Page 27 of The Mad Marchams

“So, what’s the problem if you both want to try it?”

“Money. We can’t afford to implement the necessary changes. If we want to be organically certified, we’d need to clear and clean up the fields and the stream that runs through the place. It’s a lot of work and it takes years.”

Colin considered his brother’s hopeful expression. It was the first time he’d seen him so animated without a side of sarcasm, and he was loathe to disappoint him.

“How about you work up a proposal for making the farm organic and give it to me to take a look?” Colin asked.

“You’d be okay with that?” Freddy raised an eyebrow.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because you’re currently trying to force all our relatives to get jobs in the exciting world of fast-food delivery to rake in some cash?”

“But this is a long-term project that will benefit the estate, as opposed to a whole group of entitled people who have never bothered to work a day in their lives.” Colin held Freddy’s gaze. “I want this place to succeed. I want something we can hand down to the next generation and be proud of. A self-sustaining organic home farm supplying the house and local community sounds like a great investment in the future to me.”

Freddy stood up. “Now all we need is some cash.”

“Yes.” Colin groaned.

“Have you asked Mabel to help out?”

Colin’s faint smile disappeared. “I haven’t asked her, although she has already offered. And, by the way, she has no obligation to help me with anything.”

“She’s in love with you.”

“All the more reason for me not to mess that up by asking for money.” Colin said.

Freddy studied him carefully. “Didn’t you google her when you met?”

“Why would I need to do that? I know who she is and what she does. She still doesn’t owe me a thing.”

Freddy went toward the door and two of the dogs got up to follow him. “Your loss, Viz. But if she offers again, you really should take her up on it.”

“The only way I would ask her for money was if someone kidnapped you and I needed to make them keep you for good.”

Freddy grinned. “Nice one, bro.” he stood up. “By the way, do you remember Bumpy Haywicks from school?”

“Blond, rich, a head full of straw, but surprisingly good at cricket?”

“That’s the one. His place, Mambles, is about ten miles north of here. When he inherited it from his father a few years ago it was a complete disaster. I called him this morning, and he said if you wanted to pop over this afternoon and see how he’s been doing, he’d be delighted to show you.”

“What happened to his father?”

“He got stuck upside down getting off a ski lift in the French Alps, banged his head on something, went into a coma and never recovered.” Freddy shook his head. “Apparently, he went around a couple of times before they could untie his boots and get him off.”

Colin shuddered. “What a way to go.”

“Bumpy’s mother lives in Spain now with the head gardener.”

“Good for her.”

“So, do you want me to call him back and say you’re coming?”

Colin considered leaving the mammoth task of steering Marcham Hall into the future for an afternoon off and nodded. “Yes, why not. I could do with some hope.”

“Where exactly are we going?”

Mabel flinched as another car hurtled past them on the other side of the road, a scant inch from her side mirror. There were six-foot-high hedges on either side of them, and she doubted her truck would fit in the space, let alone be able to drive with other cars on the road.