With that, he extended a vellum envelope, carefully folded and sealed. Curious, Jareth looked at the seal—and there were three of them, all in a row—before realizing whose it was.
“My uncle,” he said, sounding pleased. “Christ, I haven’t spoken to him in years.”
Thor watched as Jareth broke all three seals. “Why not?”
“A few reasons, I suppose,” Jareth said. “The man is in Bristol. He hasn’t come to London in years.”
“You can go visit him, you know. Bristol is not that far.”
Jareth shrugged. “No need,” he said. “He’s always come here, and we sup together when he does. We’ve never been particularly close, but with him, at least the effort is made.”
“Unlike your own father.”
Jareth shook his head. “Nay,” he said without remorse. “My father only had time for my older brother, who only had time for himself. When my father died a few years ago, Jasper inherited everything and I’ve not heard from him since.”
Thor watched the man open up the envelope and inspect the careful writing. “Pity,” he said.
“Not really,” Jareth said. “My brother is an arse. In fact, I… Damn…”
He was reading the missive, and Thor looked at him with concern. “Is something amiss in Bristol?”
Jareth didn’t answer for a moment. He just kept reading. “It seems so,” he said slowly. “It seems that my uncle has died.”
“I am sorry for you,” Thor said sincerely. “Even if you were not close to the man, a death in the family is regrettable.”
Jareth barely nodded as he continued reading. When he was finished, he read the missive again. And again. Finally, he looked up from the vellum, appearing the least bit stunned. Even Thor could see it.
“What is it?” he asked. “What’s happened?”
Jareth looked back at the vellum. “He has left me his entire estate.”
Thor’s eyebrows lifted. “Truly?” he said. “And you were not even close to the man?”
“I did not think so.”
“Evidently, your uncle thought differently.”
Jareth shook his head. “You do not understand,” he said. Then he read the vellum one more time before letting out a guffaw of disbelief. “My God… everything.”
“What is everything? What do you mean?”
Jareth had to collect himself before he answered. “My uncle was my mother’s brother,” he said. “My mother came from a noble family in Bristol, and when my grandfather died, my uncle took over the family business. Shipping, mostly, but there is also a very large merchant stall in the city where things from all over the known world were sold.”
Thor failed to see why that had Jareth so rattled. “Congratulations are in order,” he said. “It sounds as if you are to be a very wealthy man.”
Jareth shook his head. “You do not understand,” he said. “This is not just wealth. My uncle has turned the family business into an empire. He built a church in the town center as well as a universitas. Can you imagine that? An institute of higher education. It is called the Temple Generale and it teaches priests and knights in the Biblical arts, architecture, and mathematics. He owns most of Bristol as it is—property and homes. The people who live in those properties work for him or work his land and pay him a percentage. He has more money than most ofthe warlords in England—combined. Rich does not completely cover how much he has.”
Thor grinned. “Well done, old man,” he said, clapping Jareth on the arm. “But why are you not more pleased about this?”
Jareth had to pause and think on that question. “Because… hell, because the subject of the man’s heir has never come up,” he said. “Not from my mother, not even from my father. My father could not stand the man, in fact.”
“Why?”
“Because Uncle Chester de Long was twice as smart as my father and twice as ambitious,” he said. “Chester could run circles around my father and my father hated him for it. Chester also hates my brother, Jasper, and the feeling is mutual.”
“But he does not hate you?” Thor said. “Why?”
Jareth shrugged. “Because I am my mother’s son,” he said quietly, thinking on the woman he loved dearly. “My mother was a sweet woman, Thor. We share the same dark hair and eyes. My father once said that I have her smile. Uncle Chester adored my mother. Her marriage to my father was arranged and Chester never forgave my grandfather for it. He did not think my father was good enough for her.”
