The young man looked up from tying a stack of newspapers together. “Right away, Mr. Stanford.”
Jacob returned to his seat behind the desk. “So, Henry, how are you?”
“Well, very well, thank you. Mrs. Williams is veryhappy these days, which makes me happy. As a matter of fact, I have a few more articles and recipes for you today.”
“Excellent. I’m so very pleased that your wife’s idea has turned out to be so well-received. Sometimes, it takes a woman’s point of view to understand the best course of action.”
“Well said, my boy. A lesson best learned early in life. Remember that, and you’ll have a happy life too.”
222
London
It had been amonth since the magistrate informed the Parker sisters of the death of their father. Before the shock had worn off, two more things happened almost immediately.
First, her father’s solicitor paid them a visit to inform them that the estate was experiencing financial difficulties. After a bad harvest last season at their country estate, the income they relied on to see them through the year would be cut.
“I’m very sorry to bring you such distressing news, Miss Parker,” Mr. Haggerty said. “Unfortunately, that means the quarterly allowance will be much lower than expected.”
“How much lower?” Audrey asked. They were pinching pennies to get by on the quarterly allowance they’d been receiving, and she dreaded to hear how much worse it might get.
“Probably by half.”
Audrey gasped. There was no getting around it now. She would have to seek employment, or they would surely starve. She’d been putting off seeking work as the sisters mourned their father’s passing, putting her time into comforting Grace and Mia as they came to terms with the fact that they were now orphans. Now she’d have no choice but to find work. There was no way she could afford to mourn for a year, as expected by Society, not if they didn’t want to go hungry. She was mentally trying to tally ways to cut expenses even more when Mr. Haggerty interrupted her thoughts.
“There’s another matter we need to discuss,” he said.
“Oh?”
“The search for an heir took longer than expected, but he’s recently been found. He’s an American living in New York City at present. I’ve sent a letter to him informing him of his elevation to Baron Fletcher, and advised him to come to London as soon as possible to claim the title.”
“Oh, I see. How long before he arrives?”
“The voyage across the ocean will take at least six weeks. I hope to welcome him to London in early April.”
Audrey felt like she’d been hit with a sledgehammer. If they lost the allowance from their country estate, they really would be destitute. She had no idea if the heir would understand their situation fully, as there is no aristocracy in America comparable to the aristocracy in England.
The only good point in all this bad news was that her father hadn’t mortgaged their house on Gracechurch Street, so the rent did not come out of their quarterly allowance. At least they’d have a roof over their heads for the foreseeable future, or at least until the heir arrived. It was probably a good thing they’d never relocated to the country; it would have been devastating to be forced to leave if the heir demanded it.
“I’m sorry to be the one to bring you these problems. I wish I had better news for you, Miss Parker,” Mr. Haggerty said. “I shall be in touch again when I hear anything more from the heir.”
“Thank you, Mr. Haggerty. I appreciate you visiting today and explaining the situation to me. We will do our best to survive this.”
The solicitor stood. “I wish you the best. Good day, Miss Parker.”
“Good day, Mr. Haggerty. Beckwith will show you out.”
After the solicitor left, Audrey sat in stunned silence.
An American was the new Baron Fletcher?
What did that mean for their future?
Would he even travel to London?
She sat thinking about everything for long minutes until she heard a knock on the parlor door.
“Come.”
