AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 6
As Annalise left for her nuncheon the next day, Blake welcomed Townsend into his study. Townsend had come to collect the rest of his belongings. He was moving back to his mother’s townhouse until he found other lodgings for himself.
Blake didn’t know where he had spent the previous two nights, and he didn’t ask. He had offered his cousin a room here, so he didn’t have to move around a lot, but the young man refused, citing not wanting to disturb the privacy of a newly reunited couple.
Blake was glad for the answer. He was loath to have Townsend witness the actual state of the relationship between him and his wife.
However, while Townsend was in the house, it was a perfect opportunity to go through the ledgers. Blake needed help to make heads or tails of the current situation on his estates and with his finances. And it would also help Blake understand whether Townsend could be in any way responsible for Blake’s disappearance.
“I noticed you made a few changes to my staff,” Blake said, sitting across from his cousin. “For one, you’ve dismissed my solicitor, Portsmouth.”
“Among others, yes, that’s correct,” Townsend answered, unperturbed. “The man was skimming from you. He, the stewards, and the land managers all stole from you and divided the cut.”
“How did you come to that conclusion?” Blake frowned.
“I checked the ledgers. Apparently, they’ve been doing it for years.”
“For years?” Meaning they’ve been stealing from his late father as well.
“That’s right. And they felt they were untouchable. They thought they could get away with it unscathed.”
“And they would have. If it weren’t for my disappearance,” Blake grumbled.
“I am sure you would’ve eventually caught on,” Townsend said in an offhand manner.
“And I’m sure I wouldn’t,” Blake muttered under his breath.
If it wasn’t for his capture, he would have neglected his lands just like his father apparently had. Blake shook his head in wonder. He remembered how he had worshipped his father and wanted to be just like him. Now, remembering all his father’s teachings, all his father’s doings, he couldn’t understand why. All he saw was destruction. And Blake had been heading in the same direction. If he hadn’t got conked on the head one too many times by the bandits, he would have turned into his old man by now.
“You’ve done an excellent job,” Blake said to his cousin, still leafing through the ledgers. “I believe you’ve made more profit in a year than Father did in his entire life.”
“That’s because he didn’t make any.” Townsend shrugged. “Look, Payne, I can help you with all this if you need. I care for the estate and the tenants, and I am not going to abandon them or you to an unknown fate. And that is why I am here.”
“But?” Blake raised his head and looked steadily into his cousin’s eyes.
“I am glad for your return, truly. I am happy you are healthy and ready to take on your responsibilities. However, I thought I was building a future for myself. Turns out, I wasn’t. And I worked hard and made sacrifices toward that future. So I’d like to get back to building my own life as well. Otherwise, I don’t have a chance of ever having a family of my own.”
“Do you have financial problems, then?” Blake cocked his head to the side. If Townsend was in trouble before he inherited Blake’s estates, it would definitely put him higher on his list of suspects.
“Yes,” Townsend croaked out. “After the death of my father, my mother and I were both dependent upon the generosity of the late Lord Payne. But as you can see, he didn’t have a lot to share.”
Blake bit the inside of his lip. Townsend blamed Blake’s father for his misfortunes, then. Perhaps even Blake.
“So, I took it upon myself to try and turn my leisure into labor,” Townsend continued. “I know your father was of the opinion that labor was for a lower class, but some of us couldn’t afford leisure. I painted, sold my art, acquired quite a collection from my earnings, and auctioned it off to make some profit, so I could do it all over again. But after I inherited the title, I put everything I had into this endeavor. I needed to succeed in this, to make this profitable, to make it so I could care for the people depending on me. And now that you are back, I am at a loss. Again. And I need to care for my mother and her seven cats.”
“Seven cats?” Blake frowned in incomprehension. What did cats have anything to do with it?
“Apologies, my mother’s cat bore six kittens last night. I am a bit shaken by the experience. Feral little things too. Now I not only have my family to worry about but this cat’s family. And since we don’t have many servants… But I digress. You don’t need kittens by any chance, do you?”
“No, I really don’t.”
“Too bad. I wouldn’t want to drown them, but I might have to. Or next year, we shall have eighteen of them. Apologies for veering off-topic. This was just fresh on my mind.”
Blake cleared his throat. “Yes. Well, I studied the books before your arrival, and I’ve noticed that you invested quite a large sum of money at the very beginning. That was how you managed to turn a profit. Where did you get the money from if you were in tight straits?”
Townsend shifted in his seat. “I sold my art collection. And my own paintings. Selling my own art was how I managed a living before. But as I inherited the Payne title, I couldn’t continue my art machinations, so I put it to better use.”
Blake nodded. “Townsend, I understand your predicament, believe me. And I am grateful that you’ve managed to make the Payne title profitable again, and I shall repay you for that. Gladly. Let us work out a deal. You help me get the hang of my newly found responsibilities. Help me keep up with your novelties and investments, and I shall buy your art collection back for you. I shall even invest in your future projects. It is what you’ve sacrificed for the estate; it is what you deserve.”
