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Chapter 25
Josiah Sweet’s papers were many. There were boxes and boxes to go through. Most of the time, Silas worked alone. However, Dinah and Michael had offered to help. In a joint effort to settle their father’s estate, the three siblings were trawling through the papers together.
They had been working in silence for hours, sometimes pausing in their work to get a cup of tea or to eat something. Most of the time, though, they worked in silence, organizing the papers into piles. Some could be disposed of, while others were necessary to bring to the solicitor.
“Silas, look at this,” Dinah said, breaking the silence.
Both of her brothers walked over. On the slip of paper were coordinates, written in their father’s hand.
“That’s not far from Thornbridge Manor,” Silas remarked.
They all shared a curious look.
“What could it be for?” Michael wondered, voicing the one thing that they had all thought.
“I found a bill of sale in his desk a few days ago,” Silas said. “It was for ten acres, near to Thornbridge Manor. When I asked the solicitor about it, he knew nothing of any sale that had been made.”
“We will have to go there the next time that we’re in the country,” Dinah commented.
“We’ll have to be in London for the Season, at least,” Michael pointed out. “We won’t be out there until the spring.”
Silas slipped it into the breast pocket of his frock coat. “Perhaps I’ll head up there on a weekend,” he said. “There might be a reason that I have to go out there.” He didn’t know what, but he decided that he could go, just for some time out of the city. Already, he felt worn down.
“If you do, then one of us will go with you,” Michael offered.
“It might be one of Papa’s famous treasure hunts,” Silas mused.
“No,” Michael said, dismissing it. “It’s probably an addition to the estate. Father had been talking about adding some extra fields, for the horses.”
“We didn’t need anything extra,” Silas replied. “There’s plenty.”
“But why would he buy land for only a treasure hunt?” Dinah asked, wrinkling her nose.
“Because he did things like that,” Silas told them. “He liked to make a big deal out of things. What better place to hide something than a piece of land that we didn’t even know we owned?”
Michael and Dinah shared a doubtful look. The two of them shook their heads, smiling.
“Very well. Doubt me. I’ll show the both of you.”
Dinah and Michael left the room not long after. Silas stood, his mind mulling over things.
Mr Morton, the butler, opened the door. “My Lord, Lord Browning is here to see you. He requires a private audience.” He raised his eyebrows significantly.
Silas grinned. A private audience meant only one thing—Lord Browning was here to ask permission to marry Dinah. Silas was pleased. Reginald was proving himself to be everything that Silas had hoped. “Show him in, Mr Morton.”
***
Lord Browning was shown in to Silas’ study only a few moments later. He looked nervous as anything. He was dressed to impress—in a fine maroon jacket, with a snow-white cravat. Silas beamed at him.
“It’s good to see you, My Lord,” he said.
“Lord Thornbridge,” Lord Browning replied, bowing to him. “How have you been?”
“I’ve been well, My Lord. And you?”
“As well as can be expected,” he said, tugging nervously at his cravat.
“Can I interest you in a drink? Brandy, perhaps?”
