I'm rather pleased that I have now finished the rough outline of the whole story - 25 chapters it will be. I have changed the setting to 1906, so I will have to go back and change details along the way. Annie, the daughter is now 9, Hannah is 39, Horatio is 35. Fred is 30. It doesn't affect the main plot - or the business meetings.

 Horatio

“I’m sure that we have had sufficient time to discuss and view the details that I have circulated. First, I will ask if there are any questions, and then I will proceed to put forward my suggestions for moving this association of ours forward. Now, I am open for questions, please, gentlemen. Sorry, and ladies, of course."

“You have valued our farm property not very much above the ordinary dwelling houses. Surely, our land must count for something more,” said Mr. Salt.

“Well, as I thought I made plain at our last meeting, Lord Howard is not prepared to sell the land. He will retain the land himself and charge us a proportional amount of ground rent, with each of us having a 99 year lease. The amount that each will pay will depend on the size of the property, so those of you with large farms will pay him a greater amount. The values I estimated for your houses was for the actual dwelling place, and as farm houses tend to be bigger than normal houses, the amounts for the farms was proportionately larger.”

“You say, you think you can get a better deal than what is listed here. So you suggest £500 for my property on Low Hey farm,” said Squire Higginbottom, “but you really think the more realistic value will be a quarter less - so effectively, £400 for my house. Is that correct?”

“Well, I cannot be specific as I am only going by what has happened in other purchases made by Lord Howard in others of his properties in Sheffield and Scotland, but yes, I think you could assume that, but that figure might go up or down somewhat.”

“If I buy my half of Bench Wells,” said the fair Mrs. Harrison. I must remember to compliment her on her dress later. She looks ravishing. But I must concentrate on what she is saying. “Who will buy the other half? I know that the current owners don’t feel that they can afford it, but I am not sure that I would feel happy knowing it was owned by someone else I didn’t know and perhaps didn’t like.”

“Surely the easiest way of solving that problem, Mrs. Harrison, would be for you to buy the whole property yourself. You would then be your neighbour’s landlord, or landlady, I suppose I should say, and as you are such good friends, I’m sure that arrangement would work very well.”

“And might I interject here,” said Mr. Taylor,  “that I am willing to loan the extra sum of money needed for you to do just that, as I knew your husband, and would be willing to risk my money as an investment on your behalf.”

He is such a slippery character. He obviously has his eyes set on the rich widow too.

“And I should have mentioned that with the generous help of my mother-in-law, Mrs. Hayes, and with the extra help of my friend Mr. Taylor, I intend to buy all of the houses on Stanley Terrace.”

“So that leaves Whitebottom, Woodheys and Rock Tavern assuming that Mr. Salt might buy both halves of the Stirrup, and Mr. Higgenbottom, buy both halves of Low Hey.”

“I haven’t said I would do that,” said Mr. Salt. “I certainly am not committing myself to anything without seeing if Mr. Moult can come up with a better offer.”

“Fair enough, Mr. Salt,” I said. “We are happy to have you consult and with Mr. Moult and if you come up with a better offer from him, we will write you out of the equation for our company. My question for the rest of you, is are you now, willing to put your name in writing to the company, and pledge £50 on account for us to have as working capital for our adventure?”

There was a buzz around the room, and various friends conferred.

“I will pledge my money,” said Hannah, and I was so pleased with that.

“I am in too,” said Mr. Higgenbottom.

“I will put £50 in as an investment,” said Mr. Taylor.

“And I will too,” said, Mr. Andrew, surprisingly, as he said his mills were not doing well.

“As I said before,” said Mr. Wainwright, “I am not investing in your company. But from what I have heard so far tonight, I think it sounds like a very good investment.”

“Well, I know my friends, Messieurs Almond, Woodhouse and Simcock intend to put their £50 towards the company, so I think that makes it official. If you care to join us at a later date, Mr. Salt, you will be welcome.

"And so I think that more or less calls to an end our meeting for tonight. I have made a draft agreement, which those of you who are coming on board the company should sign before you leave, and if you could find the £50 for me in cheque or cash by next week, I would be most grateful. I will get on to Lord Howard’s man of business, Mr. Abraham, straight away, and tell him that we are interested in purchasing 11 properties in this area, and possibly another 2, depending on your decision, Mr. Salt. Thank you all for coming tonight, and I will be in touch with you when I hear back from Lord Howard.”

And so they all left. I was pleased that Fred had not managed to influence Hannah in regards to the purchase. I was sure that he was arguing with her against it during tea time, but she was determined to get her own way, and no matter what he said, I am sure she would have been with me. What a woman!