Without discipline, order and method, all else fails.
Wednesday taught him – Manners make the man.
Thursday’s reading told him – Time is a valuable commodity. Use it well, for you do not know when you will need it.
Friday advised – At the end of each day, make peace with your God.
Having completed his list, Joshua realised that Thursday’s rule about time applied when the agent planned the farm leases, which could be anything between eight and twenty years. In these, the tenant had to follow the exact clause for the preparation of soil, and use the specified rotation, for which Mr Blakeney gave them ample time to make improvements and achieve a profit.
Now it was beginning to make sense.
The list of House Rules looked quite straightforward when Joshua read it aloud, which he often did when he was alone. He became so proficient, he could have recited the words in his sleep, and for all he knew he might well have done.
He thought Aunt Jane would agree with the sentiments, but was not sure about the other lads, particularly the evening Harry wandered into his room and found the open notebook. When he saw the list, he chortled with glee.
“What have you written them down for?” he said. “You surely don’t believe those rules belong to Mr Coke, do you?”
That was exactly what Joshua assumed.
“No,” Harry said, “Jack and I decided at the outset it was Blakeney who wrote them, and he uses them to keep us in order.”
Jack looked on and said nothing.
“Listen to the words. Manners make the man… Can’t you just hear him?” Harry tried to mimic the Scotsman’s accent, and failed miserably, due to his laughter.
“I was sending them to my aunt,” Joshua said. “I think she would appreciate them.”
Harry had the grace to look shamefaced. “Oh well, in that case, I daresay she will. Ladies like that sort of thing.”
After that, things started to improve. In the weeks leading up to the sheep-shearing, Mr Blakeney kept everyone occupied with the planning.
Joshua saw little of the other lads during the daytime, but he was glad of their company in the evenings. It helped alleviate his loneliness and took his mind off the reason that had brought him there.
On a Sunday morning, they rode their horses from the stables to the church on the hillside, overlooking Holkham Park. Afterwards, they galloped across the park to dine with the agent and his family. The rest of the day belonged to them, and this was when Joshua began to know his fellow students.
They were friendly chaps, but Joshua didn’t expect the camaraderie he shared with Charlie. He doubted if he would ever find another friend, and felt the loss of friendship worse than bereavement. In any case, they had almost completed their placement year. By August, they would have left Holkham.
Before that, they showed him different aspects of the estate to ones he travelled with the agent. If he thought Mr Blakeney’s work schedule was intense, he found that Harry and Jack seemed determined to use every spare hour of daylight for their pleasure. No sooner was their evening meal over than they set off to ride across the park to one of the country inns around the estate, many named after the ostrich, which adorned the Coke family Coat of Arms.
Harry insisted it was the best way of introducing Joshua to the locals, but from the enthusiastic welcome they received wherever they went, it was obvious the other lads spent their money freely, knew the taste of all the local ales and were on friendly terms with every barmaid for miles around.
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