Hannah

It was slightly chilly as we started back up the road. I could hardly disguise my annoyance at Fred for trying to influence me away from backing the home owning project, but after all, I had asked for him to come to give me advice, so I couldn’t be too unkind.

“Well, that’s over then,” he said.

“Yes, I expect the next thing will be for Horatio to make direct contact with Lord Howard, saying how many properties we want to buy, and see what he comes up with as an asking price. Then there can be negotiations.”

“I’m sorry, Hannah, if I offended you in there. But I did feel you were committing yourself without really knowing the options. I only suggested that you should also contact Mr. Moult, to see what sort of price he thinks you should have to pay, rather than relying entirely on Mr. Whittington’s estimates.”

“I know you meant well, Fred, and I did ask you to give me advice, but I do trust Mr. Whittington. And the idea of me buying the whole of Bench Wells, and then having Mary and her family as my tenants really appeals to me. I can afford it. And what a good investment for Annie. It might be that in ten years time when she marries, she and her husband might want to live in the other half of my house.”

“Well, I only hope your faith in Whittington is not misguided and that you won’t rue this day. You could still back out. I do suggest that you have your own solicitor just to make sure that your interests are being best served. Mr.Whittington is doing this because he wants to make money out of it - so he will be taking a cut of whatever the agreed price is with Lord Howard. You can be sure of that.”

“And why not? He is working on our behalf. Why shouldn’t he have a percentage for his trouble?”

“Oh, I think perhaps we should change the subject, or you will regret that you asked me to come with you. How is Annie getting on in school? Who is her teacher this year?”

“Miss Nora Mahoney, she’s called. A real Irish accent she has, although she has lived in this country for some time. She went to boarding school in Leeds and then qualified as a teacher. Annie loves going to school. She is ever so bright.”

“I can see that, and a well brought up child as well, with manners and an almost grown-up way about her.”

“Thank you, sir, for those kind words. But I do worry about her not having a father figure in her life, or brothers and sisters.”

“Do you intend to marry again?”

“I am certainly young enough to do so, and if the right man came along, yes, I would. But I don’t need a man to support me, which is the difference between me and most of the young women of marriageable age. What about you, then? Why haven’t you married?”

“I suppose the right girl never came along. And I am happy enough as I am at the moment, with John and Margaret. They are sort of like parents to me, and I have lived with them 15 years now, much longer than I lived with my own parents. And having Blanche just down the road too is very nice. But I expect she will marry before long, and John will die before long - so who knows what the future will bring.”

“What sort of social life do you have? What do you do besides going and cutting up your chunks of rock each day?”

“You make is sound so boring,” he said laughing. “I’ll have you know I am a skilled craftsman and even if I spend most of the days fashioning nothing more exciting that building stones, I could one day use my talents to create a sculpture. How would you like that?”

“And what would you make, if you had the chance?”

“A monument to something important - like to those who died in the Boar War. I understand that Lord Howard, who we were talking about so much tonight, did his service in the war. Not many aristocrats would risk their lives as he did.”

“Perhaps you can do a statue for his new Cathedral in Norwich. Why don’t you ask him?” I said jokingly.

“Perhaps I will,” he teased me back, but by this time we had come outside my gate, and I started up to the front door. “Do you think you could see Florence home for me? She has been tending Annie, and although it isn’t a long walk, it is a lonely one late at night.”

“Yes, of course, I would be pleased to. And Hannah, if ever you want me to accompany you again, like I did tonight, you will ask me, won’t you?”

“Yes, thank you, Fred. I was pleased to have you, most of the time tonight, and I’m sure you only had my best interests at heart.”

Florence, bless her heart, had fallen asleep in her chair, and I gently woke her and gave her a threp’ny bit for her efforts. She seemed well pleased.

I checked on Annie, who was sleeping soundly, and then I sat in my favourite chair, and thought, soon this will be my house - all of it, will be mine.